The Moral of the Story
Parables of Jesus
The Rich Man & Lazarus and The Rich Fool
November 3, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek
Jesus doesn’t want us to have any regrets when we reach the end of our lives, and he doesn’t want us to wait until it’s too late to start seeking God. These two parables are meant to teach us the importance of being proactive about following God and seeking the truth.
The Vineyard and New Wineskins
September 29, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek
What happens when the people God had specifically chosen to be his prized possession and chosen nation turn around and reject him entirely? That’s the question Jesus explores in the parable of the tenants in the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-46) and his short parable about new wine and old wineskins (Matthew 9:16-17). (We apologize for the poor camera angle in this week's recording).
Wedding Banquet and Counting the Cost
September 15, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek • Matthew 22:1–14, Luke 14:28–33
This week we’re studying a parable about a wedding banquet hosted by a king and a separate parable about building a tower and going to war. On the surface, these hardly seem to have anything in common. But as we dive into each parable, I hope we’ll see a consistent theme emerge: God shows his grace by inviting everyone into his Kingdom, but he demonstrates his righteousness by requiring everyone to live up to a high standard of discipleship.
Mustard Seed and Persistent Widow
September 22, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek
Today’s parables feature a farmer with a tiny mustard seed, a baker with a small amount of yeast, and a widow who won’t leave the town judge alone. Each of them, in their own way, illustrate the same basic truth: Things don’t have to be bigger in order to be better. Instead, Jesus wants us to know that God is always at work, often in imperceptible ways, to cause his plan for the world to come to fruition. We just need to be willing to wait for God to do his work.
Introduction to the Parables
September 8, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek
In this session, we cover the basics about what parables are, why Jesus used them, and some best practices for interpreting them. We also go over our schedule for the next portion of our class and a list of parables we'll be covering. Be sure to download the handout that accompanied our class session.
The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
September 8, 2022 • Bryan Fojtasek
We begin our study with a short parable about finding something so valuable that it would make you go and sell everything you had in order to buy it. What could possibly be worth that much? Paul’s words in Philippians 3:8 give us the answer: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” This parable invites us to consider how we will respond to the treasure of wisdom and grace God is offering us through Jesus. Will we have eyes to see it? Will we joyfully give everything else to take hold of it? Or will we let is slip through our fingers?