Jesus Christ Parables
Jesus Christ told numerous parables as recorded in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.
According to the dictionary a parable is a story designed to teach a moral.
Ah, but they are so much more.
Depending upon the level of understanding a parable can be just a simple story
or an elaborate display of God's love for us.
As our understanding of God deepens so do new levels of understanding of his parables occur.
The following parables are beautiful expressions of God's love for each and every one of us.
Many of the parables in the book of Matthew are
repeated in slightly different versions and recorded by other disciples - in Mark, Luke or John.
Please feel free to add your knowledge to the parables listed here at Web-Ministry!
List of the Jesus Christ Parables
- Parable of the Mustard Seed
- Parable of the Ten Virgins
- Parable of the Leaven
- Parable of the Vine
- Parable of the Pounds
- Parable of the Pharisee - Publican
- Parable of Lazarus
- Parable of the Unjust Steward
- Parable of the Kings Feast
- Parable of the Prodigal Son
- Parable of Barren Fig Tree
- Parable of the Great Supper
- Parable of the Praying Widow
- Parable of Servants
- Parable of Rich Fool
- Parable of the Good Samaritan
- Parable of the 2 Debtors
- Parable of the Man on Journey
- Parable of 10 Talents
- Parable of Wicked Husbandmen
- Parable of Friends at Night
- Parable of the 2 Sons
- Parable of Laborers in Vineyard
- Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
- Parable of the Good Shepherd
- Parable of the Lost Sheep
- Parable of the Secret Seed
- Parable of the Wheat-Tares
- Parable of the Sower
- Parable of The Wise - Foolish Builders
Last 50 Comments Left on Parables
Post subject: I think you are all missing the point.
User Location: LA
Parable: leaven.txt
I think you are all missing the point. Why speculate when Jesus told us. Two of the parables are explained. should not all the others be understood in the same light?
1-leaven IS a bad thing in the Bible. I think you are missunderstanding the verse. Three measures of meals refers to fellowship. In the mid-east culture this is well understood. Leaven would never be included. It would be insulting and shocking. Jesus was Jewish, His disciples were Jewish. We have to understand this from a Jewish perspective. The leaven is hidden and corrupts the whole lot. This is a WARNING from the Lord.
2-No all the kingdom parables are not 'bad' so to speak. The treasure is not bad. The treasure is the remnant of the body of Christ. The field however, represents the world which IS bad. The man of course is the Lord who did give up everything to purchase the field. And yes it is a corrupt field, but He paid the full price in order to get the treasure.
3-All these parables must be kept in context. Remember - Jesus explained two of the parables, the rest can be understood from this. Use the Bible for context, not our assumptions or imaginations. Jesus explained the two then asked if He had to explain the others. The disciples said basicly, 'no need, we understand now."(Matt 13:51)
In Christ
Jeffrey
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Post subject: Laz
User Location: Ohio
Parable: lazarus.txt
I simply believe it is a tool to prophecy his ressurrection. Note the punchline - If they don't believe Moses they won't believe if someone rises from the dead.
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Post subject: Ten Virgins
User Location: Twin Falls ID.
Parable: tenvirgins.txtthread
The Ten Vergins are not the Church they represent the Virgin daughters of Zion. The Jews were to keep their lamps lit to show the every lasting covenant not the Church. It will be the Virgin daughters of ZION that go forth IN THE DAY OF DARKNESS to meet their Lord with their LAMPS Lit! When jesus returns he will be returning from the wedding Luke 12, so then these are not Christians at all! The oil in this parable is not the Holy Spirit. In acts when Simon tried to buy the Holy Spirit he was told it was a SIN to even THINK such a thing. So, no one is going to be able to say that Jesus in a parable is implying that these unwise Virgins can go buy the Holy Spirit. This can not happen and it contridicts all scripture to say that you can buy the Holy Spirit.
This is actually a closer to literal picture of the believing and non believing Jews who will go forth IN THAT DAY. But remember he is returning from the Wedding Luke 12. So, the Church is no longer on earth but returning with Jesus!
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Post subject: When it okay to say "What about me?"
User Location: California
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
Maybe the question is not so much a matter of when to ask, but whom to ask. I mean, does the father: a) validate the son's complaint?, b) respond to it epathically or sympathetically?, or c) admit the wrong and try to right it, e.g., "Hey, I hear you. Today we celebrate little bro, but tomorrow, it will be all about you."
Maybe, sadly, the dad is not far long enough in his receovery process, as an emotionall abusive parent, to see offer emotinal presence to his son. I mean, does he? he may be working out so much guilt for his faiures as a pop, the ones that the little bro's flight brought to the fore of his consciousness, that he cannot take on another breach or boken relationship. One breach at a time. That dad, I feel for him; he's got to be grieving and doin' a lot of make up for lost time. OR, he may be a changed man.
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Post subject: End-Time Understanding of Matthew 24:45-25:30
User Location: Columbus, Indiana, USA
Parable: Kevin_Patsy
Webmaster, I found the link for the "Parable of Servants" to lead me afar to the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. Without a page for Matt. 24:45-51, I include it with this Parable of the Ten Virgins.
The preceding Parable of the Two Servants is critical to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which begins with the word "Then" (Matt. 25:1). Therefore, the fulfillment of the Parable of the Ten Virgins will shorly follow that of the preceding Parable of the Two Servants (Matt. 24:45-51). Well, when will that be? Who are the servants in charge, and who is their master?
For centuries churches have taught that Jesus Christ is the Master of His parable, but this understanding is collapsing before our very eyes in today's end times. He has prophesied that the end of the age, when He would rapture us home to heaven, would come once the gospel of salvation through Him got spread throughout the whole inhabitable earth for a testimony to all peoples (Matt. 24:14). My problem with the traditional church teaching is as follows: what if the evil servant in charge should prevent world evangelism so that Christ should never return? Well, in that case, Jesus Christ obviously was not the master of His parable. Hebrew and Aramaic grammar can shed light on this.
In English, we usually speak of classes of things in the plural unless we use collective nouns. The same was true of Greek, yet Hebrew and Aramaic were exceptions. In those two tongues, there is a "general (use of the) masculine singular" as we see in Psalm 1, in which a righteous (man) in Hebrew represents righteous people ("am) in general. In the Parable of the Two Servants (Matt. 24:45-51), the general masculine singular "master," "wise and faithful servant," and "evil servant" have been retained upon translation to Greek and English rather than receiving grammatrically correct plural translations to preserve the meaning of the text. The verb "dichotome^sei" (will cut asunder) could merely mean "will categorize" if the evil servant were presented naturally in the plural in Matt. 24:51. By leaving the general masculine singular forms intact upon translation to Greek, Saint Matthew makes it completely clear to us that, yes, the master(s) will most certainly cut the evil servant(s) to pieces. Now that we understand the general masculine singular, I examine the plural meanings of the master and each servant in charge.
