(Text and Audio)
Title: The Sower (Part One)
Today we move into the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, and also into the third main section of Matthew’s writing.
This shift that we begin today takes us into a look at the Kingdom of Heaven, a concept that Jesus explains largely with the use of parables. In fact, in chapter 13 alone Jesus used 7 parables to explain the concept of the Kingdom to his audience. As we begin this study today, we will look at our first parable, as the first part of a 3 sermon series. This week is the parable itself, next week we will look at Jesus’ reasoning to his apostles as to why he teaches in parables, and then, the week following we will see the parable explained.
So the first thing we need to do, before we begin today, is to define what, exactly a parable is.
Parable: Definition
Who thinks they have a good working definition of a parable? (Take Answers)
-A scene from everyday life that relates familiar concepts with unfamiliar concepts.
-It isn’t that different from a sermon illustration, or a metaphor
Q: Why types of parables does Jesus tend to use, and why?
A: Nature and work (mainly farming and fishing), because these were the things that his audience would be most familiar with.
For example, if, during the course of today’s sermon I begin an illustration with, “It’s like when you are taking the garbage out…” or “You know when you go to the dentist..” How many of you would be following me with familiarity into those examples?
Exactly. But, on the other hand, if I began an example by saying, “You know when you are flying in your private jet and…” The only person I can think of who that might relate to is Nick Wheeler, and he moved to Norwalk. Bad metaphor, bad illustration, bad parable.
Now that we have a working understanding of the definition and purpose of parables, let’s turn in our text and ask the Lord to bless our study this morning.
(read/pray)
- Jesus was a Rock Star
We see in verses 1 and 2 that it was hard for Jesus to avoid the masses. In many cases we read of him withdrawing to pray, or just to be alone with his apostles so that he could have quality time investing in them. I know we’ve talked a bit about this before, but I’d like for us to keep in mind the focus of these masses, why they were following Jesus to such a great degree that in order to even communicate with them effectively, he had to get in a boat to not be overcrowded.
Also, I think it’s worth noting that we see Matthew mention two separate times that Jesus “sat”. First, he went out of the house, while alone, and sat by the sea. The masses found him, and crowded him to such a point that he had to launch out in this boat to get a proper distance from them, and yet, he teaches them while sitting. Perhaps this is Matthew’s way of subtly illustrating how worn out Jesus was, he needed rest, and the crowd was not giving him any.
Why were the crowds mobbing him?
- He was performing miracles, they wanted to see them.
- He was performing miracles, they needed to be healed.
- Could this be the Messiah?
- What’s the big deal?
- Is he a threat? (Jewish or Roman)
- The Parable Itself
So this first parable is an agrarian example that would have been very appropriate to Jesus’ farming audience. All of these people would have been able to relate to, to understand the story of someone planting seeds, just like you would understand a sermon illustration that I used about taking out the garbage, or going to the dentist.
We understand the intended goal is to have the seed take root, and to eventually yield a crop. That was common knowledge, nobody in Jesus’ audience would have needed explanation on that. What is the design of a seed? What is it’s endgame?
To grow into a useable crop.
And then Jesus outlines three ways that the seed does NOT take root, does NOT grow, and does NOT do what a seed is designed to do.
- Wayside/Birds
- Stony Places/No roots/Withered
- Thorns/Overpowered
Now, what I’d like to do at this point, but can’t, is explain what all of these pitfalls, these 3 obstacles represent, but I can’t, anyone know why?
Because that comes in two weeks when Jesus actually explains the meaning of the parable to the apostles. And I think he’s going to do a better job than me, agreed?
But for now, here is what I want to leave you with: Jesus’ words immediately following the parable, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
What does Jesus’ statement suggest?
Not everybody has ears to hear.
And that is what we will dig into next week as Jesus explains not only why he teaches in parables, but also why not everyone has ears to hear.
Pray.