Beyond the Weekend: Parables
The stories Jesus told and what they mean for your life today.
Why did Jesus teach in stories? Because the deepest truths about God are often found in the ordinary moments of life.
In the parables, Jesus takes everyday things, a lost sheep, a dinner party, a farmer planting seeds and uses them to show us what God is really like and what it means to follow him.
This summer, we’re spending seven weeks in the parables from Luke’s gospel. Whether you’ve heard these stories a hundred times or this is your first time, you’re invited to come and hear them fresh.
June 27/28–August 8/9
Stewardship
Read: Psalm 24:1-2 | Listen: Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1
The Psalms are a handbook on the character of God and how to pray to him amid the ups and downs of life. David's prayer, found here in Psalm 24, is an affirmation of God’s greatness and how he owns all things—including all money and possessions—because he is their creator. David writes this as a king who commands armies and controls vast territory, yet he still confesses that none of it is ultimately his. God alone is the rightful owner of everything.
Because God owns it all, we are not our own either. Everything in our lives—our time, our talents, our gifting, our resources—belongs to him. A steward is a manager who takes care of something in the owner's service. We are the stewards; God is the owner. To be greedy is to forget that distinction—to treat what's on loan as if it were ours to keep. Holding our lives loosely and offering them back to God is the antidote to greed. It frees us from greed's grip so we can live the full life Jesus offers. As followers of Jesus, we are to reflect the heart of God, who generously gave himself to us. The rich fool in our story this week stored up grain for himself. May we, however, be people who are rich toward God and generous toward those around us.
TODAY: Serving others is one of the best ways to be generous and steward what God has given you. Consider serving opportunities right here at Ada Bible. Sign up to serve here.
