"I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” It's one of the most provocative things Jesus ever said. One application concerns the Jews, their rejection of the Son of God, and their carelessness with what God had entrusted to them. Today Jim will wind up his thoughts on the Parable of the Minas, then quickly turn to the Parable of the Vineyard, which has a similar, ominous meaning. So we'll be in Luke 19 and 20 for Part 2 of the message Minas, Vineyards and a Wedding. Here's Jim.

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With every step toward Jerusalem, hopes were rising.... The crowd was expecting something. The Twelve were preoccupied with the pecking-order in the new, messianic kingdom that was just about to be established - as they thought. Jesus knew that that would be in the far future. He told a parable about a master who was going away. The Parable of the Minas (MIH-nuhz) - and if you say "MY-nuhz," that's OK, too - reminds us of the Parable of the Talents, but it has a much sharper edge. Pastor Jim will take us to Luke 19:11, after he opens this new message with prayer.

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What is the sin that started it all? - and you know that's a trick question! Eve was only the first human sinner; the "first sin ever" was committed by the one we now call Satan. What was his sin? It was envy, covetousness, the grasping lust for what is not ours. That's what Jesus exposed in the parable of The Landowner and the Workers. It disguises itself as "fairness," and "affronted dignity." And I'm pretty sure we've all felt it. Here's the conclusion of Pastor Jim's message on The Landowner and the Workers.

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The Rich Young Ruler posed a question that many of us have wondered: "What good deed shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Before we get to the metaphorical Landowner and the Workers, we're eavesdropping on the real-life encounter of Jesus and a privileged young man. He thought, "Surely there's something I can do - some mountain I can climb, some dragon I can slay - to earn my way into heaven?" Jesus' answer left the disciples aghast.

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Jesus was approached by a man who had youth, money and power - he was probably good looking, too! And we can add "religious" to the Rich Young Ruler's description. But despite everything he had going for him, this fellow felt a huge void in his life - perhaps the "God-shaped void" in the phrase attributed to Pascal. The Lord confronted his self-delusion with a choice: Give up all of your things, to gain everything. Let's listen carefully as Pastor Jim walks us through the second half of Matthew 19.

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We are too often childish, and too seldom childlike! Lord, you have to do something about this other guy. He's getting a better deal than I'm getting! Or, as Peter put it, "Lord, what about this man?" We're all prone to envy, rather than gratitude. Well, Jesus told a story to shame some of this infantile selfishness out of us. And He told it while was on His way to perform the ultimate selfless act. We'll look at the parable of the Landowner and the Workers in Matthew 20, but first, Pastor Jim will give us some background.

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Jesus would have liked my yard. He said, Let those weeds grow! The tares in Jesus' parable are darnel, commonly called, "false wheat." And they're poisonous. A farmer would want to get rid of them as soon possible - but until the ear appears, they are indistinguishable from wheat. So if he roots them out early, no doubt some of the wheat will be destroyed, too. And in the kingdom of God, that is unacceptable. This story explains why there are "false brethren" among us, who may not be exposed until "the harvest." Now Pastor Jim concludes the message he calls, Sowing for the Kingdom of God.

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Jesus polarized His audience. Some today would call Him "divisive." Yesterday we laid the groundwork (pardon the pun) for digging in to the Parable of the Sower. And we saw that Jesus changed His approach in the final 6 to 12 months of His ministry. He made His teaching opaque to the hard-hearted, and invested His time and training in the soft-hearted, the few Disciples. In this context we can better understand His metaphor of the seed and the soils.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

What happens when God's offer of mercy is roundly rejected? We think of God's mercy as infinite and never-ceasing, but we see in the Gospels that there is a point where it may be withdrawn. When heaven's peace proposal was met with ridicule and blasphemy, Jeses said some things you won't find on inspirational posters. The Pharisees and others of that "generation" saw their blessing turn into a curse. We're headed for more Stories and Parables Jesus Told, but first, here's Jim to set the scene.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

The question isn't whether your money will fail you, but when. There will come a time when whatever wealth we've accumulated will be worthless. Jesus wants to prepare us for that moment. If it doesn't happen during this lifetime, it will certainly happen afterward. Then, it will be too late to adjust our values to the real, heavenly values. Today we'll look again at the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, with the final installment of the sermon When to the Truly Wealthy.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.