If the master be not Jesus, he must have entrusted the servants in charge of his wealth or at least now hold the position to return and judge them. Only the people, or successors threof, who entrusted the servants in charge of the goods of God's people and responsible to nourish them can then be this master. Furthermore, when this master returns, he must recognize faithful service and entrust the good servant with all his goods: who is so incredibly generous today? Furthermore, he must conceal his intentions to return to the evil servant unawares, do so in good times, cut him to pieces, understand how the evil servant was hypocritical and assign him his portion of the hypocrites, cast him out knowing the weeping and gnashing of teeth to result, and beat or flog the evil servant according to the servant's conscience (Luke's account). The text to condemn the evil servant is Matt. 7:7 to refute the spiritual claims of every pastor who browbeat his needy while he lived it up. By putting his needy down when they made requests, the evil servant has caused them to sin habitually (worth a curse, Matt. 18:5-7) by putting aside Jesus' commands not to worry but to ask, seek, and knock. In light of the general use of the Hebrew or Aramaic masculine singular forms, the master, if not Jesus, over servants, represent the following situations...
Board of elders (master) over pastor, treasurer, Sunday school teacher;
State legislature or accreditation board (master) over psychiatrists, corrections officers, physicians, psychiatric gatekeepers, etc.;
HR Department (master) over hospital billing staff, nurses, etc.;
College of cardinals (master) over Roman Catholic bishops (servants);
Head of the United Methodist Church (master) over itinerant ministers;
and so on. Still, this judgement cannot happen yet because these masters still have today's laws to fear, laws against aggravated assault and battery. Remember, in order to return as master, each of these gatherings in power must be able to amputate the evil servants, so literal a word in the Greek as to make Matthew retain the general masculine singular of Hebrew in Greek translation to preserve its meaning of cutting into pieces, of absolute amputations, perhaps just one, perhaps several amputations. Furthermore, from Luke's account they must have the power and will to beat the crying evil servants already kicked out severely according to the content of the conscience of each. How the various masters will gain their rights to impose these corporal punishments, judgements of Scripture, I leave to the Lord Almighty. (Lord's Prayer)
Next, after all this has happened, the Parable of the Virgins will be fulfilled as the church worship industry dies and loses its buildings. The five wise virgins with extra oil represent believers, such as churchgoers, with salvation and sufficient obedience to Jesus to be received into house churches. In contrast, the five foolish virgins represent lukewarm so-called or backslidden Christians who believe or go to church for social reasons and are unwilling to desist from sin in order to stay welcome at a house church. When the Kingdom of Heaven moves out of the dedicated church buildings and into house churches to meet in mundane places, will the social churchgoers indeed feel locked out! And thus our "extra oil" represents sanctification beyond the oil in the lamps, justification. Lastly, the wedding banquet will occur then in the house churches if not after the Rapture in heaven.
Finally, the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) will be fulfilled as masters call their rank-and-file stewards to account. Each steward, each of us in charge of wealth of our own, however little, has been entrusted to make a profit according to our abilities. The good stewards or servants (not necessarily in charge of people) will have profits to show their masters, their rich friends of Luke 16 if not Jesus Christ in heaven. The lazy servants have failed to do what was right: to trade with their wealth and make profits. Perhaps the load of seventy-six pounds avordupois of silver was too heavy for the lazy to carry; soldiers who drop their seventy-pound rucksacks are those most likely to get killed because others have to carry their packs for them. Perhaps his experience is with funerals and burials rather than in trading; perhaps he does not trust in his master's return, thinking instead, "He won't ever come back. When he dies, I won't trust his heirs; they won't know what I have hidden to free myself." In the worst case, however, the lazy servants say they never had money to invest. In that case, I, Kevin Douglas Rosenberg, prophet of Luke 16, or some ally of mine, shall be their master if the faithful servants answer to their rich friends then instead of to Jesus Christ after the Rapture.
I will tell the hard-lot lazy servants that they had Luke 16:1-13 in their bibles; how come they contented themselves with financially limited congregations despising Jesus' commands to generosity as they hewed to their Budgets? Very few of them indeed in Christ can say they never had the chance to read this passage, only that no one led them to it. I will be far less sympathetic toward those lazy servants who did not have such a problem as incarceration yet still ignored Jesus' clear command to make friends with the rich people of the world so that people might welcome us into everlasting dwellings if we lost our homes and so that our congregations might be granted the wealth for our ministries. And the profitable servants will be commended by their grantors while the lazy servants get stripped of their little wealth and possessions and cast out into the outer darkness of homelessness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Yes, the lazy servants content to serve God by themselves with what they have will lose it all, and that will be given to the best stewards.
By obeying Luke 16, we may know the rich people of the world, and they may let us in on their investment advice. In contrast, the proud among us who avoid the rich will make dumb investments such as gambling. Therefore, faithfulness even in the unrighteous mammon of Luke 16:1-13 is even more important than investment advice for hard-earned money.
I wish you all the best of luck in these end times as we get our houses in order for these awesome events.
Yours in Christ,
+++ Kevin D. Rosenberg
(reply here; e-mail is exclusive of junk mail)
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Post subject: mustard tree photo
User Location: Louisa, Virginia
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
I am looking for a large picture of a tree grown from a mustard seed to
use as an object lesson with children - young and old!
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Post subject: This parable teaches us
User Location: USA
Parable: friendatnight.txt
This parable teaches us about persistance and how God wants us to pray, pray, pray, and ask, ask, ask for what we need. Look at the context of the whole chapter when reading this. The man most likely lived in a one room home, as was common in the time and country spoken of in the chapter. It would have stirred everyone else in the home, but because the friend was (importune = urge or beg persistantly) the friend who had rose up anyhow and gave. Prayer works people! Chrys _________________ Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth.
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Post subject: Love
User Location: Portland,OR
Parable: goodsamaritan.txtthread
Our Father in Heaven's greatest commandment are clearabout our love toward God and others.St. Matthew 5:43-47 shows Our Lord Jesus giving an example of how we are to Love.St. Matthew 22:37-40 shows Our Lord and Savior Jesus speaking the 2 greatest commandments to the pharisees.These are fulfillments of the law.All is given from God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.Read Romans 10:8-10. God Bless You.
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Post subject: Pharisee's
User Location: Sacramento
Parable: phariseepublican.txt
The moral of the story? Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
YES this is the deal! Sometimes we might think and believe we are confessing and forsaking our sin and sometimes we make the same mistake as the Parisee's of ancient times by thinking and believing we are justified.
Their justification came by following the law or desiring to follow the law.Christians often feel justified because they feel they have a advocate yet they return to their own vomit like dogs as Peter mentioned in second Peter
In other words I can confess what I am as I am but not neccesarily have the will to do anything about it.It is as Paul said ;"I do what I should not do and do not do what I know I should.
The best we can do is to have the wish to change and even learn from our Pharisee friends..see their worth,their effort, their value and then beat our Chest saying from tthe bottom of our hearts
"Lord have Mercy on me A Sinner"
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Post subject: Mustard Seed Tree
User Location: DeWitt, MI
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
Please send picture of mustard seed tree. We will be covering the parable in our preschool Sunday School class this week.
THANK YOU!
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Post subject: good fruit
User Location:
Parable: barrenfigtree.txtthread
The answer is in the word if you have ears for hearing.
