Thursday, 7 November 2019

PARABLES 21 - 43


21. Unmerciful Servant.


In Christ's parable of the unmerciful servant, 

A message of forgiveness is given. 

For a servant owed his lord a great debt, 

 

But when he begged for mercy, his lord did forgive.

 

 

But this servant tortured a fellow servant who owed him a small sum.

 

When the lord heard of this wicked deed, 

 

He was angry and punished him sore. 

 

Let us remember this lesson of grace, and forgive others readily. 

 

22. Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:30–37)

 

A man lay beaten, robbed, and sore 

Along the path he traveled before 

A priest walked by and saw his plight 

But chose to walk on, out of sight.

 

A Levite soon passed down the way 

He too ignored the man that day 

But then a Samaritan appeared 

And to the wounded man he reached.

 

He tended to his wounds with care 

And lifted him up from there. 

The Samaritan paid for his stay 

And promised to return soon one day.

 

It matters not their race or creed, 

Their background or the color of their seed. 

We must be like the Good Samaritan 

And help all those who need a helping hand.

 

23. Prayer for Divine Help.

 Friend in Need (Luke 11:5–8)

 

In the dead of night, a friend came to me 

Seeking bread to feed a guest in need 

So I went to my neighbor, who slept nearby 

And asked for three loaves of bread. 

 

At first, my neighbor grumbled and said no 

But I persisted and continued to implore 

For the sake of friendship and the guest's plight 

Until my neighbor finally relented in the night.

 

And so it is with our prayers to God above 

When we seek His help and endless love 

We must persist and not give up in despair 

For He will answer our call and always be there.

 

 

24. Lowest Seat at the Feast 

 

At the feast, the guests arrived 

Eagerly seeking their place inside 

But the host, wise and kind

Gave them a lesson to keep in mind.

 

"Take the lowest seat," he said 

"For a higher one may be filled instead 

And if you are humbled, you'll be exalted 

But if you exalt yourself, you'll be belittled."

 

So each guest took a seat of lowly rank 

Content to enjoy the feast and give thanks 

And as they ate and drank and laughed 

Invited them to a seat of greater fame.

 

Those who humbled themselves the most 

Were exalted to the highest post.

And so it is with our lives on earth 

Our humility will bring us lasting gain.

 

 

25. Invitation to a Great Banquet (Luke 14:16–24)

 

Come, all ye hungry, come and feast, 

For the Lord has prepared a great feast, 

A banquet of blessings and joy untold, 

To all who come in from the cold.

 

The Master of the house has called, 

And sent His servants to one and all, 

Inviting all to come and dine, 

To taste His goodness, so divine.

 

But many have refused the call, 

And turned away from His great hall, 

They've chosen instead the ways of the world, 

And their souls have grown dull and cold.

 

Yet still the Master calls out loud, 

Inviting all, the proud and the bowed, 

To come and share in His great love, 

And feast with Him, in heaven above.

 

So heed the call and do not wait, 

Come now and do not hesitate, 

For the Lord's great banquet is prepared, 

And all who come will be well cared.

 

26. Cost of Discipleship

 

The cost of discipleship is great, 

Said Christ, with solemn tone; 

For those who follow in my steps 

Will not find an easy road to roam.

 

Deny yourself, take up your cross, 

And follow me each day,

 For those who lose their life for me 

Will find it in a better way.

 

The world may scorn and ridicule 

The path that you have chosen, 

But keep your eyes fixed on the prize, 

And never be discouraged.

 

Though the road is steep and long, 

And trials may abound, 

The grace of God will be our guide, 

And in His love we will abide.

 

27. Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4–7)

 

Once upon a hillside steep,

 A shepherd watched his flock of sheep. 

One day, he found that one was gone, 

Lost and wandering all alone.

 

The shepherd left the ninety-nine, 

And searched until the sun did shine. 

He climbed the hills, he crossed the streams, 

All for the sake of one lost sheep so dear.

