Christ often drew a crowd. One day such a large crowd gathered that Jesus decided to get into a boat and put it out into the water some distance so He could address the great number. From that boat and to the crowd Jesus began to speak.
Jesus told a story. While Matthew does not give us any details on the large crowd’s response, he does tell us about the reaction of the disciples.
Why did Jesus, who had the undivided attention of such a multitude, choose to tell a story? Why not go more direct? Why not hit more squarely with conviction? At the end of chapter 13, Matthew tells us that after finishing His parables (or stories), Jesus left town / “moved on from there.” He wasn’t staying long and He told stories. Does that make sense to our often rational mindset that desires full explanation and plain facts? I want to show you one reason why Jesus told stories. This picture was painted in 1850 by the French artist Jean Millet; he entitled it “The Sower.” Millet rattled the art world with some of his work because, unlike many of the painters of his day, Millet did not romanticize the subjects. He chose to paint common people, even peasants, working in common settings. His work spoke to the people. Jesus, long before Millet, did not romanticize either; the Lord’s word spoke to the people. In that boat, Jesus could have lectured at great length on the evil of sin; He could have pontificated to the public on their poor choices; but rather, Jesus told a story. One reason Jesus told stories is because they “spoke” to the people. The people could relate. Think with me about two other reasons why Jesus chose to teach in parables to the crowd. Reasons: (1) Memory – The people would not forget the story. As we will see, the soils are in different stages. A person in the crowd at rock-soil stage may see the day of good soil and the story will still be fresh whereas another form of instruction will be forgotten. Stories are like great art – they stick with us and impact our lives deeper than mere intellect. Weeks from today, while you will not be able to quote back sentences from my blog today, you will remember Millet’s “The Sower.” The power of that picture illustrates the power of story! (2) Jesus loves – He doesn’t love to argue. Listen to George Buttrick, “Jesus taught in parables because a parable disarms, and wins, when an argument might alienate” (Interpreters 408). Jesus was firm when He needed to be, but He never roused another’s blood pressure just to make a point. So who was there on the shore who needed a good story and a sign of God’s love?
To this diverse crowd, to the curious, the self-seeking, the revolutionaries, the shallow, the deep, and the confused, Jesus told the story of the sower who scatters seed everywhere. Those with ears to hear and had the spiritual receptivity that day, heard a song of hope. They heard that the sower does not just scatter seed in the most promising places, He scatters it everywhere! Where does the seed fall? 1) Road 2) Rocky places 3) Thorns 4) Good soil How do we remain good soil? First: We can pursue the state of perpetual healthy soil by acknowledging, admitting, swallowing (you choose the word!) the fact that we need assistance.
We need assistance because we, even if we are good soil, will have times of rocks, thorns, and birds. Jesus said, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7 NIV) It is no coincidence that John tells us that Jesus said those words right after promising to send the Spirit. Today we can be assured that we can pursue our perpetual state of healthy soil by remaining in Jesus by the gift of His word and the Spirit. Remain! Second: In order to remain good soil, you must focus on the Sower and on your own progress. Don’t get trapped in comparison!
Different results for different seeds, each in good soil.
Comparison is bad because: (1) It can make you feel bad about yourself and your gifts. (2) It can make you feel better than others and their gifts. The Sower plants. He is responsible for the productivity. We also have responsibility – the responsibility of faithfulness. However, always remember you are called to do the best with the gifts God has given you; not to keep up with the seed growing next to you! As I said, Matthew left no record of the crowd’s response. Yet, without doubt, no one left the water’s edge without an exposure to the truth. And the funny thing is some of the number didn’t even realize how much truth caught them until much later – that is the power of story. Truly on that day the Sower planted some seed! What seed was planted in you today? #ordinarylives For further reading . . . Buttrick, George A. The Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. 7. New York: Abingdon, 1951. Buttrick, George A. The Parables of Jesus. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1928. Kalas, J. Ellsworth. Parables from the Back Side. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992.
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