Rita
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Post subject: The FirstCommandment and the Second
User Location: Texas
Parable: prodigalson.txt
The older brother had kept the First Commandment but not the Second, i.e. love of brother. The Second Commandment is like it - like the First. Therefore, there is no 'Second', but only two 'Firsts'.
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Post subject: Even Mooching Need Not Be Stealing!
User Location: Columbus, IN, USA
Parable: Kevin_Patsy.txtthread
Just because someone with riches who wishes to keep them dare insult a beggar as a thief does not imply that Jesus would consider the beggar to have even thought about stealing anything, as if it were a sin to ask. On the contrary, Jesus Christ taught His followers to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking, expecting to receive, find, and benefit from opened doors! (Matt. 7:7, Greek )
The warning for dealing with such people is in Matt. 7:6. The Word of God is "sacred [stuff] to dogs" or "pearls [cast] before pigs" to any person who dare insult any beggar as a thief without awareness of any actual theft. Our warning from Christ is that these people might turn on us and tear us to pieces if we present the Word unwelcomely. What will happen in heaven in all cases of a Christian who has suffered for asking and been treated as a thief, the word "stealing" in the insult will fail to translate to the Hebrew root in "Thou shalt not steal" (Ex. 20); if the insult came from another believer, such a Christian shall be compelled to repent as a liar and a lover of money. Still, we must watch out in the here and now for pretended Christians who accept the world's definition of "stealing".
Legally, the crime of larceny, the legal name for simple theft, has been committed when someone has illegally deprived someone else of the use of his goods by taking something away without consent. The evil person who accuses someone making a material request of "stealing" has no charges whatsoever to press until the item is physically stolen. Still, if the evil person be a store manager or cashier, they can impose ejection and announce permanent unwelcomeness. That is not punishment for theft, but martyrdom for begging. Do not believe the evil claim that the beggar accused of stealing has stolen anything without a physically stolen item!
As for the Apostle Paul's command in Eph. 4:28, it applies only to genuine thieves. The command to work with one's hands does not take effect because a beggar got insulted as if he were a thief, but because a real theft was committed. Sometimes, as in 3 John 7, an utterly uncooperative mission field will force Christians to accept that there will be no help from the pagans and to work for all the money for ministry. Still, the command from our Lord Jesus the Messiah is to make friends with "the mammon of unrighteousness" so that the rich folk of this world might take care of us in times of trouble and might endow our congregations financially. Not all such friends, however, will. Yet if the rich folk of this world will take care of us in hard times or grant us wealth for our ministries, not only are we commanded by Christ to accept it, we are commanded to seek the ties that lead to it (Luke 16:9, KJV).
I will not defend sins of idleness or actual theft as a Christian. Great is the mercy of God! Will seeking the favour of rich folk would make us idle? I believe that shallow Christians might be made idle by oodles of money, yet firm believers will try to use such money to spread the Good News throughout the whole world! Instead of living in these Unites States where most unbelievers have heard and rejected our Gospel, we could go among such peoples as the Miao of China who have no testimony of Jesus Christ if we had plenty of wealth and did not have to live there as impoverished outsiders.
I hope never again to hear you later consider the moocher as stealing. The seeker of permission to take something has not stolen until the item is taken without consent. A supermarket grazer is a thief, but it is not really "stealing" to ask for something and be told, No. Jesus indeed commanded us to continue to ask, seek, and knock!
Yours in Christ,
+++Kevin Douglas Rosenberg
a martyr for continuing to ask, seek, and knock (Matt. 7:7 )
P. S. We ignore the meaning of one translated text alone in favor of interpretation because the original, fully inspired Scriptures were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ancient Greek. They do not translate word for word into Modern English!
As for misguided, fleshly yet litteral interpretations of Scripture, consider the following three kinds of backslidden Christians:
(1 ) The evil servants in charge who run their churches in personal sin as if judgement were not coming upon them through humans on this earth (Matt. 24:45-51 ). (Ten Virgins comments)
(2 ) Those treated as mentally ill, caused to sin in idleness. The curse from Matthew 18:5-7 stalks somebody else for causing their habitual sins...
(3 ) Anybody who got persecuted among even one other believer and got called to flee but could not. Have sympathy for such people, as for me. My evangelist was persecuted as mentally ill, and I got persecuted within ten days of my conversion along with him for my "baby Christian" testimony among Hindus at the University of Illinois. We got called to flee together (Matt. 10:23 ), yet we had not read that passage yet. About ten weeks later, he withdrew from the U of I and fled to Texas without me. Without transportation, I could not ask his church for help. I had implored him to take me there to stay, but he would not. Still believing, still insisting that my calling was to remain to pursue my degree and eventually a PhD (?-- Matt 23:1ff ) in Chemistry (?-- Col. 2:8 ), he refused to take me unless I promised to return with his car that horrible day in December 1991. God knew that I was headed for deepening trouble at the U of I and that no church there was able to meet my needs.
The believer who has missed his missionary calling through failure to flee in the Modern English speaking culture deserves compassion. I had no one to ask to take me to Texas. My departed evangelist would not do his part to escape his brother's church in Arlington TX in order to seek another in neighbouring Dallas TX which might have shown me a welcome and my need to go out as a missionary rather than struggling to build a life of my own in these United States. No one should blame me for the failure of the churches of Urbana and Champaign to bring me in and lead me to the one which might have rebuked my career plan and led me out into the mission field.
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Post subject: the prodigal son
User Location: wichita, kansas
Parable: prodigalson.txt
I was recently asked if this parable referred to lost people or backslidden christians. I think both. This, to me, is a story of God's unconditional love. I will not get into as to whether or not we lose our salvation. I believe that the point is we are allowed to make our own decisions and that if we are willing to repent, God will accept our return with great love and understanding. We will never be perfect in this life and will always be guilty of sin.
Thank for letting share my opinion.
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Post subject: About the inheritance
User Location: Jakarta
Parable: prodigalson.txt
Shaloom People,
(I am not a jewsih, shaloom is a common greetings for Indonesian Christian).
I think from what I know the inheritance in this parable is not one you collect after your parents died, but a sort of mutual fund the father keep apart ever since you are born. Many people in the old testament given their inheritance while parents are still alive. Mostly happen on daughters on their wedding day. See Rachel and Leah for example.
Any opinion on this friends ?
Sugeng Wiguno
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Post subject: Rae's son
User Location: Pueblo, CO
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
Hi, Rae-
I think drug addiction and mental illness have to be checked out in your son's case. That said, if it is a case of willfulness, then tough love must come into play. Tell him you are sorry for whatever misfortune he may encounter, but that he will be on his own when he reaches 18. If he is under 18, he loses whatever privileges you can withhold, and if that doesn't work check into reporting him to child services as a child out of control. Of course this must be done in a loving manner in which you explain that he himself holds the key to his treatment. A loving parent wants a child to be an independent, contributing member of society, able to support himself. If that doesn't happen, your son will face great obstacles in life, not just from you but also from the rest of society. Forgiving is one thing, holding a person responsible is another. Children and everyone else must be held responsible, that is, have to face the natural consequences of their actions. Enabling an irresponsible child to continue that way does him and you a disservice.
