Words of Spirit and Life

The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares.

Another parable put Jesus forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? where have these tares come from?

Jesus said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, would you have us to go and gather them up?   But he said, No; for while you gather up the tares, you shall root up also the wheat with them.  Let them  both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:24-30.

Parable Of Tares And Wheat Explained.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. Read More. “The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares.”

The Parable of the Sower

Four Types Of Soil.

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat down; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then Jesus spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

Some seed fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others seeds fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 13:1-9.

The Purpose of Parables.

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Read More. “The Parable of the Sower”

The Parable Of The Unrighteous Steward.

And Jesus said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for you may be no longer steward.

Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord will take away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much do you unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Read More. “The Parable Of The Unrighteous Steward.”

Three Kingdom Parables In Luke 15.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep.

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Read More. “Three Kingdom Parables In Luke 15.”

Is Repentance Necessary In Salvation?

Repentance An Important Element Of The Gospel.

After John was imprisoned, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15.

Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Matthew 11:21

Repentance Turns Away The Righteous Judgement Of The Father.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Matthew 12:41

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards, that you might believe him. Matthew 21:32

All Have Sinned, All Need Repentance.

When Jesus heard it, he said unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Read More. “Is Repentance Necessary In Salvation?”

Salvation For All Is The Will Of The Father.

For God So Loved The World

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:14-17

Jesus Came To Save The Lost.

For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.  How think you? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and goes into the mountains, and seeks that which is gone astray?  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  Even so, it is not the will of your Father, which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:11-14.

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  Read More. “Salvation For All Is The Will Of The Father.”

How To Do The Will Of The Father.

Jesus Is Our Example.

Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Jesus because He not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. John 5:18-19

As the Father has life in Himself, He has granted the Son to have life in Himself and has given Him authority to execute judgment also because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. Read More. “How To Do The Will Of The Father.”

Is Forgiveness Important In A Believer’s Life?

The Greatest Act Of Forgiveness.

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:32-34.

If You Forgive, You Shall Be Forgiven.

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:9-15.

Forgiveness As A Lifestyle.

Then came Peter to Jesus and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Read More. “Is Forgiveness Important In A Believer’s Life?”

Keeping Jesus’ Commandments.

Who Shall Be Deemed Great In The Kingdom Of God?

Do not think that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy them but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, until heaven and earth shall pass, not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law until all be fulfilled. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5: 17-19.

Loving The Father.

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ Mark 12:28-30.

Love For The Brethren.

So, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. Read More. “Keeping Jesus’ Commandments.”

What Jesus Said About Himself And His Father.

Jesus And The Father Are One.

But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work. Therefore, the Jews sought more to kill Him because He not only had broken the sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever He does, these also does the Son likewise.

For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that Himself does: and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom He will. For the Father judges no man but has committed all judgement unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honours not the Son honours not the Father which hath sent Him. John 5;17-23

You judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, My judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father Who sent Me. Read More. “What Jesus Said About Himself And His Father.”