“And great crowds gathered about Jesus…And he told them many things in parables…” – Matthew 13:2-3
One of the richest goldmines in Scripture to dig deep into are the parables of Jesus. Well, get out your shovel and gold pans, because this fall our new teaching series is called, “More Than A Story: Unlocking The Secrets Of Jesus’s Parables”.
Too many people think of the Lord’s parables as little more than children’s stories, but they are so much more than that. They were a strategic form of communication that Jesus utilized as his popularity grew, along with his audience, in the early days of his ministry.
Why Did Jesus Use Parables?
First, because they were seismic.
Jesus wanted to shake people to the core with the truths about God’s Kingdom he was teaching. Stories have power to reach a person’s heart in a way that other types of speech do not. Just say the words, “Once upon a time…” and watch the people around you lean forward. Jesus could tell people to “love their neighbors” with a 3-point lesson, that most of them would forget by dinnertime. Or he could tell the story of the Good Samaritan, which all of them would still be thinking about two or three days later.
Second, because they were subversive.
Parables were a way for Jesus to speak truth to power. With them, he could call out the leaders around him, especially the religious leaders, who were running roughshod over God’s people, similar to how Nathan used a parable to confront David about his great sin with Bathsheba. The Old Testament is filled with parables and picture stories, so of course Jesus as Israel’s greatest prophet, priest, and king would use them.
Third, because they were divisive.
Think about who was in that “great crowd”. It included those religious leaders, but also faithful Jews eager for the Kingdom of God to show itself, and here Jesus came announcing that people should “repent for the kingdom of God was at hand” (Matthew 4:17). It included people who didn’t have a religious bone in their bodies, but rumor had it that Jesus did miracles, so if you were lucky, maybe you’d see a magic show. It included political zealots, eager to kick some Roman-butt and tell Caesar where to go.
Through parables, Jesus could speak to them all, especially the faithful seekers who were eager to draw closer to God. They would hear his stories and naturally press in closer to him to learn more, while the skeptics and scoundrels would grow weary of trying to figure his stories out, and walk away thinking him a nutcase.
Fourth, because they were kingdom proclamations.
For most Jews, the arrival of God’s Kingdom meant a return to material prosperity and political freedom. But the true kingdom Jesus was ushering in would be a spiritual kingdom of the heart, not a worldly one. And it would come with a very different value system than most were expecting. Jesus explained it to them plainly and in detail in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It didn’t promise prosperity, but persecution. It didn’t require defeating enemies, but praying for them. It didn’t lead to growing in wealth, but in generosity.
Though the audience that heard his Sermon was astonished by his teaching, honestly there was enough here to offend everyone. And so the parables for Jesus became another way for him to teach these truths without stirring up a hornet’s nest every time. The parables became living illustrations of the kingdom-value-system Jesus proclaimed in his Sermon.
How Do I Know If I’m Living For God’s Kingdom?
Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount to “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). How do I know if I’m doing that?
In chapter 13, Matthew introduces us to seven of Jesus’s parables, which seem to be organized to show the full sweep of God’s Kingdom, from its birth in our hearts to the consummation of its growth on the earth.
So in three of them (the Parables of the Sower, the Mustard Seed, and Leaven), Jesus explains how God’s Kingdom is birthed then grows in our hearts. In two of them (the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value), he makes clear the immense value God’s Kingdom should have for us. In the Parables of the Weeds, and finally the Net, Jesus depicts the destiny of the Kingdom for those who seek and serve God’s Kingdom first.
If you are wondering who in that great crowd around Jesus you might be, the themes of these seven parables provide a good diagnostic template for helping you decide. Just ask yourself any the following questions, and you’ll have your answer.
The Growth Of The Kingdom:
Am I growing in my faith? Do I want to grow? What things are hindering my growth? Do I have a plan for growth that includes growing in Knowledge, and Fruitfulness, and Christlikeness (see Colossians 1:9-10)? And do I want the Kingdom to grow not only within me, but around me? Do I share my love for Jesus with others? Do I pray for souls around me to meet Jesus? Am I widely planting seeds of the gospel around me?
The Value Of The Kingdom:
Am I seeking first God’s kingdom above everything else? Am I serving Jesus as my highest master? When I look at the various piles of treasure I am accumulating, is it obvious that I up laying up treasure in heaven first? If my eyes are the lamp of my body, as Jesus says, what are the things that I spend the most time looking at and longing for and dreaming about? How easily do I skip church or forget about my quiet time? What would I give up or sacrifice for Jesus?
The Destiny Of The Kingdom:
If history is “His Story”, with a beginning and an end, am I living for the Lord’s purposes? Do I recognize that I am made ‘by God and for God’, and that my life is a gift from him? Do I consult with Jesus daily on how I should live my life? Can I identify my spiritual gifts and talents, and have I made them available to the Lord?
There’s a song called “Hosanna” sung by Hillsong with the following verse. Read these words right now, and make them a prayer to the Lord for yourself.
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from Earth into eternity