Parable Principles...

• 1.       Luke 16:1-12- In this parable of the unjust steward, the Lord makes the point that we cannot be on both sides of the line and be okay, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Those who focus on the things of the world or “that which is highly esteemed of men,” will lose focus on the important things.
• 2.       Luke 16:19-31- The parable of the rich man and Lazarus discusses the importance of living the best life you can with what you have been given. The rich man had much in life, but squandered it and was miserable, whereas the other man had a difficult life, but was comforted in the next life.
• 3.       Luke 17:11-19- The parable of the ten lepers teaches us that gratitude is a part of faith. Only one of the ten lepers returns to give gratitude to the Lord and he is healed, “thy faith hath made thee whole.”
• 4.       Luke 18:1-8- The parable of the unjust judge is an example of  the idea that the Lord judges us by what is in our hearts. The man decided to help the widow. The deed, on the outside, was good. But the reason he did it was because he knew she would continue to bother him. An act of service loses its meaning when done for selfish reasons, “when the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on earth?”
• 5.       Luke 18:9-14- The parable of the Pharisee and the publican we see the difference between humility and pride. The man exalts himself with faux humility, saying that the Lord made him this great. But the honest man is the one who ended up actually strengthening his relationship with the Lord.