June 19, 2011
Dear Families of Faith Presbyterian Church,
This summer, from June 26 to August 28, the elementary school students through adults will be jointly studying many of Jesus’ parables. We will basically follow the pattern used last year during our study of the Lord’s Prayer.
People love stories. We like hearing stories. We like telling stories. We like stories in our songs. We read books of stories to children and for our own enjoyment. We love movies with a good story. Pastors often begin a sermon with a story to get our attention. People have always enjoyed a good story. Jesus knows that.
Jesus told stories too. Jesus did not tell stories just to entertain people. He told stories that have a deep meaning. His stories tell us more about God and us. They also tell us about God’s kingdom. Jesus could have taught us the same facts in a lecture or using big, technical terms. Sometimes he did teach that way. But he taught most people using His stories. Jesus knew that people—young and old, educated or not—would all listen to a story. Some people would even believe in the truth that the story would teach.
Let us read Jesus’ own words explaining the parables. His disciples asked him why He taught that way. In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel we read:
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.’
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.
The Prophet Isaiah is quoted in these verses. God used him to write a very long book of the Bible that is filled with fearsome and wonderful prophecies—even about the coming of Jesus. Jesus tells us that even Isaiah longed to see and hear what the disciples saw and heard. Fortunately, God also directed several disciples to record Jesus’ works and words so that we have them. Almost 2,000 years later, we can experience what Jesus did and taught; and we are blessed by it.
Beloved of God, rejoice in God’s blessing upon us and join us with excitement in this study of the parables of Jesus.
For the Kingdom of God and His Glory,
Bill Smithfield
