The Reason for the Parables
Series: Gospel of the Kingdom
Speaker: Lead Pastor Dustin Aguilar
Scriptures: Matthew 13:1-17 | Romans 9:17-18 | Exodus 4:11 | Matthew 11:25-26, 28
People have various ideas for why Jesus taught in parables, including identifying the unknown with the known and hiding knowledge from the masses. Jesus was hiding knowledge from the masses.
Two weeks ago, the sermon was about the Parable of the Sower — Matthew 13:1–9. Jesus told the parable to the public and explained its meaning to the disciples. In Matthew 13:10, the disciples asked, “Why do you speak in parables?” Jesus responded in verse 11, “It has not been given to them.”
This concept can be triggering—the idea of God selecting some and not others can feel like a spiritual Duck, Duck, Goose game. It may bring insecurity and doubt: “Am I chosen? What if I’m not chosen?” It can also create a feeling of injustice: “What am I going to do if I do not have favor or am not selected? This is unfair!”
The explanation Jesus gives can seem even more unfair:
Matthew 13:12
“For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Dustin’s brother felt like this was a bizarre Robin Hood—taking from the poor to give to the rich. The concept does not make sense: punish those who do not have and reward those who already have.
His ways are not our ways.
We need to give ourselves a checkpoint: If this is true, will I shake my fist at God, or will I realize that I am limited in my understanding of God?
In order to wrestle with difficult theology, we must admit that we are limited in our understanding of God and remain humble in our approach to understanding more.
Biblical Examples of the Concept
Romans 9:17–18
Paul refers to the Old Testament story of Exodus:
“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’”
In Exodus 4–11, we see that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
There are different ways to understand how this works:
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, which in turn led him to harden his own heart.
Judicial hardening was caused by Pharaoh’s own evil choice not to let the people go.
It was a final judgment. Pharaoh could have chosen God, as Nebuchadnezzar did, but he did not. God is sovereign.
Romans 9:18
“So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.”
This is reflected in Matthew 13. God has the sovereign choice to have mercy on whom He chooses and harden the hearts of whoever He wills.
The Reason Jesus Speaks in Parables
Matthew 13:13–15
“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.”
The people had seen Jesus’ miracles and heard His wisdom, but they did not recognize Him as the Messiah. Their hearts had grown dull, and they had closed their own eyes, ears, and hearts. Jesus had stopped speaking clearly to them.
In Matthew 5–11, Jesus taught the crowd clearly through the Sermon on the Mount. He performed signs and miracles and even sent out the apostles with authority over unclean spirits and to heal. He showed them clearly through His own ministry and through His disciples, yet they still did not see who Jesus really was—the Messiah.
The Wise and the Dependent
Matthew 11:25–26
Jesus thanked the Father for hiding these things from the wise and understanding and revealing them to children.
The wise and understanding are independent and sufficient, while children are dependent.
Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
John says that He will give you drink if you thirst.
James says He opposes the proud and gives to the humble.
Anyone can self-select, but only the needy, dependent, insufficient, poor, and lowly will be selected by God.
Today, the modern mind thinks those who are wise need the reward. Jesus chooses the foolish and shames the wise.
In Matthew 12, the religious rulers began to question Jesus. God has power above earthly rulers. He is sovereign.
Back to the Parables
In Matthew 13, the Parable of the Sower describes different kinds of ground.
Good ground: The Word will bear its own fruit.
Stony ground: The seed will be destroyed or taken by Satan, and the person will fall away from the Word.
Weedy ground: The Word/seed will be choked out.
What kind of ground are you?
Are you willing to humble yourself and ask, “What type of ground am I?”
God has the power to make anyone good ground, but He chooses the humble and the lowly who say “yes” to His invitation.
Matthew 13:16–17
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”
The disciples were looking directly at Jesus. How blessed they were.
Jesus told them they would be better off when He went away because He would send the Holy Spirit, who would open their eyes and ears.
Example from the Congregation
An Atheist’s Testimony
Ken called into an atheist radio show. He had been an atheist in the truest sense. He was into science and only believed in what could be measured and proven. He thought the soft, mysterious spiritual things were nonsense.
Ken was an engineer and worked with a Christian colleague who tried to persuade him to attend a yearlong Bible study. He resisted for a long time. When he was going to be fired, he decided, “Why not?” and agreed to attend.
Ken was worried about how he would survive a yearlong Bible study, so he went to another Christian friend for advice. His friend gave him three steps:
Take the logic hat off for at least five minutes.
Admit that you do not know everything and humble yourself.
He may want to pray because prayer is a form of humility.
Saying okay to step one is also a form of humility.
Be willing to accept whatever you are given and acknowledge it.
The masses in Matthew 13 were not following these steps.
Ken went home and received a wonderful, beautiful vision from God. The mark of a disciple is to walk in humbleness—to have a low rank.
He heard God say, “I am the God of all time.” Ken put on his logic hat, and suddenly it all made sense. God is God of all—the science, the measurements, and time itself. He knew it was true.
His wife was also an atheist, but she could not get away from Ken and his zeal. He had another vision and prayed, “No, Lord, my wife, not me.” She saw God transform her husband, and she too was transformed. She was baptized here last year.
Ken was bad ground, but when he opened his heart, took off his worldly logic, and humbled himself, he became good ground.
Did his friends pray for him to become good ground?
Are you willing to pray for your friends to become good ground?
Conclusion
Don’t let today pass you by. Be humble and ask Jesus for His salvation!