The Beauty of the Parables

Matthew 13:16

"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they

hear”

Nature of parables

Teaching by comparison

Word means “to place beside”

One idea ‘like’ another; Matt. 13:31, 33

Stories from nature, everyday life

Not for entertainment—but for teaching

Earthly stories with heavenly meaning

Why Jesus used parables

Short, pithy stories easy to absorb and remember. They are not complex!

Jesus used to CONCEAL truth from the merely curious or hard-hearted

Jesus used to REVEAL truth by using physical patterns to teach spiritual realities

Most of Jesus’ parables focused on His Kingdom

Character of the kingdom itself

Character of the king

Character of the subjects of that kingdom

Exhortation (encouragement)(encouragement)

Read and study the parables

Use the parables to teach others and to learn how to teach…

See their value in self-discovery teaching—2 Samuel 12

If you are LOST…

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

GOOD SHEPHERD

LUKE 15:1-7

Christian: Do you need to repent?

Poor use of talents

Being unforgiving

Of pride

Of letting sin mix in with good aspects of your life

How will you receive this message?

Parable of sower helps answer this question. But what type of soil or hearer are you?

Roadside—hard and unreceptive?

Stony—slightly interested, shallow heart?

Thorn-filled—life too busy for gospel?

Good soil—a good and honest heart?