TEACHING SERIES
MORE THAN A STORY
If you have ever wondered how to interpret the parable of the sower, you will want to join Adrian Webster as he continues the journey of exploring the parables of Jesus.
Understanding the parables of Jesus will bring wisdom and a sense of clarity to your every day life experience. Life lessons in the Bible find a particular richness in the object lessons that Jesus employed from the natural world to illustrate spiritual realities. This video will provide some clear answers regarding how to understand the parable of the sower: the seed, the field, the four types of ground and the harvest. You will find your own place in the this parable, realising that it is so much more than a story.
Understanding the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus isn't particularly easy. When it comes to understanding the parables of Jesus Christ, this is definitely one of the more tricky ones. Most likely this rich man and Lazarus sermon that Jesus told was a fictional story borrowed from the popular culture of the day and reapplied to suit Jesus' spiritual purposes.
Perhaps you've met people who are anxious about their spiritual growth trajectory and the rate of progress in their character development. What is the role of faith in growing spiritually? How much knowledge do I need to grow spiritually? How to be perfect for God? The only way to enjoy the journey of spiritual growth is to understand the relationship between spiritual growth and the grace of God. Don't be hard on yourself spiritually and don't obsess over spiritual perfection. If you do, the pursuit of Christian perfectionism will suck the joy out of the journey.
How Can I Have Life? Great question! The truth is that you are made to be spiritually connected. Jesus told a parable to illustrate how important connectedness with Him is. The parable of the vine and the branches reveals that living like Jesus is easy as long as we depend upon Him and not upon our own resources. The most basic truth is that you cannot be spiritually independent.
Should I keep praying even if there is no answer? Why pray when there is no answer? Why does God keep saying no to my prayers? Is there any point to praying? Jesus told a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow to answer these very questions that arise in connection with prayer.
Why would a God of love judge people? When will the judgement take place? What did Jesus say about judgment? A lot of people feel that the idea of God's judgement is scary. The truth, though, is that divine judgement is a good thing.
Why should I care about the Kingdom of God? When was the Kingdom of God born? How does the Kingdom of God grow? How big is the Kingdom of God? Can the Kingdom of God be seen? If so, what does the Kingdom of God look like? Perhaps you've heard the expression: "Don't despise the day of small beginnings". Never has this been more true than with regard to the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Jesus spoke to the people of His day illustrating the beginning and growth of the Kingdom of God as a tiny mustard seed growing to become a large tree.
We are all prone to the trap of pride! The danger of comparing ourselves with others becomes inevitable as we indulge the spirit of pride. What is your favorite flavor of sin? We all have our unique preference when it comes to the particular way in which we indulge our sinful natures. Nevertheless, pride is perhaps the most dangerous of all sin. The reason is simply because pride makes us blind to our true need. Pride causes us to indulge in judging others by comparing them with ourselves. The corrupt pride filled heart hijacks religion to make us feel superior over others. In reality, the only true standard of character is that of Jesus. Compared to Him, none of us come close to measuring up.
Why is there trouble in the church? Why do people get hurt by churches? Am I going to get hurt in church? Can't I be a follower of Jesus without being connected to a church? These are very real questions that were answered by Jesus telling a story about the wheat and the tares.
We are either wholly saved or wholly lost. There is no in between state. But is the cost of becoming part of the Kingdom of God worth it? Without a doubt, the Kingdom of God is worth the cost! Unfortunately, many people are still oblivious to the Kingdom of God and its value. The only way we can be counting the cost too high is if we do not truly understand the value of what is offered through the Kingdom of God. The cost to value ratio is explained by Jesus through two similar but slightly different parables. The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price remind us that the kingdom of god is beyond anything this world offers you. When you turn to God you realise that all is forgiven. Through forgiveness you are brought back into the family of God. By being restored to the family of God you become an heir of eternal life as well as everything God has to offer.
