Purpose of Parables

Matthew 13:10-17- Kirk Rupprecht 

Commonplace Church exists to glorify God, equip disciples & share the Good News of Jesus. Learn more at commonplacechurch.org

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:37

My son is cringing right now. He's like, oh man, why? Why? Alright, hey, welcome everybody. I've never seen so many people pump for parables. This is like a cool thing that we got going on here. My name is Kirk, and I'm Pastor at Commonplace. So glad to be with you guys. We are starting a new uh series today on looking at the parables of Jesus. We're gonna call it the keys to the kingdom. Uh and if you are visiting, checking out church service first time, so glad you're here. Uh we're we're just really, really pumped to have you with us. So um, before we jump in and look at this first kind of understanding of the parable, I want to ask us a question. How many of us have ever lost our keys? Safe space, safe space you can share. Like, I don't know, car keys, house keys, anybody, right? Um, and and and maybe even that one key just really needed the moment, right? And and how many of us love that feeling? Love it, right? Uh recently I did have one of those moments, okay? I'll share with you. Uh, the one key that I had for my car uh was gone. It was nowhere to be found. Uh really an awesome time. And um, it got better when I realized I I decided to be cheap and not buy a spare. So um just me and my poor decisions and a missing key. And of course, it was not just like any key, it was the fancy like fob keys that you have to buy now. And um that means if you want to replace it, well, um it's a full day at the dealership, uh, a couple hundred bucks, and uh you get that access to the um, you know, the thing that you actually own. And that's it's wonderful, wonderful. And in the moment though, you feel this, you feel frustration, you feel like helplessness, right? The sense of, I know where I want to go, but I can't get there. And and um, if you've ever been there, whether it's your house, your office, your car, you know it's not a fun place to be because here's the thing keys, keys matter, right? A key it holds value, it gives access. And here's the reality. We usually don't like recognize its value until what? Till it's gone, right? Until it's missing, right? So we lose it. And for me, there was more than just like frustration, it was like uh a little anxiety, a little embarrassment after uh realizing three weeks later that it was in my sock drawer. Um, not an important detail, right? Um, but silver lining was that, you know, uh now I have a spare, so it's it's great. But the point is being uh that the feeling of knowing where you want to go but lacking access to get there, that's a terrible feeling. And and I share this this morning because I think it connects directly to where we're stepping as a church, what where we're heading. And when we talk about the parables of Jesus as keys to the kingdom, here's the thing, we're not just talking about good stories. They are, right? But we're talking about this, we're talking about access. Because what Jesus, he gives us through his parables is more than just like uh just just the direction, right? It's it's parables gives us access to this, to the way of the kingdom, right? It's it's it's this incredible uh path forward. They move us towards understanding, yeah, how are we called to live? How are we called to think? How are we called to exist as followers of Jesus? And now, if you're just exploring Jesus here today, really glad you're here. Um my hope is just to you know take in what we say here and just just listen and kind of just recognize what we're what we are sharing for uh disciples of Jesus. Now, here's the thing: these parables, they unlock such an incredible deepness, a depth to it. Um, because when we're looking at this idea of our our series previous, the what now we looked at the Great Commission, right? There's to go, to make disciples, and to uh baptize. We did that last week. It was awesome watching the baptism service. But now, if we're honest, that calling, it can feel a little bit of like standing in front of a locked door, right? Yeah, we know what Jesus has called us to do, but we're not always sure about how to live it out. And so the question becomes this well, where do we find the keys? Where do we find uh access to actually live as disciples of Jesus? Right? Not just carry the title, but this, but live the actual life. Right? Not just believe the truth, but walk in that way. And that's where where parables come in. So so like any desire to like understand a certain way of life, I believe what's required is is this it's to examine the source. Let me give you an example here. Let's say, hypothetically, I decided to dedicate my life to becoming a professional pickleball player, okay? Like that's that's it, that's my life's calling. Now, if that life that I'm stepping into, what do I need to do to get to what I where I want to be? Well, I don't just like grab a paddle and like hope for the best. No, I study the source, right? I learn the rules of the game, I start to understand the history of how it all started, right? I watch the best players, I listen to like uh those who have mastered that, like listen to their podcasts, right? Adopt their values, their rhythms, right? And and then