Persistence is the Prerequisite: The “Unprofitable” Servant, and The Widow and the Mean Judge

Parables: The Unprofitable Servant, The Persistent Widow, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

May 22, 1983

Scripture: Luke 17:3-10; Luke 18:1-17

“Strive to enter at the straight gate. For straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth into life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13

One of the better-known quotes from Dallas Willard is, “Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.” In today’s episode, Dallas is teaching on the persistent effort that is required if we expect to grow in our faith. Dallas says, “Faith is a matter of knowing how to speak the creative word of God with God. That's faith. Faith is seeing things to be so, which are in the will and vision and purpose of God, so that you are joined with God in speaking the creative words.”

This is the eleventh session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” This series is the foundation for Dallas’s book, The Scandal of the Kingdom. https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom Join us next time as Dallas wraps up the series with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

The Folly of Possessions and Riches: The Rich Fool
Parable: The Rich Fool

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

May 15, 1983

Scripture: Luke 12:13-40

Today we’re studying the Parable of the Rich Fool. A fool is a person who misjudges means to ends and chooses the wrong end. The farmer in the Parable of the Rich Fool was a man who had chosen to let his soul rest in his wealth instead of in God.

In this parable and the story of what caused Jesus to tell it, we learn how to have a Kingdom mindset with our finances and other assets. Dallas helps us apply these concepts by inviting us to consider the question, “What is your life?”

John Wesley offered the following counsel on wealth management: “Get all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.” Dallas recommends inserting “Use all you can” into Wesley’s instructions after “Save all you can.” Use what you have for the glory of God. It’s better to have wealth in the hands of Christ’s followers than anywhere else.

This is the tenth session of our 12-part series entitled “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” On the Sunday prior to teaching about the Parable of the Rich Fool, Dallas had taught a class based on The Parable of the Hours. We don’t have that recording, but where Dallas has taught it elsewhere, he used it to illustrate the upside-down kingdom in action through the way we do business and care for those less fortunate than us. That teaching is available along with more from Dallas about financial responsibility in the Kingdom of God in The Scandal of the Kingdom: https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

Session 9. The Forgiving Heart and the Kingdom of God

Parable: The Unforgiving Servant

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

May 1, 1983

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-35

This is the ninth session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself,” and today’s focus is on the gift of forgiveness. Many of us have a hard time with forgiveness, and sometimes that’s because of misunderstandings about what it is and how we should approach it.

In this episode, Dallas clarifies what is and is not a part of what it means to forgive someone (i.e. it doesn’t mean you forget about it and your relationship becomes the same as before) and offers helpful advice about things we can do to help us practice forgiveness. He also shares his interpretation of Matthew 18:35 (So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.) and Matthew 6:12 (Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.).

If you’d like to learn more about how to make forgiveness a natural part of your life, visit our website and listen to the 3-hour workshop Dallas taught in 1996 called “From Forgiveness to Blessing.” https://dwillard.org/resources/audio/from-forgiveness-to-blessing

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

The Ten Virgins and the Evil Watchman. “A Revelation of the Heart”

Parables: The Evil Servant, The Ten Virgins

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

April 24, 1983

Scripture: Matthew 24:42-51, Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 12:41-48

Today’s episode brings us to the point in Jesus’ ministry when he was beginning to prepare his disciples for three aspects of the future:

1. Jesus’ upcoming crucifixion and resurrection,

2. How things will be during Christ’s absence from earth

3. How we should prepare ourselves and hold our hearts before him as we await Jesus’ return.

This is the eighth session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” The main parables discussed are The Parable of the Evil Servant and the Parable of the Ten Virgins. You can dig deeper into Dallas’s teaching about these parables and the Parable of the Talents in chapter 7 of the book that is based on this parables series, The Scandal of the Kingdom.https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

Dallas mentioned the writing of G. Campbell Morgan in this session. We encourage you to look for Morgan’s books on the Parables and other New Testament topics.

The session outline Dallas distributed to the class gives the list of topics and scriptures covered throughout the series. He encouraged participants to read the scriptures for each week before coming to class. Download a copy here:

https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Parabolic-Teaching-Outline.pdf

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

Two Sons (Matt. 21:28-32), Two Debtors (Luke 7:36-50) and another Two Sons (Luke 15:11-32).

Parables: The Parable of the Two Sons, The Prodigal Son, and stories of two debtors.

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California
April 17, 1983

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32; Luke 7:36-50; Matthew 21:28-32

In this episode we study two parables and two true stories about people who have been lost and then found their way back to God.

