(This is a wedding homily given by Steve Larson on May 30, 2015, for Abigail Eisley and Nathan Mitchell) (After a few introductions and greetings)… Rather than marital advice, Nathan and Abigail, I will instead offer you, just for a few minutes, a glimpse of what I believe marital love grows into. Here’s what you …
Thoughts on the parable of the Barren Tree- Please read Luke 13:6-9. THE CONTEXT. a. The early parts of this chapter in Luke refer to Jesus’ call for national repentance. This parable, more allegorical than most of his parables, continues that theme of repentance, only the story is directed toward the Jewish leadership, the pious ones, …
Thoughts on the parable of the Rich Fool – Please read Luke 12:13-21. THE CONTEXT. a. There was a crowd of people surrounding Jesus, and a man in the crowd tried to recruit Jesus to issue a ruling in an inheritance squabble. This man demands that Jesus be the judge that carries out his wishes. …
Thoughts on the parable of the Gracious Landowner – Please read Matthew 20:1-16. THE CONTEXT. Jesus is here addressing questions about the character of God and the nature of salvation, about the last being first and the first being last. The parable is an illustration of what that idea looks like in the kingdom of …
Thoughts on the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat – Please read Matthew 13:24-30, and 36-43. THE CONTEXT. a. This parable is in the middle of a series of parables told by Jesus while sitting in a boat just off shore, with the audience standing along the shore line. Teaching with parables was a …
Thoughts on the parable of the Great Feast – Please read Luke 14:15-24. THE CONTEXT. a. Jesus is reclining at a supper hosted by a Pharisee. As usual, they are grumbling, putting Jesus under their microscope. They didn’t like it when he healed a man right there at supper, on the Sabbath! And they didn’t …
Thoughts on the parable of the Obedient Servant – Please read Luke 17:7-10. THE CONTEXT. In chapter 17 of Luke, Jesus is talking to the disciples, and then his apostles, about a number of topics related to discipleship… the perils of being a bad influence; ongoing forgiveness; the quality not quantity of faith; and then obedient …
“God’s power is secure in us only when it is linked to something that keeps us weak.” (Richard Bieber) A working definition of weakness in the Bible: A lack of strength or an inadequacy due to… a handicap or disability; insulting opposition; a glaring vulnerability; sickness or grief; a limitation that puts one at a …
The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus – Please read Luke 16:19-31. THE CONTEXT. Jesus was in the middle of a conversation with an audience that included some of his disciples and some Pharisees and Sadducees. Among other things, Jesus told them all that one could not serve both God and money. He said …
Thoughts on the parable of the Longsuffering Vineyard Owner – Please read Matthew 21:33-43 (also Luke 20:9-18). THE CONTEXT. Jesus had just completed two Big Events in his life: the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and the Cleansing of the Temple. Both were audacious, unprecedented, and greatly offended the religious leaders. And both events seemed to make …
Thoughts on the parable of the Two Builders – Please read Matthew 7: 21-29 and/or Luke 6:46-49. PRELUDE. The opening words of the section in Matthew are actually scary good, and I do mean scary. Evidently one can have a powerful ministry, even prophecy and exorcism, and still not be known by God. Apparently, one can do …