This week, I’ve found myself drawn deeply into the parables of Jesus (thanks to my dear friend, Melissa) — not just reading them, but hearing them again with fresh ears. It started with a simple video: a narrated collection of Jesus’ parables, spoken straight from Scripture with gentle illustrations. Something about listening instead of reading slowed me down. It softened me. It made me feel like I was sitting at Jesus’ feet, letting His stories wash over me the way His first listeners must have.
But the real shift happened when I paired that experience with two powerful books: Re-Imagine the World by Bernard Brandon Scott and Meditations on the Parables of Jesus by Thomas Keating. Together, they opened up the parables in ways I didn’t expect — one through historical insight, the other through quiet, contemplative reflection.
🌱 Seeing the Parables as Invitations, Not Just Lessons
Scott reminded me that Jesus wasn’t just telling stories to make a point. He was inviting people to reimagine reality — to see the world not as it is, but as it could be under the reign of God. His parables were disruptive, surprising, even uncomfortable. They challenged social norms, religious assumptions, and the way people viewed themselves and others.
Keating, on the other hand, invited me inward. He showed me that the parables aren’t just about the world around me — they’re about the world within me. Each story becomes a mirror, revealing where I cling to control, where I resist grace, and where God is gently calling me into deeper trust.
Between the video, the books, and my own quiet moments with God, I’ve realized something simple but profound:
The parables are still doing exactly what Jesus intended — they’re reshaping me.
🌾 What’s Growing in Me Right Now
Here are a few things stirring in my heart:
- A renewed desire to see people the way Jesus sees them
- A longing to let go of old narratives and step into God’s bigger story
- A deeper awareness of how God’s kingdom grows quietly, unexpectedly, like a mustard seed
- A sense of anticipation — that God is doing something new, even in the ordinary places of my life
The parables aren’t just ancient stories. They’re seeds. And I can feel them taking root.
🔥 Looking Ahead: Inspire Church’s Four-Week Series
All of this has me incredibly excited for the next four weeks at Inspire Church. If the parables have taught me anything, it’s that God loves to surprise us — and I’m walking into this series with an open heart, ready to be surprised.
I’m expecting:
- Fresh revelation
- Honest reflection
- Community conversations that stretch and encourage
- A deeper understanding of Jesus’ heart
There’s something powerful about journeying through Scripture together as a church family. And I can’t wait to see what God will do in us — and through us — as we explore these stories that have shaped faith for over two thousand years.
💛 A Final Thought
If you’ve been feeling stuck, weary, or hungry for something deeper, maybe this is your invitation too. Jesus’ parables aren’t just teachings — they’re doorways. And when we step through them, we don’t just learn something new. We become something new.
Here’s to the next four weeks. Here’s to reimagining the world with Jesus. Here’s to letting His stories shape our own.
If you get a chance to watch the video or join us at Inspire Church for the rest of this series, I can’t recommend it enough. This season has already been so rich, and I know there’s more to come.
Here’s the video that helped spark so much reflection for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oUjxUfOIEY
And if you’re someone who loves to go deeper, these two books have been incredible companions along the way:
- Re-Imagine the World: An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus by Bernard Brandon Scott A powerful look at how Jesus used parables to challenge the status quo and invite us into a new way of seeing the world.
- Meditations on the Parables of Jesus by Thomas Keating A gentle, contemplative guide that helps the parables speak to the heart and open us to inner transformation.
Whether you watch, read, or worship with us on Sundays, I hope something in this journey stirs your imagination the way it has stirred mine. The parables still speak — and they have a way of meeting us exactly where we are.
INSPIRE CHURCH
918 Garden Ave
Fremont, MI 49412
(231) 924-3284
https://www.liveinspired.church/
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