Outline for Message Podcast - Spiritual Renewal Gathering (SRG) 2024 - Parables of Jesus

 

The Parables of Jesus

by Revd Dr Joshua YJ Su (Soh Guan Chin)

Friday, 26 to Sunday, 28 July 2024
Citrus Hotel, 16 Jalan Station, 80000 Johor Bahru, Malaysia

 

Day 1

Opening Session – Introducing the Theme – What are Parables?

• Matthew 13:10–17

Session 1 – The Sower, the Soil, and the Weeds

• [Sub-Theme: What GOD does to Save us]
• Matthew 13:1-9, 18–23 – the Sower & the Soil
• Matthew 13:24–30, 36-43 – The Weeds among the Wheat

Session 2 - Luke 15:1–32 – Seeking the Lost

• [Sub-Theme: What GOD does to Save us]
• Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son

Day 2

Session 1 - Hidden Treasure, Precious Pearl, the Great Net, the Rebellious Servants

• [Sub-Theme for the Day: How do we Respond to GOD & His Call]
• [Sub-Theme for Session 1: How do we Value God & His Kingdom?]
• Matthew 13:44 – Discovering Hidden Treasure
• Matthew 13:45–46 – Searching for the Most Precious Pearl
• Matthew 13:47–50 – the Great Net
• Mark 12:1–12 – The Rebellious Servants

Session 2 - Mustard Seed & Leaven, Old & New Treasures, Ten Virgins, the Talents

• [Sub-Theme for the Day: How do we Respond to GOD & His Call]
• [Sub-Theme for Session 2: Our Stewardship – what we do with what the LORD entrusts to us]
• Matthew 13:31–33 – The Mustard Seed & the Leaven
• Matthew 13:51–52 – Bringing Out Old & New Treasures
• Matthew 25:1–13 – The Ten Virgins
  Matthew 25:14–30 – The Talents

Session 3 - The Barren Fig Tree, Dishonest Manager, the Persistent Widow, Ten Minas

• [Sub-Theme for the Day: How do we Respond to GOD & His Call]
• [Sub-Theme for Session 3: Our Stewardship – what we do with what the LORD entrusts to us]
• Luke 13:6–9 – the Barren Fig Tree
• Luke 16:1–13 – the Dishonest Steward
• Luke 18:1–8 – The Persistent Widow
• Luke 19:11–27 – The Ten Minas [c/o to Session 4]

Session 4 - The Unforgiving Servant & the Labourers in the Vineyard

• [Sub-Theme for the Day: How do we Respond to GOD & His Call]
• [Sub-Theme for Session 4: How do we Respond to God’s Grace?]
• Luke 19:11–27 – The Ten Minas [c/o from Session 3]
• Matthew 18:21–35 – the Unforgiving Servant
• Matthew 20:1–16 – the Labourers in the Vineyard

Day 3

Sunday Message – Seek ye First the Kingdom of GOD & His Righteousness - Matthew 6:33

• Matthew 5:17–20 – Fulfil GOD’s Righteousness
• Matthew 6:19–24 – Lay Up Treasure In Heaven Not On Earth
• Matthew 7:12–27 – Enter by the Narrow Gate to Heaven; Bear Good Fruit;

Putting Christ 1st is TOP PRIORITY; Build your House on the Rock of GOD’s Word

 

 

Day 1, Friday, 26 July 2024

Opening Message - Introducing the Theme – What are Parables?

Literary Characteristics of Parables

They are

• ¤  stories – a narrative with people and events of what they say or do

• ¤  drawn from everyday life of people and events; contrast with fables, poems

• ¤  used by Jesus to teach lessons on the spiritual truths of God’s Kingdom

• ¤  there are analogies between the points of the story and truths of the Kingdom

  Matthew 13:10–17 (ESV)

  10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

  11And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

  13This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

  16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

  Highlights

  • deliberately intended to be familiar to hearers but yet the meaning is unclear

  • it aims to Test the Heart of the listener as to how much they value GOD and His Truth

  • those who WANT to know would draw near to Jesus to ask Him to teach them

  • those who are Not seriously interested would go away and ignore or forget them

 

 

Day 1,  Friday, 26 July 2024

Session 1 - The Sower, the Soil, and the Weeds

• Sub-Theme: What GOD does to Save us

Matthew 13:1-9, 18–23 (ESV) – The Sower and the Soil
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.

3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.

4And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.

7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears, let him hear.”

