Kingdom Parables week 1

Introduction

Good morning

Welcome

I hope everyone has had a good week--

Recap Easter--

Beginning a new series called “Kingdom” where we are exploring Jesus first few parables in the Book of matthew and allowing them to form our view of the Kingdom of God in order to best understand our own citizenship.

But before we get there…let’s pray

Prayer

Father, What we do not know teach us, what we do not have give us, and what we are not, please gently make us....

Transition/Matthew

The Gospel according to Matthew is a very unique document.

-On the surface it looks like simply a story of Jesus life and ministry

-But there is a distinct purpose

-Matthew is writing show his first readers [Jewish individuals and converts] how Jesus fulfills all of the prophesies told about the Messiah.

-Matthew also writes in such a way that reflects the outline of the Torah (or Gen-Deut 5 set’s of teachings that is broken up by miracles and movement)….But that is a very Deep Dive so we will have to save that for a class or something

-Matthew is also symmetrical.

Teachings 1 (Sermon on the Mount) and 5 are similar in length and content

Teaching 2 and 4 are also similar…focused on the sending out of the followers.

The Birth of Jesus is “Immanuel”

The end is “I will be with you for all time”

-Regardless, the book of Matthew is pointing out to the readers the righteousness, authority, and power of Jesus as promised in what we call the Old Testament.

Context of Matthew 13

Before we get into the first parable, I want to take a look at the context of this chapter really quickly, because in order for these parable to have the impact they need to, it’s best to explore what led Jesus to this point in the story:

Chapters 1-4 are Jesus gearing up for Ministry

Chapters 5-7—Sermon on the Mount—Collection of Short Jesus teachings

Chapters 8-9—Quick little stories of Miracles and short sayings of Jesus that display Christ’s power

Matthew gets called in chapter 9 and the tone or the view of the stories begin to change

The teachings and the stories get more detailed….arguing for a legitimate Matthew memory of these stories where prior teachings were likely collections given to Matthew to include.

chapter 10—Jesus equips and prepares the 12 to go out and do ministry on their own.

Chapters 11–12 have illustrated the growing divisions among men in their attitude to Jesus, culminating in the sharp contrast between true disciples and all others in 12:46–50. Division, and the problem of how some could reject Jesus’ message while others responded, are the underlying themes of this chapter too; the parables thus provide some explanation of the attitudes revealed in the preceding narrative.

Now we get to Chapter 13—This is the hinge in which the Gospel shifts from Crowd focused to disciple focused—And for the next 5 weeks we are going to look at what turns out to be 8 parables but some are connected:

And it is in this chapter where Jesus first begins to teach in Parables (in the Book of Matthew).

Why Parables?

But it begs the question as to why he speaks in Parables?

At the end of Jesus life in John 16, The disciples address, in a way, his use of parables as teaching tools:

vs 29-30 “His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. Now we know that you know everything and don’t need to Anton to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”

So before we get into the first Parable in chapter 13….let’s talk briefly about what a parable is and Why Jesus used them and for what end.

Parables:

1. Always makes truth concrete

—This is not to say they make truth evident…but they place truth in an image that is widely understandable or noticeable

—We may have a tough time describing goodness…but we recognize a good person or a good deed when we see it.

2. Parables begin in the here and now and go to the there and then

—Parables are stories that everyone could relate to or understand. They are common realities that point to something they do not understand.

3. Parables compel interest

—Draw people in and force conversation

4. Discover truth on our own terms

—Truth is revealed through discussion and thought…not the teaching of blatant facts

5. Parables also conceal truth from those who are too blind to see or too lazy to think

—Flip side of the 4th point.

6. Parables have one point

Parables are not allegories…Allegories are stories in which every possible detail has a greater point….An allegory needs to be read and studies

Parables are heard and have singular points to the story.

Let’s begin: Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23

The beauty of this parable is that Jesus does all of the explaining for us. SO what I want to do today is look at the parable, and Jesus explanation, and see if we can pull this out into a more modern contextual understanding.

Matthew 13:1-9

Matthew 13:1–9 CSB

On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. Let anyone who has ears listen.”

Matthew 13:18-23

Matthew 13:18–23 CSB

“So listen to the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”

Anyone remember or ever think about your mindset when you were in High School?

[Proceed to tell story about High School and how all I wanted to do was get out and have freedom but older wiser people than me at the time kept saying things like “Don’t wish it by…this is the greatest time in your life right now”]

—The truth is that there are plenty of things that we are told when we were less wise that when we look back we are like “Man…I should’ve listened to wiser people.”

So there is something to be said about listening and receiving the message.

But it’s not the message that is the problem here…It’s the place in which the message lands....the ears that hear it.

Path Seed

Purposeful ignorance

-The people who hear what is being said but only to search out the faults or their disagreements.

-Consumed by their own presuppositions

-There is no soil to plant in.

Rocky Seed

-Fair weather

-Christianity, community, engagement in community are all great when life is good. But when doubts creep in, life gets tough…it fades away.

Thorny Seed

-Distractions get in the way.

-We see growth, but it’s not the priority in the lives.

-Many Christians are like this.

-I will follow Jesus but only as long as I don’t lose what I have in the process.

-The Rich young Ruler—Sell your things and follow me…but, but, but....my things.

-We allow the pressures and anxieties of this world to control our lives to the point where Jesus is relegated to nothing more than simply a safety-net.

-I’ll go to Jesus only if it’s get really bad.

Good Seed

-Fruitful

-Evidence-based

-It is a hearer who practices

-It is the softening of our will and our hearts to receive something that is far greater than the baggage we bring with us.

Conclusion:

I want us to notice something that Jesus says at the end of the Parable:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Not…Whoever has good soil ears let them hear.

the message is for all people, and the Kingdom of God is to be presented for all to hear.

You see, Jesus was just getting done, prior to this, Speaking to people and groups who were made up of ears of different kinds.

The Sick and poor who heard and recieved, the elites who heard but denied and got angry. The Disciples who were confused.

He gives the disciples this explanation:

Matthew 13:11–13 CSB

He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them. For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.

So for us…in order to be citizens of the Kingdom, we must recognize what ears we are listening with and strive and work to be fertile ground for growth, change, and to produce a fruit-filled harvest.