Thank you to John for this week’s MWB
Question: What have these in common?
A crooked manager, a persistent widow, a wedding banquet, a lost coin, a house-owner, a valuable pearl, mustard seed, yeast.
Answer: they are all parables of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospels recount at least 24 different parables that Jesus told. Our current mid-week Bridge series is focussing on some of them.
Please read Mark 4:1-20
This is perhaps the best-known of Jesus’ parables – simple, memorable stories of every-day life.
Why Parables?
We read that Jesus “taught them many things by parables” (v2), and “he did not say anything to them without using a parable” (v34). Why? Jesus himself answered this in vv10-12. His words sound puzzling and rather shocking. We should bear in mind the following points:
a) Jesus was speaking to large crowds of people, who had a mixture of attitudes to him: some were eager to hear him, others were hostile, some were curious, some excited.
b) In v12, Jesus is quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, in which the prophet is told to take God’s message to his people, even though their responses may be apathetic or hostile.
c) “In the idiom of Jesus and his contemporaries, a result might be expressed as though it were a purpose” (F.F.Bruce, “The Hard Sayings of Jesus”). In v12, “so that”, can mean “with the result that”.
d) Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and its meaning. This was a “secret” or “mystery” (v11), which was fully disclosed only through Jesus and his ministry. Some of his hearers were open to his teaching: others had closed their minds, because Jesus was not doing & saying what they wanted. Their hearts were hardened.
Why this parable?
According to Jesus, this parable is fundamental (v13). It is about people’s responses to “the word” (mentioned 8 times in vv13-20). Jesus “spoke the word” (v33), the message about the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15).
In this parable Jesus specifies 4 different groups of people: they all hear the word, but they respond very differently. This is what happened in Jesus’ own ministry, and it is what happens today.
Paddy discovered on the internet about Jesus and the gospel, but it sounded too challenging, so Paddy just forgot about it.
Rees heard the good news of Jesus at a Christian rock concert, and enthusiastically made a commitment. But back at college, friends were scornful about Christianity, so Rees soon gave up.
Theo went to a big Christian holiday festival and decided to follow Jesus. But back at work, there was pressure to achieve more, earn more and get promotion; and in holiday time Theo loved travelling to exotic places. So Theo was just too busy to spend time and effort in knowing God better and serving him.
Frankie heard about Christ through a friend, and decided to start reading the Bible (Mark’s gospel) and praying. With the friend’s help, Frankie trusted in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, and grew to know and love and serve him more. People noticed the difference in Frankie’s life, especially the joy and peace and unselfishness.
What about us?
What is our response to the word of God?
Who are you most like? Pathway Paddy, or Rocky Rees, or Thorny Theo, or Fruitful Frankie?