The Living Word: A Daily Devotional with Jeff & Dale from The Jenkins Institute

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more than they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:4-5, ESV). When we consider the parables taught by Jesus, we learn of those who did not give God the proper place in their lives. 

Can you imagine being separated forever from God and His people? As awful as it may be to consider, many will face such an existence for eternity (Matthew 7:13-14).

Luke 15 could be called the “lost” chapter of the Bible. Tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus to hear Him. However, the Pharisees and scribes were saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2, ESV). Jesus uses this time to teach them about the lost and found.

“The kingdom of heaven is like” is found throughout Jesus’ parables. The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a mustard seed, leaven, a treasure hidden in a field, a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, a dragnet, a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants, a landowner who hired laborers for his vineyard, a king who arranged a marriage for his son, and a man who delivered his good to his se...

Opportunities are a set of circumstances that make it possible to accomplish something. What are some of the opportunities that we find in studying the parables found in God’s word? Are we taking advantage of those opportunities in our daily lives?

The parables in the Bible were told by Jesus and others for a real purpose and to real people. So what should I do? I should want to know all that God has for me in His word. I want to know what He has commanded. I want to know

Marks tells us Jesus taught with many parables. He even says He never taught without a parable. Jesus was the master teacher, and He always used parables. Why? God created us, and He knows how our mind works. 

The point of the parable is to open our hearts to understand and receive His word. Everyone was given an opportunity to understand. And to those who are interested, He had a lot more for them. “…to His own disciples he explained everything” (Mark 4:34).

Commands and warnings stand out boldly in scripture, declaring God’s will. Even the historic record in scripture is a clear revelation. But why study the parables? It would be a serious mistake to think of the parables that God inspired to be unimportant and “just stories.” Here are some reasons why

The Power of Stories Today’s Scripture: Mark 4:33-34 “With many such parables, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.”