Hearing and Seeing
Notes
Transcript
Parables are made up stories that are Hard to Hear
Parables are made up stories that are Hard to Hear
Last week we quickly moved through some pretty interesting things:
Jesus heals a Roman Officer’s servant
Jesus raises a widows son
John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin) is not sure who Jesus is
Jesus has some hard words for “this generation” (later)
Jesus is loved by sinners and hated by leaders
Tax collectors and Immoral Women love him
Religious leaders dislike him
We are going to transition into Parables
Parables are made up stories that are hard to hear
Parables ARE NOT HISTORY, they are Theological LESSONS
We left off last week with the “Certain Immoral Woman” who came to see Jesus at the religious leaders house, and we got a pretty clear lesson on faith and forgiveness.
I am thinking that Jesus is having an impact with women because he has raised a widow’s son and had this experience with the immoral woman.
Because Chapter 8 opens with an interesting verse.
Luke 8:1-3
Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.
The scene is set, Jesus is on the move. That is a hallmark of his ministry, he is quickly moving from place to place. Rarely does he seem to remain stationary.
If you asked those who have been around him what he is doing, they would likely say, “He has been healing and performing miracles.” But Luke captures Jesus’ real purpose. Preaching and announcing the GOOD NEWS about the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is not alone, he has the twelve disciples and some others. Luke is keen to point out that “some women” are with him. They have experienced Jesus’ ministry in ways that had a great impact on them. We are introduced to Mary, Joanna, Susanna, and apparently there are many others.
What is interesting to note is the difference between the twelve and the “some women.” If you read this alone, you would get the indication that the twelve are not doing much, but the “some women” are supporting Jesus and his disciples. This was their source of income. They were likely more than fundraisers because being women, they could have conversations with other women in these towns and villages that a man could not.
Are we really going to accept that Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager, was a demure woman who remained silent? Okay, I am breaking my own rule about adding to the text, but why else would Luke include this information if not to tell us the women were a key part of his ministry.
Also strange that Joanna was able to leave her family for what would likely be extended periods of time. It is possible that the Roman Official written about in the Gospel of John (whose son was healed and his entire household believed) is the Chuza and this is his wife. That is speculation, but it would make sense.
Nowhere do we see where the disciples were “managing” the women, Luke puts them on equal planes, I would argue that Luke emphasizes them even more.
Luke 8:4
One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him:
Parables…made up stories that teach a theological lesson
Luke 8:5-7
“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.
Okay…one might ask a question as to why Jesus is talking about farming and agriculture in an area that survives on crops.
Jesus continues...
Luke 8:8
Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
If this was the only information you had, let’s say this is the only message you heard from Jesus. What would you be left to think? You know the seeds, field, footpath, rocks, weeds, moisture, and how all of that works.
And he adds this part, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Indicating something more is at play.
And nobody understood it.
Luke 8:9
His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
Including the disciples. They are not sure what he is trying to say here. So, Jesus will address this, in a very uncomfortable way.
Luke 8:10
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
People wrestle with this verse from Isaiah.
It sounds like Jesus is deliberately obscuring the truth.
Scripture is already challenging to understand, this definitely does not help!
Question: Does Jesus want people to understand?
If the answer is yes, then there is something here we are missing.
Question: Should people have understood this?
In Isaiah the people have had hundreds and hundreds of years, generation after generation to follow God’s instructions. Yet, they refused. In fact, we know a long period of time went by where the scriptures were totally lost until they were found by a priest and read to the king. But it was too late.
Luke 8:11
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.
Self explainatory.
Luke 8:12
The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.
Footpath: the journey we take through life, the people we meet along the way (good and evil). There are those who experience evil and they are just on the path of life. But that experience can steal the word from your heart.
Luke 8:13
The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.
Rocky soil: Hard heart that cannot be penetrated by the tender roots. They can intellectually understand the message, and it sounds good to them. But, they are unable, unwilling, or just refuse to change.
Luke 8:14
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.
Thorns: Interesting reference. When is the first time we hear about “weeds?” 3rd page of your Bible, when Adam (human) is under judgement and God says that he will have to work for food, sowing and reaping among the thorns and thistles.
Hearing this from Jesus, do you think Genesis 3 is talking about something that a weed killer can handle? Or, is there a bit of a parable in Genesis 3 about how the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life will choke out the important things, preventing us from “growing into maturity”?
Luke 8:15
And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
What are we harvesting? God’s word. What is God’s word? Is it ink on the page or is it more than that?
It is about hearing what we are to do and then doing it. (We will see that in just a moment)
All kinds of soil, dirt, where do humans come from? Dirt, dust of the earth. And where do we return? To the earth, we become what we were made from.
You might ask, “How did we miss the parable?”
To practice, Jesus gives us another Parable.
Luke 8:16-17
“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
Let’s practice!
Option 1: The light of the lamp is the gospel, and you would not hide that, you go out and share Jesus with others so they may see.
Option 2: Coving the light with a jar will put out the lamp (no oxygen) and putting it under a bed will light your house on fire, a bad way to start or end your day.
Option 3: I am scared to say anything because I don’t want to look silly? Just kidding, but not really.
What are the:
Lamp (and light): God’s word
Jar: Something that is ornate or ordinary, but you cannot see through it (clay jar), so you don’t know what is on the inside. Not to mention, the jar would be upside down, so it would not make any sense. You are “hiding the Word” through a object of this world.
Bed: A place you do no work. Biblically speaking things happen in bed (moral and immoral), sleeping, relaxing, etc. Can also be where someone is who is ill, dying or already passed. Think of what you store under your bed. Things you don’t need often, things you forget about, you only get it when you need it. You save it until the end.
Lampstand: Where are lampstands in scripture? In the tabernacle and in the temple. They are there to bring light to the room so the priest can see what he is doing. It is like a scene from a movie where a crodgedy person is walking in utter darkness with a hand held lamp to light the way.
So, if the light from the lamp is God’s Word, what does it do?
It exposes everything hidden and secret. It reveals things about yourself, they path you are traveling, the people along the path, the world around you.
If you are unsure this is correct, let’s look at a popular verse:
psalm 119:105
נֵר־לְרַגְלִ֥י דְבָרֶ֑ךָ וְ֝א֗וֹר לִנְתִיבָתִֽי׃
Perhaps you know its as:
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Most people see this as the lamp lighting the way you should go.
But, the light illuminates all, it simply reveals the truth about the path you are taking. The good and the bad.
And that can be very frightening, unless you know the story of the “certain immoral woman,” then you are not frightened, because you know this man, Jesus, is one who forgives, is one who understands how dirt creatures work, and how the world around us is constantly trying to steal the seed given.
Wrap it up with one last confusing and partially disturbing section, but now we are armed with more information.
luke 8:19-20
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.”
Easy enough…what is going to happen?
Luke 8:21
Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
My family are those that hear my Father’s words and obey them.
God wants to grow his family, it is part of the cosmic plan that you and I and Jesus have joined.
And this is how you are part of God’s family.
You hear and you obey (do it.)
Question: Does Jesus want you to understand his teaching?
If the answer is yes, then there is something here we are missing.
Question: Should people have understood this?
Scripture is the corrective lens for life’s vision
When they look, they won’t really see
When they hear, they won’t understand
Knowing God’s word, scripture, determines how you “see” and how you “hear.”
What you see and what you hear (how you understand your purpose in the world) determines how well you participate in the cosmic plan of God.