Have you ever asked the question, "Why does God bother with me?" After all human beings can be a bit messy! How valuable are human beings to God? Well, value is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay for what they want. The parable of the good shepherd in the Bible reveals the warm, loving heart that God has for us as well as the extent to which He would go to ensure our eternal wellbeing and salvation.
Why was humanity made in the image of God? The simple answer to this question is that we were designed to be sons and daughters of God. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of how God has given Himself to humanity for better or for worse. As a result of sin, human beings were alienated from God. The meaning of the story of the lost coin reveals that many people don't realise that they are lost but that even so there is a God who searches for mankind! Why does God bother with me? How valuable are human beings to God? The answer is found in the extent to which God has gone to reconcile us with the family of heaven through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Do you believe that God wants us to live the good life? Many people doubt this because they feel that God's laws restrict their freedom. But what if God's laws are not about restricting our freedom but, rather, about protecting us from hurt, alienation, broken relationships, addiction and every other kind of enslavement that undermines the quality of life? In addition, what if God has an open door policy for anyone wanting to come home?
Giving and receiving forgiveness God's way is the only way to truly be free. But then, why is it so difficult to forgive others? The parable of the king who forgave a large debt owed by one of his servants provides a profound illustration of what forgiveness is and how forgiveness happens. The story of the unforgiving servant reminds us that what others owe us is nothing compared to what we owe God. The secret to being able to offer others forgiveness is that we must first receive forgiveness from God. We then pass on the forgiveness of God to others as we engage in daily relationships.
What if I told you that salvation is a side benefit of fellowship with Jesus? Think about it carefully. Do we want Jesus for who he is or for what He gives? Do people accept Jesus out of a desire of self preservation, in the hope of avoiding eternal death? Or do they accept Jesus because they truly desire friendship with Him? The difference between these two motivations is the difference between simply using someone for what they can give you and that of seeking true friendship.
Why is Israel important in history? What does the Bible teach about Israel? Simply put, Israel was God's chosen people during Old Testament times. They would still be today had they not rejected the message thus stripping away their calling and their mission. Does God have a chosen people today? Yes He does! Today, spiritual Israel is the church. Spiritual Israel is called to mission. The Kingdom Mission is sharing Jesus with the world. Having been born into the Kingdom, we then go as a missionary in behalf of the Kingdom. Whether Jew or Gentile, all are called into the body of spiritual Israel to experience and share the good news of reconciliation with God through Jesus.
Racism and abuse in religious circles is all too frequent. Uniqueness versus superiority is a concept that we struggle with, tending to magnify our uniquenesses or differences to others into a reason we are superior over them. Whether it's racial differences, educational differences, cultural differences or religious differences, it is all too often the case that we see these differences not merely as variety but as evidence of inferiority or superiority. But the problem is not our differences. Neither is the problem religion in and of itself. Actually, it's a sin thing! Sin has the ability to hijack and distort just about anything for the purpose of exalting ourselves over others.
One of the most important questions to be sure you know the answer to is, Are you ready to meet your maker? Time is short. Everything in our world today suggests that things cannot go on like this forever. Jesus told the parable of the fig tree to tell His followers that although no one knows when Jesus will return, we can tell that His return is nearby discerning the times in which we live and the events taking place. Just like we can tell that summer is near even while the weather is still cold by observing the new leaf buds forming on the trees, so to we can tell that the coming of Jesus is nearby paying attention to what bible prophecy says about the coming of Jesus.
The Bible is clear that the coming of Jesus will not be secret. Yet despite this, many Christians believe that the secret rapture doctrine is a Biblically true teaching. What is the secret rapture teaching? Simply put, it is the idea that prior to Jesus' glorious return, which will bring this world to an end, Jesus will return secretly or imperceptibly to the majority of the world to take His faithful followers with Him. This event will mark the beginning of a seven year tribulation during which the antichrist will manifest himself and the wicked will have another opportunity to repent before the glorious return of Jesus brings a final end to sin and sinners. The secret rapture doctrine is a second chance doctrine. Unfortunately, if it is not true, then there may be many who could be lost because they were delaying their personal preparation to meet Jesus.