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Post subject: PRODIGAL SON
User Location: TENNESSEE
Parable: prodigalson.txt
I AM A PRODIGAL SON. I RETURNED TO THE FAITH OF MY YOUTH AND LIKE AN ADDICT WHO RETURNS TO HIS ADDICTION AFTER A LONG TIME AWAY FROM IT FINDS HE IS ADDICTED AT THE LEVEL HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD HE NEVER BEEN FREE OF IT.
I EMBRACED MY FAITH AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN I HAD THIRTY YEARS BEFORE. I AM ECSTATIC AT BEING FORGIVEN AND TAKEN BACK INTO THE FOLD OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE LOVING BODY OF CHRISTS CHURCH.
MY DAUGHTER LEFT THE MY PREVIOUS CHURCH AND EMBRACED ANOTHER WHOLE HEARTEDLY. NOW WHEN I LONG TO COMMUNE WITH ALL MY CHILDREN ABOUT GODS LOVE AND HIS WORD SHE BECOMES HOSTILE TOWARD ME AND MY FAITH AND DEFENSIVE ABOUT HER OWN.
I SEE THE PRODIGAL SON PARABLE IN THAT LIGHT. SHE AS THE ONE WHO STAYED WITH THE FATHER BUT RESENTS ME FOR COMING BACK TO GOD WITH HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE AND WANTING TO SPREAD GODS LOVE TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW IT LIKE I DO. SHE IS NOT REALLY WITH THE FATHER AND DOES NOT KNOW HIS MESSAGE OF LOVE TO ALL SINNERS BUT LIKE THE PHARASEES STICKS STRICTLY TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW AS SHE SEES IT THROUGH HER INSTRUCTION. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE I AM JUDGING HER BUT I AM THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO HER ACID TOUNGUE AND PRAY SILENTLY FOR HER SOUL TO MYSELF, ASKING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN HER MIND TO SEE HER PRIDE TAKING CONTROL OF HER THOUGHTS. WE PARENTS LOVE OUR CHILDREN NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO OR SAY TO US. IT BREAKS MY HEART NOT FOR ANY INJUSTICE THAT SHE OR I HAVE CAUSED EACH OTHER ALTHOUGH I WAS WRONG FOR TOO LONG BUT BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE LIKE HIS SON AND 'FORGIVE THEM THEIR TRESSPASSES.' I DON'T TAKE HER WORDS AS AN AFRONT TO MYSELF BUT TO GOD. THAT MAKES ME SAD , KNOWING ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US AND WE STILL DON'T TRUELY UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE 'LOVE ONE ANOTHER'
I THOUGHT I'D SEND HER A LETTER QUOTING THE 15th chapter of Luke and the good son in the prodigal son parable but I see from your responses how many ways she could misinterpret it, so I'll just pray more intensly for all my children and trust in his will.
Thank you for the insight you have given me.
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Post subject: The Jews & the Gentiles
User Location: Tobaccoville NC
Parable: greatsupper.txt
God invited the Jews to the supper, they had better things to do so he sent the Christians into streets and lanes to bring in all to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
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Post subject: Kingdom parables answer to all things.
User Location: Minneapolis
Parable: mustardseed.txt
The other night I watched a program that was just brutal to watch. A college campus had assembled a forum of “religious experts” to discuss salvation and weather Jesus was the only way to salvation. A basic understanding of the parables of the Kingdom could have really dispelled a lot of the unbelief that was perpetrated.
The panel consisted of about seven to nine diverse people. Jews (I think Christian Jew), Catholics, Muslim, fundamentalists and a self proclaimed “Christian Liberal”.
As the panel began to meander away from Christ being the only way to salvation (with every smooth argument in the world), the crowd began to get visibly annoyed. One by one they would stand up and try to bring the conversation back to what Jesus did at Calvary and his atoning work. One woman said in essence, your dismissing the whole of the word of God and aren’t respecting it as the WORD OF GOD.
At that the Christian liberal spoke up proudly quoting the word of John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, the was with God and the Word was God. This was the person who was the most dismissive of the idea that salvation was ONLY in Christ (such arrogance). The Muslim woman proudly stated that from day one, Islam has ALWAYS believed that Jesus IS the WORD OF GOD, and that he is even nicknamed that-if I understood correctly. She also expressed no need nor desire to accept Jesus a Lord or personal savior.
I couldn’t believe what was transpiring. I visualized a bowling alley and all these experts, apart from the fundamentalists, being pins that were ready for a person who knew the parables of the Kingdom to roll a perfect strike. Unfortunately, no one had the insight to call his or her bluff.
What if a person would have stood up and said this: “Sir, (the Liberal) you claim that Jesus is the WORD OF GOD. Is that right? Mam, (the Muslim) you also claim that Jesus is the WORD OF GOD right?
Peter said in his epistle, “Being born again not of corruptible SEED, but of incorruptible SEED, by the WORD OF GOD, which lives and abide forever”. JESUS-THE WORD OF GOD-mind you, said in Mark chapter four, “THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD”. So then there is a type of trinity in Jesus being the SEED and the WORD.
The functionary place of the seed is in the heart of a man, …“Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that is sown IN THE HEART.”
Which of you knowing a farmer, who HAD NEVER planted his seed for the year, and yet he believing that a wonderful crop was about to be produced, wouldn’t say to him (as kindly, political correctly, as respectfully-the fundamentalists were not of these) “sir I have news for you, your not going to reap a crop this year? He might say, “Well why not? I’m as good as the other farmers. I desire a crop really bad. What gives you the right to say that I won’t reap a crop? You in turn say “being good or wanting one has no bearing on weather or not you’ll reap a crop. Harvests are determined by seeds planted, not thinking, not wanting, not begging.” I would venture to say that not one of the panelists would allow a poor fellow with bills to pay, children to feed, a wife to keep, to believe such foolishness. And yet did you know that the “experts” were doing the same thing?
JESUS IS THE SEED. He is to be planted in our HEARTS, by “receiving”-planting, him in there (I call it the sinners prayer). Mark chapter four states:
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and RECEIVE it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And yet in their way of thinking, they were going to reap a crop of incorruptible fruit-salvation, without planting incorruptible seed. NOT!
A little bit of understanding could have pinned these unbelieving believers to the wall. And yet the fundamentalists, who as wonderful as they were, could not call the bluff’s of these panel members.
The panelists no doubt walked away smug, knowing that the scorecard in their heart read, liberals ten fundamentalists zero.
Oh, what a tragedy!
The next time someone says that they can obtain salvation without receiving Jesus, just say, “yea right, and farmers who never plant seed can expect a wonderful bumper crop!
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Post subject: Mustard Seed info
User Location: Indonesia
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
I need full info according to explain about mustard seed on biological manner compareable to mustard seed at matthew 17:12
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Post subject: hey did you ever get a picture
User Location: north carolina
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
hi i am also looking for a picture of the mustard seed tree, i was wondering if you ever found one. If so would you please send it to me or tell me where you found it. If not would you still please reply. Thank You and God Bless You!!