 

Finally, he found the sheep,

And lifted it up with care and love. 

He brought it back to the flock with glee, 

Rejoicing that his sheep was gained.

 

Just as the shepherd sought his sheep, 

Jesus seeks the lost, the hurt, the weak.

No matter how far we may roam, 

Christ seeks us out, His love to show, 

 

 

28. Lost Coin.

 

A coin was lost, a precious thing 

And the woman searched, with care and pain 

She swept the floor, she searched the room 

Till at last, she found it, in a corner of her room.

 

She rejoiced with joy, and called her friends: 

"Rejoice with me, for my lost coin, now I’ve found."

For the coin was more than just a metal piece,

It represented a part of her life, and her mirth. 

 

In the same way, Christ seeks the lost 

And rejoices when we come to His fold 

For we are His precious treasure, more than gold 

And in His eyes, we are worth more than anything.

 

29. Prodigal Son 

 

Once a son, so full of pride

Asked his father for his share 

He left home and spent it all 

On wild living, without a care.

 

When a famine came, he had nothing left 

No friends or family to help him out 

He took a job feeding pigs

Hunger and loneliness, his constant lot.

 

Then he remembered his father's house 

Even the servants had plenty to eat 

He decided to go back, ask for forgiveness 

Hopeful, his heart skipped a beat.

 

As he approached, his father saw him 

Ran to him, embraced him tight 

Clothed him in a robe, put a ring on his finger 

And killed the fattened calf that night.

 

The elder son was angry, why celebrate? 

His father explained, 

"Your brother was lost and now is found" 

For he who was dead is now alive.

 

May we remember this story of grace 

And never forget our Father's love 

For even when we stray far away 

He's waiting, with open arms above.

 

30. Shrewd Manager. (Luke 16:1–8)

 

A man, entrusted with his master's wealth, 

Was called to give account for his stewardship.

The manager knew he had to act, and act great. 

So he called his master's debtors, one by one, 

 

He made sure they would pay less than what they owed.

Now some might call this man a cheat, 

But Jesus praised him for his shrewdness and wit. 

For, by using the resources he had made friends.

 

For in the end, it's not the wealth we amass, 

But the people we touch, and the love we impart that lasts. 

So let us be wise like the shrewd manager, 

And use what we have to make a lasting impact.

 

 

31.  The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31)

 

In Luke's gospel, a tale is told, 

Of a rich man and a poor soul, 

The rich man dined on sumptuous fare, 

While Lazarus begged for the scraps.

 

But in death, their fortunes were reversed, 

The poor man was on Abraham’s lap 

While the rich man suffered in torment, 

His luxurious life no longer helping.

 

From the pits of hell, the rich man cried, 

To Father Abraham, he called out:

"Send Lazarus to bring me relief, 

To ease my agony, to end my grief."

 

But Abraham refused, for the gulf was fixed, 

No help could come to the rich man's aid. 

And so, the moral of this tale is that 

In the end, we reap what we have sowed.

 

32. The Early and the Late 

      Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16)

 

In a vineyard fair and vast,

The owner sought to hire at last, 

Workers who would toil and bear, 

The weight of grapes, sweet and rare.

 

At dawn's break, he sought the first, 

Who labored hard, they were the best, 

Mid-morning, the owner sought, 

More workers who could lend support, 

 

At noon, again he looked around, 

And hired more hands to till the ground, 

Promising to pay them what was right, 

For a day of labour, from morn till night.

 

As the sun began to set,

The owner found, he wasn't done yet, 

For still, some workers stood in wait, 

To be called upon and to set things straight.

 

When evening came, and work was done, 

The owner paid each worker, one by one, 

Starting from the last to the first, 

Each was paid, a full day’s wage.

 

The early workers were dismayed, 

To see the last were paid the same, 

But the owner said, "Friend, take what's yours, 

Why be envious, when I give more?"