How should I relate to money? Why is greed a bad thing? Because money does not buy happiness or heaven! Greed and covetousness are responsible for some of the worst evils our world has seen. How many families have been destroyed over fighting about inheritance dues? How many relationships have been sacrificed for the time, effort and stress that goes into the accumulation of wealth? How many people have traded their personal integrity in an effort to become wealthy through deception or fraud? How many people have no time to think about spiritual things because of their preoccupation with this world's financial round of activities? Simply put, greed and covetousness hurt people.
This world is a mess! Some people ask how God can be good when so many people suffer. But what if God has appointed us as managers or stewards of His blessings? What if we are supposed to be His proxies for alleviating suffering? If we choose to mismanage God's blessings, others will suffer. This has nothing to do with God's character and everything to do with our characters. Jesus said that you can only have one master. If we choose to live for ourselves, we will use His blessings to benefit ourselves over others and at the expense of others. This is true of all types of blessings: financial, spiritual, relational etc. When it comes to learning how to focus on spiritual growth, the first step is to begin looking away from self: Upwards toward God and outwards toward other people.
How to avoid being unprepared for the coming of Jesus is the most important topic that you could occupy your mind with at this time of earth's history. The coming of Jesus is our final victory. This is good news! But we only get one shot at making the necessary spiritual preparation for the return of Jesus. How should we live while we wait for Jesus? To answer this question, Adrian Webster will unpack what we can learn from the story of the unwise virgins. This Biblical parable gives us insight into who will be ready to meet Jesus when He returns.
The Kingdom of God's success is guaranteed because of what Jesus has done in history. The big question is, Do you see the value of the Kingdom of God? If you do, then you will realise that the best thing you can do with your life is to invest in the Kingdom of God. Giving up our lives for the Kingdom of God is not a big price to pay once we comprehend that what God is offering us far outweighs whatever this world promises!
Want to Learn About the Seventh Day Sabbath?
"Here and Now" gives detailed consideration to the practical experience of Sabbath keeping. What does it mean to "keep the Sabbath holy"? How do we discern best practice for Sabbath keeping in areas not clearly revealed in the Bible? Most importantly "Here and Now" discusses the relational nature and purpose of the Sabbath gift.
The Mark of the Beast is coming! But what is the Mark of the Beast? More importantly, how can you avoid receiving the Mark of the Beast? Bible prophecy strongly associates together the end times and the mark of the beast. According to the book of Revelation, the mark of the beast is a phenomenon that manifests our spiritual loyalty shortly before the return of Jesus. The world will be divided into two camps, one standing under the seal of God and the other standing under the mark of the beast. Indeed, the seal of God in Revelation stands as the spiritual opposite to the mark of the beast.
Discover how the change of Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday took place in history. This examination of the Sabbath through history compared with what the Bible says about the Sabbath will open your eyes to one of the longest running religious deceptions in history.
Which day is the Sabbath? Some Christians say that the Christian Sabbath is Sunday. Others say that the Christian Sabbath is Saturday. Further fuelling the confusion is the way in which the seventh day Sabbath vs Sunday issue is said to represent Old Covenant vs New Covenant or legalism vs grace. Ultimately the question that this presentation seeks to answer from the Bible is, Should we still keep the Sabbath? Is the Sabbath still important under the New Covenant / New Testament dispensation? Or is the seventh day Sabbath a symbol of Old Covenant / Old Testament legalism.
It seems that the quest for meaning and purpose is fundamental to the human experience. Every human being wants to know that they matter in some way. “In the Beginning” explores how the creation story and the original Sabbath define humanity’s identity.
What does the Bible say About?
Throughout Scripture the hospitality of sharing a meal together is used as a metaphor for the experience of salvation. During Jesus' ministry on earth, many life changing conversations took place around the table. In this presentation, Pr Adrian Webster will consider the various themes discussed between Jesus and His disciples around the table at the last supper.
