Menberu Adane

The ultimate plan of God is forgiving all humankind of their sin which He paid the price through Jesus on the cross. Thus, this plan is not about the literal wage of laborers, but it is the wage for our sin, which all of us need whether we get it first or in the last splits of seconds. That is the grace of God not our work. As the laborers had nothing to do until they were given the job in the vineyard, we had nothing good until Jesus made us good before God, that we all got it at different hours in the day of grace. As in Psalm 16, we have no goodness except that he made us good. Because we work hard more time and collect more wage does not make us fair, for we are also responsible, expected to be fair, in what we do with that we collected. Thus, grace is necessary for all of us who worked few ours and many hours to ultimately justify ourselves among all workers in the Kingdom of God. We can demand fairness and recognition but must not be in utter selfishness and jealousy but with humble spirit and honesty. Likewise, we can ask God whenever we feel we need to ask yet we ought to understand that He gives us the right gift at the right time that enables us to shine in His Kingdom.

Both tell that good and bad live on earth. It requires time to clearly identify the good and the bad which also ask for patience and wisdom to separate. In the end what is bad will be get rid of. Moreover, they show how much God cares for those whom He justifies right in Jesus . The parable encounters the view that evil and good continue living together as accepted mere fact/the good and bad to live on side by side/. On the contrary, finally, judgment is inevitable and evil will in the end be punished. Thus, the ultimate judge is God who separates those whom He sow and others sown by the enemy, devil. Triumph of believers is their hope of righteousness in Jesus to win this world where they thrive day by day foreseeing Jesus to come as He promised to come again and take them to live with Him.

Those identified as sheep lived their lives selflessly. That was their behavior to love from thieir heart and lived life of sacrifice of their money/material, time, energy, comfort and whatsoever needed from them in their surrounding. While the goats were of self centered and own comfort seekers, and creat relationships in exchange with something, profitable to them. Never noticed the needs in their surrounding. The deeds of the sheep is not salvation by works for it is their character, they live with it out of love and heart. Thus, Jesus identify himslef with the least of brothers is to show why he put himslef on the cross. He told once that he came for those who need medicine not for those who treat themselves, which the sheep demonstrated likewise. Jesus told this that to show that a faith that is separate from action is dead. Jesus not only tells us he loves us but also he lived and practiced and still loves us and searches for those who are lost and miserable. Therefore, missionaries and all of us have to follow his example of love by translating it selflessly and living it day in and day out by presenting ourselves whereever there are needs in our reaches.

The rich man was exclusively concerned about his luxury and forgot about the kingdom of heaven that blided him from seeing the poor around him. Love in the sense of devotion to others was not available in his activities. So, he forgot that he will be responsible for his actions on earth in the life to come. In one way or another we are also responsible for those who suffer around us. Even after seeing hell, he never realized that the poor and the rich are all equal humans, and still thinks that the poor need to showcase themselves for the rich to help them, becuase the rich man still seems to think that his brothers and sisters would recognize the poor Lazarus and thought that they believe him if he showcases himslef to them to convey the message of their brother being punished in hell, they will learn and be in heaven as they join him in after death. Therefore, whether we are rich or poor, the main message is that we must show love to one another and live the life of sharing and committing to doing things that is worth not only for ourselves but also for others. We must be rich in spirit! Our church tries to help the poor among and around us. But I still don't feel it is enough, but I also understand the constraints of the majority of our members who also still live in constraints and poverty. No such endeavor in my local church to part take in World initiatives of such kind, but I know the prayer for all humankind for salvation, justice and mercy at times when those deafening and miserable news are circulated and reached our ears. In my family we pray every Friday night on such matters of salvation, love, sharing and peace and justice and protection of vulnerable people.

Thanks. I agree with your insight. Blessings in Jesus Christ.

There is Ethiopian saying, "a monkey laughs at its friend's seat walking in front of it when it cannot see its own." Also, you can imagine seeing a small spot afar when you are blind to see a great mass near you. It is really unworthy and destructive when we act with unclear mind. Therefore, a place with clear spiritual eyes can be gained by seeking spiritual practices with the full help of Holyspirit with prayer and contemplation with the word of God. Holy communion with God and with our brothers and sisters in sevice in the body of Christ. I feel great joy as I exercise these and overflow with clear mind, on the contrary I feel bad as I get distracted from them at times giving various reasons which is self deceit. We need to be close to God, near His feet, in humble prayer and reading the word and obedience accordingly. Those are the fuel of Christians that can take us long way till our end time. This in the end help us see in spiritual eyes. The foundation of our salvation is LOVE, that brought up mercy and grace through out our life. Thus, we must do the same to our brothers and sisters around us whether spiritual or practicing sinful acts. Love touches and changes people's hearts. Otherwise, whatever we do in our relationships of service, communion and duties outside love, mercy and demonstration of grace is unworthy and is hypocrisy and judgmentalism.