in other words, I learn what it means to become a professional pickler, which is a weird thing to say. Um, but but um if I'm serious about that life, here's what I need. I need the essentials, I need the keys to even the the pickleball kingdom, right? The core components that actually shape that lifestyle. And as ridiculous as an example that is, well, you you know that it's true, right? You can apply this to anything. You can apply this way of understanding how to live from a political ideology, maybe something like a sexual ethic, or a diehard sports fan, a music fanatic, if you want to access that life, you don't just understand it, you act on it and you live it out. And the same is true for the follower of Jesus. If we want to live as disciples, we don't just carry the title, we understand that source that defines the life. And then we live out from that source, we take on those values, we embody that way of living in our everyday lives. And so here's the question that we just have to ask this morning. How does a follower of Jesus, how does a follower of Jesus access those key components? How do we know how to live the life, right? How do we understand it? Well, that's where parables come in. That's what we see, right? Parables are not just stories, parables were the way of Jesus. Look what Matthew says in uh verse 1335. It says, All these things Jesus said to the crowds of parables, indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. So here's what parables are. They're these core truths that shape in this in this context our understanding of the kingdom of God. These are keys. They're keys that unlock what life under King Jesus, what it actually looks like. And I believe that matters because when Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, he doesn't just like save us, he then also leads us. He brings us, he brings us under his rule, he brings us under his reign. And so, where does Jesus rule and reign? I love this, right? It's not over some single nation, it's not over a specific piece of land. Jesus is king and he is Lord over his kingdom, the kingdom of God. Look how Jesus uh begins his ministry in the gospel of Mark. He says, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. He says, Repent and believe in the gospel. So from the very beginning, Jesus is announcing something. He says, the kingdom is here. And then in Luke's gospel, he says this, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. So what Jesus is declaring, he's like, the kingdom isn't just a place, yes, it is. It's also reality, though. It's a reality that was brought about through his presence, through his work, through his ministry, and now through his teaching. And through that, he invites us to understand, to step into the kingdom, to live in the kingdom. But here's another incredible reality about Jesus, okay? He doesn't just declare the kingdom, he also explains it. He doesn't just announce that it's here and it's a place, he shares how to understand it, how to live. He gives us the ethics of living in that kingdom, the values of it, the keys, the practices of it. In other words, he gives us the way of life. And how does he do that? Well, parables. He does it through parables. And so as we begin this series, I want to first just kind of slow us down before we jump into like specific parables. I want us to understand and ask this foundational question. Well, why parables? What is their purpose? And for some of us, let's just start there. What in the world is a parable, right? And so here's where we're gonna go today. First, I want to just define what a parable is. From there, uh we're gonna hear directly from Jesus on why he uses them. And and doing that, we're gonna we're gonna go to Matthew chapter 13, 10 through 17, like Ken just read for us. Um, but before we get there, let's do this. Let's define this term. What is a parable? So, at a simplest level, a parable is a story that communicates a moral or spiritual truth. It is a narrative, but it's much more than just a story, because a parable isn't like some sort of bedtime story, right? It's not just some like wild tale from like a pirate at a bar, or like it's a parable is like intentional, right? It's designed to communicate something deeper. At its core, a parable takes a simple and retellable story and it uses it to do this, to reveal a profound truth. And not just truth for information, but truth that demands this, that truth that demands a response. And that's what makes a parable different. A parable it presses in on the listener, it challenges, it confronts, it invites action. So this is important. A parable is not just something you hear, it's something you're meant to respond to. Now, now listen, Jesus didn't invent parables. I guess technically he did if you he's yeah, he created all things, but but uh he perfected their use, okay? Because in this time, this form of teaching was actually very familiar. It was a common uh method of communicating to truths to to others. And what this shows us is something really cool, though. Jesus, he knows his audience, right? He understands the culture, he he was he recognizes who he's surrounded by, and then because of that, he used a method that would actually connect with the people of that time. And that's a really important lesson for any communicator, right? If I got