Listing of Parables

Today marks the start of a new sermon series about The Parables of Jesus.

You might be asking yourselves, What are Parables? To that I will say that Parables are like illustrations, they make a challenging thought easier to understand. The word “parable” is taken from the Greek word parable, meaning literally “to throw alongside.” A parable is a comparison from daily life, thrown in to illustrate something that might be abstract to make it more clear. Pastor Chuck Swindoll once said “Sometimes we come to some knotty problems in Scripture. It's like buying a little can of Minute Maid orange juice that's concentrated. No one drinks out of that little can, it is way too powerful to be enjoyed. Instead you dilute it so that it becomes delectable and tasty to your palate.”

So, Parables, like illustrations, complement other ideas, so that the reader or hearer might more easily apply the principal of what is intended to be conveyed.

As you can see in this graphic, there are 30 some Parables, of which some are small and some are larger, and some are related to others so there are opportunities to combine. But Jesus frequently used Parables to teach the Disciples and others that were within earshot before He was ultimately crucified. The first three Gospel books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark and Luke, otherwise known as the Synoptic Gospels, have some of the same parables, however the book of John doesn’t have any of these teaching Parables. My hope is that we can all learn something from this treasure trove of wisdom given by our Savior Jesus Christ.

Please turn to Matthew 13:10-11 in your Bible, Which I call God’s Inspired, Infallible, and Living Word. But lest us start with PRAYER

Matthew 13:10–11 (CSB) Then the disciples came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?” 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.

Generally Jesus' parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, and all of them convey messages. Many of Jesus' parables refer to simple everyday things, such as a woman baking bread, a man knocking on his neighbor's door at night, or the aftermath of a roadside mugging; yet they deal with some major religious themes, such as the growth of the Kingdom of God, the importance of prayer, and the meaning of love. These parables remind me of stories told around the campfire, or stories handed down from generation to generation. Generally, they are easy to comprehend but also have some deep understanding and implications.

You should know that Jesus was speaking these Parables to several different groups and gatherings with various backgrounds and education. The Jewish leaders that were there, along with some of the Roman’s too probably had been educated. However, the Samaritans and the general crowd who were also there probably had very little education or worldly understanding. There were also many international visitors present that were coming to Jerusalem for Passover and to visit the Jewish Synagogue. So, their understanding of Aramaic and Hebrew which was native to Jesus was probably somewhat limited.

It is believed that Jesus mostly spoke Aramaic, but He also knew Hebrew as He would quote from the Hebrew scrolls and the Torah. The New Testament we now enjoy here is in English, but you should know that it was initially written in Greek as it was the language of the Roman empire, and Greek was taught during the years of the New Testament was being written from 50 to 100 AD. So the New Testament authors wrote the original text in Greek. We think in America it is difficult to deal with two languages, while they were and still are dealing with multiple different languages in the Holy land.

It is estimated that at least one-third of Jesus’ recorded teaching is found in the parables. So, if you want to know Jesus, then we should read and head these Parables. [SLIDE] In verse 12 it says:

Matthew 13:12 (CSB) 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.

This is an interesting statement by Jesus here. He restates this same idea later in Matthew 25:29 where he said, “For everyone who has, will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Effectively, Jesus is saying that for those that have truly accepted Him as their Savior and Lord, they will understand these parables. However, those that have not received Jesus as their savior and Lord, what they hear, they will not understand, it will not make sense, it will be effectively gibberish to them. [SLIDE] Verse 13 continues:

Matthew 13:13–15 (CSB) That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, but never understand; you will look and look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back— and I would heal them.

Jesus quoted here from Old Testament, Isaiah 6:9-10. The prophet Isaiah had found that people were so lost in sin that they even resented hearing God's Word and deliberately turned away. Jesus experienced the same disappointment and frustration. The people's hardness of heart (pride, arrogance and prejudice) prevented them from understanding and accepting Jesus' teachings. Sadly, that same dynamic still exists today. Some people just don’t want to know the truth.

A commentator named Barclay explains it this way: When Isaiah spoke, He spoke half in irony and half in despair and altogether in love. He was thinking, "God sent me to bring His truth to this people; and for all the good I am doing I might as well have been sent to shut their minds to it. In other words, he might as well have been speaking to a brick wall". Have you ever been there?

Have you ever attempted to teach a class or give sage advice, only to be greeted with blank stares or even ridicule for doing so? You can’t force people to listen to you. You can’t force people to heed your advice. Jesus knew that and He was doing what he could with these parables so that some might consider. He was also teaching his Disciples how they too might reach more to save more souls.

As Jesus spoke and taught; He probably saw many of their eyes were glassed over, dull or blank in comprehension. I could imagine, the poignant sorrow of the God-man Jesus who had a tremendous gift of knowledge and instruction to give, however many of the people were just too blind to receive. So sad indeed.

