The Grain of Wheat

John 12:24-26

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and
he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If any one serves
me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one
serves me, the Father will honor him.

The Weeds in the Grain (or the Tares)

Matthew 13:24-30

24

Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be

compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men were
sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 So
when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the
servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir did you not so good seed in
your field? How then has it weeds?' 28 He said to them, `An enemy has done this.'

29 But he
said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let
The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?'

both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather
the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my
barn.'"

The Net
Matthew 13:47-53
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and
gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and
sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of
the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and
throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 51
"Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." 52 And he said to them,
"Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a
householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." 53 And
when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there.

The Seed Growing Secretly (Spontaneously)

Mark 4:26-29
26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the
ground, 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and
grow, he knows not how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the
sickle, because the harvest has come."

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

Matthew 13:31-35
31 Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a
grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of
all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." 33 He told them another
parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three
measures of flour, till it was all leavened." 34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in
parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what
was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has
been hidden since the foundation of the world."

The Budding Fig Tree

Luke 21:29-33
29 And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 as soon as
they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already
near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom
of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has
taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The Closed Door

Luke 13:22-30
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward
Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?"
And he said to them, 24 "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will
seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the householder has risen up and
shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, `Lord,
open to us.' He will answer you, `I do not know where you come from.' 26 Then you
will begin to say, `We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'
27 But he will say, `I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me,
all you workers of iniquity!' 28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you
see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you
yourselves thrust out. 29 And men will come from east and west, and from north and
south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will
be first, and some are first who will be last."

The Strong Man Bound

Luke 11:15-26
15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Be-el'zebul, the prince of
demons"; 16 while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he,
knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid
waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul. 19
And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?
Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out
demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully
armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; 22 but when one stronger than
he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and
divides his spoil. 23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather
with me scatters. 24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes
through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my
house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order.
26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter
and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I
do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you
read?" 27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with your entire mind; and your
neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and
you will live." 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and
he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half
dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he
passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and
saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to
where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, 34 and went to him and
bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two
denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more
you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think,
proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who
showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

The Lost Sheep & the Lost Coin

Luke 15:3-10
3 So he told them this parable: 4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has
lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one
which is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders,
rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors,
saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' 7 Just
so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 "Or what woman, having ten
silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek
diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her
friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had
lost.' 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who
repents."