The Purpose of Parables
Matthew 13:10-17
August 27, 2006
Introduction
Have you heard the parable about the three athletes?
Three athletes are about to be executed.
One is a short dark haired hockey player; one is a bald headed tennis player, and the third is a tall blond haired soccer player.
The guard brings the dark haired hockey player forward and the executioner asks if he has any last minute request. He replies ‘No’ so the executioner sets him up and then turns and shouts to the firing squad: “Ready! Aim…”
Suddenly the hockey player yells out: “Earthquake!” Everyone is startled and starts looking around, and in the confusion the hockey player runs away and escapes.
The guard brings the next victim along: the bald headed tennis player. The executioner asks if he has any last minute request. He answers in the negative, so the executioner gets him ready then barks his order to the firing squad: “Ready! Aim...”
Suddenly the tennis player yells loudly as he can: “Tornado!” Everyone is distracted and starts to look up at the sky, and the tennis player quickly makes his getaway.
By now the tall blond haired footballer has got it all worked out. The guard escorts him forward and executioner asks if he has any last minute request. He replies ‘No’ and the executioner turns sharply to the firing squad and shouts: “Ready! Aim...”
And the soccer player bawls out: “Fire!”
(Sermon Central.com. Contributed by: Peter Bines)
Okay, so it’s a joke and not a parable…
Last week we looked at the parable of the sower, and looked at how different types of people respond to the Word of God that is sown in our life.
And in the middle of that passage in Matthew 13, the disciples come up to Jesus and ask Him a question about why He chooses to teach in parables.
And His answer gives us some insight to both Jesus and the way He chose to communicate with people.
Jesus used all sorts of methods to communicate with people.
He used straight “lecture” or preaching-type ways. He taught by example, demonstrating to His disciples what He meant or giving them an example to follow.
And He also used story-telling and parables. But what is the reasoning behind these parables?
Well I think we can find some answers as we look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 13:10-17 (pp. 690-691) –
10 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
"’You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
From this passage I think we can find four main functions of parables.
But I also want us to look at some of the implications for us today.
It’s nice to know what the parables are all about and what’s behind them. But there’s more to it than that – we have to see just what Jesus was trying to accomplish and see if there is a lesson for us as well.
And let me tell you, there is stuff in here for us, so listen up in case the Holy Spirit has something He wants to talk to you about, okay?
Let’s get started and look at the four main functions of parables. Here’s the first one:
Parables served to teach lessons.
This isn’t expressed in the passage, but it’s clear because of how often it happened and because of the reactions of those who heard them, that parables served to teach lessons to the people.
Jesus knew that one of the best ways to get the point across was to use a story or a comparison to help people relate to what He was saying.
Parables were used in the Old Testament as well. One well-known parable was the one the prophet Nathan used to confront David’s sin with Bathsheba.
Nathan talked about how a rich man had taken for himself the favorite sheep of a local shepherd, and after David angrily denounced the rich man, Nathan said, “Oh by the way, you are the rich man in my little story.”
David was like, “Okaaaaaay. I get it. I’ve sinned.”
Stories have a way of sticking in our brains in ways that straight lecturing doesn’t have.
For instance - Why was Aesop so famous? I mean, here’s a guy who was a slave, yet he captivated people with his moral lessons like no other except Jesus.
It’s because his moral lessons were cloaked in a story that people could understand and relate to.
I could say, “Stop being a jerk.” But you might take it better if I say, “Let me tell you the story of a little bunny and a fish…”
In the same way as stories, using comparisons is a great way to help people understand things that might otherwise get lost.
Jesus constantly said things like, “The Kingdom of heaven is like…”
And He’d use something from the everyday life of the people. Things like weeds, wheat, and yeast – things that were familiar to everyone who heard Him speak.
Because Jesus knew that if you communicate using the experiences, context, and vocabulary of the people you’re trying to reach, it goes a whole lot better.
But in our passage for today, Jesus gives three other reasons, and I want us to look at each of them now.
Parables served to reveal truth.
"The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you…”
Of course, this is closely related to the first main function.
Jesus is saying that some people will get the parables and learn from them, and they would catch and understand the truth.
But just who is this truth for? His disciples. Those who have a close walk with Jesus and live for Him.
Understanding is reserved for those who are serious about living for Christ.
It’s not necessarily for the “smart” or pious. If that were the case, the Pharisees would have figured all this out, and Jesus wouldn’t have had all the arguments with them.
But they didn’t get it – because they had no interest in learning from Jesus or living for Him.
And here were all these guys in fancy robes and big hats scratching their heads, afraid to say anything because they didn’t want to be like the people who were afraid to admit they didn’t see the emperor’s new clothes – which, of course, is a parable about vanity and pride.
As we commit to living for Him, He opens our minds and hearts to understanding.
Jesus said that if we have His commands and obey them, then He would reveal even more of Himself to us.
Wanna know God? Wanna possess truth that can change your life forever?
Then take what you do know about Jesus and His words and put them into practice. Jesus says He’ll bring more your way.
And let me say something here. Just because you don’t understand a certain parable now doesn’t mean that you won’t understand it later or that you’re not really a disciple of Christ.
The issue is the heart. If you have an earnest desire to learn from Jesus and live for Him, then He’s going to give you all you can understand and help you gain the capacity for even more understanding.
