The Parables of My Life – Part 1

The Parables of My Life – Part 1

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Matthew 13:3 And He spoke many things unto them in parables. 

A parable is a short story designed to teach a moral truth.  Almost everything we read and/or experience contains a moral truth.  Hamlet is a tragedy because the main character brought about His own downfall.  Likewise, we can learn many lessons from Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit. 

The stories of our lives are parables as well.  Events in our lives are orchestrated by God to teach us moral truths. While the lessons derived from the stories of our lives are for each of us personally as well as for the Kingdom of God at large. When we share, it is to teach others the moral truths we have learned, to share the nuggets that the Holy Spirit has brought forward in our lives. 

 

When Jesus spoke of parables, He said,  “blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear” (Matthew 13:16-17 NKJV).

What can we “see” and “hear” in the parables of our lives?

• transformation of our thoughts:

 Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
^“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

• deeper truths:  When our thinking is transformed, we can come to a greater understanding of trials, temptations, and our continuing walk with the Lord as we come to see His majesty, goodness and love and know that His majesty, goodness and love are directed toward His children. 

• better choices:  The knowledge of His love and provision will lead us, like it led the prodigal son to climb out of the pig sty of the world and into the arms of our Heavenly Father.

What can we learn the nature of God as He works in our lives?

• Mercy and Grace

• Holiness

• Faithfulness

• Kingdom

• Judgment:  God looks at the heart.  He does not judge as the world judges.

What can we learn about the nature of man?

We often make tragic and terrible mistakes by:

• Not accepting God's kind invitation

• Not hearing and doing God's word

• Failing to see the sin in ourselves

The first step in learning from the parables of our lives is to accept His kind invitation.

The Roman Road to Salvation

Romans 3:23  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.“

Sin is choosing less than what God desires for us. It is “missing the mark”.  We cannot overcome sin until our minds have been transformed in the knowledge that God has more for us than we have dreamed or imagined (Ephesians 3:20).   When we come to know the “more” of God, we will no longer settle for the “less” of the world.

Romans 6:23a  "...The wages of sin is death..."

Sin results in death.  We all face physical death, which is a result of sin.  A worse death is when we see our dreams, hopes and expectations vanish as a result of decisions that we have made and misplaced ideals. An even worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity.  

Romans 6:23b  "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Salvation is a free gift from God to you!  You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.

Romans 5:8,  "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!“

Jesus died on the cross and paid sin's penalty. He released us from sin and eternal death. The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us. 

Romans 10:9,10  "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting  in salvation."  

“Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.” ---Elvina Hall

Let’s, each of us, begin this new year by receiving the gift of salvation or by rededicating our lives to the One who so desires relationship with us that He gave Himself for us.

Our parables are all about relationship with God, with ourselves and with others.   

What does God want to teach you through your life events?