The 1st son is like the tax collectors and the prostitutes, who were rebellious in the beginning but regretted, repented, of their wrong doing, and acted rightly in the end. They obeyed in the end and accomplished what is expected of them, to believe in the messaih, Jesus Christ, whom the pharisees had the knowledge in their teachings, but didn't accomplish it as they first expected His coming. Walking the talk is always harder, needs perseverance, wisdom, and persistence to act accordingly. Obeying is doing not talking, lip service, and requires you to stride steps that cost our effort in time and space. Both teach us about obedience. Jesus said, why you call me Lord, Lord when you are not obeying what I say and put it in practice. Obeying him means doing what he says and this anchors our faith on rock foundation that holds us in position whatever blows hard to move us away from where need to remain steadfast. Therefore, we have to make sure that we are obeying and accomplishing the duties we bear becuase of our believing in Jesus who died for our sin beyond being called his desciples. In this way our discipleship stands firm thought true obedience.

Seeking is about heart, willingness, deligence and commitment to what we believed, Jesus. We seek something which we have earnest interest for and want it to the end. Especially, for what is precious and valuable which is mostly narrowly available requires persistence and perseverance to pass through all challenges and thus requires seeking to the end to find it. Thus the mighty will earnestly fight for it. So, many drop out on the way and few reach it. And to reach the end in such narrow gate you also have to do it differently and see it in a different perspective and contemplation which require to see it out of the pack, culture, routine, norm and what we are accustomed to do in our lives. That was the problem of the pharisees who expected Jesus to act in their box of thinking and usually accused him of doing outside their laws and traditions.

Believing has to be taken further in any believers life. If we believe we need to do it and show it in real life experience, which also serves as example for others to demonstrate it in their life too. It helps to draw people to Jesus seeing that we so things as we believe in Jesus. Young people see our examples as we practice our belief in Jesus. The way we talk, do things, pray, closeness to the word of God, our relationship with others, believer or non believer. Jesus is the life we live not only the good news we tell people to inspire them of love and salvation.

It is about seeing ourselves always and making sure that we are in the right relationship with men and God. Right with those who are close by to us to be right with God. Unless we are right with people, love those whom we see, we cannot utterly say that we love God and are right with Him. If we have guilty mind, personality or duty, we are always ashamed.of ourselves and cannot stand before people and before God. Thus, it is double downing our guilt, becoming pretentious and hypocrit if we cannot straighten our bends and then pave the way for clear mind that enables us seek God's forgiveness.

Heart of man: we are not good in ourselves, if man is good it is because God makes us good. Psalm 16:2 is true. We have sinful nature that came down from Adam that makes us live in darkness in our heart blined spritually. That is why we yry to be good and be seen good but we cannot, unless Jesus open our eyes through repentance and believing in Him. Unless with Jesus we are nothing, whatever we are morally excelling, we are still man with rebellious heart that formed animosity with our God which only be reconciled by the blood of Jesus.

Servants represent prophets and those who led Isreal. Rejection brought about destruction and scattering of the people that led to the massacre of Isreal and loss of salvation to date waiting to believe the false massaih which in the end turns out to their turn to Jesus, which is also the fulfillment of Paul's prayer for his people. We say Maranatha! Amen. I am not sure I know a church who rejected pastor...but I saw people rejecting our message of salvation in the streets during Saturday village to village services. We are one body in Christ Jesus. We need to discharge our role with pleasure and dedication. We have to show true love and honor to each other so that our work will shine and attract others. Rejection and prosecution in Jesus brings about blessing, reward and joy in the kingdom of heaven. That is the the hope of all believers who are steadfast in Jesus by fulfilling His commandment of the great commission.

Both Israelites and us the rest of the world. In Jesus' time those poor and uneducated and low class better listened and accepted Him. We also heard the good news as spread by them, 12 disciples and their fellow Jews and then by Paul. Now we, people in Jesus Christ, are servants and herald the good news and invites Jesus. As much as possible our church makes outreach one Saturday in month and tell the good news to everybody. I try to participate but still feel guilty of not give my self as required and give my employer company workburden as excuse. I appreciate my small church in the midst of small villages with populated by all ki d of people stated in the Parables that serve people and herald the good news with all constraints of peace, conflict, economy of our country and people and many challenges.

