Clint Ware: The Kingdom - Parables

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 The Purpose of the Parables - Matthew 13:10-17      10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: ”Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ” You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Parables - simple stories which communicate deeper meanings
Jesus’ Parables - simple stories that use common things to communicate spiritual things

The Disciple’s Question - Why do you speak to the people in parables?
Jesus’ Answer:
I. Because what I teach is mystery. (secret)v.11
- μυστêριον (mustêrion) - that which can be made known only by Divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, only to those who are illumined by His Spirit

II. Because you have been specially chosen to hear it first v.11,16-17
- this knowledge is being given to you (the twelve), not them
- you have been blessed with “eyes to see” and “ears to hear”
- you get to hear the plan that so many longed to hear…… the plan of how God would redeem mankind

III. Therefore you will be given all you need to know the plan v.12
- then it will your mission to share it with the world (Acts 1:8)

IV. Because most of the Jews aren’t ready for me v.12-15
- God wants all to hear, know, and accept the truth
- but most Jews were expecting God to do things differently
  a. military leader that would kick the romans out 
  b. great politician that would rule like David had
  c. no one expected a suffering servant
- just as the time of Isaiah, they did not have “ears to hear”
- their hearts were calloused (thickened);

V. Therefore the little they think they know, must be taken away v.12
- until what they think they know is torn away
- they will not want to hear anything different
- they will not be able to hear the real truth
- they have the wrong foundational understanding

VI. If they could hear, they would turn, and I would heal them.v.15
- if they weren’t so set in their false understandings
- they would be able to see and hear and understand that
 - He is the Messiah

SO WHAT CAN WE TAKE FROM JESUS’ WORDS
1. Truth is not something I can pry out of God, he must reveal it to me.
2.When we accept the truth God reveals to us, he gives us more
3. If we do not accept the truth God gives us and there-by believe in a lie or half truth, God will do what it takes to show us the lie or half truth in order to give us another chance to hear the real thing.