2020-1-27

Matthew 13:1-58

Matthew 13 illustrates a new page in Jesus’s ministry. From “that day”, Jesus started to use parables to teach the gospel.

The reason Jesus started to use parables was to bring judgement to His people. From the Bible, it stated that “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing,they do not hear or understand.”
It is possible that we have ears that can not hear and eyes that do not see.  Not everyone are Christians in church.  Even if someone comes to church for years, they heard numerous sermons, but they can still not understand the gospel.
I once heard a joke and it goes like this: “No matter how long you sit in your garage, you will never turn into a car”.
Judgement is being proclaimed. For the truth seekers, parables increase their appetite to seek the truth and to find out the meaning behind it. For the heart-harden people, the use of parables would not further harden their hearts as they only treated the parables like stories.
They would not receive additional God’s condemnation by rejecting His words.
Jesus is the judge. He is the only one that can pass judgement.
Paul and other disciples did not use parables to illustrate the gospel because they were not judges.
Also, all parables point to the Gospel. The parable of the sower, the weeds,the mustard seed and the Yeast, the hidden treasure and the pearl, they are all related to the gospel.

Psalm 61:1-8

The Psalmist asked God to bend His ear to his prayer.
The psalmist knew that God hears all prayers, but he requested God to “listen” to his prayer when he was overwhelmed and far away from God’s people. He wanted God to deliver him.  In the same way, God wants us not just to hear but to listen to His words.

We may complain that a preacher’s sermon does not touch our hearts or it is too boring.
However, if we examine our hearts closely and ask this question: Are we preparing our hearts during weekdays in order to allow God’s words to sink into our hearts?
Sermon is like an appetizer. It stimulates our appetite for the words of God.
It is never meant to be the main meal.            —- Alan Yam