Sermons on Parables:

Weeds Series

Contributed by Donald Pinkleton on Jul 18, 2023

One man's weed is another man's flower. Are you sure you can tell the difference?

I must admit, I was a bit troubled by this scripture passage (the Parable of the Weeds). Let me tell you why I found this unsettling: It’s about the weeds. You see, every time I walk down the sidewalk to Church, I marvel at what’s growing beside it: along with the grass, there are these small, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-42

Straight Talk For Saints And Sinners

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 23, 2010

Parable of Mustard Seed & Narrow Door (PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request - email: gcurley@gcurley.info)

SERMON OUTLINE: (1). Straight talk about the Kingdom (vs 18-22) • illustration #1: like a mustard seed (vs 19). • illustration #2: like yeast (vs 21). (2). Straight talk about salvation (vs 23-33). • Entrance to the Kingdom is not automatic (vs 23-24). • Entrance to the Kingdom is a struggle ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:18-33

Denomination: Brethren

The Wheat And The Tares, And The Gnashing Of Teeth

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Oct 20, 2014

The parable of the wheat and the tares is not all about hypocrisy; it is also a gospel reading, full of strength through humility, and atonement. Read on!

Title: The wheat and the tares, and the gnashing of teeth. This sermon was delivered to St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 20th July 2014 (a Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries). Summary: The parable of the wheat and the tares is not all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

Denomination: Episcopal

The Feast/The Excuses Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Feb 28, 2010

There are many excuses for rejecting what God has to offer, and God sees through them all. If we’re full of the world we’ll have no appetite for Heaven.

Today’s parable starts out as table-talk. At a dinner, Jesus mentions “the resurrection of the righteous”, an encouraging truth. Someone at the table gets so excited, he declares a Beatitude: “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the banquet in the Kingdom of God!” ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:13-21

Denomination: Congregational

The Not So Prodigal Son

Contributed by David Roth on Mar 19, 2016

Lent 4 (c) God's grace delivers us not only from the outwards sins of immorality, but from the inward sins of the heart.

Luke 15:11-32 “The Not so Prodigal Son” J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. “The Not so Prodigal Son” Today we hear Jesus telling a parable. He is at a big banquet at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Lutheran

Good Lessons From A Bad Example Series

Contributed by Eyriche Cortez on Oct 15, 2008

Let us use our present resources to influence, to make a great impact, to make a lasting difference for our future, for eternity.

This morning, as we are about to enter our Missions Month, we will look into investing in eternity. Let us read the parable of the shrewd steward at Luke 16:1-13.[1] We will look at what is dubbed as one the most difficult parables of the Lord. There are those who accuse the Lord of praising ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Soil Of Your Heart

Contributed by Jay Bunting on Jul 9, 2011

Do we live our lives open to God? We need to allow the seed of God's word to penetrate into fertile soil of our heart.

4th Pentecost 11 The soil of your heart. Matthew 13:1-13:23 In the 19th Century and into the first part of the 20th (before radar was invented) ships avoided each other by looking out for beacons or lights on other ships. And they communicated with each other by flashing messages to each other by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Anglican

Preach What The Word Says Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 13, 2016

understand the meaning of the words we read

Thursday of 19th Week in Course Today’s Scriptures illustrate almost perfectly the next topic on preaching or witnessing that the Holy Father relates in the encyclical “the Joy of the Gospel.” It has to do with how we read the sacred text: ‘we need to be sure that we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Catholic

Debt And Devotion Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 12, 2011

God absorbs a debtor’s default.

Introduction Read Luke 7.36-50. Pray. So bad people need big forgiveness; as a result, when they meet Jesus, they love him much. Better people need less forgiveness, and so love little. The woman was bad, “a woman of the city,” “a sinner.” To state it crassly, a streetwalker or prostitute. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

0801 Trinity I: Hell Takes A Dive Series

Contributed by Mark Woolsey on Jun 15, 2009

Hell has gotten a bad rap these days. Dante wrote about its amusement park, but that’s fallen into disrepair. It’s no longer on the list of any popular tourist destinations.

Sermon: Hell Takes a Dive Text: Luke 16:19-31, Jer 23:23-32, Mat 7:13-14,21-29, I John 4:7-21 Occasion: Trinity I Who: Mark Woolsey Where: Providence Reformed Episcopal Church When: Sunday, June 14th, 2009 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Matthew 18:23-35 – How To Invest In What Truly Matters – Modern Parable Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Aug 29, 2016

Another rogue trader is back in the headlines after Compassion Bank’s Owner and Managing Director, J.C. Davidson, revealed that “unauthorised trading” by Michael Heartless has cost the bank millions of dollars. What the parable would look like today.

Matthew 18:23-35 – HOW TO INVEST IN WHAT TRULY MATTERS – The Parable of a Rogue Trader WORLD BREAKING NEWS: Monday. ANOTHER ROGUE TRADER SQUANDERS MILLIONS. Another rogue trader is back in the headlines after Compassion Bank’s Owner and Managing Director revealed that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:23-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gracious Father

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 22, 2015

Fathers are to protect their children from dangers, train, exemplify, and urge them to follow Jesus — but they must eventually release them and allow them to choose or not choose to follow Jesus.

The Gracious Father (Luke 15:11-32) 1. Marylu and I had a great time visiting Hannah and Clayton in Virginia, near DC. 2. They extended the Metro train station to about a mile from their condo, so Marylu walked to head for the National Gallery of Art in the mall in D.C. 3. The Metro station is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jesus Wants To Help Us Understand The Kingdom Of Heaven - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 10, 2022

King Jesus wants us to learn... 1. About His Lordship. 2. About His love. 3. About the lost. 4. About living in His light.

Jesus Wants to Help Us Understand the Kingdom of Heaven - Part 1 The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared May 10, 2022) BACKGROUND: *Please open your Bibles to Matthew 13 to focus on another of the Lord's parables. Jesus used these simple, earthly ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43

Denomination: Baptist

I Simply Must Have… Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 4, 2011

God recreates the whole life of those who give up small ambitions and admissions.

Read Matthew 13.44-46. Pray. Introduction Matthew again pairs two parables to press on us all the more forcefully one point. Last week we heard two parables of hidden and growing power. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, small and insignificant, but hidden in the dirt it grows to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Angel Prayer Series

Contributed by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid on Jul 23, 2014

The children of God that see and hear, hold visions in their hearts know of the angels' presence and know of the spiritual realm---what happens in the spirit and WAIT for the manifestation here on earth as we wait for the harvest of God.

Angel Prayer by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (July 23, 2014) “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing not see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-58

Denomination: Friends