More parables:
1. The lost sheep – A shepherd missing one lamb from his flock will go in search of it.
2. Unforgiving servant – A servant who owed the king a large sum was shown mercy. The same servant then turned around and did not grant mercy to a fellow servant who owed him a trifling sum and had him imprisoned. When the king learned of this the first servant was also imprisoned and made to repay his debt to the king.
3. Workers in the vineyard – A vineyard owner needed workers and hired several during the course of the day at different times. At the end of the day the owner paid all the workers the same wage even they had worked different lengths of time. This caused the workers who had worked longer to grumble. It’s the owner’s business if he wants to be generous and reward everyone equally.
4. Ungrateful tenant – A vineyard owner leased his vineyard to tenants and when rent was due he sent his servant to collect the rent but he was beaten. Other servants were sent to collect the rent and they also were beaten, stoned or killed. Finally the owner sent his son who was also killed. The vineyard owner punished the transgressors.
5. Wedding banquet – A man’s son was getting married and invitations were sent out to attend the banquet but nobody showed up. The father had his servant go into the street and bring in any who would come to fill the banquet hall.
The parables clearly show us some of God’s attributes. God loves us; God is merciful; God is generous; God is just; God is longsuffering; God is kind. When the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah God turned to the Gentiles to build the church of God. Our church age started at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down from heaven to indwell the believer and it will end when the Rapture takes the church to heaven. God will then turn back to Israel for the last seven years of human history before the Second Advent of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.