Parables are a significant part of Jesus’s teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord’s presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them.

In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke’s Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God’s kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community).

Week 2: The Great Banquet
This week, we considered the Parable of the Great Banquet. How does this party demonstrate the incredible grace of God and invite us to respond? And where do we see ourselves in this story? How do we want to imagine ourselves in God’s kingdom but when it comes down to it, we want little to do with it? As Dr. Burge asked, how do we say yes to God but refuse to show up?

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

•  Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it.
• Return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there.
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Week 3: The Soils
This week, we explored the Parable of the Sower. Our new friend, Bethany Tippin, invited us to consider the soils, and the invitation to yield to the wise and generous love of God.

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

•  Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it.
• Return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there.
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Week 4: The Minas (Talents)
This week, we explored the Parable of the Minas (Talents). Ruth invited us to consider the questions this parable invites us to ask. Do we trust our King, Jesus? Do we know who he is, and do we trust he will do what he says?

If you would like to dig deeper into the passages Ruth referenced, they are: Exodus 34:4-7, Luke 19, 1 Corinthians 15:12-28, John 10:17-18, Micah 6:15, 1Samuel 31 – 2, Samuel 1:1-16, Deuteronomy 31:19-32:52.

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

• Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it.
• Return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there. (You can read Grace’s atrist note here.)
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Week 5: The Widow and the Unjust Judge
This week, we examined a parable that is often misunderstood, the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Hitch helped us to consider its framing around prayer, the parable’s focus on injustice, and the question of faith. In the end, we are reminded of “how much more” our Father in heaven will give to his children who dwell in the kingdom.

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

• Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it.
• Return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there.
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Week 6: The Mustard Seed and Yeast
This week, we contemplated the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. These parables remind us of the slow, unexpected, often hidden work of God’s kingdom in the world, and they extend an invitation of hope. We can know that even in the bleakest of times, God is present and working. Even in the trials, we can lean into God and be formed to be like Jesus. 

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

• Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it. And as you do, consider Rick’s invitation to be present with God and one another in the waiting, and to resist the fear fueled narratives of our culture.
• You can also return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there. (You can read Dawn’s artist note here.)
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Week 7: The Good Samaritan
This week, we contemplated the Good Samaritan. Nicole invited us to consider how inheriting eternal life is not a transactional box to check, but an ongoing invitation to love. 

Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue to walk in this parable. You might choose to:

• Continue contemplating the parable. Is there a part of the story that resonated with you, that you wonder about, or troubles you? Stay with it and continue reflecting on it.
• Return to the practice of visio divina. Stay with the painting, pay attention to what you notice and be curious about why the Spirit is drawing your attention there.
• Or have a conversation about what you noticed in the practice or what you are contamplating in the parable. Talk to God and talk to others.

Additional Resources
Books and Articles
Sermons on the Parables by Howard Thurman
Short Stories by Jesus by Amy-Jill Levin
Jesus, the Middle Eastern Storyteller by Gary Burge
Kingdom, Grace, and Judgement by Robert Farrar Capon
Parables by Brad Young
The Scandal of the Kingdom by Dallas Willard
Stories with Intent by Kyle Snodgrass
The New Testament in Color edited by Esau McCaulley, Jennette Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, and Amy Peeler
Capitalism and the Parable of the Talents by Kenneth Bailey
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Podcasts
Jewish Hermaneutics an episode about the levels of understanding parables from the BEMA Podcast
Parables a series from The Bible Project

Videos
The Parables of Jesus a Bible Project Video
Zacchaeus in Jericho by Kenneth Bailey

Songs and Poems
Prodigal by Delaney Young
The Sower’s Song by Andrew Peterson
In the Beginning Was Love by Jon Guerra
Prayer (I) a sonnet by George Herbet
Lent with Herbert an exploration of Herbert’s sonnet by Malcolm Guite

If you have a story to share about how you have been encountering God in this season, we would love to hear it! 

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