In The Parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus taught to welcome those who are typically unwelcome. Those who think they deserve God’s presence rarely experience it.

In The Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus encouraged His followers to avoid pursuing places of privilege. Exaltation is not attained by proving greatness but by relentlessly prioritizing humility.

In The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus contrasted one who thought he was righteous and another who knew he was not. If we believe our works to be righteous, we reveal our hearts to be unrighteous.

In The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus taught that whatever we do for others, or refuse to do, directly correlates to our relationship with Him. By refusing to meet the needs of others, many of us have left Jesus destitute.

In The Parable of the Talents, Jesus taught us to be faithful to steward whatever God has entrusted to us. It’s not about what you have but what you do with what you’ve been given.

In The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus warned disciples to prepare for His return. While we know neither the day nor the hour, we can guarantee that He will come again to gather those who belong to Him.

Jesus taught that those who serve God should not become entitled. Even if we do all that God commands of us, we are still unworthy servants who should still be amazed to belong to Him.

In The Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus showed the grave mishandling of the religious community to those whose lives were being changed. We cannot confuse our relationship with the Father as something that we deserve.