18“Hear then the parable of the sower:

19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Highlights

• the Sower sowed the Seed, the word of the Kingdom – may be the Gospel or Scripture or God’s teachings or guidance

• the Soil Types represents Different Levels of Reception of GOD’s Word

  •  the Gospel

  • Scripture

  • prophetic messages

  • wise counsel

  • specific guidance

Matthew 13:24–30, 36-43 (ESV) – The Weeds among the Wheat

24He put another parable before them, saying,

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’

So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

36Then he left the crowds and went into the house.
And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.

The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

He who has ears, let him hear.

Highlight – This Parable Answers the Questions

• Why do we Need to be Saved?
• Why does GOD Not Save us NOW?

• the wheat – the outcome of the good seed that the farmer sowed

• the weeds – the outcome of what the enemy sowed

• they are so mixed and intertwined that it is Not Possible to Differentiate and Separate them while they are still growing

  This is the STATE of THIS FALLEN World in which we live

• but when they Both Fully Mature they Can and Will Be Differentiated and Separated

• At that Point GOD will make the Separation by His angels

• the weeds will be burned

• the wheat will be gathered into His barn

 

 

Session 2 – Seeking the Lost

Sub-Theme: What GOD does to Save us

Luke 15:1–32 (ESV) – Seeking the Lost
1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3So he told them this parable:

Lost Sheep

4“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nineintheopencountry,andgoaftertheonethatislost,untilhefindsit? 5Andwhen he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Lost Coin

8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Lost Son

11And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.

12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, andtherehesquanderedhispropertyinrecklessliving. 14Andwhenhehadspenteverything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 1

5So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ringonhishand,andshoesonhisfeet. 23Andbringthefattenedcalfandkillit,andletuseat and celebrate. 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28But he was angry and refused to go in.

His father came out and entreated him, 29but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

31And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

Highlights

• Lost Sheep – seeking those who have strayed from GOD and lost their way

• Lost Coin – seeking what is precious to the owner

• Lost Son – seeking sinners from our own sins

  • Need to Admit that we have Sinned

  • Need to Repent of Sin and Seek to Return to our Father

  • The Love and Grace of the Father

  • The Jealousy and Hatred of the elder son

 

 

Day 2, Saturday, 27 July 2024

The Underlying Sub-Theme for All of Today’s Parables is How do we Respond to GOD & His Call

• Each Session deals with a Different Aspect of our Response to Him and His Call

Session 1 - Hidden Treasure, Precious Pearl, the Great Net, the Rebellious Servants

• Sub-Theme: How do we Value God & His Kingdom?

Matthew 13:44 (ESV) – Discovering Hidden Treasure

44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Highlight

• how best to respond to discovering Christ or the Gospel when one is NOT looking for it

Matthew 13:45–46 (ESV) – Searching for the Most Precious Pearl

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Highlight

• to Actively Look for the Truth as Top Priority & learn that the Truth is the Gospel of Christ

Matthew 13:47–50 (ESV) – the Great Net

47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Highlights

• a picture of the spread of the Gospel and those who respond to it – there will be a Sieving Process to Differentiate between the True and the Untrue, or between the Faithful and Unfaithful

• this is the work of angels sent by the LORD, NOT the Church

   

Mark 12:1–12 (ESV) – The Rebellious Servants

1And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed.

6He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

9What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not read this Scripture: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Highlights

• a picture of unfaithful Israel and how it treats the true prophets and servants of the LORD

  who were sent to declare His truth to them

• how they treat His Son – Jesus Christ – is of particularly critical importance

 

 

Day 2, Saturday, 27 July 2024

Session 2 - Mustard Seed & Leaven, Old & New Treasures, the Talents

• Sub-Theme: Our Stewardship – what we do with what the LORD entrusts to us

Matthew 13:31–33 (ESV) – The Mustard Seed & the Leaven

31He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Highlights

• The Mustard Seed – the Kingdom of Heaven starts as a very small event in this world but it

  will keep growing until it becomes a shelter for all who seek its cover

• The Leaven – the Kingdom of Heaven is like something that is a very small that is mixed

  into something very much bigger, but it will make an impact on the entire batch

• these parables serve as guides or models for how the LORD may work in and through us for

  His purpose; a great contrast to many contrary ideas of how to do things in this world

   

Matthew 13:51–52 (ESV) – Bringing Out Old & New Treasures

51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”

52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Highlight

• a picture of how those who have grasped the way of the Kingdom would serve the LORD by the input He makes in our lives to deliver both old and new things

Matthew 25:1–13 (ESV) – The Ten Virgins

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

9But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Highlights

• Need to be Ever-Ready for whenever the LORD may come or call upon our service
• we cannot presume to take from others what we Need to prepare or to have for ourselves
• we cannot afford to give to others what we Need for our own walk and service

