Hidden message of parables
Key Verses: 3, 11, 23, 25, 32, 41, 47, 52, 58
Jesus used parables to teach such profound truths. The truth here is that different soils produce different results. The same Word spoken by Jesus has very different effects based on the condition of the person’s heart who hears the Word. I notice this with children. Some children just jump right in and obey. They have learned the power of obedience. Others rebel against any authority over their lives. The same household can produce very different outcomes in children. Different soils!
The disciples’ hearts were open to what God was doing in their lives. Not everyone who heard Jesus had an open heart. When we are sharing the Word with others, we need to become aware of their soil, their heart’s receptiveness to the Gospel. Speaking to a well prepared heart brings a harvest. Crisis moments often provide fertile soil that can be prepared for planting. Crisis can break through our rough exterior, our normal ways of coping, to expose the softness underneath, which we have learned to keep hidden. We often put on the tough exterior to protect ourselves from injury.
Not everyone speaking into your life brings a message of hope and redemption. Some specialize in despair and blaming. If we accept those negative messages, our lives become mixed, having some of the hope of the Gospel and some of the destructiveness of the world. It takes God’s intervention to root out the weeds, and some won’t be rooted out until Jesus returns on Judgment Day.
You can’t judge the final plant from looking at the seed. The Gospel message does not seem that powerful. Someone willing to die for you doesn’t sound like it could do that much to change a life or the world. The Gospel does not on the surface sound that powerful, but it is. It changes everything.
Jesus used these simple stories to join everyday images with eternal messages and power. If we read them, and ponder them, the message comes through. And once you understand the message, then further treasures just seem to appear from life. All of life tells His story. The wonders of nature shout of His power and goodness. But when you don’t believe, then God’s power just doesn’t show up. Lack of faith restricts God’s working.
The Arnold Journey 