I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I love stories. Maybe that’s why I enjoy reading. I also love telling stories, although my kids say I tend to repeat the same stories over and over. They’re wrong, of course, but for some reason, when we’re all together, and I ask, ‘Did I ever tell you…?”…
Read MoreSeries: Six Parables Every Believer Should Understand
The Treasure, the Pearl, and the King
When I was young, my mom took me to the theater to see the movie, “Treasure Island.” Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s book, it was my introduction to pirates and buried treasure. I loved it. Long before there was Captain Jack Sparrow, there was Long John Silver. Sadly, most people today hear that name and…
Read MoreThe Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Part 1: A Prison of Our Own Making
Libby was a member of a church where I served, and over the years, we became great friends. We spent hours discussing genealogy and history. She let me hold her prized possession, a revolver that her grandfather carried in the Civil War. Libby’s favorite movie was The Shawshank Redemption, and she was insistent that I…
Read MoreThe Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Part 2: The Key to the Prison
In the previous post, we looked at a parable Jesus told in Matthew 18:23-35. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “No, Peter, you need to forgive him 77 times.” In other words, “My disciples forgive without ever stopping.”…
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