Perceiving and Believing

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears they can barely hear,
    and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

(Matthew 13)

Why did Jesus teach in parables? Because those who really believed, who trusted in Him, would keep on listening until they could understand; they would really want to hear what He had to say.  His answer to His disciples question was this: "Because you guys do get it; and if you don't you will keep seeking the answer - keep asking me - until you do. Your hearts want the truth." Do ours?

The first Sunday of every month we do a nursing home service. Many of those who attend have been doing so month after month for years. There is one man, who now has become gray with age, who every service, at one point or another, with look at me and belt out "Jesus in my heart; Jesus in my heart." He looks and sounds like a little boy. His joy and excitment over his salvation is obvious and overflowing. He keeps coming back for more, listening intently each time. Jesus says here: "That's the way my true followers are." Do we act that way?

The Sample Parable

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13)
Jesus is not playing easy to get.  He went out and sat by the sea. People had to decide that they were going to go out and see what He had to say.  He then told a lot of parables - notice He said "many things in parables." No explanation given.  Why was that? (come back tomorrow to see...) This "sample" parable is one of the best known, yet still debated, of all His parables. Why? Jesus was not trying to be easily understood or believed in. He was seeking the sincere. This is the "sample" parable because it refers to what is happening. He speaks truth, then waits to see where it takes root - who will respond. He faithfully shares it with all, but the state of the soil makes all the difference. Once again he makes this piercing statement: "He who has ears, let him hear." Are we really listening?

Double Family/Double blessings

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12)
This series of sayings by Jesus does seem to be "hard", and even at times harsh.  This one is similar to Paul's statement that it the relationship of Christ and His Church that existed before the foundation of the world, and that marriage and the relationship and husband and wife merely mirrors that relationship.  It is hard to wrap our brain around the fact that in the mind of God Church precedes family.  But it works its way out in how we often refer to "the church family."  This is by no means allowing for the neglect of family relationships or responsibilities, but rather that a deeper tie, a spiritual tie, to God and His family is possible than to one's physical family.  Our relationship within each one should help us understand the other better, and also help us do better in our responsibilities there.  Rather than "either/or", it is "both/and."

More than house-cleaning...

43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
(Matthew 12)
This statement is not something Jesus made out of the blue: He had just healed one who was demon-driven, then accused of doing so through the power of Satan.  Having shown them that such an idea was irrational and untree, He has been getting to the heart of the matter: responsiveness to the Spirit of God.  When a person comes to Christ, it is not simply to "get clean, come clean, or clean up one's act."  Christ wants to clean house to make room for the Spirit to move in and take over; it is a whole new life.   One who simply wants to clean up their life and look better will be just as empty as the Pharisees, whom Jesus called "white-washed tombs."  

The Signs We Don't Want to See...

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.  (Matthew 12)

"Rest Area Closed."  "Construction Next 26 miles." "Speed checked by aircraft." These are signs that are important - things we need to be aware of - which we really do not like to see.  We want the road laid out before us to be smooth, with no congestion, and to go where we want it to go.  The Pharisees wanted signs that they wanted to see: billboards telling them how great they were, how their way was the right way, and that they were to be respected and trusted. But those would have been unsafe signs - saying things that really were not true, which if followed, would have led on a perilous journey.  Jonah in a sense also wanted to see a sign: "If you really want me to preach to the Ninevites, You're going to have to move me there; I want to run away from there."  Jonah got the sign he did not want.  The Pharisees rejected the signs they did see, and most of them rejected this sign they did not want: Jesus dying on the cross for them. It was the sign which said: "Why is this Man dying?  If it is not for His own crimes, then why?"  The only answer is unnerving: Jesus died for sinners like me. That being true and said, my whole journey requires a change in course, a rerouting like Noah had to take, an admission I have been going my way, and I need to start obeying the signs God puts in my path.  Are you really looking for a sign?  Probably God has already put it up and you've blown right past it. Slow down, look, listen, and ask again - not for the signs you want, but the signs you need to see and follow. 

Do your words taste like grapes?

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
(Matthew 12)
Once again, context is so important.  Who is Jesus calling a bunch of snakes? He was till addressing those who accused Him of operating by the power and authority of Satan - those who within were resisting the pull and call of the Holy Spirit to repond in repentance and faith.  Here he says: "Let your true colors show.  Don't be a fake.  Don't act pious when within you are bitter and jealous and hateful."  In particular, the things they were saying about Jesus were wrong, evil, and careless. Their words revealed what was in their hearts: a rebellion and resistance aganst God.   Do we ever stop and listen to ourselves? Do we hear what we say about others? What does that reveal about the depths of our hearts?  Do we really want to hear them replayed in God's presence? 

The "unpardonable" sin...

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12)
Like the old saying goes, if you are afraid you have possibly committed the "unpardonable" sin, you probably have not. Because you care; you are still able to be convicted.  Even this demon-driven man, who was unable to see or talk, could still respond to Christ.  He knew he was needy; he believed Jesus could help. He could hear about all Jesus had done, and trusted in Him.  The ones who should have been concerned with those who would not hear, believe, or trust. They were resisting the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Now that is scary. Satan has an even stronger foothold than he did in the life of this man. May we not be ignorant of his devices, or resistant to the pull of the Spirit of God in our hearts.