February 8 Lesson: Matthew 13.1-3, 10-17
(Back to Study Home Page) (Back
to Sermons for 2003-2004)
(Back to
Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)
INTRODUCTION:
A modern parable
A young man had just gotten his driving permit. He asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss his use of the car.
"I'll make a deal with you," said his father. "You bring your grades up, study your Bible a little, get your hair cut, and then we'll talk."
A month later the boy came back and again asked his father if they could discuss his use of the car.
"Son, I'm real proud of you. You've brought your grades up and you've studied your Bible...but you didn't get your hair cut!"
"You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that. Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, and even Jesus had long hair."
"Yes, son, and they all walked everywhere they went!"
Its okay to analyze the story.
What is it attempting to communicate?
That there was an agreement that was approved by both sides in the contract.
That the rules of the agreement were considered fair and even-handed.
What is it trying to teach.
The necessity of fulfilling a covenant obligation.
The obligation is not one sided
Obligations rest with both parties.
Why use such an indirect method to teach the necessity of conforming to some rules?
What do you believe might happen if the dad in the story was confrontational
He might evoke anger or disgust.
That could create rebellion.
(top)
(Back to Study Home Page) (Back
to Sermons for 2003-2004)
(Back to
Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)
MAIN BODY:
Jesus was having one of those very busy days, and he is still not done.
He goes out of the house and sits beside the sea.
It get so crowded that he finally gets in a boat.
He told the crowd many things in parables.
The disciples raise an intriguing question.
"Why do you speak to them in parables."
This is not a new teaching method.
It has been used for centuries.
Here is a rabinical parable.
From the Depths of the Heart (1)
I have heard from my father the Holy Komarna. One time a Jewish peasant boy came to the big town to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. He didn't know how to pray. He could not even read the letter Alef. He only saw that everyone was traveling to the synagogues to participate in the holy prayers. He thought, "If everybody is going to town I must go too!"
He arrived at the town synagogue with his father and watched the congregants crying and singing together swaying to and fro. He turned to his father and asked, "Father, what is this all about?"
His father turned to him and said, "The Holy One blessed be sits enthroned in the heavens and we pray all year long to Him. We especially pray during these two days of Rosh Hashanah when the whole world is being judged and each person is being judged for the rest of the year."
The son responded, "Father, what am I to do since I do not know how to pray?"
His father quickly said to him condescendingly, "All you have to do is be quiet and listen to the other Jews praying. That is enough for you."
"But Father, if I don't know what these people are saying how is that going to effect God's decision? How is being silent going to help me?"
His father became unnerved and blurted out, "Listen, you should be quiet so no one will know you're an ignorant peasant!"
The son stood still for a couple of minutes as his father and the rest of the congregation continued praying and then - the young boy stood up and spoke loudly.
"I am going to pray to God in the way I know best. I will whistle to God as I whistle to my flock of sheep."
He began whistling the sweet calling as most shepherds know. His father was enraged. The boy continued whistling with all his might not caring what other people thought.
Now, it happened to be, that this particular Rosh Hashanah, all the heavenly gates were shut and suddenly because of this pure whistling of the heart, all the gates burst open. The prayers of Israel were finally heard.
These stories are not that had to understand.
Their moral value and message are clear.
Jesus parables are not hard to understand.
We recognize that we may not be familiar with the circumstances of the stories.
This does not mean that we are unable to find out the information that we need to comprehend what he is talking about.
And we need to understand to whom Jesus is speaking?
Now we need to distinguish between two different groups of people who are present at this time.
Who are the "them" "those" and "they"?
They are the crowd made up of many differing people.
There are the educated and the uneducated.
There are the rich and the poor.
There are the professionals and the common people.
It is quite a group.
The disciples are implying that before Jesus had taught directly and that is truly the case.
You need only start at the Sermon on the Mount and continue to the present experience to know that this is true.
What has changed.
Opposition has developed.
Perhaps a misuse of what has been taught is taking place.
There needs to be a change.
Direct confrontation would not accomplish Jesus purpose.
It would have the effect of creating opposition or turning people away.
Jesus still needed time to teach his disciples and the people who would listen and accept.
The change is qualified.
To the disciples has been given the knowledge to know the mysteries, which are not mysterious.
I've Got a Secret, Hosted by Gary Moore
Panelists: Kity Carlisle, Henry Morgan, Betsy Palmer, and Bill Cullin.
The panel was able to see the average guest.
They had to be blindfolded for the appearance of the celebrity guest.
In the third episode, Peter Lawford appeared as himself.
Each panelist was given thirty seconds to ask questions.
The panelists must figure out Peter Lawford's secret. On stage is a large safe. Peter asks the panelists for their valuables. Then places the valuables into the safe. The panelists must solve the mystery of how they will retrieve their items. To the panelists surprise, a human safe cracker escapes from inside the safe with their valuables.
The "them," "those," and "they" would also hear the secrets of the kingdom.
Some would not understand.
Some would understand.
Some would refuse to understand.
They would not take off their blindfolds.
Anyone can know the secret, the mystery.
In order to know you need to follow the rules.
You had to follow the teachings of the leader.
In your bulletin this morning are two important pieces of information.
The Nature and Purpose of Parables which is a brief explanation of parables.
The second one is a list of The Parables of Jesus with the biblical reference and the principle that he attempted to illustrate.
(top)
(Back to Study Home Page) (Back
to Sermons for 2003-2004)
(Back to
Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)
CONCLUSION
Over the next few Sundays, we are going to spend some time with the parables of Jesus.
We will seek to understand them.
We will attempt to apply them.
And, hopefully, we will learn from them.
All it takes is imagination.
Let me leave you with a parable once told by the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. He says,
"Suppose it was a fact that geese could talk. They then would have so arranged it that they could have their religious worship, their divine service.
"Every Sunday they came together and a gander preached. The essential content of the sermon was: what a lofty destiny the goose had, what a high goal the Creator had set before the goose; by the aid of wings it could fly away to distant regions, blessed climes, where properly it was at home, for it was only a stranger here.
"So it was every Sunday. And as soon as the assembly broke up each waddled home to his own affairs. And again next Sunday to divine worship, and then again home--and that was the end of it--they became plump and delicate--and then were eaten on Christmas Eve--and that was the end of it.
"So with the divine worship of Christendom. We too have wings, we have imagination……"
1. Nachlei Binah P. 317 #632 Tehillim Ben Beiti, Rabbi Eliezer of Komarno
(top)
(Back to Study Home Page) (Back
to Sermons for 2003-2004)
(Back to
Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)