But if you’re not interested in following Jesus, then don’t expect Him to give you all sorts of truth and understanding.
And that leads me to the third main function of parables and that is that…
Parables served to hide truth.
What? How could that be?
Well, Jesus said that truth is for His followers…
“…but not to them.”
In other words, truth is for the followers of Jesus, but not for those who will not follow Him.
Now this is one of the harder things to swallow for many people.
Jesus talked a lot about God’s love for everybody, and in 2 Peter we find that God doesn’t want anyone to perish, or go to hell, but wants everyone to be saved.
So how does that square with Jesus’ words here?
Well we have to consider that there are lots of people who didn’t accept the words of Jesus, even when He spoke clearly and frankly, just as there are plenty of people who do the same today.
So who is “them?” Those who would reject Jesus and His words.
If a person isn’t really interested in following Christ, then they won’t understand the parables and they won’t grasp the truth they contain.
And this serves nicely to introduce the third main function of parables, and that is that…
Parables served to fulfill prophecy –
And what prophecy is that? It’s the prophecy of lack of understanding.
Jesus quotes a prophecy found in Isaiah 6:9-10 –
"’You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.’”
Again, this relates directly to the fact that there are those who will never get it, spiritually.
And why is that? We find the answer in verse 15 –
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Notice who did the closing of the eyes here. Was it God? Nope. It was the people themselves.
In other words, this is a purposeful decision to ignore God and His Word.
God knew this was going to happen, and He spoke about it 700 years before Jesus came to earth.
And when people walked away without trying to find out what Jesus was talking about, they fulfilled that prophecy.
Sad. Very sad.
The four main functions for parables were that they served to teach lessons, they served to reveal truth, they served to hide truth, and they served to fulfill prophecy.
Now that’s all fine and good, but what does that mean for us here and now. Well, to help us with that, I’ve come up with three questions that you need to ask yourself regarding how you approach the words of Jesus.
The Big Questions:
1. Are you listening?
Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” In other words, “Pay attention and take my words to heart.”
When you read the words of Christ, or any part of the Bible for that matter, are you listening for what the Spirit might be telling you?
If not, what’s in the way? Maybe you need to get together with God to get that straighten out.
The second question is…
2. Are you committed to following Christ?
Understanding comes to those who are serious about learning from Jesus and putting His words into practice in everyday living.
My job on Sundays is to bring the Word of God to you, and teach you how to make it real in our times, just as it was real when Jesus spoke them.
But I can’t make you understand His words. I can explain, I can try to illustrate, and I can give you nice little note-taking guides, but I can’t force you to understand anything.
That’s Jesus’ job, through the Holy Spirit taking His words and making them live in you.
And that can only happen if you’re committed to live for Him. This is what discipleship is all about – living for Christ.
And Jesus gives a warning here – you are responsible for what you have, and if you’re not willing to take advantage of the understanding you do possess, then even that will be taken away.
When people reject Jesus, their hardness of heart drives away or renders useless even the little understanding they had.—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary
So this brings me to the third big question for you today:
3. What are you going to do with what you’ve got?
Everyone take a Bible in their hands. Either your own, or one of the Bibles in the seats.
If you want, you can hold one with your spouse or child, or whatever. Everyone got it?
You have in your hands the Word of God. He has shown you measureless grace and mercy by even allowing you access to it.
If you don’t own one for yourself, take one of the ones in the seats. They’re yours for the taking at absolutely no charge. We want you to have them.
But listen – it’s not enough to own a Bible. It’s not enough to just listen to it preached on Sundays, and it’s not enough to read it.
The question is this – what are you going to do with what you hear, read, study, memorize, or whatever?
Look back at the words of Jesus here in verse 16:
16 “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
Do you understand the gift you’ve got?
Then take it seriously!
Jesus says that with possession comes responsibility, and you have in your possession something that you are responsible for acting on.
But let’s move on and ask…
So what now?
I want to give you three things you can do right away to open yourself up to greater understanding of the words of Jesus.
> Seriously consider Jesus’ call to discipleship, which leads to understanding.
If you’re already a disciple, then ask God to help you find other areas in your life you need to submit to him.
Another way to open yourself to greater understanding is to…
> Spend some time in prayer, asking God to give you a desire for understanding and the motivation to live for Christ.
And lastly…
> Take action by spending time with Jesus today in the Bible and prayer, asking God to help you do it again tomorrow, and the next day.
A parable is told of a community of ducks waddling off to duck church one Sunday to hear their duck preacher. After they waddled into the duck sanctuary, the service began and the duck preacher spoke eloquently of how God had given the ducks wings with which to fly.
He pounded the pulpit with his beak and said, “With these wings, there is nowhere we ducks can not go!
”There is no God-given task we ducks cannot accomplish!
”With these wings we no longer need walk through life. We can soar high in the sky!”
Shouts of “Amen!¨ were quacked throughout the duck congregation.
The duck preacher concluded his message by exclaiming, “With our wings we can fly through life! WE CAN FLY!!!!¨
More ducks quacked out loud “AMEN!” in response.
Every duck loved the service.
In fact all the ducks that were present commented on what a wonderfully convicting message they had heard from their duck preacher....and then they left the church and waddled all the way home.
Too often we waddle away from worship the same way we waddled in....unchanged.
(Sermon Central.com. Contributed by: George Rennau)
Let’s pray.
