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The Parable of the Sower
Jesus’ parables tend to use simple images. He would employ activites and ideas the common person would understand – activities that folks had experience with. Perhaps the best known parable spoken by Jesus is the parable of the sower. Two gospels record this parable, Matthew (13:3-23) and Luke (8:4-15).
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The Parable of the Divided Kingdom
The crowd buzzed, “Could this be the Son of David?” The Lord had just healed a demon-possessed man brought to him. Hear this, the Pharisees quickly accused,
This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons. (Matthew 12:24)
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of Children Playing Games
Jesus spoke about the work of John the Baptist to the people. They “justified God,” for they had received his baptism. However, Luke says the Pharisees,
…rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. (Luke 7:30)
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The Parable of Plentiful Harvest
Matthew spoke of the Lord’s work as He journeyed, taking the gospel from village to village. The apostle recorded:
…when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
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The Parables of the Bridegroom and Patches and Wineskins
The disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees asked Jesus:
Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink? (Luke 5:33)
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The Parables of the Wise Man who Built His House on the Rock
For about 15 years in the 1990s and early 2000s, General Motors used Bob Segar’s song, “Like A Rock” in their truck ads. Of course, they wanted to convey the idea that their trucks are strong and reliable. I’ve never owned one, so I don’t know if the image is appropriate or not. But two millennia ago, Jesus used the stability of a rock to speak about the faithfulness of a child of God.
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parables of the Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing & A Tree Known by its Fruit
Jesus said the way to heqaven is narrow, and then Immediately spoke of some who will hinder those who seek to walk the heavenly way. He identifies them as false prophets (Matthew 7:15), and used two images to speak about them. The first speaks of their methods (Matthew 7:15) and the second speaking of their mannner of life (Matthew 7:16-20).
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of the Lamp of the Body
Last week, we looked at Jesus’ use of salt and light in the sermon on the mount to describe the influence a Christian should have on the world. Our focus this week is a chapter later, but in the same sermon. The Lord said:
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parables of Salt and Light
In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus used two simple images to speak about His people, identifying us as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
In Mark 4:2, Jesus taught the multitude many things using parables. Matthew, Mark, and Luke record many parables spoken by Jesus. The gospel of John, though different in design from the synoptic gospels, also records some of Jesus’ parabolic teachings. There are likely more parables in the four gospels than you realize. I’m sure there are certainly parables that come to mind immediately. However, as we explore this series, you may be surprised to see how often Jesus spoke to the people in parables. I was!
