Do You Hear?

Parables… an interesting pedagogical decision.

Parable- Earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Many Critical/liberal Bible scholars question Jesus use of parables.

The Crowd never understands, only a select few get it.

If I am a classroom teacher and I am teaching 25 kids and only 5 get it, then I am not teaching well. The problem with this parallel is that it is not a parallel. A better example would be a mixed class with some advanced students. Everyone will be taught but the advanced students would receive more guidance or information.

There are many reasons for Jesus to use parables. Here are a few.

They use common things to get a point across, remember His audience was uneducated.

They were Provocative-leading the hearer to challenge what they know.

They require focus to interpret. We cannot seek to draw unrelated points from a parable. For instance, in this parable we cant make the birds represent the antichrist or false teachers, the scripture just doesn’t say that and we should stick to the interpretation Jesus gives us.

Spread the Gospel

Many Call this the parable of the sower. But a better name for it is the parable of the soils.

The parable starts with a call to pay attention!

Our Assignment if we choose to accept it is to sow wildly. God is responsible for the Harvest.

The close of this opening admonition is to hear. Let he who has ears hear. One commentator paraphrases Jesus words as, “Now think that one out for yourself, if you can!”

Listen for the Gospel

Jesus here gives his own response as to why he speaks in parables.

He quotes

9He said, "Go and tell this people: "'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' 10Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."

His point, as Dr. Danny Akin puts it is that the same sun that hardens the clay, also softens the wax.

The word both offends and affirms.

Be Receptive to the Gospel

Hard

Gospel Deafness. These people never really hear the message of Christ

Shallow

These people hear but never do anything about it. Oppression of opposition will come, the question is will their roots be deep enough to withstand the storm?

This passage is also convicting as a church leader, it shows the necessity of discipleship.

Distracted

Worry- where is my next check coming from? When will we get the perfect house? what if something happens to my kids? “look at the birds of the air!”

Wealth- I need to earn as much as possible. My kids need a scholarship or they could be professional athletes, so it is more important to be at the ball field.

Craving- I can’t face those people at church after I… or I can’t go to church because I need to get my next fix.

Fruitful

This soil is the encouraging one.

These are the people who fall on good soil. They aggressively pursue the gospel and devour their time alone with God.

The explanation of the parable by Jesus here ends with a promise of 30-60-100 fold harvest. the one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit.

Challenge

Do you tune into the words of Jesus or do you tune them out?

Think carefully, listening to the words of Jesus is dangerous. What you do with his words is critical to your soul.

Be greedy! Get in the word, cherish the life-sustaining and life giving words of Christ.

Have ears that hear!