here up here every week and started using illustrations from the Middle Ages or something, or like medieval warfare, chance you know, might get lost in some of us, probably myself as well. But Jesus, he doesn't do that, right? He speaks into the everyday life of his listeners. In fact, nearly two-thirds of his parables don't miss this, they draw from an agrarian life. You have things like seeds, soil, sheep, goats, farming, harvest. Well, why? Well, because that was their world, right? And Jesus takes this ordinary thing and these ordinary uh stories and he uses them to reveal something extraordinary. Only Jesus has the power to do that. Right? He meets people where they are, and then he leads them somewhere deeper. And there's even more to it because parables weren't just like culturally familiar, they were actually historically rooted. If you look, there's the Hebrew concept behind parables, come parables comes from this word, it's called mashal. And this term was used for like proverbs and metaphors, even at times like riddles. It was recognized as a communicating uh option for communicating wisdom and truth within the Jewish tradition. So when Jesus he teaches in parables, he's not doing something random. He's stepping into a known form, but he's doing this, he's elevating it. He's using what's familiar to reveal this incredible reality of what's eternal. And yes, there's there's like a little, at times a little riddle nature to it, right? But but but here's the difference. Jesus, he's not trying to confuse people for some sort of like entertainment value, right? He's inviting people to lean in, to wrestle, to truly understand. And we actually see a powerful example of of this in the Old Testament. In the second book of Samuel, chapter 12, there's a prophet Nathan, and he confronts King David. Now, now remember what David has done in this moment. He's he's uh he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then he has her husband Uriah killed to cover it up. And so Nathan comes to him. But notice how he does this, right? He doesn't lead with an accusation, he leads with a story. He tells David about a rich man who has an abundance of sheep, and then over here there's a poor man who just has one. One small beloved sheep. And instead of using what this rich man already has, the rich man he takes the poor man's one and only sheep, and he uses his power, he uses his position to take what doesn't belong to him. And when David hears a story, here's the thing: he's furious, right? There's righteous anger that's rising up in him. He's like, How can somebody do that? That man deserves judgment. And then Nathan looks at him, he says, He offers the weight of the parable because you're that man. He's like, you are that rich man in the story. And Uriah, he was that poor man. And in that moment, here's what happened: it hits, right? The story stirs David, right? And from his anger, he actually starts to turn inward. David is confronted, he's convicted, he's broken, and ultimately that leads to his repentance. And that's the power of parables. It doesn't just inform, it reveals, it creates a connection first, even before it delivers that conviction. But but I think we we kind of understand that, right? Because we experience uh things all the time. It's like when we watch a movie, read a book, right? You kind of follow the character, and then somehow along the way, you start seeing yourself in that in that character. You feel what they feel, right? You wrestle with what they wrestle with. That's the power of story. And often uh we see that it's it's story can be more effective than just like confronting someone head on. Because let's just take uh Nathan, for example. If he just walked into the palace and says, David, you're an adulterer and a murderer, right? That probably doesn't end well for Nathan. It's not it's not untrue, but it probably wouldn't end well. But through this parable, David sees it for himself, and that's the goal. Not some sort of like forced agreement, but a revealed truth. And so that's a big picture view of what a parable is and why that kind of teaching matters. But now let's take it a step further. Because yes, parables, they do connect culturally. Yes, they communicate truth powerfully, but why does Jesus use them? What was his purpose? And so for that, let's let's go to Matthew and says, Then the disciples came and said, Why do you speak to them in parable? And he answered them, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but them it has not been given. For the one who has, more will be given, for he is in abundance, for the one who speaks has not, even when he will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, hearing they do not hear, and under they do not understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Zazai is fulfilled. You will indeed hear, but never understand. You will indeed see, but not perceive, for this people's heart is grown dull. With their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts. In turn, I will heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, your ears for they hear, for truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. So here's what we see in this moment. The disciples are asking Jesus about his teaching style. They're basically saying, Jesus, what's up with your approach? Right? Why