Immediately following the parable of the exalted wedding guest, Jesus gave another parable with a similar theme, the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:12-24). Jesus, the Master Teacher, loaded this parable with rich application both for the lost who refuse to come to the feast of salvation and to the saved who have become […]
In the parable of the exalted wedding guests, all of the guests were vying for the most honorable seats. In contrast, Jesus, who was the most honorable of all, did not strive for the high place. Rather, he taught his disciples to take the lowly place and to leave the matter of honor to God. […]
In the parable of the exalted wedding guest, Jesus dealt with one of the root sins of the human heart – the sin of pride. This sin proves the depths of the deceitfulness of the human heart, for though we all struggle with pride, we rarely recognize it as such. It is only by the […]
The parable of the widow and the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-8 sets forth the proper Christian response to the incessant assault of the church’s adversary, the devil. Rather than trying to rebuke the devil or fight him in our own strength, we are to cry out to God who will swiftly avenge His church […]
The parable of the widow and the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-8 repeats the theme of importunate prayer which we saw in the parable of the friend in need (Luke 11:5-13). The Bible teaches us that the prayer of faith is powerful (Jas. 5:13-18), and the prayer of faith is marked by tireless perseverance! Prayer […]
In the parable of the friend in need (Luke 11:5-13), the friend presenting the need provides us with a wonderful illustration of the “importunity” that God desires in prayer (Luke 11:8). Pastor Vradenburgh explained that the closest synonym is probably the word “impudence.” We might even define “importunity” as “shameless persistence.” Prayer application 1 Do you ever feel like you are […]
In Sunday’s sermon we studied one of two parables about the power and necessity of persevering prayer: the parable of the friend in need (Luke 11:5-13). In the parable, the friend presenting the need recognized his inability to provide his guest with a meal, but instead of resolving to offer nothing, he was compelled to plead with his neighbor […]
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all came upon the same bloody sight, yet the priest and the Levite responded very differently from the Samaritan. The same scene which compelled the religious men to keep their distance was the same scene which compelled the Samaritan to draw near and help as much as he could. […]
We live in a time where genuine compassion is often exploited for selfish gain. “Guilt-tripping” and appealing to man’s inherent sense of self-righteousness can be incredibly powerful tools for obtaining power and wealth.
It is for this reason that countless thieves and con-men paint themselves as victims. Others have made fortunes for themselves from charitable donations that were intended to help others.
With this going on all around us, we can be so fearful of being victimized ourselves that we begin to harden our hearts to the reality of true victims. We may have rationalized and justified ourselves, but how does the love of God dwell in one void of compassion for those in need?
What is it that drives Christians to spend themselves completely for the sake of Christ? What is it that provokes missionaries to exchange their lives of relative comfort for the hardships and dangers of foreign lands? What is it that compels us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ? The answer to these questions is stated by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5: the love of Christ.
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