Discipleship 7

Jesus taught with parables

Last week we looked at the Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew 5 This sermon contains the 8 blessings known as the Beatitudes. We noted how they are presented in a positive manner of blessing when people follow them compared to the 10 commandments that are categorized by “thou shalt not” Today we are going to start our study in Matthew 13 . on this occasion Jesus is surrounded by a large group of people . He gets into a boat and puts out a short distance from the shore and sits down to teach while the people stand on the shore to listen to him. It is significant that Jesus sits while the people stand. This is the traditional way that Rabbis teach. The people standing is a sign of respect for the rabbi, but also respect for the word being taught. There are some churches today that practice standing while the Scripture lesson is read. Matthew says that Jesus taught them many things in parables. What are parables? Stories of life happenings that create a picture in one’s mind and teach a lesson from examples of everyday living. The first 3 parables in chapter 13 are referred to as agrarian because of the relation to farming practices. Many of his listeners would have related to what was taking place in the parable.

Jesus’ disciples asked him why he taught the people in parables? Jesus replied ,

Matthew 13:11 NIV

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

This seems harsh. Not everyone will receive and understand, The parables were spoken not read. The listener would have a picture in their minds eye. They would either hear and understand or miss what Jesus was trying to tell them.

but Jesus goes on to say.

Matthew 13:13–14 (NIV)

This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;

though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

A school teacher will see this in their students. some will grasp a truth or concept quickly while another might take a long time, but then will light up with understanding. still others will not ever understand.

William Barclay records a story told by H. L. Gee about an old man named Thomas. As sometimes happens when a person lives a long life and outlives his contemporaries and doesn’t have much family. When they die their are not many to attend their funeral. When Thomas died Gee , decided that he would attend his funeral. As was expected there were only a few how followed to his grave site. It was a miserable rainy day. There was a soldier who arrived at the last moment and went up to the grave and saluted Thomas’ casket. After the service Gee noticed that the man’s coat blew open and he saw the The insignia that identified the soldier as a Brigid-er. Gee asked the soldier how he knew Thomas and he replied that Thomas was a Sunday School teacher when he was a boy. He was a wild one and Thomas had shown him the way of salvation. He replied that it was Thomas who had set him on the right path with Jesus as his guide. He gave Thomas credit for what he had become in life.

We don’t know what will result when we plant the seeds of the gospel.

In verses 13-23 Jesus explains in more depth what is meant by the parable.

From childhood I have had a picture in my mind of a field on our farm. There was a path, in our case where we drove the tractors when entering the field. The ground was packed pretty hard. We would work it and plant it but it did not have any depth so seeds did not grow.

The seed that fell on the path is like someone hearing the Word, but not understanding it. what little they might have heard is snatched away by the devil.

Satan does not want anyone to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. He will do everything he possibly can to prevent that from happening. Sometimes people think that when they become a Christian every thing is going to be fine. that’s true for our eternal life, but while we are still here on earth we are going to face trials and temptations. If our faith is strong, deep rooted we will be able to weather the storms of life.

The seed that fell on rocky ground, again there is the picture in my mind. there were several areas in our field that were rocky. We would plant and some of the seed would sprout and grow but it really thinned out as the season progressed because there was no depth of soil. It was especially affected by dry weather and would shrivel and die.

Then there were the thorns! It is amazing how thorns and other weeds can survive and thrive where good seed cannot. I often observe a weedy patch and think that we should develop good seed that is as hardy as the weeds. In the late summer when pastures dry up the spiny red root continues to grow.

Cookie has a flower (Hast ah) that grows in our yard, I think that it grows between 2 - 4 inches a day. I think it would be good to have a forage plant for our cattle that would grow so fast.

The fourth group of seeds is what fell on the good soil. The field that I am picturing had several acres that were on a slope. that part of the field would give a good yield , but the acreage that was on the level near a stream was always the best yielding, much more than a hundred fold.

I don’t know if you are able to picture the sower and the soil in your mind’s eye the way that I do, but perhaps you have your own frame of mind. Other parables of Jesus spoke to different events in peoples lives, fishermen for example.Jesus closes his parable with the charge; He, that has an ear let him hear.

One of the biggest problems facing the church today might by the believer who has shallow roots. The one who believes but does not grow in faith. the one who does not read God’s Word or worship with others regularly. The one who becomes so busy in the cares of this world that they lose focus on the vision of heaven and living a life of faith here on this earth.

One of my concerns with the ministry in Mozambique is that all the people accepting Christ is greater that pastors and leaders are able to mentor new believers. That is why the building of the school to train pastors was so important. We want to have these new believers established in good soil.

Matthew records a second parable about weeds in Matthew 13.24-30

Matthew 13:24–30 (NIV)

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”

There is a plant called “darnel” it is a grass that looks like wheat. It has an extensive root system that will spread out and entwine its self around the root of the good wheat. If one would try to pull it out while it is growing in the wheat field, the wheat itself would be destroyed. At harvest it must be removed because the darnel seed is slightly poisonous having a narcotic effect, causing dizziness, and stomach distress.

There is a weedy grass that grows in our area that we call cheat. It forms a head similar to wheat , but the seeds are light weight almost to the point of being empty and provides no nutrition.

The picture of someone coming in during the night and sowing bad seed. I think that someone would be so lazy that they would not make the effort to sow bad seed. I know that some people have remarked that if criminals worked as hard at an honest endeavor they would be very successful.

Nancy was relating a story of someone who called her on the phone trying to trap her into saying yes. she said that she played along to see how far they would go.

We can liken this to Satan disrupting the church. While much good is happening in the church, satan sows seeds of discontent causing divisions and arguments. Most people within the church are believers, who are worshipping God and wanting to learn more about Him and desire to serve him. Others are content to just continue where they are, not looking for growth. Still others are argumentative and disruptive, always critical of others.

If we follow this line of thought in this parable we would see that there are problems in the church. Ideas that are presented as being of God when they are not.

There is movement in the church today to be all inclusive. We will compromise and tolerate many things for the sake of unity. This might be good to a certain point, but it allows sinful practices to come into the church and become so imbedded that it is difficult to root out. Just like the parable the weeds will be separated at harvest.

We have seen this in the Presbyterian church. Several new groups have formed as a result of the desire to follow the Bible more closely. The PCA, EPC, and ECO of which we are a part.

Our Methodist neighbors are going through this division right now.

This is difficult when division takes place. Friends that we worshipped with are now going in a different direction. Last week Cookie was talking with a lady who commented that their church voted to stay with the United Methodist church. Her take on this was we shouldn’t judge, God will be the judge. This is true, wherever we have a responsibility, to follow God’s teaching and call sin, sin. to not allow it to take root in our lives and in the life of the church.

How will we understand these parables, how will we react?

First lets listen to them as the teachings of Jesus, our master teacher. Do we have ears to hear?

Second; How do these word pictures or stories fit our lives? Do we see ourselves in them? Do we have eyes to see?

Third; Do we understand what Jesus is saying? Are we willing to confess our sins and repent? To be good soil in which his Word will grow, well rooted, and produce abundant fruit?

Are we willing to be his disciples here in this world at this place and time? To answer his call; “follow me.”