Stations for Parables of Jesus


Book Description

Jesus told stories to give people insight to life under God’s rule. Stations for Parables of Jesus contains station ideas for every one of these parables of Jesus. The station suggestions are made bearing in mind that those running church services week by week do not have endless resources of time or materials. The ideas are simple and poignant and each parable has a short introduction to help understand its meaning and context. By interaction at the station people of all ages will engage with the story in such a way as to be able to see the application to their own situations. The study of parables therefore becomes an enriching and stimulating exercise for all twenty-first century followers of Jesus. The cataloging and cross referencing in the book will enable readers to easily locate the parable they wish to use and see if it occurs in more than one gospel.




The Power of Parable


Book Description

In 1969, I was teaching at two seminaries inthe Chicago area. One of my courses wason the parables by Jesus and the other wason the resurrection stories about Jesus. I hadobserved that the parabolic stories by Jesusseemed remarkably similar to the resurrectionstories about Jesus. Were the latter intended asparables just as much as the former? Had webeen reading parable, presuming history, andmisunderstanding both? —from The Power of Parable So begins the quest of renowned Jesus scholarJohn Dominic Crossan as he unlocks the truemeanings and purposes of parable in the Bible sothat modern Christians can respond genuinely toJesus's call to fully participate in the kingdom ofGod. In The Power of Parable, Crossan examinesJesus's parables and identifies what he calls the"challenge parable" as Jesus's chosen teaching toolfor gently urging his followers to probe, question,and debate the ideological absolutes of religiousfaith and the presuppositions of social, political,and economic traditions. Moving from parables by Jesus to parables aboutJesus, Crossan then presents the four gospels as"megaparables." By revealing how the gospels arenot reflections of the actual biography of Jesus butrather (mis)interpretations by the gospel writersthemselves, Crossan reaffirms the power of parablesto challenge and enable us to co-create withGod a world of justice, love, and peace.




Holy Bible (NIV)


Book Description

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.




Reading the Parables


Book Description

Parables make up one-third of Jesus' speech in the New Testament. In this volume, Richard Lischer provides an expert guide to these parables and proposes an important distinction between reading and interpreting the parables. Emphasizing the importance of reading the parables versus interpreting them, Lischer asserts that reading offers a kind of breathing space to explore historical, literary, theological, and socio-political dimensions of the parables and their various meanings, whereas interpreting implies an expert and critical position that must be defended. In this volume, Lischer lays out four theories for reading parables: 1) parables obscure truth; 2) parables teach many truths; 3) parables teach one truth; and 4) parables undermine the truth. Ultimately, he concludes that biblical parables undermine dominant myths called "the truth" to shine light on the Truth that is Jesus, God's presence with us.




Parables


Book Description

Have you ever wondered why Jesus often spoke in parables? Are you curious about what lessons we can learn from these parables today? Pastor and bestselling author John MacArthur breaks down the parables and teaches us how we can apply these deceptively simple stories to modern Christianity. Jesus was a master storyteller, and the parables he often told were no exception. Beneath these unassuming stories were deeply profound spiritual lessons that were designed to reach all who heard them--from the faithful to the faithless--and they're still relevant today. In Parables, MacArthur argues that these short, memorable stories represented more than just symbolism or a clever teaching style--they were carefully crafted tales that made the mysteries of the Gospel more accessible to everyday believers. Parables will help you see Jesus' teachings in a brand new light, addressing some of the most common questions on the topic, including: When did Jesus start teaching in parables? What makes parables so accessible? How can we interpret these stories? What common threads link each of the parables together? What do parables teach us about the kingdom of God? MacArthur has spent a lifetime sharing the Word of God in clear and comprehensible terms with believers of all walks of life. Let him be your guide as he sheds light on the essential lessons contained in the most infamous and influential short stories the world has ever known.




The Parables


Book Description




Stories Jesus Told - Teen Bible Study Book


Book Description

Discover the Heart of Christ in the Stories of Jesus in this 6-session Bible study for teens.




Short Stories by Jesus


Book Description

The renowned biblical scholar, author of The Misunderstood Jew, and general editor for The Jewish Annotated New Testament interweaves history and spiritual analysis to explore Jesus’ most popular teaching parables, exposing their misinterpretations and making them lively and relevant for modern readers. Jesus was a skilled storyteller and perceptive teacher who used parables from everyday life to effectively convey his message and meaning. Life in first-century Palestine was very different from our world today, and many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories ignore this disparity and have often allowed anti-Semitism and misogyny to color their perspectives. In this wise, entertaining, and educational book, Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. Levine reveals the parables’ connections to first-century economic and agricultural life, social customs and morality, Jewish scriptures and Roman culture. With this revitalized understanding, she interprets these moving stories for the contemporary reader, showing how the parables are not just about Jesus, but are also about us—and when read rightly, still challenge and provoke us two thousand years later.




John Paul II's Biblical Way of the Cross


Book Description

In 1991, Pope John Paul II introduced a new Bible-based interpretation of the Stations of the Cross. This devotional guide to invite readers to prayerfully walk in solidarity with Jesus on his agonizing way of the cross-- from his last torturous moments in the Garden of Gethsemane to his death and burial. Now with full-color station images from previously unpublished paintings by Michael OBrien, this booklet creates an ideal resource for individual or group devotional use, particularly during the Lenten season.




31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator


Book Description

Creator of the popular website The Religion Teacher, Jared Dees shares practical, easy-to-use teaching strategies and exercises for spiritual growth in his book 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator. These components are designed to improve the effectiveness of any busy religious educator. Volunteer catechists and professional religion teachers are responsible for two unique and challenging tasks: sharing (and assessing) information and the spiritual formation of their students. This succinct, practical resource helps busy catechists and religion teachers with both tasks and is designed for use either over consecutive days in one month, or by specific themes that encourage personal improvement in areas of discipleship, service, leadership, and overall teaching. Each of the thirty-one days includes a clear title that gives the lesson theme, a quotation from Scripture, an introduction to the exercise, step-by-step actions to take for the day, and spiritual enrichment ideas for the educator.