Matthew 25:14–30 (ESV) – The Talents

14“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’

26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Highlight – How the LORD Measures our Stewardship

• He gives to each of us responsibilities that commensurate with our actual abilities – each talent is not our ability but a unit of responsibility given to us according to each our own ability

• He holds us to ACCOUNT for how fully we fulfil the responsibilities He gives to each of us

• we are All Fully Able to Fulfil ALL the Responsibilities He gives to each of us because it is

  given According to Each one’s Abilities

• falling short & exceeding our defined boundaries are BOTH errors of failure of stewardship

• wilfully rejecting our stewardship is serious rebellion that may lose one one’s eternity or salvation in Christ!

• The BEST Way to Fulfil our Stewardship is to
  ◦ know what He has assigned to us
  ◦ do this to the very best of our ability
  ◦ be Immediately and Constantly Engaged in so doing by the Spirit once one knows what

  is one’s gifts or ministry is in Christ
  ◦ NOT waiting for something to happen before one starts

 

 

Day 2, Saturday, 27 July 2024

Session 3 - The Barren Fig Tree, Dishonest Manager, the Persistent Widow, Ten Minas

• Sub-Theme: Our Stewardship – what we do with what the LORD entrusts to us

Luke 13:6–9 (ESV) – the Barren Fig Tree

6And he told this parable:

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’

8And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

Highlight

• picture of how the LORD has blessed Israel and how He will judge it
• applies to us as Christians and the Church just as fully

Luke 16:1–13 (ESV) – the Dishonest Steward

1He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

3And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’

5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

8The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. 10“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

13No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Highlight – The Question & Challenge – how well and how fully do we manage what is entrusted to us so that we are favoured by our Master and our clients?

• The unfaithful steward is NOT praised for his unfaithfulness but for his ingenious scheme

  of gaining favour for himself from the Master’s clients when he knew that he will be fired

• the challenge for the faithful in Christ is whether we know how to serve in such a way that

  those we minister to favour us for our service to them in a way that is God-honouring

• of course, for us in Christ, this CANNOT be done in any unbiblical or immoral way

• but the Point of the Challenge Is – how wise are we in serving those we are to care for so

  that they appreciate what we do in a way that honours the LORD

• how we use money is a particular point of challenge for us in this parable

   

   

Luke 18:1–8 (ESV) – The Persistent Widow

1And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.

 

4For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”

6And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Highlight - the Value of Persistence in seeking what we want from GOD

• even a godless unethical judge will give in to the persistent plea of a poor widow, if only to be rid of being repeatedly irritated by her

• so Much More Then will our Righteous and Loving GOD SURELY attend to our earnest persistent plea if we truly seek it of Him
  ◦ how clear and definite are we of what we are asking of GOD?
  ◦ what priority do we give to what we ask of GOD?

• A key underlying issue here is our FAITH in GOD’s lovingkindness and good intent towards us – we often do NOT persist because we Do NOT Trust HIM to answer!
  This the Principal Fallacy that this Parable wants to CORRECT.

Luke 19:11–27 (ESV) – The Ten Minas

11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.

12He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’

14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.

16Thefirstcamebeforehim,saying,‘Lord,yourminahasmadetenminasmore.’ 17Andhesaidto him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

18And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’

20Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’

22He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ”

Highlights

• The Kingdom of God will come in God’s good time; not according to our human or fleshly expectation; in chronological time, it will be a Very Long Time; in God’s Timing, it will be at the RIGHT Time

• the citizens who hate the Master represents the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests, who want the kingdom for themselves and so wants to kill the Master or His heir
  ◦ beyond the historical context, it is anyone who rejects Christ, God or the Gospel

• the servants are those who are under the lordship of the Master to obey His instructions 

• every servant is given Exactly the Same Amount [in significant contrast to the Parable of the Talents in Matthew]

• the more a servant does with that amount, the more he is rewarded with greater stewardship [unlike the Parable of the Talents, it is NOT “rest”]

• the one who refuses to serve is punished like the one who buried his talent in the Parable of the Talents because it represents the same kind of outright rebellion against the Master

• Theme – The Better we Serve the LORD the More He will Engaged us in His Service with His blessings; or, Do our BEST for the LORD, the better we do the more He increases our ministry and our share in His Kingdom, in the here & now and in eternity

  Note: This does NOT mean that we are capable of infinite expansion - in correlation with
  • the Parable of the Sower – good soil may produce 30, 60, or 100, fold and
  • the Parable of the Talents – we are each given responsibilities according to our abilities – it

  means that –
  • within the scope of whatever the LORD entrusts to us to serve to Him, there are many

  levels of possibilities

  • the more faithful and fruitful we are in whatever we begin with, the more He will increase our service and role in Him to the maximum that we are capable of

 

 

Day 2, Saturday, 27 July 2024

Session 4 - The Unforgiving Servant & the Labourers in the Vineyard

• Sub-Theme: How do we Respond to God’s Grace?