Execuse makers are those invited but despised it. Those who don't fulfill what is expected of them. Those who are not committed to the blessing of God in Jesus until the end time. They are the like of us who at times find excuses for not on the right time and place. The Bible says the one who perseveres till the end will be saved.

Disobedience is the cause of barrenness of Israel. Leaning on laws, work and knowledge for self rightousness. Love of position and pride. Same as above Isreal's character. Moreover, our dat to day relationship with God through the word of God in prayer and doing the right thing accordingly makes us fruitful. God is merciful. He always looks after us and stretches his hand to return to him always. He wants us to renounce our wrong doings. No matter what, as long as we open our heart and repent, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. His forgiveness is ne every morning and He is faithful. Lamantation 3:22&23.

Jesus told us that we will be measured by the measure we measure, thus, justice is served when the cruel servant was measured by the measure he measured. The canceled debt given for the cruel servant was the exhibit of grace but he despised it. The cruel servant is unforgiving to his fellow as he was forgiven, and I see greed in him. He wants to prosper in a greed way. Thus, in the end he was unforgiven and lost forgiveness. We should be wise/filled with wisdom. and pray that God increases our faith to use the grace we have already got by using it the same way in our community so that it will multiply for others to gather in the kingdom of God.

We see forgiveness from Jesus after He spoke to Simon. I think it is after the dinner. But as the story begins to narrate, it says she "was" sinner. So may be she met Jesus before and she knew him before and might got forgiveness that time. I am always, everyday, amazed by the love of God that I am saved. Marveled by the forgiveness I have got. The luckiest person in the whole world. What a Grace. Thanks Jesus. You deserve my adoration. I worship you. Try to do the same for others to taste this grace and mercy extended with priceless love of Jesus.

God is always joyful in our returning to him, and he always searches us even if we stray in our own way and want. He even tolerate us and has made sacrifice for us. Think of The Cross. God's hands are always stretched to receive us. God operates with love and His values are Love. Everlasting Love. Think of The Cross. Operates in Forgiveness and mercy because they are His values. The older son acted like servant. It is pity and heart breaking when a son looks up his father as if a servant does to his boss. I think many times we forget what God told us, "Our Father in heaven". He is not ashamed of us to call us children but we lack faith and stray from Him. Our Fathe in heaven, hallowed be your name. Amen! Be loving, be merciful, serve those who are in need, be persistent in our service and don't lose hope in our testimony to those who need salvation. Let's we sow the seed of the Word, and it will grow in thier heart one day.

God heart is full of love and forgiveness to all mankind from the beginning. Though we betray him, he always looks for us. He is forgiving God. The murmuring of the pharisees is the example of us even today looking down those whom we see and think weak and undeserving. And shows the heart of God is way far different from us God search the heart, Jer17:10. We must know that God wants us to find those who are lost and need forgiveness of sin and show our love and support in every way from our heart. This is our Golden duty after all. Othe things are additions.

The fulfillment of His promise and the completion of our salvation. It is significant in that we see Him in the sense of being sanctified and being right with Him in Jesus, cleansed by His blood. Not in a sense.of living in the sinful world and sinful people where we live in like Isiaih did and was afraid see God in His High throne. The final intimacy and relation with God is based on the absolute and true admission of us His being our God and gracious fatherhood and true service and worship in absence of the enemy, Satan who has been the source of all evil and our separation from Him. I always try to seek Him through my prayers and meditating in His word. In that way I have seen His mercy, help, glory...upon me during my successes and failures. His has been with me in all my out cries and joyfully times. I am always in His provision and He everytime marvelous me in my work, promotion and successes. Still I am hungry of His spirit and always learning and getting revelations, including these 24 teachings, which are revelations to me empowering me to closely walk with Jesus. God may continue to show His glory day by day I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Very very significant. This is eternal promised water of life given by God and God only. Where the lamb made it possible for us to access this water, the Holy spirit. Jesus said that we know how to give bread for our children, but God gives us the Holy spirit much more. Man can promise to give something but may not be fulfilled at times things become beyond control. God is trust worthy in any circumstance. The Psalmist said that ...I fear no evil even if I walk in the valley of the shadow of death... Only God by the blood of the lamb can heal us. The source being God is very significant for all our gifts of life. The fruits of the Holyspirit can flow from us and become contagious to others if and only if we continue to seek the guidance of the Holyspirit in our relations, work and testimony for salvation of others.