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Post subject: daniel chapter 8
User Location: dundee
Parable: richfool.txt
after careful and thoughtful study of the old testament prophets I can`t help believing that the ram with two horns that daniel see`s in his vision is symbolic of the ram being america who does seem to do as it pleases in regards to the world today and the horns being the symbology of the twin towers I really believe the end times are being played out in the world today as described by the prophets who recieved their wisdom from god as a gift. I just feel so helpless in regards to what is going on but I also believe nothing happens in this world without god willing it.
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Post subject: barren fig tree
User Location: Texas!
Parable: barrenfigtree.txt
Just seems like a good farmer to me. the tree is barren because of the poor ground that the dressser selected for the planting. the owner of the vinyard wonders why thre is no fruit and suggest that the dresser cut the tree down and maybe plant somethhng usefull in its place.
the dresser wants to wait another year after he fertilizes the tree and see if fruit is then carried.
I cannot see what else there is there. this is a story about a good farmer and his Land lord.
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Post subject: Simone Weil's insights
User Location: Melbourne
Parable: goodsamaritan.txt
The French philosopher Simone Weil brought out some amazing insights on divine love based on this parable.
She notes that Jesus does not describe good neighbours as "loving" or "charitable", but "just". There is no distinction between justice and love. Greek justice occurs when two parties of equal strength come to an agreement. Supernatural justice occurs when an unequal relationship is treated equal by the stronger party - that is, the stronger party treats the weaker as his equal.
This is what the Samaritan did. Others walked by him, and saw an anonymous lump of flesh - they did not see a person. The Samaritan could not see the victim's humanity either, but he took that humanity on faith and acted lovingly towards the victim. Weil says that in this way, "Love shows us what is invisible."
The love of the Samaritan is not creturely love, it is divine love. She has an odd idea about Creation which I cannot agree with it, but it can deepen our understanding of love, so here it is:
God and His creatures are less than God alone. Creation was an act of loving renunciation - "He emptied a part of His being from Himself; that is why John says that the lamb had been slain from the beginning of the world."
When we love our neighbour, we are replicating God's love for Creation. We renounce a part of ourself. No person can love his neighbour. (I distinguish neighbour from friend, relative, beloved, etc.) God gives us that love.
"Only God, present in us, can really look at the afflicted with a look differing from what we give to ‘things’, can listen to their voice as we listen to spoken words. The love of our neighbour is the love which comes down from God to man."
Raphael Hythloday.
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Post subject: Having trouble with this also re: older son
User Location: Ontario Canada
Parable: prodigalson.txt
Hello, I'm new here and looking for some 'peace' re: the Prodigal Son story. This has bothered me for years...
It all makes sense to me except for the older son.
Why does everyone say that he didn't go into the party because it was for the younger son?
I think he didn't go into the party because he was left out in the field working and uninvited. He came upon the party by chance... then his father says, "Oh, come on in to the party."
I don't interpret him as being judgemental or ill-feeling toward having the younger brother home... I think he's feeling like his father doesn't appreciate him. And in response, the father negates his feelings as if they are invalid.
Someone higher up in this discussion pointed out that they were having this same type of problem with the story and would like to find resolution. I am also in the same position and did not see the answer. I hope I didn't miss it.
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Post subject: Mustard seed faith in relation to prayer
User Location: Minneapolis
Parable: mustardseed.txt
In Mark 11:23-24 Jesus said:
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
I have already submitted that the very thing that we are cultivating in Mark Chapter four is faith or belief. If the same word or idea found in Mark 11:24 is “believe”, then couldn’t we overlay the teaching template or matrix-so to speak-of Mark chapter four’s teaching, over this scripture, to gain some enlightenment into what’s being said?
If you do a translation comparison amongst many translations you will find that in some translations they use the expression “believe you receive it” (present tense). Others use the expression “believe you HAVE received it” (past tense). So which one is it? And might it be explained by the idea of farming or sowing and reaping? (Parable of the sower, Mustard seed etc.)
This has bothered me for a long time because I couldn’t rectify there being any similarities between the two. And something so important as the scripture by Jesus instructing us as to how to get our prayers answered; must be clearly understood. Doesn’t it?
Consider if you will that this might be what’s going on here. Notice in verse 24 the expression “when you pray”.
Might a farmer when planting his field (at that very point in time in which the seeds hit the soil) be doing the natural equivalent of the spiritual idea of “believing”-present tense? Could Jesus be saying that we are planting something when we “believe” it- present tense? Might we be doing the actual planting of the seed of Gods word, when we say in prayer “I believe it”, “ I receive it by believing it”, “now”?
Now, back to the “when you pray”. Might this expression be a TIME STAMP? Which endorses our petition, locking it in at a certain time and place? And if this scripture has within it this “time stamp”, and the flow of time is heading into the future, can you see how that the time stamp now falls in the PAST after we’ve prayed? (It now becomes past tense.) With every second after we’ve prayed-BELIEVING, for us to keep the time stamp valid and the continuity of this scripture valid, then we would have to change our confession to past tense. Or the time stamp is nullified and our seed ruined or kept from growing. (The scripture ceases to be applied).
Isn’t this what farmer’s do?
What if you noticed every three days a farmer out in his field RE-planting his crop? Would he ever come to a harvest? I submit NO. A farmer has to get the planting of his crop behind him for the year and then he can expect the seed to grow. And yet our NOT CHANGING our confession from I “believe” present tense, to “I have believed” past tense, is the very thing that our hearts hear as a mixed message (The word is being sown in our hearts). Not to mention violating of the conditions of the scripture.
We have to “believe” (confess out loud before God, in the secret place of our prayer closet-NOT before men. “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you might SAY… Verse 23, whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain…) that God grants us what we pray for “when we pray”, then change our mind set allowing the time stamp to lock that prayer in time thus drifting into the past tense. To pray again in the present tense resets the time stamp and we start the growing cycle over, forfeiting the time that we spent waiting for the growing cycle to be completed. We could do that forever never receiving a thing. Does that sound like anybody that you know? Me too! (We won’t say whom.)
When farmers come in from the field HAVING planted their seed for the year, they probably say, “I’m glad that’s done”. They crack open a cold one knowing that the reaction between the ground and Gods unique creation, the seed, will shortly go to work causing a crop to begin to grow. How does he know? It’s been written in nature from the beginning of time. Seeds just grow. They’re miraculous. The thing that causes them to grow is the fact that he’s a descendant of his forefather seed, the one that God spoke to in Genesis commanding them to GROW. If you understand this alone, you will see how farmers are cultivating Gods word without even knowing it (their literal miracles-LITERAL).
The apostle Paul said in Corinthians that the seed has to die first before it will grow. And there is no life in it at the time it’s planted. Where does the life come from? Apart from Gods word-I don’t know. But they grow.
If you remember anything that I have written remember this: We receive from God in the present tense, NOW. We received Gods word by believing it (learn to use that word in prayer, your head my not understand it but your heart does) present tense-NOW.
But for this scripture to remain applied, and to not violate the time stamp that we applied at the time of prayer, we then must allow it to slip into the past tense and KEEP it there. Any pulling it out of the past tense (“I HAVE receivED it”, “when I believED it”, “when I prayed”) cancels out the scripture. Your violating the “when you pray” time stamp that we endorse our prayers with.