not just be direct? Why not just come out and just say exactly what you mean? Why all the stories? Why the parables? And honestly, that's not a bad question, okay? Uh I get that question a lot because if you know me, you know that sometimes I take like the scenic route in conversations. Uh my wife would definitely uh confirm that. And I've been told lovingly, of course, hey, what are you actually trying to say? Just say it, right? And so so I understand where the disciples are coming from. However, probably not the best move to question uh the teaching strategy of the strategy of the Messiah, right? The Son of God. Right? That's probably not the best point. But at the same point, right, you you gotta say, okay, all right, let Jesus cook here, because the question stands, right? Why are these parables? Why Jesus? And I love that Jesus, he doesn't dismiss that question, he answers it. And part of his answer is deeply practical. It's essentially this, right? If I just come out and say it, people, yeah, they might hear the words, but they won't actually receive the truth. It won't, won't, it's not guaranteed that it will land. It's not guaranteed it will connect with the heart. And I think if we're honest, that makes sense, doesn't it? Because I would say, how many, um, how often do we actually listen? Like, really listen. Like if you've ever been like in a back and forth conversation, how often uh is it more looking like this that you really think one person is truly hearing you, but how often are they just kind of waiting for their response, right? Waiting for their turn to speak, right? I know I fall into that. And and and and but Jesus understands humanity really, really well. And so because of that, he teaches in a way that draws people in, that like slows them down, that causes them to engage. It's actually um, we get this wisdom from James that says, let every person be uh quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. And so Jesus knows we're not naturally good listeners. So what does he do? Tell stories. Because stories, they demand attention, they pull you in. You start to picture the scene, you connect with those characters, right? You follow the tension of the plot, and before you know it, you're not just hearing, right? You're listening. And so, on a practical level, parables engage the listener. They move from the truth from our ears, they move into our hearts. But that's only part of it. Because Jesus doesn't just give a practical reason, he actually gives a theological one as well. And now this is where it gets a little bit deeper, a little bit weighty, so just lean in with me for a minute, because in this passage of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus actually is quoting the prophet Isaiah, and this is what Isaiah 6 says. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? Who shall go for us? Then I said, Here I am, send me. And he said, Go and say to this people, keep on hearing, do not, but do not understand, keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make heart of this people dull and the ears heavy, and blind their eyes, unless they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to be healed. So here's what we need to recognize theologically as we look at Jesus' word about parables. When Jesus references Isaiah, he's speaking into a very specific reality that takes place in the time of Isaiah. So here's the thing God's people, his chosen people set apart, have turned away from him, and they gave their hearts to idols, they hardened themselves to the voice of the living God, and because of that, God allowed, he allowed them to experience the consequence of that choice. He gave them over to what they actually wanted, which was distance from him, devotion to lesser things. But now, fast forward to the time of Jesus, the reality is that that condition still existed. The same hardened hearts, the same resistance, the same even indifference towards God. And so, how does this parable, or how does this all connect to parables? Well, it means this it means parables are not just about revealing truth. What they're doing is they're actually revealing hearts. This is what Jesus understands about his teaching that parables reveal truth to those who are open, but here's what else they do they conceal truth from those who are hardened. Now, listen, that can feel heavy, right? Because when we hear that, we might think, wait, is it like Jesus, is he hiding truth from people? Right? Why would he do that? But the answer is no. Jesus is not hiding truth from the curious, he's exposing the resistance of those who are closed off. And that's an important distinction. Because here's the thing the invitation of Jesus is always open, the gospel is always available. However, the reception of that truth requires something, it requires a willingness to receive it, it requires an openness to hear. And Jesus recognizes that not every heart has that posture. There are those who hunger for truth, and there are there are those who have no interest in it. And that's what Jesus is getting at when he says, the one who has more will be given. He's not like take talking about possessions here, he's talking about desire. And it's a desire to know him. And when that desire is present, Jesus He meets it. He gives us more understanding, he gives us