Parables

Sermons on Parables

Perplexing Parables #4 – The Parable of the Shrewd Steward

February 10, 2009 in Parables by Morty | No comments

Now here’s the granddaddy of them all, the notorious Parable of the Shrewd Steward from Luke 16:1-13.

More preachers throw up their hands and walk away from this parable than any other. Why? Because a villian is the hero. And it is that turn in the story that reveals the school marmishness of most preaching.

Well, if you can’t take the reversals of grace, then please do stay away from this parable. But, if you love the counter-intuitive nature of grace, then listen up and learn something no school marm could ever teach.

Perplexing Parables #3 – The Wise and Foolish Virgins

February 3, 2009 in Parables by Morty | No comments

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Here’s another puzzling parable for your consideration. This one isn’t difficult to interpret because of what is said. It is difficult because of what is left unsaid. And without saying so, it seems that is just the way the Lord Jesus made his point.

This is the parable of The Wise and Foolish Virgins, found in Matthew 25:1-13.

Here several things are missing: a bridegroom, and for five of the virgins, wisdom and oil. Filling in the blank is the theme of this parable. How well do you think you can you fill it?

Perplexing Parables: #2 — The Wedding Feast

January 27, 2009 in Parables by Morty | No comments

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perplex2 Now here’s another puzzler — The Parable of the Wedding Feast, found in Matthew 22:1-14.

In this parable Jesus tells a tale that lets in a ray of light at the very end that shoots through all that has come before. In that light we see something we don’t expect. Everything is altered and we see the grace that normally works beyond the range of human sight.

Enjoy!

Perplexing Parables: The Workers in the Vineyard

January 20, 2009 in Parables by Morty | No comments

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perplex1 Just to stay on the theme of parables here’s a sermon on a parable that I preached in August of 2008.

I love the parables primarily because I am a story teller at heart.

Many preachers think the goal of preaching is to make things plain. But because the world is a wonderfully perplexing place, full of apparent contradictions and paradoxes, good stories reflect the thickness of meaning we find in life. They’re not one dimensional and easily grasped. Indeed, the best stories always exceed our grasp. Like children picking up candy from a pinata, there is always more to a parable than we can hold.

There is certainly more to say about The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard than I said in this sermon. There’s the unfairness of grace, the shock of losing when you are most committed to gaining, and the joy of gaining when we you are not thinking of it. There are those things and so much more.

So here’s the parable of The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. Enjoy.

The Prodigal Father

January 14, 2009 in Parables by Morty | No comments

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prodigal-father-31 C. R. Wiley here – after a restful vacation in which I labored at my prodigality, I’m back on the job. To kick off a new year we’re featuring the sermon I preached just this last Sunday. It was snowy in the east and the congregation was small, but it was nice to be back. The Wiley family recently devoured “The Prodigal God” by Tim Keller for our devotions. It was quite tasty. It’s an excellent exposition of Luke 15:11-32 — the story typically referred to as “The Parable of the Prodigal Son”. The traditional name misses the mark (isn’t that just like sin?) and recently expositors have been experimenting with other titles. Here’s one I came across recently: The Parable of the Lost Son. Ouch! Missed again, I’d say. Tim Keller’s title, The Prodigal God, certainly is an improvement — but I think it says too much. It is an interpretation — a correct one, but a parable shouldn’t be named for an interpretation. It should be named for an element contained in the story. And this story contains a prodigal father — hence the name of my sermon — The Prodigal Father. If you’ve read Keller’s book you will see his influence on me. You will also see that I depart from him at a critical point. No, I won’t write about it here. You’ll just have to read his book and then listen to my sermon to find out where we disagree. Don’t get mad! I think Tim did a great job. But I do have a hair to split with him. If you’d like to leave a thought of your own on the parable, Tim Keller’s book, or this sermon — you’re welcome to do so.