STORIES FOR ALL PEOPLE: ABOUT HUMAN NATURE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Stories For All Peoples
a) The parables that Jesus told were part of his gospel; therefore they are parables for all peoples throughout all nations and throughout all time.
b) When Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15), he had already presented the gospel in a form suited to that great commission. He'd carefully crafted his parables to make them cross-cultural, meaningful far beyond his own teaching environment, effective far into the future and across the wide world.
2. About Human Nature
a) Jesus’s parables reflect human nature. The characters in Christ's parables are recognizable in any culture and in any era, because although culture differs, character does not — a liar is still a liar, a cheat still a cheat, a hypocrite still a hypocrite, and a fool still a fool. On the other hand, a kind person is still kind, a humble person still humble, a genuine person still genuine. Indeed, if we dare to look into the parables of Jesus, we will surely recognize ourselves there somewhere.
b) People have not changed, and the parables prove it. The rebellious and headstrong prodigal son, the cunning and shifty steward, the battling and courageous widow, the selfish and unthinking rich man, the penitent tax collector and the arrogant clergyman, the timid and unfruitful servant — don't we know such people in our very own neighborhood today?
c) Jesus was a student of human nature. He understood how people tick. He knew how to highlight our strengths and weaknesses, to encourage our strengths and overcome our weaknesses. Jesus showed, in his parables, how to bring out the best in human nature and save us forever from the worst.
d) The prodigal son portrays some characters that serve as examples of this...
i) The prodigal son's foolhardiness (Luke 15:13-14).
ii) The father's concern and love (Luke 15:20-24).
iii) The older son's anger and jealousy (Luke 15:25-30).
The End ...
1. Stories For All Peoplesa) The parables that Jesus told were part of his gospel; therefore they are parables for all peoples throughout all nations and throughout all time.
b) When Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15), he had already presented the gospel in a form suited to that great commission. He'd carefully crafted his parables to make them cross-cultural, meaningful far beyond his own teaching environment, effective far into the future and across the wide world.
2. About Human Nature
a) Jesus’s parables reflect human nature. The characters in Christ's parables are recognizable in any culture and in any era, because although culture differs, character does not — a liar is still a liar, a cheat still a cheat, a hypocrite still a hypocrite, and a fool still a fool. On the other hand, a kind person is still kind, a humble person still humble, a genuine person still genuine. Indeed, if we dare to look into the parables of Jesus, we will surely recognize ourselves there somewhere.
b) People have not changed, and the parables prove it. The rebellious and headstrong prodigal son, the cunning and shifty steward, the battling and courageous widow, the selfish and unthinking rich man, the penitent tax collector and the arrogant clergyman, the timid and unfruitful servant — don't we know such people in our very own neighborhood today?
c) Jesus was a student of human nature. He understood how people tick. He knew how to highlight our strengths and weaknesses, to encourage our strengths and overcome our weaknesses. Jesus showed, in his parables, how to bring out the best in human nature and save us forever from the worst.
d) The prodigal son portrays some characters that serve as examples of this...
i) The prodigal son's foolhardiness (Luke 15:13-14).
ii) The father's concern and love (Luke 15:20-24).
iii) The older son's anger and jealousy (Luke 15:25-30).
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