In this world, geographical separation from the ones we love is inescapable. During these times of distance there is nothing better than receiving a letter from home. Whether it's an e-mail, a text message or an old fashioned letter, we cherish the knowledge that our loved ones have not forgotten about us but still want to share their lives and their hearts with us. Sin has brought physical separation between God and His earthly family. Yet through the ages, He has ensured that we know of His love and interest in us by sending us letters from home. The Bible is precisely such a collection of heavenly communication. More than this, the Bible assures us that God would continue to send letters from home right down to the very end when we will be reunited face-to-face with Him again.
In every age, God has ensured that He has had a human family on earth. Whether the epoch of the patriarchs, the period of national Israel or the age of spiritual Israel, God's family on earth includes all who place their faith and belief in Him. But here's the highlight: You have a special place in the divine family tree!
Because of what Jesus has accomplished in our behalf we have been adopted into the family of God. Having found our reunion and peace with God, He asks us to join Him in His task of growing His family. Central to this is our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit who provides the skills, the character and the generosity needed.
Dirt! It's a part of every day life. Water! It's our every day cleaning agent. The human heart! It's tainted with all sorts of dirtiness. The Saviour! His grace is sufficient to cleanse the corruption within. Having received His grace to cleanse within, He invites us to be immersed in water as a celebration of this spiritual reality. In "Cleaning the House" Jordan Spangler will share the meaning and purpose signified by the Biblical practice of baptism.
Every parent has heard those little voices in the backseat of the car asking, "Are we there yet?" Similarly, every Christian's heart has resonated with that same question in regard to the end of this age. In this presentation Pr Adrian Webster will share a Biblical perspective on what lies ahead on the journey toward our heavenly home.
How many more sleeps until the return of Jesus? The good news is that it is never more than one sleep away for any of us. Throughout Scripture, death is spoken of as a sleep. For those who are laid to sleep before the coming of Jesus, their next conscious thought will be the resurrection. But what is it like to sleep the sleep of death? What happens to the soul?
Where did evil come from? How can it exist in a universe supposedly ruled by a God of love? How can we trust a God who seemingly tolerates a world of brokenness, pain and suffering, such as ours? What you decide about the origin of evil will, to a very great degree, shape your opinion of God, your perception of life in the present and your expectations for the future. In this presentation, Pr Adrian Webster will unpack both the truth about evil and the truth about the character of God. A divine plan has been set in motion to restore the family name!
How do we reconcile the idea of a loving God on the throne of the universe with the reality of a messed up world such as ours. Inequality, injustice, suffering and pain seem to have a very loud voice. Is there a good answer to their cries?
Heavenly House Rules gives consideration to what it looks like to live together in unity as the family of God. Every family has its own unique culture, customs and rules. The heavenly family is no different. The heavenly Father has established His house rules among His family on earth for their blessing, protection and happiness.
Salvation, who needs it anyway? As long as you're a good person, right? Perhaps the best place to start is in seeking to understand what the real human dilemma is. At the heart of the human problem is a fractured relationship with the Creator. The heart of the solution is the healing of the relationship between humanity and the Creator. This reconciliation takes place through the person of Jesus. It's time for you to experience the embrace of home.
Wait. Delay. Tarry. Stall. Patience. Typically, people do not like having to live the experience that these words signify. What do you get when you combine these words with the promise of Jesus' 'soon' return? The story of this world! Why have 2000 odd years passed since Jesus promised an immanent return? "Headed Home" gives consideration to the subject of delay and the purposes of God in working out humanity's salvation.
Understanding the parables of Jesus will have a profoundly positive impact on your life! When it comes to your life, building strong is essential. But with so many competing philosophies and ideologies, how can you be sure you're building your life on a solid foundation? In this episode of More than a Story, we will unpack the parable of the wise and foolish men.
No matter how architecturally magnificent the building, one must first choose a solid foundation to successfully weather the storms! This parable will give you the guidance you need to build on the most enduring foundation even in the face of life's uncertainty.