Matthew 18:21–35 (ESV) – the Unforgiving Servant

21Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundreddenarii,andseizinghim,hebegantochokehim,saying,‘Paywhatyouowe.’ 29Sohis fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Highlight – Principle and Necessity to Forgive one another

• what we are forgiven for by the LORD is far beyond whatever we may need to forgive for any wrong done against us by another human being

• we are forgiven by our LORD for our sins, we have NO Basis NOT to forgive any wrong that may be done against us by another

• consider too, what sins we may have done to another? Do we even know what these are or how grave these may be?
  ◦ What if the one we offend holds it against us?
  ◦ What if GOD holds it against us?

Matthew 20:1–16 (ESV) – the Labourers in the Vineyard

1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

2Afteragreeingwiththelaborersforadenariusaday,hesentthemintohisvineyard. 3Andgoing out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5So they went.

Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing.

And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

8And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12saying,

13

‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

16So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Highlight – GOD Rewards us by His Grace Not by our Works

• In the Biblical Historical Setting – the different times that the servants were called to the work represents different times in history, from OT to NT, in particular, that God’s people were called into His service

• In Broader Application - it may also represent different times when
  ◦ each generation of believers, as they respond to the Gospel, are called into His service ◦ in each our lifetimes, we may be saved and called into His service

• Another Aspect, besides when one starts to work, is How Long one may be Serving – hence those who serve longer may expect that they may get more than those who served shorter

• note that in this parable, those who started early had agreed to a specific wage for the entirety of their work and the master paid them accordingly, so No One was cheated or underpaid

• but the twist in this parable is that those who started much later were also paid the same as those who worked much longer – this is the MAIN POINT of this Parable!
  ◦ We are ALL PAID by GRACE NOT by desert or by the magnitude of our effort.
  ◦ NONE of us would be paid anything IF the master does not engage us!

  ◦ He engage us On HIS TERMS, not on ours.
  ◦ Even the wage for to those who started early was at the Master’s Discretion, NOT by

  desert! For these He paid them as agreed.

• The CORE Teaching is how much He pays to each is Entirely At His Discretion

  ◦ If HE does NOT engage us we ALL get Absolutely NOTHING!
  ◦ He does NOT have to engage any of us!
  ◦ To be Invited and Engaged by HIM is itself by HIS Discretion and Grace!

 

Day 3, Sunday, 28 July 2024

Sunday Message – Seek ye First the Kingdom of GOD & His Righteousness

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) - 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. This is the Theme of this Message:

Highlight

• God holds us all to His Word, His Truth
• we Need to be Righteous In Christ by the Spirit to be true to Him

Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV) – Fulfil GOD’s Righteousness
17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to

abolish them but to fulfill them.
18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass

from the Law until all is accomplished.
19Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to

do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and

teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will

never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Highlight

• Be Fully FOCUS on putting GOD FIRST – not money or anything on earth
• we can Only serve ONE Master – let it be CHRIST!

Matthew 6:19–24 (ESV) – Lay Up Treasure In Heaven Not On Earth
19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where

thieves break in and steal, 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Highlights from Matthew 7:12–27 (ESV) –

Enter by the Narrow Gate to Heaven

• Christ and His Gospel is the ONLY Way of Salvation & Eternity
• but note that Eternity is Infinitely Bigger than anything in this fallen world!

12“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leadstodestruction,andthosewhoenterbyitaremany. 14Forthegateisnarrowandthe way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Bear Good Fruit

• how we live and serve determine who we are and our true nature

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19Everytreethatdoesnotbeargoodfruitiscutdownandthrownintothefire. 20Thusyou will recognize them by their fruits.

Putting Christ 1st is TOP PRIORITY

• True OBEDIENCE to GOD & CHRIST as First Priority is the Bottom line of GOD’s Judgement
• any kind of self-seeking or substitute to His lordship is idolatry & death

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Build your House on the Rock of GOD’s Word

• the ONLY SOUND Way to Live & Serve is by His Word and Truth
• we Need to seek the Spirit’s enabling to do so

24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”