According to scriptures all of Gods promises are written in the past tense, indicating that he’s already provided whatsoever things we ask-BELEIVEING. We engage our faith for them when we “believe” them (accept, plant, hide, bury, keep secret).
If done properly, with the course of time (the growing cycle needs to be completed, patience is required) our heavenly father will reward us openly for the things we planted in prayer when we believed.
Believe, plant, and reap, may your joy be full!
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Post subject: His Name
User Location: Belgium
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
I've recently seen some facetious replies to this perfectly serious question by people who obviously dismiss the whole story as a fiction. Wrong! Back in the 1970s I spent several years researching the identity of the Prodigal and privately published a book on the subject (Brussels, 1981, in French). There seemed to be several approaches to the problem, some starting at the family end (stories of exultant fathers, calves unexpectedly killed, jealous brothers etc., possibly legal documents relating to the original unconventional division of the property), others at the "far country" end (stories of extravagant strangers, records of itinerant Jewish labour). The problem is, of course, that the documentary record for any of this is very patchy. For example, I found a possible 882 pig breeding farms where the prodigal might have worked, but only 17 (SEVENTEEN) had any surviving labour records. However it as while examining some pig farming records in the National Archives of Syria that I found what I believed, and still believe, to be a possitive identification. Another resercher was working on prostitution at around the time of Jesus, and shared some notes with me. I was *thrilled* to discover that he had found a kind of diary kept by a prostitute called Lilia in Damascus (really a client record with comments). Several records referred to a Jewish stranger who had recently come to the area and was spending lavish sums of money on parties and women. Lilia seems to have been a little bit in love with him, and included more details than usual: she says he was short, but strong and aggressive-looking, and most importantly that "he had had his inheritance." She records his visits for 6 months, then he is mentioned no more. HOWEVER she mentions chronic food shortages just after the last reference to the Jewish stranger. These facts fit the Biblical account of the prodigal son so well that I think it 99.9% certain that it was him.
But his name? That's still a bit of a problem, as Lilia seldom referred to her clients directly by their names. And on only one occasion (in what remains of her "diary", which has several missing pages) did she actually refer to the Jewish stranger by name, and there, as bad luck would have it, the manuscript has been torn. The first part of his name can be read however, and it is "Ron...". There are several possible names of the period, all discussed in my book. As further information is unlikely to be forthcoming I suggest that we simply call the prodigal "Ron", though.
Your readers may be interested to know that I am now writing a book identifying the Good Samaritan. I hope to publish this in English, and possibly to make parts of it available on the internet. There is still a huge amount of reasearch to be done identifying the persons in the parables.
Peter
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Post subject: sjplrudbjc
User Location: jnsnkthgec
Parable: wisefoolishbuilder.txt
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
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Post subject: An interesting angle of mercy and justice
User Location: Denver, CO
Parable: prodigalson.txt
"So we learn that there is rejoicing in heaven over every sinner who repents; but those who are faithful and transgress not any of the commandments, shall inherit 'all that the Father hath,' while those who might be sons, but thought their 'riotous living' waste their inheritance, may come back through their repentance to salvation to be servants, not to inherit exaltation as sons.
"The wonderful story of the prodigal son has been misinterpreted almost universally. How frequently is the statement made from sectarian pulpits that because this younger son transgressed and committed all manner of sin and then repented, he was better off than his older brother who did not sin. By many the real lesson in this parable is lost. The younger son asked for his inheritance and received it. He went out and spent it in the vilest wickedness. When his substance was gone, he was forced by physical suffering and degradation to repent. Had his substance held out longer, he would have sinned that much more. It is needless to repeat all the circumstances of this story. It is sufficient to say that when he returned his father received him, but did not promise to reinstate him in the fullness of the inheritance; this is apparent in the answer made to the obedient son: 'Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine'." (The Way to Perfection, p21)
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Post subject: prodigal son
User Location: Singapore
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
The father in the story of the prodigal son required no proof of repentance. God's love is stronger than his vengeance, as seen in Hosea 11:9.It also teaches us that the Father's love does not depend on our actions, and He loves us unconditionally.
To Davobrian, perhaps we could think of some of the offenses we have particular difficulty forgiving. Do we give others a second chance? Take, for instance, the ex-convicts, do we give them a chance to reintegrate themselves back to society without discrimination?
The younger son travels a journey similar to all Christians. We sin and fall from grace but the Holy Spirit within us constantly reminds us to return to the father, and when we are spiritually dry, we will return. Yet, when that happens we also yearn for our brothers and sisters to welcome us, not only the Father.
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Post subject: The Filling Of The Spirit
User Location: Homosassa Springs
Parable: tenvirgins.txt
The Spirit indwelling an individual occurs at the time of the birth from above ( Cor. 3:16; 6:19 ). The individual is immersed in the Spirit, which places him in" in Christ", making him part of the one new man and Abraham's seed, because Christ is Abraham's seed (cf. Matt 3:11; 1 Cor.12:13; Gal.3:26-29 ).
But the filling of the Spirit is another matter entirely. The filling of the Spirit occures subsequent to the indwelling of the Spirit and may or may not occur in a Christian's life.
The filling of the Spirit is connected with receiving the Word of God, and, at the same time, allowing the indwelling Spirit to lead the individual into all truth. The filling of the Spirit is conected with Christian maturity. The two go hand - in - hand in this respect. From a Biblical standpoint, the more a person matures in the faith the more he can be said to be filled with the Spirit.
Note parallel verses in two companion epistles, Ephesians and Colossians, relative to the filling of the Spirit:
"And be drunk not with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord ( Eph. 5:18,19).
" Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" ( Col. 3:16 ).
In Ephesians , Christians are commanded to be filled with the Spirit; and in the parallel section in Colossians, Christians are commanded to let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdom. The latter relates how the former is accomplished.
Thus , the importance of spiritual growth unto maturity in this manner cannot be overemphasized. Spiritual growth unto maturity is inseparably related to the filling of the Spirit, a necessity for Christians if they would be properly prepared for meeting Christ at his judgement seat and attending the marrige festivity.
