What does hard-hearted mean?
Why does Jesus always talk in riddles and parables?
Good seeds grow well in good soil.
What’s a parable?
• A math term, a U-shaped curve? No, that’s a parabola
• It’s like a campfire story with a big lesson to learn
It's like a secret code hidden in plain sight. A story that consists of:
• Characters
• Plot
• Twist
• Lesson
• Something we can reflect on
• Sometimes in trilogies
A wisdom bomb for those that are saved. For the unsaved, it is funny, nonsense, and something that doesn't matter.
Those that mock Jesus' parables in his time, were the very ones Jesus was preaching against.
A parable is the GPS that can help us navigate the streets of life.
Matthew 13:1-9 says:
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear."
And what else might those birds be that immediately ate up the seed?
• Those that try to deconstruct Christians
• Laziness
• Cute animal videos
• University professors
• Fallen angels
• Fallen people
• Gangs, Thugs, Bullies
• Memes
• People who have not been saved
• People who hate God
• Amazon Prime
• Random Distractions
• Misunderstandings
• Why would Jesus speak in Parables?
• Why would Jesus speak in riddles and parables instead of just being straightforward with it and being direct?
Matthew 13:10-17 gives us the answer:
His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it."
Parable confusion is an act of judgment and mercy on unbelievers
• Judgment: kept unbelievers in the darkness that they loved
• Mercy: they had already rejected the truth and the light, so speaking more truth would only make them bigger haters
Matthew 13:11:” To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge”
Jesus says “more understanding will be given”
Understanding the spiritual truths in the bible is a gift of God, given to the Elect/Chosen, to the ones who believe.
Matthew 13:13: Jesus says “For they look, but they don’t really see.”
People who hate God or don’t believe won’t see the spiritual truths in scripture. They will read the words, but not understand the deeper meaning. Their hatred, selfishness, and rebellion makes them blind to truth. They prefer lies over truth. In Theology, we call this ideological presuppositions. These are beliefs, principles, and assumptions that you come to the table with.
Not all believers are equally fruitful
John 7:16 “you know will them by their fruit”
John 15:18 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples”
Conclusion
Jesus wasn’t talking about seeds; he was talking about how we grow in our faith.
Our hearts are like soil:
• Sometimes we’re hard-hearted (like the path)
• Sometimes shallow (like the rocks)
• Sometimes distracted (like the thorns)
• Sometimes we love money, wanna be in the Gucci gang, or love trash world instead of what is right
When we listen to God’s Word and let it sink in, we become good soil—ready to grow and make a difference.
Can being distracted hurt our spiritual walk with Jesus?
How do we know if we are in the right soil?
Why does Jesus always talk in riddles and parables?
Where can we go to help others who are in the wrong place in their heads and hearts?
Which soil are you in?
- Charles Mattson
Student Ministries Director