We know that we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus and Holyspirit continues to make us stay in the grace of God. Still we are in the world and pass through many trying exposures day in day out, and we still doubt our full relationship per God righteousness, that I thinks makes us see ourselves short of full search of.the light of God. One aspect/symbol/figure of Llght, apart from physical brightness of beam of Rray's, in my understanding is righteousness- being in the right relationship with God and His knowledge and reverence and service in His presence. So I also see it being in the complete presence and knowledge of God-seeing Him face to face. Yes He can also avoid physical light, sun&moon, that we live in the perfect day light of God, where it is eternity, without seasons as we experience here separated from Him. I always need the lighting in my walk to with Him. To be light to others in my family, neighbours, workplace ...because I need His Guidance.

Pastor Dr. Ralph, you have said it all. The plan of our God is to own us forever and ever by returning us where we belong to our heavenly place anew but sanctified by the blood of Jesus. During the service of the tabernacle and the temple, the people who served between the people and Holy God were themselves mourning for this complete freedom as they could not get the pure sacrifice of Jesus but used animals blood multitudes of times. Thus, before they reach the Holy of hollies where God promised will be present, they had to cleanse themselves because God granted them the COVENANT that He accepted that procession/rite (with blood of multitudes of lambs), and had to pass through all those barriers-that reminded them of their sinful nature. We were all children of wrath full of sin from the beginning and our wickedness as we socialize. Therefore, the barrier is sin- 2 Corinthian 3. And reminds them and us all that He is Holy and we are not unless we come to Jesus. Thanks Jesus, He took away our sin and has made us pure and holy to see the Father and the Son-with their throne in the mist of those who cleansed themselves by the blood of the lamb. Still there are such sense of distancing our selves because we still don't trust ourselves-our daily work and walk-and we are also abscessed with doctrines, teachings, who we listen and get pastoral service, pride, knowledge, ego, need for attention, even sometimes our politics and differences...are barriers, even if we are told that we are redeemed from all language, tribe, nation...We also draw our own picture of God and discipline of worship and way of rituals that we think pleases God but people-and our backgrounds, culture, way of bringing up are also seen shaping how we worship and when to worship God-come before Him. Yes discipline is good but should be of humble heart not way we perform in our churches and prayer meetings, cell groups ...I believe that we need also healing to come before God with the blood of Jesus in humble heart and worship Him wherever we are. God helps us. "The temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb" is the presence of God and the right given to us to see him face to face and serve Him-because from the beginning in the new Jerusalem those who enter are those who cleansed themselves with the blood of Jesus-The Lamb. So no barrier to separate us from our God. You illustrated it well. Thanks for the revelation and I am blessed with it. Jesus bless you.

Yes, this is the most important mission of us as Christians-disciples of Jesus. We are told that we are the salt and light-which we cannot cover but let to lit up the darkness, who can be our family members, neighbors and communities, co-workers...my main cry is heard that God has given me my three children that they are now saved and the old ones are baptized at the age of 12 and since then serving wit their peers in our church. The last one will be 12 next year and is learning the gospel and I see that she cannot wait that day of baptism. Now we are church on our own worshiping God at hope and with our brothers ans sisters, we are praying to get our siblings and neighbors. As much as Jesus give me the opportunity I try to show people to show Jesus in testimony and in example of my behaviors-where I lead organizations, teams and groups in the office and out during field works. Not easy, but I see people touched who were our neighbors and workmates. Recently, a work mate whom I used to works years back called me and told me that he is in Christ now with his wife amid prosecution and opposition from their families. He called me because he knew that I was the only christian in that office and we traveled a lot in the deep forests. I see that he was observing the light and grace around me. Let's take care as Christians that we are examples because people can also call us after a long time and tell us how bad we were to them. We have family prayer day, every Friday night, and we cry out for salvation of people, those at war and destruction, running away from homes, hungry and dismayed by their own governments including my country. I always pray for God to increase the fire in us and burn this fire around us. I always see myself as ambassador of Jesus at any work and organization I lead, people I meet and chat, my relatives and neighbors and I want them to see Jesus as I speak, walk in and walk out, socialize and participate...God power his spirit day by day on us and help us to be seen in light and grace-for people to envy our peace, stability, what we hope..in the name of Jesus, I pray.

I think it is expression of joy and excitement and jubilation as turning point of eternal bond symbolized by wedding adoration as given to Jesus and His people, where those redeemed by the His blood/the lamb, who are also symbolized as temple of God and collectively referred as bride for christ, come for worship and reverence. Descending of the new jerusalem/the bride is the completion of God's promise and confirmation of His being the only creator and His generosity and love to give those whom He love, not what exists/stale but new and fresh start. His plan is, therefore, that His people whom he delivered by the humility and obedience of His begotten Son, to live in eternal righteousness and joy and heavenly and Absolute worship and knowledge of their Ceeator God. What a privilege, thanks God forever and ever, in the name of Jesus.