Devotionals & Poems

“It is finished”

“It is finished”

The sheep that went astray (Parables...

The sheep that went astray  (Parables of Jesus part eight)

Our next stop in the parables of Jesus brings us to that of the lost sheep recorded both in Matthew 18:10-14 and Luke 15:1-7; I am using Luke’s account today. In Bible symbolism sheep often represent people, for example “The Lord is my shepherd” Psalm 23:1; “All we like sheep have gone astray” Isaiah 53:1; […]

Growing like a mustard seed (Parable...

Growing like a mustard seed  (Parables of Jesus part seven)

Another parable Jesus used likens the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32. The mustard seed referred to here is apparently not the annual plant we likely think of immediately today, but a much larger specimen, whose seed was very small but grew very large. The combination of these provide an appropriate […]

“Growing seed” (Parables of Jesus pa...

“Growing seed”  (Parables of Jesus part six)

God has so arranged it that the natural and spiritual work parallel to each other. With the people of Israel being very familiar with the process of agriculture and livestock, Jesus often used parables from these to teach the spiritual truths of the kingdom of God. In Mark 4:26-29 He speaks of one scattering or […]

The great banquet (Parables of Jesus...

The great banquet  (Parables of Jesus part five)

Another parable of Jesus is recorded in Luke 14:16-24 where He tells the story of a host that was giving a great banquet; the custom was that the invitations would be sent out in advance and when the feast was ready a notice would be sent out. His friends had received the invitation, apparently accepted […]

The great banquet (Parables of Jesus...

The great banquet  (Parables of Jesus part five)

Another parable of Jesus is recorded in Luke 14:16-24 where He tells the story of a host that was giving a great banquet; the custom was that the invitations would be sent out in advance and when the feast was ready a notice would be sent out. His friends had received the invitation, apparently accepted […]

My neighbor (Parables of Jesus part ...

My neighbor  (Parables of Jesus part four)

Samaritan’s were a mixed race; they also had a corrupted form of religion. They and the Jews usually did not have good relationships with each other, and there was often a spirit of hatred and hostility manifested between them, leading the woman in John 4:9 to say “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” But Jesus […]

A friend in the night (Parables of J...

A friend in the night  (Parables of Jesus part three)

In Luke 11:5-8 Jesus uses the story of someone who had an apparently unexpected guest to arrive in the night; not having food in the house to set before the hungry traveler, he went to a friend’s house to ask for three loaves (some food), but this friend was not overanxious about being disturbed at […]

A final opportunity (Parables of Jes...

A final opportunity  (Parables of Jesus part two)

As He often did Jesus uses an agricultural setting to teach about the kingdom of God; in Luke 13:6-9 He tells the story of a man that had a vineyard and planted a fig tree in it, expecting it to produce fruit; however after returning to it season after season and finding no fruit he […]

Light of the world (Parables of Jesu...

Light of the world  (Parables of Jesus part one)

In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus uses the metaphor of light to describe the influence His children, who through Him are “…no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints and members of the household of God” Ephesians 2:19, would have in this world. Back in Matthew 5:14 He said “You are the light of the […]

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