Posts by Admin

  CENTRAL THOUGHT May it not be that someone else does what the Lord has assigned for you because of your failure and wickedness.   TEXT: Matthew 21: 33-44, Romans 9:3-5, 25-33     READING TEXT:  Matthew 21: 33-44     INTRODUCTION: Parables, which were common – place stories, provided our Lord Jesus Christ an effective vehicle of communicating the deep truths of the kingdom of God.  This particular one of the Householder and husbandmen was no exception.  It reveals God’s eternal plan of salvation for mankind, namely that through Israel the Gospel of Christ be made known to the world.  With their reflection of the Messiah, the gentiles – a people who were not regarded as one – have, by faith, become children of Abraham and instruments for the propagation of the Gospel.  This parable could be of more significance to our generation than it was to the audience (scribes, Pharisees, commoners, etc.) that received it from the Lord.  Israel got carries away with her rich religious heritage, thinking it could substitute for the Messiah.  That same deception has overtaken some of us today.  We think the kingdom of God is our exclusive right because of either our position in church or our financial contribution to the church, or...

CENTRAL THOUGHT The promise of eternal life is for all believers of all ages.   TEXT: Matthew 20:1-16   INTRODUCTION The word parable comes from the Greek “parabole” meaning a placing beside.  It is therefore the pacing of one subject by another as an illustration of spiritual things by familiar earthly objects or incidents that brings the stories nearer their audience. Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the greatest teacher this world has ever known, often spoke to the people in parables in the Gospel, Matthew 13:10-13.  He made use of them to “veil” the truth from those who were not willing to acknowledge the truth, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.  Those who really desired to know would not rest till they have found out the meaning, Isaiah 6:9-10. The parable of the workers in the vineyard was prompted by Peter’s question on the reward for those of them who had forsaken all and followed Christ.  The parable shows us that God in His sovereignty is debtor to no man, and that many who being last, may, with God’s blessings and grace outstrip those who were first called in knowledge, grace and spiritual usefulness.  This calls for humanity and reverential fear lest we should ourselves be found hypocrites at last.  God...

CENTRAL THOUGHT Obedience to the word of God brings fruitfulness to the believer in all aspects of life.   TEXT:  Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23   INTRODUCTION Parables are simple stories familiar to the audience designed to illustrate issues or situations in order to teach some wisdom, moral or spiritual truth, pass instruction or rebuke and effect correction appropriately.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, was fond of parables in expressing spiritual truths while on earth. The plan and purpose of God in sending His only begotten Son into the world was and is to provide eternal salvation for all.  Hence, the Gospel message is given to all mankind.  It is therefore that the word of God should have a positive effect on every individual, this should manifest itself in fruit-bearing.  However, the effect of the word of God in the lives of the hearers depends greatly on how prepared their hearts have been to receive the word of God and how committed they are to what they have heard. In the parable of the sower, the Lord used the effect of the different types of soil on the seed sown to illustrate the response given by the different categories of hearers to the word of God.  Just like the seed...