more clarity, he gives us more access to life. But for the ones who reject, for the one who has no desire, there's nothing more to receive. Because Jesus, he's not withholding, right? But because rather they've closed themselves off. Their ears are turned away, their eyes are looking elsewhere. Maybe a helpful way to understand it is this difficult teaching is this that the kingdom of Jesus is not hidden from anyone. It's revealed to those who want it, to those who value it, to those who are willing to receive it. And I resonate with this because even for me growing up, I had parents who love Jesus deeply. And they gave me opportunities to know him, to grow in faith, to take steps towards him. But if I'm honest, there was a season where my heart was hardened. I wasn't interested. I rejected what was being offered. I put up a boundary. And now looking back, I realized what I was missing. I realized the access I had, the wisdom available to me, the invitation was right in front of me. But I said no. And that's what Jesus is getting at here. It's not that he's trying to keep people out, it's that he honors the posture of the heart. Even if someone resists him, he doesn't force himself in. But now hear this. That doesn't mean Jesus takes joy in it, because he doesn't. In fact, we see the opposite. In the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus weeping over those who rejected him. It says, and we when we drew near and saw to the city, he wept over it, saying, Would that you, even you, had known in this day the things that make for peace, but now they're hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and and and hem you on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another because you do not know the time of your visitation. So please hear this this clearly. The takeaway is not that Jesus is rejecting people, it's it's the opposite. It's that people reject Jesus. It's not that Jesus is making the way harder or or closing the door, it's that there are hearts that have already closed themselves off to him. And the purpose of parables is this it's inviting those who desire him, well, to discover more of him. Let me try to just paint us a picture here, okay? Imagine like a well-known actor or celebrity who they just released a memoir. It's filled with their story, it's filled with their journey, their lessons, right? And now they go on this book tour and then they're gonna read from it, right? Sharing their lives. Now, listen, depending on the audience, you're gonna get different responses. There are gonna be some who think, yeah, that that's interesting. Like maybe I'll buy the book and flip through the pages, and that's about it. Then there's others, they're all in, right? They buy the book, they get tickets to the event, they upgrade to the VIP package, they want the meet and greet, right? They sit front row, they lean into every word. They don't want just like the content connection, right? They they want to say, listen, I I want, I want all in. And then there's others who said, I've heard of him, heard of them, right? But not interested. No book, no ticket, no engagement. And I think that gives us a picture of how people respond to Jesus. There are some who appreciate him. Maybe they buy the book, they're familiar with the Bible, but then no real desire to know him. And yet there are others who are devoted, right? They don't want just information, they want proximity, they want to be with him, they want to hear him, they want to follow him, respond to him. And then there's those who just aren't interested at all. But here's the thing, here's where the analogy breaks down. Because Jesus is not just some sort of celebrity, right? He's not like a temporary figure with a moment of influence. Jesus is the God of the universe, the one who created all things, the one who created you, who created me. And he's not on like a limited tour schedule, right? He's not like hopping, hoping that you can kind of fit him in, right? He's not restricted by ticket prices or availability. He's always present, he's always accessible, he's always available. And all that is acquired of us is the desire to seek him, to know him. And the cornerstone for this entire series is this that yes, there are truths that we can learn, yes, there are lessons we can understand, but the beauty of parables is not just hearing the stories. The beauty is that we get to be in the presence of the storyteller. That's the beauty. The one who's showing us the way. Jesus doesn't just invite us to hear his words, he invites us to walk with him, to be led by him, to live with him. That's what the parables ultimately reveal. It's access. It's access to the kingdom, it's access to his ways, it's access to ultimately his presence. And here, just this real quick, his presence, that is a gift. And the parables simply show us how to respond to that gift. So as we step into these next few weeks, as we explore the keys of the kingdom, I want to invite us to approach with a certain posture. Because when it comes to the kingdom, the reality is there is a master key. There is one key that unlocks every door, one key that gives access to everything the kingdom offers. And it's the only key that does this. And Jesus is that master key to the kingdom of God. Our relationship with him is what unlocks the fullness of the