 

For in this parable, we can see, 

That God's love and grace are free, 

No matter when we answer His call, 

He offers the same reward for us all.

 

33. The Persistent Widow and Crooked Judge (Matthew 18:1–8)

 

In the land of ancient times,

A widow cried  for justice in her case, 

Though she begged and pleaded long, 

The judge refused to right the wrong, 

 

But the widow would not yield, 

For justice was her only shield, 

She persevered day and night, 

Till the judge relented to her plea.

 

In this parable, Christ did teach, 

That those who cry out and beseech, 

God the Father, day and night, 

Will receive His justice and anyway.

 

 

34. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:10–14) 

 

Two men walked up to the temple gate, 

One a Pharisee, upright and proud, 

The other, a tax collector with head bowed.

 

The Pharisee stood and loudly spoke, 

Listing his virtues and his righteousness, 

But the tax collector stood afar, 

Beating his breast, he begged for grace.

 

He cried out, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”

With tears in his eyes and a heavy heart, 

He humbly asked for a brand new start.

 

Jesus said, "The tax collector went down,

Justified before God, without a frown, 

For he who exalts himself will be humbled, 

But he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

 

35. The King’s Ten Servants Given Minas (Luke 19:12–27)

 

The king had ten servants,

Each given a mina to invest, 

To trade and work with diligence, 

And see their wealth progress.

 

The first went out and traded well, 

And doubled what he’d been given, 

The king was pleased and said to him, 

“You’ve proved yourself very well.”

 

The second servant also worked, 

And gained a fair return,

And so the king rewarded him, 

For what he had done.

 

The third was fearful, and did naught, 

But buried his mina deep,

When asked, he could not speak a peep.

The king was angry, and he chided.

 

The fourth and fifth, the sixth and seventh…

Worked with zeal and earned the lord’s delight, 

Their efforts earned them riches, 

And their futures looked so bright.

 

The king was harsh to the offenders, 

Said, “Take what he had and give 

To the one who earned the most.” 

This has a lesson to use our talents wisely.


36. Two Sons (one obeys, one disobeys) (Matthew 21:28–32)

Two sons, both called by their father's voice,
One chose to obey, the other had a choice.
The first son said, "I will not go,"
But later changed his mind and went to sow.

The second son said, "Yes, I'll go right away,"
But never made it to work that day.
The first son showed his love in deeds,
While the second son's words were empty indeed.

The father asked, "Who did as I desired?"
The first son's actions made him admired.
The second son's promises were hollow,
His disobedience brought him much sorrow.

In this parable, the lesson is clear,
Obeying God's will is what we should revere.
For those who not only say but also do,
Will find true joy in living God's way.


37. Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33–44; Mark 12:1–11; Luke 20:9–18)

The vineyard stood so proud and tall,
With rows of grapes, so green and ripe,
The owner called his tenants nigh,
To tend the vines, to make them grow.

But wicked men had other plans,
To seize the vineyard, from his hands,
To kill the servants, sent to keep,
And keep the profits, that they reap.

The owner sent his only son,
They killed the son, and left him there.
God avenged, their wickedness,
And brought them down, in great distress.

Let us remember, all our deeds, will be repaid,
In justice, by God's holy ways.


38. Invitation to a Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:2–14)

Come one, come all, to the wedding feast,
A celebration grand, for both great and least.
The banquet table is set and ready,
Filled with the finest foods, rich and heady.

The king invites both far and near,
The rich and poor, the timid and the sincere.
His messengers go forth to all,
To invite them to this joyous ball.

But some refuse, they have other plans,
They spurn the invitation, and anger the king's demands.
They go about their lives, ignoring the call,
Thinking they have better things to do after all.

The king is grieved, but still he persists,
Sending his servants out with greater lists.
"Go to the highways and byways," he says,
"Invite the poor, the broken, and those in disarray."

