by Matthew W. Bassford The wise and the foolish virgin by Jan Adam Kruseman, 1848 Through the years, God has managed to hammer a few insights about the Bible into my thick head. One of them is that in the gospels, the order of stories matters. It’s common for the Evangelist to arrange material so…

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Question: I have a Bible question, sir. In Matthew 13:31-32 and in Mark 4:30-32, does Jesus say that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds? I have read that the orchid seed is the smallest seed. I’m a little confused. Can you please tell me what Jesus meant when he said that the…

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by Wayne Fancher I. The Prodigal Son Leaving Was His Fault Alone Luke 15:20-21 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him,…

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by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 20:1-16   I.         When speaking of the nature of our heavenly reward, the parable of the vineyard workers is often cited to prove that each will receive a similar heavenly reward.             A.        Whether a Christian has lived a long life serving the Lord, or only found the Lord late in life,…

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Question: Do Matthew 25:1-13 and Proverbs 23:23 correlate?  Is the oil we are supposed to buy truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding? Answer: When dealing with parables, you need to be careful to use the imagery in the parable consistent with the point being made. It is possible to stretch a parable beyond its intended meaning.…

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Question: I just read your notes on the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Thank you! I looked at many sites and thought they didn’t quite grasp it. I am using this story at a maximum-security institution to share with these guys how to be shrewd and cunning for the Lord and not waste their time and…

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I.         Luke 16:1-13             A.        Many find this parable confusing because of the praise of the lord in verse 8.             B.        How is it that an unfaithful steward, about to be relieved of his position, gains praise from his employer when he ends his career stealing more from him? II.        This parable follows three other parables that deal with true…

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Question: Hello, I was reading Luke 16 last night and am having some trouble comprehending what Jesus meant when He said in verse 8 and 9, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon,…

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