What Jesus Did

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

"I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world."

—Matthew 13:34-35 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' stories, or parables, were windows to God's truth. They both reveal and conceal. They conceal from those not seeking the truth, God...

 

Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough."

—Matthew 13:33 NLT

Key Thought​

Once again, Jesus' point is that despite the small beginnings and insignificant size of his Kingdom at its beginning, it will spread pervasively until it eventually makes a direct impact throughout the world! Jesus purposely starts his...

 

Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
"The farmer's workers went to him and said, 'Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?'

"'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed.

"'Should we pull out...

 

[Jesus concluded his explanation of the parable of the soils:] "The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"

—Matthew 13:23 NLT

Key Thought​

While much of the seed in this parable doesn't produce fruit, that which does is wildly productive. The key is the soil's receptivity and fertility. Jesus says this good soil refers to a person's...

 

[Jesus continued:] "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ... The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced."

—Matthew 13:18, 22 NLT

Key Thought​

Over-stimulation. Over-saturation. Over-whelmed. We feel under equipped for the sensory overload we carry each day. Commercials tell us all that...

 

[Jesus continued:] "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ... The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word."

—Matthew 13:18, 20-21 NLT

Key Thought​

Short bursts of faithfulness are not hard. Stringing them together is hard. Sustaining...

 

[Jesus continued:] "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts."

—Matthew 13:18-19 NLT

Key Thought​

We would like to think that hearing is just a matter of good communication, but we must remember that Satan is the ultimate deceiver, the father of...

 

[Jesus continued talking to his disciples:] "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it."

—Matthew 13:16-17 NLT

Key Thought​

Even today, much of what the Bible says and means remains mysterious and unreachable to those who are not seeking after God's will. The Spirit's work...

 

[Jesus'] disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don't...

 

Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly...