Jesus used stories from this world to teach heavenly truths. We call these parables because they are a form of analogy. The moral of the parable was not always obvious; at times it needed to be explained.
These five parables spoken by Jesus teach us biblical teachings that we may apply to our everyday lives.
The Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37
Jesus was approached by a lawyer who asked how he could be saved. He desired Jesus to attest to his knowledge of the law and his compliance with it to the amount required to be admitted into Heaven. If the man followed the commandment to the letter, something Jesus knew the man could not do, Jesus stated he might be able to earn his redemption. The lawyer asked Jesus to name the specific person he had to love in order to be saved, as if he was aware that he had not loved God as he had supposedly loved others.
Jesus responded by telling the Good Samaritan story.
A traveler traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho was plundered, attacked, and partially killed. The man was strolling on the other side of the street from the priest so as not to annoy him when the priest saw him. Later on, a Levite did the same thing.
The Jewish guy was eventually found lying beside the road by a Samaritan, who was hated by the Jewish community. The Good Samaritan dressed the man’s wounds and drove him to a hotel. He stayed at the inn tending to the injured man until he was compelled to leave. He gave the innkeeper some cash so the wounded man might receive medical attention.
Then Jesus asked one of the three guys if he was the lawyer’s neighbor. The injured man had been shown kindness by the Samaritan, the lawyer shot back. Jesus advised that a lawyer should show the same consideration and compassion to all people.
The lesson is that in order to be the best neighbors we can be to everyone in our immediate vicinity, we should treat everyone with kindness and compassion.
Matthew 13:44: The Precious Relic
A little tale that emphasizes the significance of the Heavenly Kingdom in one stanza. This text compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure that is found in a field. When the treasure is found, the finder is ready to buy the field where it is concealed by selling everything he owns. The same ought to be true of our perception of God’s Kingdom.
The Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9–14
Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a confident Pharisee who thought his actions spoke for his righteousness. The second individual was a publicist or tax collector who was conscious of his transgressions against God and other individuals.
In his prayer, the Pharisee thanked God that he had been spared from having to go to God and ask for forgiveness like everyone else. He felt he was sufficiently self-righteous and had earned his spot in Heaven.
The publican was a Jew who helped the Romans compel the Jewish people to pay taxes. Although this story claims that he confessed his sins to the Lord, it does not disparage his profession.
Jesus said the Pharisee turned from his sins. He was never able to obtain God’s pardon in his life because he refused to humble himself before God and ask for forgiveness. But Jesus pronounced the publican righteous because he saw that he was a defenseless sinner in need of God’s forgiveness.
Houses Constructed on Rocks and Sand, Matthew 7:24–27
The Lord shared this tale at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus asked us to do more than just hear His teachings; we also had to live them out. Then Jesus contrasted the value of His teachings with the tenets of two distinct homes.
The individual who hears what Jesus has to say and does as he says is similar to the wise man who builds a house on a strong foundation. Even in the face of life’s winds and floods, his foundation and building hold strong.
However, the one who does not put what Jesus says into practice is the ignorant guy. His life and his “house” are not grounded. He will crumble beneath the weight of the storms of life. He sees his house being utterly demolished.
The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11–32
This is the third parable in a sequence of three about misplaced objects. The first story concerned a lost sheep; this one concerned a lost coin and a lost son. Lessons on forgiveness and reconciliation are offered by all three.
The younger son, out of the two, decided to go it alone and leave home. He asked his father for his inheritance. The young man, presumably because of his affluence, traveled to a far-off country and made acquaintances quickly. However, the Bible says that his friends disappeared with the money.
The young person, in need of money and food, took a job as a farm worker. He worked feeding the sheep. He was so hungry that the only way he would live was to eat with the sheep.
The young man reached the horrible revelation that even his father’s slaves had it better than he did. Rather than become a son, he decided to serve his father once more.
When the young man came back, he was shocked to see his father waiting for him. The young person arrived, arms extended. His father greeted him with a feast, a robe, and a ring even though he had returned home as a servant.
There are several uses for this story. One basic principle is that God would gladly accept us back as His children if we were to stray from Him.
Which parable of Jesus is your favorite?
Please share this story with others so that we can reach a wider audience.
