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THE WHEAT AND THE TARES

"And when one of them that sat at meat with Him [Jesus] heard these things, he said unto Him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God.  Then said He [Jesus] unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  And they all with one consent began to make excuse .  The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.   And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” (Luke 14:15-20).   One thing that all of Jesus' disciples had in common was that they all left everything behind to follow Him.  Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and called to the fishermen who were casting their nets into the sea, and to those who were helping...
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THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

The Oxford Dictionary defines a parable as “ a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.”  Jesus made extensive use of parables in explaining the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven in down-to-earth terms to those who were unfamiliar with them.  He used analogies of familiar activities that the farmers, shepherds, vinedressers and fishermen that heard Him could easily understand and relate to.  Late in Jesus’ ministry, before He was betrayed, He told His disciples that the time was coming when He would no longer speak to them in parables, but would plainly reveal the Father and His ways to them (see John 16:25).  He was referring to the time after His resurrection when the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon His disciples on the day of Pentecost.  Of that day Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth .” (John 16:13).   Chapter 13 of St. Matthew holds a wealth of parables.   The first...
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BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God ." (Romans 12:1, 2).   St. Paul issues a solemn exhortation to the church in Rome in this twelfth chapter of his letter to the Romans.   He warns them not to conform themselves to this world, but, instead, to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.   The Greek word that Bible scholars translated "conformed" in this passage means to conform oneself – one’s mind and character – to someone else’s pattern.   I have always thought that these verses warn us not to copy the evil practices of the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are clearly "of the world" and we must avoid them.   Th...
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