1. The Parable of the Two Sons who said one thing but did another.

2. The story of Zacchaeus

3. The Parable of the Prodigal Son

4. The story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet at Simon’s house

In each case, the pharisees were on the scene. Jesus was trying to help them understand the ways we can be lost, and how ready God is to forgive and receive each of us when we come back to him.

This is the seventh session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” This series is the foundation for Dallas’s book, The Scandal of the Kingdom, published October 15, 2024. Learn more about the book at

https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

Parables #6. The Vineyard and the Wicked Husbandmen
Parable: The Parable of the Vineyard

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California
April 10, 1983

Scripture: Luke 20:1-47, Matthew 21:33-46

In Matthew 7:15-23, Jesus talks about false prophets and knowing a tree by its fruit.

The Parable of the Vineyard points out that Israel had developed leaders who led against God instead of for him, and shows what happens to those who lead (even with God’s power), but are not with God in their hearts. Dallas looks at the context of this parable, as Israel’s religious leaders were clinging desperately to their authority in opposition and fear of the unique authority Jesus had. Such battles for spiritual authority continue today. It is important to try to understand just where the failure of these men were so we might understand ourselves better and guard our own hearts, and pray for those who lead us in an effective way.

This is the sixth session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” This series is the foundation of a new book published on October 15th called “The Scandal of the Kingdom.” The book offers an opportunity to dig more deeply into the parables of Jesus. Learn more on our website:

https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

The session outline Dallas distributed to the class gives the list of topics and scriptures covered throughout the series. He encouraged participants to read the scriptures for each week before coming to class. Download a copy here:

https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Parabolic-Teaching-Outline.pdf

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California
April 3, 1983

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-30 (especially 24-30), Matthew 13:47-53

In today’s episode, we see how “The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares” and “The Parable of the Net” illustrate that there are many differences in the kinds of people who find a place in the kingdom of God. This includes understanding that some people who are living IN the kingdom or not OF the kingdom. Being IN something is a much more superficial thing than being OF it. But God has said “whosoever will may come,” and it is His desire for us to grow together. So we need
to be careful to stay focused on Jesus and the best ways to help ourselves and be his disciples.

This is the fifth session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.” The series is the foundation of a new book available on October 15th called “The Scandal of the Kingdom.” The book offers an opportunity to dig more deeply into the parables of Jesus. Learn more on our website: https://dwillard.org/resources/books/the-scandal-of-the-kingdom

The session outline Dallas distributed to his class participants gives the list of topics and scriptures covered throughout the series. He encouraged them to read the scriptures for each week before coming to class. Download a copy here:

https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Parabolic-Teaching-Outline.pdf

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...

The Great Supper: One’s Kingdomly Birthright for a Mess of Pottage
Parables: The Parable of the Great Supper, Jacob Steals Esau’s Birthright

Presented at Harbor Church, Los Angeles, California

March 27, 1983

Scripture: Luke 14:7-24, Matthew 22:1-14, Genesis 25:24-34

This is the fourth session of a 12-part series Dallas called “The Parabolic Teaching About Christ’s Kingdom by Christ Himself.”

Dallas focused on a sequence of teachings Jesus gave while dining at the home of a chief pharisee on a Sabbath day.

1. How to get the best seat at a banquet (Luke 14:8-11).

2. Inviting people to dinner regardless of their ability to repay you (Luke 14:12-14).

3. The Parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:16-24).

Continuing this theme of pointing out where our priorities are, Dallas added:

4. Mary and Martha’s lesson on the “one thing” that is most important (Luke 10:38-42).

5. Esau trading his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew (Gen 25:24-34).

The session outline Dallas distributed to the class gives the list of topics and scriptures covered throughout the series. He encouraged participants to read the scriptures for each week before coming to class. Download a copy here:

https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Parabolic-Teaching-Outline.pdf

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dallaswillard

Facebook Group: Dallas Willard is My Homeboy

Signup for the Dallas Willard Legacy Update at DWillard.org/mailing-list

Contact the team at Dallas Willard Ministries by writing us at DWMinistries@DWillard.org.

Instagram: dallas_willard_ministries

Facebook: dallas.willard.0717 and SchoolOfKingdomLiving

Threads: dallas_willard_ministries

X (Twitter): @DallasAWillard

LinkedIn: Dallas Willard Ministries, and School of Kingdom Living

The contents of this recording are © Willard Family Trust. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce any of this content, please contact Dallas Willard Publicatio...