Prayer: God save us from our not hearing or not understanding Your Holy truth.

In general, a parable invites the reader or listener to supply the interpretation. In most cases, it is left to us to determine the meaning and the application. I think that the use of parables or stories are ingenious because there are multitudes of dynamics in the world about us, and if you get to specific, then it might keep someone from being able to apply the lesson to their individual situations.

I must admit that some of the parables are difficult to interpret, however the meaning is clear for most of them. Even some of Jesus' enemies often understood His parables even though they may not have accepted the lesson intended. Over the next couple months as we walk through these parables, I will do my best to convey the intended understanding to you. But let me know if you would like more explanation as we go through them.

You should know however, that Jesus’ purpose in some of these Parables was also to Conceal the teaching meaning for some, because of the hardness of some of the people’s hearts. So again, Parables sometimes were used Reveal, and sometimes to Conceal “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven”.

In verse 16 it says:

Matthew 13:16–17 (CSB)

Jesus told this to His followers that day, and He tells that to His followers here today as well. We are blessed to understand what He has to teach us through these parables. I pray you listen with open ears, minds and hearts, and you seek understanding as it surely can make a huge difference on your life going forward.

jumping forward just a bit in verse 34 it says,

34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”

By speaking to the crowd in parables, Jesus also hoped that they might be blessed to remember them. The people generally had to memorize the teachings back then. It wasn’t like they had many bibles laying around like we do today.

Do you know the average American home today has 4.4 Bibles. Now I am not suggesting that they are actually reading them, but they are available if they ever desire to read and reflect upon God’s Word. Today we also have the luxury of even pulling the Bible up on our phones, and our computers or tablets. The Point is, Bibles are readily available these days. During Jesus’ time, very few people had access to the precious scrolls. Very few were given the privilege to actually read from them. But many people memorized the Bible, especially the songs and hymns that come from Psalms or Proverbs. By reciting and memorizing in rhyme and song, people had a better opportunity to remember them, dwell on them and apply them to their daily lives. The same dynamic goes for Parables, as they are mostly illustrative stories, and people generally remember the stories easier.

This reminds me of an old story my father-in-law told my daughters when they were wee little girls. He said, “One cold dark stormy night the captain and his men sitting around the campfire and one of them said ‘come-on Jim, tell us a story’ so Jim began.. One cold dark stormy night the captain and his men sitting around the campfire and one of them said ‘come-on Jim, tell us a story’ so Jim began.. One cold dark stormy night the captain and his men sitting around the campfire and one of them said “come-on Jim, tell us a story” so Jim began.. At about the third time through, our little daughter said, “So Jim began, Jim began, Jim began”, lol.  Repetition in reading God’s word, and the hymns we sing, and stories (parables) we share, is how we too might more easily remember them.

Jesus was a masterful communicator, and He knew there is a science or practice about our ability to remembering things. He wanted people to remember what He taught them. There is a greater utility that can be gained by hearing remembering God’s Word. We can read with our eyes, and we read aloud with our voices, then we hear it being said.. and by doing so, especially in repetition then it has a better chance of getting stored-up in a way you might later recall it.

Jesus taught in parables, and many of His parables often have an unexpected twist, or surprise endings that catches our attention and drives home the lesson. These parables give us a feeling and insight into heavenly and spiritual concepts that cannot easily be expressed in mere words. They also give us a much richer understanding of the kingdom of God and its values, which are often the opposite of worldly values. These parables are a gift from our Savior Jesus Christ and they deserve our time and attention.  And that is why we are going through this sermon series of The Parables of Jesus.  [SLIDE]

So, what might we apply to our own lives today through this sermon?

1) Tell your story. Nothing is more effective then just telling folks how you have come to love the Lord. But in sharing with others, we should know our audience. As mature Christians, we tend to use a language that a lot of other people may not understand. Jesus experienced that, Isaiah experienced that and we also will experienced that. We frequently use words like Sanctification, Salvation, Communion, Baptized..  [Movie].  

We should be sensitive to the receiver of the messages we intend to give. Our Christian language could be complemented by illustrations or parables or our experiences to make clearer the message that’s intended. [SLIDE]

2) Just like Jesus quoted from Isaiah in the Old Testament to help the people understand; we too should consider referring to and maybe even quoting scripture more often in our own conversations, as we are dealing with and deliberating on real life issues of which HE is the authority.

Get into God’s Word. I promise that you will be blessed in doing so. [SLIDE]

So, I hope you got something out of this introduction to our sermon series on Parables. Like the orange juice concentrate in those little cans, I hope I offered it up for you in such a way that you too could enjoy the fruit of Jesus’s Words both today and in the weeks ahead. Jesus has a message for each of us in these Parables. And it is truly my honor and privilege to share them with you.  [SLIDE]

Will you please rise..