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Post subject: Vine
User Location: Manitoba
Parable: vine.txt
Like the other parables of Jesus, this one is about fruit-bearing, and the un-fruitful are thrown into hell. Those who hear the TRUE word of God, they are cleansed by it by doing it. Christ abides in the TRUE hearers and doers. Luke 6:47 - Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them..." John 8:47 - He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 1 Corinthians 4:15 - For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." The branch cannot bear fruit by itself. 1 Corinthians 2:12 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 - Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God" Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" 3 John 1:11 - Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God." Who can do good, but the true ones on the vine? Even TRUE faith is not from flesh and blood, but from God. John 3:27 - John answered and said, A man can receive NOTHING, except it be given him from heaven." 1 Corinthians 12:9 - To another FAITH by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;" Not one man can TRULY say that Jesus Christ is the son of God nor can any man truly tell people,(so-called preachers, ministers, or pastors) Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Also, to put an end to false teachers that say if you believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as your Lord and saviour, you'll be saved, NO MAN can come to Jesus unless God Himself decides that he would. Acts 16:31 - And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." But then, those people heared the TRUE word of God, and the words of JESUS CHRIST, John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 2 Thessalonians 2:14 - Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Then again, same gospel, 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.(God revealed it to them, and had faith in him, that faith is not from their own heart, but from God) 70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve(God approved those 12, not the other disciples, because if He did give it to them to come to Jesus, they would of stayed, like the true disciples), and one of you is a devil?" Now all you people that read this, the false christians will not believe this, but the true christians will. John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." These sayings are in the bible, those who just ignored them in the bible will ignore my words(no, not truly mine) also. Those who believe these things, or knew them already, please, please contact me, at dallascourchene @ hotmail.com (NOTE: there are no spaces in the address.) Also to the so-called born-again christians, what did God call you to do? Live a normal life? I don't think so. People who are truly called are CALLED to do something for the LORD, not just worship Him and those who are called, know what they have to do by a certain wonder, or phenomemon. Acts 16:10 - And after he had seen the VISION, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had CALLED us for to preach the gospel unto them." Romans 1:1 - Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, CALLED to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God," Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." 1 Corinthians 7:20 - Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." Ephesians 4:1 - I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called," We MUST be also worthy of this calling. 2 Timothy 1:9 - Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 1 Peter 2:21 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" 1 Peter 5:10 - But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you PERFECT, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 2 Peter 1:3 - According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" And yes, we can be perfect like Jesus. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." 2 Corinthians 4:4 - In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Philippians 2:6 - Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." 1 John 2:13 - I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father." 1 John 3:9 - Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Revelation 3:21 - To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." We are called to be made into the image of Christ, who is the image of God. Jesus said so himself, the called can and will be like him. Matthew 10:25 - It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord..."
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Post subject: Picture of mustard plant
User Location: Washington, Il
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
need for my sunday school lesson Feb. 25, 2004
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Post subject: prodigal son's name
User Location: england
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
His name is geoffery james
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Post subject: Mustard seed
User Location: texas USA
Parable: mustardseed.txt
I believe that the woed of God should always be used in the context of the verses around the one you are reading.
Mustard seed.
In Matt 13 it seems to be abnormally large and the fowls are clearly stated to be satan and his fallen angels. I believe it represents the earthly human church. Not the spirital church that is following after Christ first.
It started small and if you consider all the churchs called christian, has grown to cover most of the world. Many false teachers and false doctrines rest in it's branchs.
Now if you want to consider other verses.
Matt 17:19-21
Here the mustard seed represents the need for growing faith. The disciples could not cast out the demon because of unbelief. They needed much prayer and fasting. These things would focus you on Christ and thereby make faith grow.
Luke 17:5-6
Here the mustard seed is talked about in growing faith. (increasing your faith) It shows what is possable with faith that has no doubts. Although my faith is increasing by study of the bible, prayer, gathering at my church,ect. I can not say it has no doubts. It is just a sprout. Not even a bush yet.
If you will consider these verses you will see the mustard seed is used as a example of good and bad. Alway consider the verses around what you are reading to get the context of what is being talked about. This is why I personally hate proof text. Read one verse only and then say what it means. Easy to miss interpt that way. Always read 2 or 3 verses before the verse you want and 2 or 3 after or better yet read the whole chapter to get the context.
May Christ richly bless you as you study (not just read over) his word.
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Post subject: The Son that stayed at home
User Location:
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
Actually the son that stayed at home was also wayward...not in location...but in relationship to his Father! His relationship was built on duty and perfection and not on love!!!
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Post subject: response to you
User Location: Oregon
Parable: vine.txtthread
Janette,
I feel like i know what you are going through. I was saved several years ago, I have also strayed away from God in the past year or so. I question if I lost my salvation and faith. I realized that Once the LORD is in your HEART he is there for GOOD. NO MATTER WHAT. He will alswya be there for you even if he feels distant.
I pray that God would reveal HIMself to you today and that his HOLY SPIRIT will rest upon you in a might way today. Where he is Evil cannot be. The only way evil can enter into us is if we open a door to it. focus on him and his faithfulness to you.
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Post subject: reply to Leanne post
User Location: tampa
Parable: barrenfigtree.txtthread
Only people who has the Holy spirit will understand the spiritual matter. May the Lord open your heart to understand
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Post subject: This is an interesting parable
User Location: USA
Parable: tentalents.txt
This is an interesting parable that can run into lots of different thoughts and ideas, but the basic idea of it seems to be discussing fruitfulness as a result of faithfulness to the master. The only person who claimed to work for the master and wasn't "fruitful" showed his true colors when he tried to justify himself and his lack of activity by blaming it on the master for being too harsh and for gathering where he had not sown...the servant didn't understand that all was the masters to start with. Perhaps this servant represents those that claim Christ's name but don't truly believe? Chrys _________________ Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth.
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Post subject: Mustard seed
User Location: Secunda
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
picture
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Post subject: Thank God for the Scriptures for our Deliverance
User Location: Columbus, Indiana, USA; ***not called to stay***
Parable: Kevin_Patsy
On behalf of everybody who like me has been martyred by the evil servants in charge of churches through calling the police to remove us from church or arranging hostile psychiatric hospitalization on account of spoiled rotten begging, I thank God for His words which justify us (Matt. 5:42, 6:24ff, 7:7) and promise our deliverance (Matt. 24:45-25:30).
We who have suffered such abominable punishments deserve to know well that we have no rewards waiting in heaven for us for patiently enduring under punishment from evil servants in charge or, especially, for going over the line between right and wrong in our begging... because Matt. 7:6 and I Peter 2:20 were printed in copies of the Holy Bible available to us long before our sufferings. Therefore, such a pastor as may dominate us now to keep our grievances quiet has no crowns in heaven to offer us for accepting his church discipline, and our rewards in heaven will be far greater if we cry out and call the church leaders completely to account for such failings as broken promises to spread the Gospel throughout the whole world by the year 2000.
Jesus Christ will be far more satisfied with us and able to bless us if we become completely frank with Him in prayer and no longer hold back our hearts. Failing to help us in our times of greatest need on earth through needed divine intervention, He has provided for absolutely incredible vengeance against the evil servants in charge (Matt. 24:45-51) in place of more years of freedom to apostatize in which to enjoy being completely healed and established as we might prefer. That the churches have already failed to fulfill their promises to evangelize the world by the year 2000 has changed the proper interpretation of Matthew 24:45-25:30 incredibly adversely for the evil servants in charge from offices to pulpits.
Because so many church leaders and evangelists have made and broken these promises, it is now patently apparent that they are unable to plan to spread the Gospel throughout the world with a testimony to all peoples (Matt. 24:14, Mark 14:9) and follow through on their promises. Well, the clock is ticking! The generation of Jews who saw Israel become a nation when they were twenty years old is aging, and God's holy Name is at stake to return before they all pass away. For this reason, the loss of morale among missionaries from failing to fulfill their promises to evangalize the world by the year 2000 cannot continue to drive churches inward to build the home church building and congregation and ignore world evangelism. In this context, the pastors' pretext that the judgements of Matthew 24:45-25:30 would be carried out in Heaven with the ever forgiving character of Jesus Christ as master must be torn to shreds; for if they should get their way, world evangelism will NEVER happen to make Jesus Christ return when He promised! Let us examine the judgements of Matthew 24:45-51 as possibe on earth with human masters or groups of humans as masters. This is now necessary to bring about world evangelism and the rapture of the saints.
