MATTHEW 13

The last lesson for this quarter has 7 parables and an analogy. As usual, I'll cover the whole chapter, at least a bit, rather than focus on just the part in the book.

Reminder: a parable has been said to be an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Most of Jesus's parables are included in the Parables of the Kingdom and often beging “The kingdom of heaven is like...” Most parables have one main meaning, even though we preachers are addicted to spinning out way more than that. To interpret His first meaning, seek the heart of meaning.

The first story will be familiar to most of you, the Parable of the Sower. Notice a few things. The sower and the seed are always the same. Thus many suggest a better name would be the parable of the soils. What happens to the seed depends on the soil it falls on. If I preach to an audience of 100, I am actually preaching 100 sermons, for each person hears it differently.

I've several times taught a Wednesday night study to prepare Sunday School teachers for the next week. Often I ask how the last week's lesson went. If I had eight teachers in front of me, they reported eight different lessons – all jumping off from the same scripture and the same quarterly. So the next time you hear someone criticizing a sermon, ask yourself whether it's the message or the hearer!

Note this parable is unusual because Jesus explained it to the disciples, which He seldom did. It's also unusual because it works as an allegory, rather than delivering one single meaning as I mentioned above.

I feel sure one purpose of the parable was to encourage the disciples to keep preaching the gospel. You do the work for the good soil. Even tho it may seem ¾ of the crowd never get it, the results of those whose lives are transformed is more than worth it.

Note also the explanation of why He taught in parables. I'll go beyond what the author of the quarterly says and add that even people who don't understand remember the story. Maybe later in bed at night or walking down a road, a light bulb will come on, and they will suddenly grasp the story's meaning.

Compare Jesus's statement that to one who has will more be given to the parable elsewhere of the talents. Some have thought it unfair that Jesus has the owner give the single talent to the man who has already doubled the amount he started with. But he is the one who had proven he knew what to do with money to make more. In passing, let me point out that in the talent story, Jesus does not punish the man because he tried and failed. Punishment came because he did not try.

The second parable is the wheat and tares. An enemy sows weeds among the grain hoping to choke it and reduce the owner's crop. His workers ask whether they should weed the field. The owner fears if they do the weeds look so much like the wheat and grow so close that if they pull weeds, they will also disrupt the grain. He decides to waith until harvest, and then the workers can separate wheat and weeds.

Later in the chapter Jesus also explains this parable also at the disciples' request. He is the owner, the one sowing the seed – his teaching. The devil is the enemy who tries to deceive the others and take the teachings of Christ away and replace them with evil. The same will apply to the disciples and to us as we pass along his message. Expect some to accept, others to reject. Let God sort them out in the final judgment.

Don't miss the statement “the field is the world.” It answers the question what are the limits of the gospel? Putting the two parables together, we are to spread the seed far and wide to as many as we can. Don't pause to evaluate, except to improve communication, but keep telling the story.

Two paired parables present close to the same teaching. The grain of mustard seed growing to a huge tree – I always think of an acorn and a live oak – speaks to the power of God, the Spirit, the gospel to take small beginnings and increase them steadily to immense size. Take this as a prophesy, and we have seen its fulfillment from one man and a few followers into a billion people! We have also seen it grow within our own lives into a strong force that God can use. The “modern missionary movement” began with William Carey and 14 ministers at an associational pastors' conference. How many people began your present church?

The second parable was yeast penetrating throughout the bread. I see this as referring to more quality than quantity. The gospel permeates and changes the culture one person at a time, one church at a time. Reflect a bit on how the Spirit is molding your life to be more like Christ.

The next two parables have one meaning. Whatever you have to surrender, whatever you have to do to enter the Kingdom, it's worth it. Nothing else is more important. We can easily understand why someone would sell all they have to possess a perfect jewel or a hidden treasure. The gospel is that important. Proclaim it! This means, by the way, that Jesus is the most important person you will ever meet and decide how you will relate to him!

Near the end of the chapter, Jesus repeats the meaning of the wheat and tares. Fishermen bring in a net full of fish. But they don't quit there. They separate the keepers from the culls, the wrong species, those too small, etc. Likewise He says at the judgment God's angels with cull the saved and the lost. Don't forget that Jesus, while full of love, still looks reality in the face and keeps pointing us to it as well. Some decisions affect today, some this year, some a lifetime – and some eternity.

He concludes with a short parable, or perhaps only an analogy. He says that an Old Testament scholar of the law who becomes a disciple is like a homeowner who has treasures both old and new! He is affirming the value of that OT, especially the Torah or Law, but insisting that as the kingdom breaks new revelations are coming! Likewise we have found truth throughout our lives, and we should be constantly melding in with the new insights the Lord reveals to us.