kingdom. It's not through behavior, it's not through knowledge, it's not through effort, it's through him. It's the relationship that Jesus invites us into through his death and resurrection, through the repentance, through repentance of our sin and forgiveness of those sins. That's the way in, that's the door. However, for some of us, that's where our our journey begins today. Just the question have we received that master key? Have we received this gift of new life, this gift of abundant life, eternal life? And this is only found through the gospel. And if you haven't, it's worth asking, what's holding you back today? What's keeping you from stepping into a relationship with this God who created you, who loves you, who desires to redeem you, the God who took your sin, that very thing that separates us. And and He He took it on the cross. And I don't know what the hesitation might be. I don't know, but maybe it's something like fear. Maybe fear of what following Jesus might mean for your life. Maybe it's hurt. Maybe we've been wounded by people. Maybe even people who claim to represent him. I get it. I've experienced that too. Or maybe it's pride, right? Difficulty admitting that we've all fallen short, that we're not perfect, that we need a savior, right? But here's the truth that's all of us. We all fall short. Every single one of us, right? No one walks into the kingdom of God under our own merit. No one earns their way in. Every person who is entered is through a relationship with Jesus, through Christ in Christ alone. They got there the same way by recognizing this. I can't do this. I can't do this on my own. I'm not good enough. I can't fix myself. In that moment, we recognize we don't achieve our way to God, we receive his grace. That's the invitation. But we have to admit our need and then receive his love and turn from our sin and trust in him. And so for maybe for some of us today, that's where we are. We're right at the door. But then for others, maybe we are disciples and we've received Jesus as Lord. We've been given this new life, this new identity, a place in the kingdom. But if we're honest, our desire might stop there. Grateful for salvation, grateful to be called a kingdom, a child of God, grateful for a place in the kingdom. But maybe we become content with just existing in that space. And so my encouragement to you is this if that's where you find yourself, if Jesus has given you what you didn't deserve, if he's welcomed you in in light of your sin, your past, your shortcoming, if he's that good, don't just settle for that placement. Explore your surroundings. Lean into the life that you've been given. Get to know the one who brought you in, right? Spend time with him in prayer. Open his word. Sit with him. Not just on Sundays, but every day. Do this. Get to know your host. I actually reminds me of a recent trip we took. We booked an Airbnb. And the place sure matters where we go, but the location it matters. But the one thing we start to pay attention to is this. It's this section that says know the host. Because when you get the insight into the host, you start to understand that whole space differently. You begin to see what they value. Right? You notice that they that they care enough to put into their home, or maybe they don't, right? You can tell maybe it's just a transaction, right? But maybe you see that it's actually something you love and they want to share as a blessing. And I think sometimes as Christians, we've we maybe we settle for just a place and we miss the host. We're in the kingdom, but maybe we're not pursuing the king. Maybe we don't know him. Maybe we miss the fullness of what where we begin. Because the more we get to know Jesus, his character, his heart, his ways, the more we desire to be with him. The more we desire him, and the more we appreciate the kingdom that he's invited us into. So maybe that's for some of us today. Knowing the King. And I think for maybe some other ones, maybe some of us today who we are desiring him, maybe our hope is to this morning just recognize that there's others that Jesus wants to invite in. That we have the joy of sharing the gospel, of offering and this invitation on behalf of Jesus. And so my prayer for us today is that through our time in these upcoming weeks, through learning about the parables of Jesus, that we would just focus truly on him, and he would show us the way. He would show us the keys that we need to live for him. We pray. God, we thank you for um loving us enough to offer us your revealed word. That we have your scripture, we have the Bible that we can uh lean into to know more and more about who you are, God. Jesus, thank you. Thank you that it's it's your your way, your path that leads us to this opportunity to be uh invited into your kingdom, God, to be called sons and daughters of you, Lord. Jesus, thank you for what you did on the cross. Thank you for uh the beauty of resurrection, Lord. And I just pray this morning, Lord, for wherever we might find ourselves. Or maybe we um we we uh read read the book, but that's maybe it, Lord. Um or maybe we are, Lord, just seeking you, Lord, and just want every moment to be with you. Lord, maybe we're just trying to figure this whole thing out, God. I just pray, God, you would meet us in those moments. We love you. In Jesus' name. Amen.