Heritage Baptist Church of Frankfort IL

This parable is similar to a previous parable of Jesus. This was a wedding feast parable with a different twist at the end. The end emphasizes that a person does not get to enter into the feast in their own garment but in a garment provided by the king.

This parable has overtones from a passage found in Isaiah 5. Israel was compared to a vineyard that was not taken care of by its managers. Here the Lord tells a similar parable and applies the wicked tenants to the religious leaders of the day. They had not taken care of Israel as they should have. They killed the Son. Because of this rejection their opportunity to lead would be taken away and given to someone else.

This parable was to teach people that titles and religion don't save. The Jewish leaders thought they were going to make it to heaven, but they did not obey God's commands through His Son Jesus. Others who weren't religious were responding to Jesus and following Him. They were the ones who would enjoy God's eternal blessings.

Zacchaeus was saved. This was incredible in the eyes of the Jews. If Jesus was capable of changing -an enemy- to Israel, He would be able to setup a kingdom to throw off the Romans.-The nation had missed the fact that the kingdom was coming at a much later date. Until the kingdom was setup the good news needed to be shared until Jesus returned to setup the kingdom.

This parable without the previous context will be misunderstood. This parable was in the context of a rich man who failed to follow Christ because of what he would have to give up. The disciples thought that they deserved great blessing because they had given up much. However, the Lord wanted his disciples to understand that they would receive the same eternal blessings as all other people who believe. There is no advantage for those who come to Christ first.

This parable is used to teach about prayer. However, this passage is more about the basis of approach to God. A person who comes seeking mercy in the presence of God will have a right standing before God. Righteousness is not earned.

This parable does have as a theme to be persistent in asking. However, the emphasis is on the fact that the judge answered after the persistence of the widow. God, who is not like the judge in his frustration, is one who delights to answer requests.

This short parable deals with the attitude of the disciple of Jesus. They are like a servant who does what they are supposed to do. They should not be lifted up in pride, because they did what was necessary.

This story is often called a parable. However, it contains an unusual feature that one of the characters has a real name. The story was given to warn of the realities of hell and perhaps it was shared as a warning to the friends of the rich man.

This parable is unusual because the hero of the story is a scoundrel. His actions are not the Lord holds up as an example but his forward look. People of Jesus' day, as are people of this day, are looking to collect goods. They have no forward look to eternity. They are focused on the present.