Now seek I to bring about the judgement of the servants in charge as soon as possible on this earth (Matthew 24:45-51) so that without the hindrances of the Church Growth Movement, world evangelism may be attempted under faithful leadership, which unlike the Church Growth Movement will remember the need to memorialize Mary's anonymous anointing of Jesus Christ at Bethany if our spread of the Gospel really be worldwide (Mark 14:9, John 12:1-3). The power to judge is not yet in the right hands, yet our omnipotent Lord, praised be his name!--is surely able to bestow it. Promises from the American government such as our First, Fifth, and Eighth Amendment rights must fail, however that may happen, in order to judge the evil servants in charge with amputations and floggings as Jesus said would be done (Matt. 24:45-51, Luke 12:42-48); still I say, our awesome God is omnipotent and able to accomplish this, and both to those who pray to keep America safe and secure and to national enemies who would rejoice in an invasion or a coup d'etat I remember my citizenship in heaven and offer the Lord's Prayer just the same. American constitutional rights are defending injustices which Jesus Christ will not tolerate just before His return. Still, unless the United States Congress and the state legislators wake up to the reality of the end times and find some way to permit the imposition of the judgements upon the evil servants in charge prescribed by Jesus Christ, God's will could turn in an extremely adverse direction very fast in order to allow the ousting of bad pastors so that world evangelism may be accomplished.
And now I announce judgements. The demands of all the flock's wealth and amputations made by telephone in 2001 of the Meier family at Twin City Bible Church in Urbana, IL 61801, in place of failure to provide fifty million dollars requestewd in 1997 and 1998 to be obtained by begging to compensate Kevin Douglas Rosenberg for ruinous, utterly needless, admittedly mistaken psychiatric captivity and drugging (sin of witchcraft, Gal. 5:19, Greek), will accrue more demanded amputations before God: a thumb's weight weekly if evil servant in charge Bill Meier dare escape what was demanded before into the afternoon of December 26, 2003 UT. I myself cannot impose this, yet I dare ask Jesus his Lord, and He encourages me to keep on asking (Matt. 7:7). I have had to sin habitually because of Bill's influence on pastors to keep me quiet until I had to junk church after church to escape their domination, and I call down Matt. 18:5-7 to curse Twin City Bible Church like the fig tree in the name of Jesus Christ and send Bill's flock destitute for nearby churches to send out.
I do not possess such power as to bring this all about, yet still I thank God again for the Scriptures to show my current ways right before Him and to deliver me from the power of the evil servants in charge of today's churches through His will for vengeance. May God help our mentally ill brethren and everyone else in Him who needs assistance and has trouble asking for it among English speakers in authority. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Post subject: Picture of Mustard Seed and Boy Question
User Location: Richmond, Texas
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
Hi there,
I just stumbled upon this website while researching the Mustard Seed and faith, and am wondering if you recieved that picture you wrote of and if you wouldn't mind emailing it to me? I am hoping to use it at a teacher training. Thanks for your time and God Bless!!!!!!
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Post subject: The Parable of the Ten Talents
User Location: Malaysia
Parable: tentalents.txt
The talents were entrusted to the servants.
The servant with the one talent hid the talent in the earth(Holy Land) did the right thing as according to the Jewish Law. In verse 24 to 26 showed that the master was the devil. This is another REVERSE PARABLE.
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Post subject: eternal security
User Location: Baltimore, MD
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
I too, don't beleive in 'skateboard salvation', which by that I'm assuming you mean that you're saved until you sin, when you lose your salvation and fall off. From there, you have to get saved again, and so on. My ministry (Greater Grace World Outreach) is all about the finished work and eternal security. Once we're saved, that's it. No questions. One question I had when I was first saved was like, how can I am some serial killer who was once saved when he was young, end up in the same place? There's two answers to that: one, sins are forgiven. plain and simple. they are completely erased from his life as they are from mine. and two, we have heavenly awards. if we are saved, but don't live the christian lifestyle according to God, we will still get to heaven, but may not get the same heavenly awards as someone who followed God completely. it's like cable, there's regular cable, and then there's the package deals that are extra. anywho, i guess this doesn't really have to do with the mustard seed, but it needs to be said.
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Post subject: Ten Talents
User Location: Pensacola, FL
Parable: tentalents.txt
I posted too early. I am not sure of the last part of the parable. If all of the servants were believers, then was salvation taken from the one talent servant. I believe that believers are sealed until the day of redemption...one saved, always saved. My pastor and I discussed the ending. At this point, we agree that the talents are gifts and abilities. That everyone, saved and unsaved alike, have free will to use these gifts and abilities for God or for themselves. Those that choose to live for Christ will be given great rewards in heaven and God will provide for them on earth. Those that choose to serve themselves with their talents, may receive rewards on heaven, but will lose everything upon death. They will be cast into darkness (hell) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Post subject: picture of the mustard seed tree with child
User Location: Laredo, TX
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
I am catechist and would very much like to obtain the picture which you describe. Thank you and God Bless!
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Post subject: Lazurus
User Location: San Diego California
Parable: lazarus.txt
I have a friend on life support. She was like Lazurus, full of sores that our eyes could not see, but the heart could. So many people became tired trying to deal with her sores (including myself). She felt as though no one really loved her. She had received Jesus, but I don't really think she understood his love for her.
The family is pulling the life support in just fifteen more minutes, Wednesday, March 25th at 5pm. Do we know whether she will breathe on her own? Is she already with the Lord, as there is no brain function? She probably knows better than we who remain.
I ask Jesus for forgiveness for anytime that I did not treat her as my neighbor and acted in part as the rich man did who received good things. This is a day to remember, that in life, always love your neighbor, show mercy, share your good things and try to endure with patience those who have a life of evil sores befalling them. This is humbling.
God bless,
Victoria Trees
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Post subject: bearing fruit
User Location: Lancaster pa.
Parable: vine.txt
Hi there-- I am a saved person and born again-- however according to bearing fruit, well am i going to hell and don't know it, what i mean is this i don't pass out tracks and iam not a preacher but if th case arises i will speak up for Jesus i am not ashamed at all of the name of Jesus but i don't stand on corners and preach or things like that.
Larry
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Post subject: Mustard discussion
User Location: Missionary in Japan
Parable: mustardseed.txtthread
TO the Webmaster,
Where did you get the information on the Mustard Plants?
The largest of the plants that I know of is the Black Mustard, which reaches the height of about 3 to 4 feet. (Still a considerable height for a bird to perch in.) The Bible remains infallible
TO KEN,
Although I could find nothing on the topic of Cross-pollination, there is a problem with the idea...
There are around 3000 species of mustard plants and nearly 390 genera. If cross-pollination does not occur in at least one of these species of plant I will be very surprised.
What I would be curious to know is, "Which species of mustard plant was Jesus speaking of?"
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Post subject: Name of the Prodigal Son
User Location: MO
Parable: prodigalson.txtthread
Yes, the symbolic name of the younger son is Ephrahim. The older's name is Judah.
Selah,
Donimus
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