It’s happening again! The Teacher is speaking to the crowds only in parables. Another covert operation! Code name - Hidden Truth!
He spoke all these things to the crowd in parables, and he did not say anything to them without using a parable!
As before, the Teacher reserves full disclosure of the truth for His students alone. Why? They’re the only ones who really want to know!!!
Then He left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable…”
Pardon me, if I suspect things aren’t much different today - even among those who claim to believe in Jesus!
A recent Barna Group poll surveyed Christians in American with shocking results: Half don’t believe Satan exists. A third think Jesus sinned while on earth. Twenty five percent reject the Bible as accurate in all the principles it teaches.
Americans are increasingly comfortable picking and choosing what they deem to be helpful and accurate…and have become comfortable discarding the rest of the teachings in the Bible. (George Barna)
One more example of this from the parables: Jesus taught the kingdom would spread almost imperceptively, like yeast in bread, and mature gradually as a small mustard seed develops into a larger plant.
But have you noticed how often we selectively ignore the Teacher’s principles and opt instead for more sophisticated worldly marketing techniques to promote Christianity?
Elaborate campaigns, showy displays, militant political action and in-your-face public advertisement, to name a few.
To be good students of Jesus we must not only seek the Teacher’s answers, but trust them enough to be guided by them.
I don't understand how Americans can pick and choose what they believe in the bible.It is either the inspired word of God or it is the biggest hoax in the world.
ReplyDeleteThese parables are about the Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteDo we understand what the Kingdom is?
Some of the basic things taught by these parables?
The mustard seed is one of my favorites - small, yet will grow - to the point you can nest there. Oh to rest in the Kingdom!
And what a blessing to sow, to produce fruit, to be among the wheat, and not be merely a weed.
What a treasure we have found - this Kingdom!
TD, so true. We have become so haughty that now we make God in our own image. We become His judge. Pick and choose from His Word. Not so good times ahead for any such a culture.
ReplyDelete