So the banquet hall is filled with guests anew,
The tables crowded with those who once had no clue.
They feast and dance, enjoying the king's delight,
And the joy of being invited, despite their plight.

But one guest, without a wedding garment to wear,
Is cast out into darkness, lost and in despair.
For he came without the proper attire,
Disrespectful of the king's desire.

So let us heed the invitation given,
With joyful hearts and garments fit for heaven.
For the king's banquet is open to all,
But we must come prepared, both great and small.


39. The Fig Tree and Signs of the Future (Matthew 24:32–35; Mark 13:28–29; Luke 21:29–31)

Behold the fig tree, with branches so green,
A symbol of life, as the leaves sprout, and fruit appears,
So too shall the signs, of the end of the years.

The master spoke of these times to come,
Of wars and rumors, earthquakes and famines,
Of signs in the skies, a world in turmoil, as the end draws nigh.

But amidst the chaos, hope still abounds,
For the fig tree reminds a kingdom coming, with Christ as its king,
And a future so bright, that makes our hearts sing.

So let us be watchful, as the days go by,
And be ready always, for the Lord in the sky,
For the fig tree's leaves, are a sure sign indeed.


40. The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13)

Ten virgins awaited a groom,
Five of them foolish, five in bloom.
The groom arrived at midnight hour,
The wise were ready, their lamps burned bright,

The foolish ones were caught off-guard and were scared.
They begged the wise to share their light,
But they refused and said, "Not tonight.
Go buy your own and come back heres."

The foolish ones then left in haste,
To buy some oil, with no time to waste.
But when they returned, the door was closed,
And they were left out, their fate sealed.

When He comes, may He find us ready,
Our lamps burning bright and our hearts steady,
So we can enter into His feast,
And be with Him, our eternal peace.


41. The Talents (Matthew 25:14–30)

In a land far away, a master went away
And entrusted his wealth to his servants that day
To one he gave five talents of gold
To another, two talents to hold
And to the third, one talent to invest and grow.

The first two servants worked hard and true
And doubled their master's wealth,
But the third servant, out of fear
Buried his talent, and it disappeared

When the master returned, he called them to account.
The first two servants, with joy, showed their amount
"Well done, good and faithful," the master said
"You have been faithful in little, and much will be your share"

But the third servant, with shame and dread
Returned his one talent, uninvested and dead
"You wicked, lazy servant," the master said "You could have at least put my money to the bank,
and it would have gained interest instead."

So, let us use our talents wisely
And not be like the servant who acted foolishly
For one day we will all be called to account
And our work for the Lord will surely count.


42. The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31–46)

In Christ's parable, The Sheep and the Goats,
A story of judgment, all should take note,
The Son of Man will come in all His glory,
He will separate the sheep from the goats,
And judge them on how they treated His folks,
The sheep, who cared for the least of these,
Will enter heaven with eternal ease.
The goats, who did not lend a helping hand,
Will be cast away to a fiery land,
For when they saw the hungry, thirsty, and sick,
They turned a blind eye, their hearts were shut.

But the sheep, who clothed and fed and gave a drink,
To the least of these, will inherit all things,
For when they helped the least of their brothers,
They helped the Lord, with divine love.

Let us be like the sheep, always giving,
To those who are hungry, thirsty, and suffering,
For in doing so, we show our love for Him,
And inherit the kingdom, bright and shining.


43. The Sheep, Shepherd, and Gate (John 10:1–18)

In fields of green, the sheep do roam
But danger lurks, they're not alone
For wolves and thieves, they seek to kill
The shepherd's watchful eye, they need always.

He calls them forth, by name he knows
His voice they hear, his love it shows
Through the gate, he leads them on
To safety and a life of grace.

But some won't heed, the shepherd's call
They wander off, and soon they fall
For thieves and wolves, they lie in wait
To steal and kill and seal their fate.

The shepherd seeks them out, with loving zest
He brings them back, upon his shoulders
He's the gate, the only way
And through him, we find our rest.

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