The Purpose of Parables
The Parables of Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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INTRO:
Have you ever tried to describe something to someone that they had never seen or heard of? What was it? Did the person understand after your description?
Take a step further:
Imagine describing the color red to a blind person, the color blue, etc.
New series: Parables of Christ
Parables, What are They?
Parables, What are They?
What is a Parable?
Dictionary - a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson
Better Biblical Definition - an illustration to reveal a kingdom truth
Why would Jesus speak in these parables?
to be confusing?
to tell a good story?
to sound wise?
Two reasons:
Give us a picture of the Kingdom
Reveal our faith
And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that
“ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
vs 9. hilarious
vs. 11 Disciples relationship with Christ gave deeper insight
Closeness with Christ reveals God
- If you have seen me, you’ve seen the Father
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Want to know God, Know Christ
The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
Planted in Christ=Flourishing=Never ending Gospel centered lives
planted - source is in Christ
flourish - grow in Christ
Old age - never end in serving Christ
To understand parables we need closeness with Christ
Gaining a Picture of the Kingdom
Gaining a Picture of the Kingdom
And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
m
Jesus uses parables to give a picture of the Kingdom of God
starts parables with “the kingdom of God is like...”
Jesus giving us insight to what we have never seen or known - Spiritually blind
But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
on our own we can’t fathom the kingdom
vs. 10-11: The Spirit reveals God; We need God to know God and to know His kingdom
Revealing What We Are After
Revealing What We Are After
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
More of Christ = More understanding
Jesus speaks in parables to reveal why we are following Him
Do we see Jesus as a miracle worker? A good teacher?
Do we see Him as a genie? or just a savior?
Is Jesus about you going to heaven?
No, Jesus is about you getting Him
The more you dig into Christ, the more beauty you see:
In the Cross
In His love
In His wrath
In His mercy
In His righteousness
In His justice
Jesus gives parables that we can know and love Him to the fullest, and expose our need to grow in Him