By Zac Poonen
1. Entering God's Kingdom
1. Sower and seed (Mk.4:3-8;Lk.8:15) - 3 types of bad soil and 3 types of good soil (30,60 & 100)
2. Invitees to wedding feast (Mt.22:2-14) - Man refused to wear the freely-offered wedding-garment
3. Houses on rock and sand (Mt.7:24-27) - The importance of a good foundation - of obedience
2. Paying the Price
4. Seedtime to harvest (Mk.4:26-29) - Growth comes effortlessly, if we follow the laws of the Spirit
5. The mustard tree (Mt.13:31,32) - Artificial growth invites Satan's agents to settle in our midst
6. Building a tower (Lk.14:28-30) - 'Disciple-making' (v.26,27,33) alone will complete the tower
7. Fighting the enemy (Lk.14:31,32) - The Lord can fight Satan with a few - if they're wholehearted
8. Hidden treasure (Mt.13:44) - We have to pay a price for some things in the Christian life
9. Pearl of great price (Mt.13:45,46) - We must value Jesus Himself over everything else
3. Loving God and Man
10. Two debtors (Lk.7:41-43) - Love for God comes from knowing how much we've been forgiven
11. Unforgiving servant (Mt.18:23-35) - We must forgive all others, because we've been forgiven much
12. Good Samaritan (Lk.10:30-37) - We must be alert to human need around us - in our home first of all
13. Sheep and goats (Mt.25:31-36) - The 'righteous' helped their needy brothers and sisters
4. The Danger of Legalism
14. Two sons (Mt.21:28-31) - We must mean what we say to God - unlike the Pharisees
15. Blind leading the blind (Lk.6:39,40) - If we don't practice what we preach, we're spiritually blind
16. Wheat and tares (Mt.13:24-30) - The hypocrites look just like other believers - on the outside
17. Fig tree without figs (Lk.13:6-9) - Fig-leaves symbolize human righteousness - cursed by God
18. New cloth on old garment (Mt.9:16) - You can't put a patch of Jesus' life on to your Adamic life
19. New wine in old wineskins (Mt.9:17) - Grace (new wine) won't fit into the old religious system
20. Wise and foolish virgins (Mt.25:1-13) - Love for Jesus (oil) alone will make our light shine forever
5. Four Types of Backsliders
21. Lost sheep (Lk.15:3-7) - Some go astray through carelessness and lack of fellowship
22. Lost coin (Lk.15:8-10) - Some go astray through the failure and neglect of the church
23. Prodigal son & Elder son (Lk.15:11-32) - Some go astray through rebellion or spiritual arrogance
24. Yeast in meal (Mat.13:33) - Corruption spreads easily in any church - so we must be watchful
6. Spiritual Pride
25. Seating at wedding feast (Lk.14:7-11) - Always seek for the lowly place - as Jesus did
26. Laborers in vineyard (Mt.20:1-16) - There is hope for those who come to the Lord late in life
27. Master and slave (Lk.17:7-10) - When we have obeyed everything, we're still unworthy
28. Pharisee and tax-collector (Lk.18:9-14) - God opposes the proud and those who despise others
29. Children in market (Lk.7:31-35) - Religious people will criticize us no matter what we do
7. Watching and Praying
30. Persistent widow (Lk.18:1-8) - A weak believer can prevail in prayer with his heavenly Father
31. Persistent neighbor (Lk.11:5-8) - We must seek for the gifts of the Spirit - to help others
32. Father and children (Lk.11:11-13) - God is better than the best of earthly fathers
33. Watching servants (Mt.24:45-51; Mk.13:34) - We must be alert - especially the doorkeepers
34. Fig tree and other trees (Lk.21:29-32) - Israel's return to the land is a sign of Christ's return
8. Being Faithful With God's Gifts
35. Wicked tenants (Mt.21:33-41) - All we have is a loan from God - for which we are accountable
36. Rich fool (Lk.12:16-21) - He who is not 'rich toward God' with his earthly life and things is a fool
37. Talents - 5,2 and 1 (Matt.25:14-30) - We must be faithful with the smallest gifts God gives us
38. Minas - 1 each (Lk.19:12-27) - Time is a gift that God has given in the same measure to all
39. Dishonest steward (Lk.16:1-8) - We must use money & material things to win people for heaven
40. Good and bad fish (Mt. 13:47,48) - God will finally separate His people from others for all eternity
