Sermons on Parables:

The Early Bird Gets The Worm

Contributed by David Roth on Mar 10, 2015

Proper 20 (A). We toil and struggle against sin, to live righteously, But it does not give us life. Christ gives to us freely and aboundantly, all we need for this life and the next.

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 early bird gets the worm” In our text today, Jesus tells His disciples another parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. You will recall that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Lutheran

Murder In The Vineyard

Contributed by Chris Beam on Apr 19, 2015

It's amazing to me that so many times the very people who were supposed to know the most about God didn't even recognize Him when He was standing right in front of them.

Murder In The Vineyard Series: The Book of Mark
Mark 12:1-12 Once again, I would like to bring your attention to the Gospel of Mark. We've been studying the life of Jesus during His time on the earth and how He came into direct confrontation with the religious establishment of His day ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Two Sons: The Sequel.

Contributed by Wendy Gravolin on Mar 7, 2016

A narrative exploration of the Prodigal Son and his brother, with different versions of what might have happened the next day. it explores how prodigals returned to fellowship in the ministry of Jesus and find hope for big brothers in Saul of Tarsus.

The Two sons: The sequel Luke 15:11-32/ and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Who watches the Oscars? Me neither but, today I thought I would take some direction from Hollywood! Directors it seems love to produce a sequel. Sometimes it seems when new ideas are drying up they even resort to making ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Anglican

Reaping What You Sow In Relationships Series

Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Dec 6, 2024

In relationships, we have the opportunity to sow seeds of love, kindness, and compassion.

As believers, we understand that our actions have consequences. This principle is beautifully illustrated in Galatians 6:7-8, which says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:12, Proverbs 18:19

The Narrow Way (Luke 13)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 16, 2024

What is the narrow way? Let's look in Luke 13.

Do we blame the suffering for their plight? Does repentance happen without fruit? Is relieving human suffering more important than the letter of the law? Is the way narrow? Is Jerusalem known for killing the prophets? Let’s look at Luke 13. Do we blame the suffering for their plight or must we all ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Compost Pile Or Heap Of Rotten Garbage? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 24, 2021

The Christian heart needs frequent airing out and turning, even after conversion and sacramental grace.

Monday of 17th Week in Course Ss Anne and Joachim When someone says the word “parable” to most Christians, I think they immediately recall the parables of Jesus, like the one we heard today: the tiny mustard seed grows into a huge bush, the yeast mixed up with wheat, if properly mixed, causes the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-35, Jeremiah 13:1-11, Matthew 13:16-17, Deuteronomy 32:18-31

Denomination: Catholic

Kingdom Of Heaven (Part 10) Series

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Aug 31, 2015

Jesus is coming again. You can’t avoid standing before Him in judgment. Well if Jesus were to return today, and if it was your time to give an account to the Lord, what would be the outcome? Would you hear commendation or rebuke?

Opening illustration: Several years ago, Donald Trump said this in an interview: "I'll be 36 next year and I've done everything I can do. Sometimes I think it was a mistake to have raced through it all so fast. What's the next level up? The grass isn't always greener … I work, and I don't ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is It The Thought That Counts?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 6, 2009

Jesus’ parable of the dishonest but shrewd steward shows us that what people want is something real, not just nice thoughts; and that the use of God’s money is our finest responsibility.

My brother-in-law has a unique ability, a very special talent. He has the ability to go into a men’s clothing store, size up all the merchandise available, and cane out with the very worst, the most atrocious looking stuff that money can buy. What is worse, he does that when he is shopping for me. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

The Unmerciful Servant Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 31, 2009

Here we have both a reminder of just how great God’s love and mercy is and a warning about the need to respond appropriately, to demonstrate by our attitude to others that we’ve truly joined God’s family.

I think we all relate to this story. We empathise with the poor servant who only owes a few dollars and is thrown into gaol by the culprit of the story. We feel the sense of powerlessness of the poorer servant. We feel the outrage of the other servants as they see this injustice being played out. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Anglican

Unconditional Love

Contributed by John Lowe on Oct 15, 2014

Jesus tells the story of a young man who repents of his sin, apologizes to his father, and is joyfully accepted back into his family, despite the objections of his older brother who resents his father’s mercy.

12-7-04 Unconditional Love Luke 15:1-15:32 Jesus tells the story of a young man who repents of his sin, apologizes to his father, and is joyfully accepted back ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

A Fool & His Riches Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Aug 25, 2014

Disciple needed to learn the lesson that life is more important than material things. They must learn not to be diverted from their commitment to Jesus by greed for wealth & material possessions. True riches & satisfaction come only from God.

LUKE 12: [13-] 16-21. [PARABLES IN LUKE] A FOOL AND HIS RICHES [1 Timothy 6:6–10] AMERICA has been assured by its political leaders that ours is the highest standard of living in the World. We have the most wealth that men have ever known. Everywhere there are supermarkets overflowing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Denomination: Baptist

Seeds

Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on Jan 19, 2015

A discussion of how seeds grow, and how seemingly careless God is in sowing them.

Seeds PPT 1 Message Title PPT 2 main text Mr 4:26 And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; Mr 4:27 and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows — how, he himself does not know. Mr 4:28 "The soil produces crops by ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-32

Denomination: Pentecostal

Will Christians Go Through The Tribulation Period? (Xi) Series

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 22, 2021

Message explores the readiness for Christ's coming called for in the Olivet Discourse. Three parables give insight on specific aspects of being prepared. The Judgment of the Sheep and Goats is also examined closely.

Biblical Readiness for the Rapture: Intro In this message we continue to learn from the Olivet Discourse lesson about the coming of the Lord and how we are to respond to it. Last week we concluded with the point of Jesus’s message in Matthew 24: maintaining an ongoing readiness for his return. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-46, James 2:14-26, Matthew 12:50, Revelation 19:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Luke 13:6-9, Matthew 24:1-15, Luke 10:10-16, 2 Peter 3:3-12, Colossians 1:21-23, Revelation 16:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9, Revelation 3:3, Matthew 24:42-51  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Dealing With Weeds

Contributed by John Kapteyn on Oct 18, 2000

There may be those in the church that we see as nominal Christians or hypocrits. How do we deal with these people. Jesus tells us in this parable.

Introductory Considerations 1. Discuss my hatred of weeds and how they destroy the beauty of a lawn. 2. Sometimes we look at certain people in church as weeds. 3. Are there weeds in church? Where do they come from and how do we deal with them? 4. Remember time when some thought I was a weed - ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Don't Excuse Yourself From God's Banquet Of Salvation

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Nov 19, 2003

In the parable of the great banquet Jesus gives us a graphic warning about excusing ourselves from God’s feast of salvation in time and in eternity.

“Are you looking for just the right excuse for a certain situation? Ask your pastor he has heard them all.” Although more of joke than advice there is some truth to it. Pastors do hear a lot of excuses. But I think it would be more correct to say that only God has truly heard all the excuses ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:16-24

Denomination: Lutheran