PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 13:1-9
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He told them many things in parables…” (Matthew 13:3)
Most people have heard the word ‘parable’, but what does it actually mean?
Doing a word study shows this: to throw (ballein) beside (para).
Jesus throws this story out there to put it beside a deeper truth or meaning.
The story and the deeper truth are like each other: this is like that.
When talking about things beyond our understanding, we need aids to help us.
Think of a metaphor or allegory, a children’s message in church or an analogy.
In a sense, the whole bible is parable: God’s truth is something like this or that.
I’m not saying it is not true; rather, it is true just as Jesus’s parables are true.
The bible can be hard to understand, but how do we respond to the ‘seed’ we hear?
We need the Spirit of God to help us understand the realities of God (1 Corinthians 2:13-14).
We also need ‘ears to hear’ (open hearts and minds) to discern God’s truth in what we read.
When you read something in the bible you don’t understand, what do you do?
Do you just walk away, or do you spend time pondering what the Lord is saying to you?
I sense the Spirit of Jesus asking me, ‘is my heart and mind open to God’s teaching?’
PRAYER
Lord, without your Spirit’s help, I would not understand this parable. Help me to understand the seeds I read each day, and to dig deeper when the meaning eludes me.
We should expect people in our fellowship to be of all the kinds that Jesus described. The important thing is that the Gospel is preached and so that people have the opportunity to hear even if they do not listen: “Whoever has ears, let them hear”. We pray for all the types and pray that they may come to know Jesus – that they may grow and persevere in the faith – that they may act on what they hear. We can’t make them and as long as they do not act against the preaching of the good news we should continue to scatter the seed. Sure we would like to remove the choking weeds – and help those that are being choked by whatever reason – to pray for them so that they will persevere too! Lord help me to help! Use me to scatter and to nurture with the help of your HS!
“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Open my ears Lord that I may hear You speaking through the reading of Your Word each day. May it draw me closer to You and guide my feet in my walk with You. May Your Spirit be at work in my heart so I apply that Word in my daily words and deeds. Help me to grow in Your Way so that am an epistle – read by all those around me.
You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know You are near