Sermon/Lesson Title

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants:
Christ’s Authority and Our Accountability
(Matthew 21:23–46)

After cleansing the temple, Jesus is challenged about His authority. He answers with the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, revealing Israel’s leaders’ unfaithfulness and exalting the rejected Cornerstone. God expects fruit from His vineyard. This lesson calls us to honor the Son, submit to His rule, and bear faithful fruit.

The Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 and 25 contains some of the most sobering teaching from Jesus. He speaks both of the judgment that came upon the Jewish nation and of the final judgment when He returns. In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus illustrates the necessity of constant preparation. His return will be sudden, unexpected, and final. Just as in the days of Noah, people will be living life as usual—eating, drinking, marrying—when the judgment falls (Matthew 24:36–44). When He comes, there will be a great separation: sheep from goats, faithful from unfaithful (Matthew 25:31–32). The lesson is clear—be ready.

Parable of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price
Matthew 13:44–46

The kingdom of heaven is beyond measure in worth. Jesus illustrated its priceless value with two parables: a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price. Both show that discovering the kingdom is life’s greatest blessing, requiring total commitment and sacrifice. Nothing else compares with its eternal rewards.

Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a tiny mustard seed—so small it seems insignificant, yet when planted it grows into something great. From humble beginnings, the kingdom expanded beyond imagination. This parable teaches us to trust God’s power to grow His kingdom and to do our part faithfully.

The Parable of the Tares
Text: Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

Jesus, the master teacher, often used parables to reveal truths about the kingdom of heaven. On the shore of Galilee, He told the parable of the tares, describing how an enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. The weeds looked almost identical to the wheat until harvest. In this simple but powerful story, Jesus warns us of Satan’s work, the presence of evil, and the coming judgment. He ends with the challenge: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Text: Luke 15:1–7

Luke 15 begins with three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Each teaches us about God’s deep concern for those who are lost. God desires that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Though He knows many will refuse, it is still His will that none perish. These parables show how people become lost in different ways and reveal God’s love in seeking them out. The parable of the lost sheep emphasizes heaven’s joy when one sinner repents.

The Parable of the Great Supper

In Luke 14, Jesus teaches in the home of a Pharisee on the Sabbath. As usual, the Pharisees are watching Him, waiting to accuse Him of violating their traditions. He heals a man and exposes their hypocrisy: they would rescue an ox on the Sabbath, yet condemned Him for showing mercy to a man. From this moment, Jesus moves into teaching by parables—first about humility and now about priorities. The Parable of the Great Supper reminds us that God’s invitation to His kingdom is open to all, yet many reject it through excuses. Those who respond, whether poor or overlooked by the world, will share in the eternal feast. The lesson calls us to examine whether we are truly seeking God’s kingdom first or allowing the distractions of life to rob us of eternal joy.

Parable of the Household

In Matthew 13 Jesus strings together parables about the kingdom—the sower, weeds, mustard seed, leaven, treasure, pearl, and dragnet. Then He turns to the disciples and asks, “Have you understood all these things?” (Matthew 13:51). They answer, “Yes, Lord.” On the heels of that confession, He adds a charge: “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old” (Matthew 13:52). Understanding brings responsibility. When we grasp the teaching of Christ, we are to handle it, live it, and share it faithfully—bringing out the riches of God’s word for ourselves and for others.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

           
In Matthew 13:44, Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, recognized its worth, and joyfully sold all he had to secure it. This parable reminds us that the kingdom is priceless. Nothing in this life compares to its value. Many things we cling to must be released if we are to inherit the greater treasure of eternal life.

An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus

The Nature of Parables
Parables are one of the most memorable teaching methods used by Jesus. Nearly a third of His teaching came in the form of parables. They are often compared to riddles in that they require effort to understand. Like riddles, parables are not meant to be discarded when they are not immediately clear but to be studied carefully until their central truth is grasped.

Jesus’ teaching centered on the kingdom of God. Many today misunderstand it as a future earthly reign, yet Scripture reveals it as a present spiritual reality. From prophecy to fulfillment, the Bible shows God’s eternal rule through Christ. This lesson clarifies misconceptions and affirms the kingdom’s true nature.

The Kingdom of Heaven Pt 2 (A study of the Parables of Jesus)
Understanding the Kingdom of God

Jesus’ teaching centered on the kingdom of God. Many discussions in our time drift toward speculation about thrones, timelines, and headlines. Scripture provides firmer ground. The Bible reveals a present reign of Christ and a promised inheritance for the faithful. This sermon follows that thread through the passages we studied together.

The Parable of the Sower

Jesus taught in parables to reveal truths about the kingdom of heaven to those who truly desired to know them. Each parable highlights some aspect of the kingdom—its nature, its citizens, its growth, or its end. The first parable recorded in Matthew 13 is the Parable of the Sower. It lays the foundation for understanding all the other parables, because Jesus Himself interprets it. This lesson teaches us how people respond to the word of God and why some bear fruit while others do not.

The Parable of the Two Sons

In the final week of His ministry, Jesus’ authority was challenged in the temple. The chief priests, scribes, and elders questioned His right to teach and act (Mark 11:27–33; Matthew 21:23–27). Jesus exposed their evasion by asking about the source of John’s baptism. Their refusal to answer revealed hearts that prized position over truth. On the heels of that exchange, Jesus told the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28–32). The story draws a clear line between saying and doing, between outward show and obedient repentance, and it explains why humble sinners entered the kingdom ahead of religious leaders.

The Parable of the Talents

As Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He made plain His mission: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Yet crowds still expected an immediate, earthly kingdom. To correct that misconception and to prepare disciples for His departure and return, Jesus taught a stewardship parable. Matthew records it as the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30); Luke records the parallel lesson with minas (Luke 19:11–27). Together they emphasize the same truths—Christ’s kingdom is spiritual, there will be a season of faithful work in the King’s absence, and there will be an unavoidable day of accounting when He returns.

The Parable of the Leaven

In Matthew 13, Jesus gave many parables to help the people understand the kingdom of heaven. He wanted them to know what His kingdom would be like when it came on Pentecost so they would be ready to enter it. In this lesson, we will look at one very short parable, only one verse long, but filled with meaning—the Parable of the Leaven in Matthew 13:33.

Parable of the Pearls and the Hidden Treasure

Introduction: Hearing the Master’s Voice
On my grandparents’ table sat an old RCA radio with the little dog listening to the gramophone—“His Master’s Voice.” It’s a fitting picture for disciples today. Jesus has ascended; we do not hear Him audibly. So we sit before His word and listen. Scripture is the Lord’s recorded voice from Genesis to Revelation. If we miss Him, it won’t be for lack of access—it will be for lack of listening. In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks to us about value—about what His kingdom is worth—and He uses two brief parables to drive it home: the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price.

Luke 15’s second parable shows a woman who lights a lamp, sweeps, and searches until her lost coin is found. Jesus uses her urgency to picture God’s heart for people who don’t even know they’re lost—and our responsibility to seek them—because heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents today, too.