September 10, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Matthew 25:1–13
This parable is about the coming of the Bride Groom-Jesus Christ to celebrate His wedding with the church. This is directed to people in the church. There are two groups called out here-those who are ready and those who are not. Those who are wise and those who are foolish. One group has what is needed the other does not.
The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids
The Good Samaritan
September 3, 2023 • Shawn Kennedy • Luke 10:30–37
Jesus shocks the lawyer with a parable about a man who is robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and Levite (servant to priests) come by but do not stop to help the man. But then a Samaritan comes along who tends to the man and pays to put him up in an inn until he recovers. We miss the shocking nature of this parable because we don’t understand just how much Jews hated Samaritans. o admit that it was the Samaritan who was a true neighbor to this man and not a fellow Jew would have been hard for the lawyer.
The Good Samaritan
The Prodigal Sons
August 27, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 15:11–32
This is a parable about the heart of God for those who are lost. The Father has two sons: The younger one who rebels and uses the Father’s resources to live as he wishes and it’s not until he loses everything that he comes to his senses and returns to the Father. Then older son stays home and obeys on the outside, but his heart is revealed by his attitude towards the younger brother who returns and is forgiven. The Father loves both the same and both have to decide how they will respond to that love.
The Prodigal Son
The Pharisee and The Tax Collector
August 20, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 18:9–14
This story focuses on what we are trusting to make us right before God. Do we trust our religious activity or do we rely on God’s mercy to cover our sin? Jesus makes it clear that our righteousness does not come from our works but from the grace and mercy of God. We are either trusting in our goodness or God’s goodness to us.
The Pharisee and The Tax Collector
The Forgiven Who Won't Forgive
August 13, 2023 • Pastor Phil Burdoin • Matthew 18:21–35
Jesus illustrates the importance of forgiveness by telling the story of a king who forgives a servant of a debt he’s utterly incapable of repaying. After receiving this incredible mercy, the servant assaults a fellow servant who owes him a small debt. The king is angered that the servant refused to extend the mercy he so freely received. Through this parable, Jesus tells Peter (and us) that we should see the sins committed against us in the light of the sins God has forgiven us for. As we have been forgiven, we should also forgive.
The Forgiven Who Won't Forgive
Workers in the Vineyard
August 6, 2023 • Pastor Phil Burdoin • Matthew 20:1–16
The Parable of the Workers tells the story of a landowner who hires four sets of laborers throughout the course of the day. When the workday is over, all the workers received the same wages. Those who were hired at the beginning of the day were angered that those who were hired late in the day received a full day’s pay. The landowner points out that the early workers were fairly compensated and they’re jealous at the generosity the landowner showed the latecomers. God is the owner and He gets to decide how to give out His grace.
Workers in the Vineyard
Lazarus and the Rich Man
July 30, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 16:19–31
This is a most terrifying parable. Those who do not listen to the Law and the Prophets will not listen though one be raised from the dead. Jesus is making it clear that the time for us to deal with our eternal destiny is now, not later.
Lazarus and the Rich Man
The Persistent Widow
July 23, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 18:2–8
To teach the disciples about praying without giving up, Jesus told a story about a widow who had a case before a crooked judge. Without the ability to pay him off, all she could do was pester him for justice. Over time, she wore the judge down, and he ruled in her favor. While Jesus is encouraging us to model our prayer life after this widow, He is not saying that the crooked judge is like God. In fact, His point is that if even a bad judge can be worn down over time, how much more the Creator of the universe who wants to give you every good thing?
The Persistent Widow
The Rich Fool
July 16, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 12:13–21
Where are we placing our trust and hope for life? Life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions. What are the treasures of our lives that drive us? What do we do with what already have?
The Rich Fool
The Sower
July 9, 2023 • Pastor Bill West • Luke 8:4–15
God's seed is sown and everyone hears the same thing but the condition of the soil determines what the results will become. We are to sow God’s seed and pray for Him to bring the fruit.
The Sower
What Price Would You Pay?
July 2, 2023 • Pastor Phil Burdoin • Matthew 13:44–46
This short story reveals a couple of truths worth considering. One is that we are the pearls and God paid the highest price for us. Second that God's kingdom is the pearl worth us selling everything to join. In both of these parables, the kingdom is portrayed as valuable enough to warrant giving up everything to possess it.
What Price Would You Pay?
