THIRD QUARTER 2024
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #4
JULY 27, 2024
"PARABLES."

 

I love the parables of Jesus.  These simple stories reveal profound gospel truths.  This week we will explores five such lessons of Jesus.  He was forced to use a fishing boat just off shore as His platform because the crowd had once again grown to an almost unmanageable size.  The floating platform enabled more to see Him while the acoustics of the surrounding water brought His words more clearly to their hearing.

The text tells us that “He taught them many things by parables” (Mark 4:2, NKJV).  Let’s consider some of those things.

The Sower

This is a familiar story to most of us.  A sower is casting seed and the seed falls on four types of ground: the wayside, stony ground, thorny ground and good ground, each with a different result.  Three are unfavorable results and one leads to growth and much fruit.

Of course, we often focus on the difference in the ground and the unfortunate results for us if we find our hearts like one of the first three grounds.  But the question that I have to ask is this:  What farmer in their right mind would sow seed on the wayside or on stony ground or among thorns?  The answer of course is no farmer, as it would be a terrible waste of good seed.

But Jesus is teaching in this parable that God is not like most farmers.  He casts His seed on all soil universally. God is no respecter of persons and the kingdom of heaven sows seed, His Word, to all ground. Jesus was cast upon the wayside hearts and the stony ground hearts and the thorny ground hearts and not just upon the good soil hearts. “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14).  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not imputing their trespasses to them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11).

And as Jesus explained, there are different conditions of the heart that will either have favorable or unfavorable results.   But the blessings don’t fail because the Seed is not cast.  The Seed is given and the blessing of the Seed is given to all.  The difference only comes with the good soil who receive and yield to the gift of the Seed and all the blessings that He brings. 

The Lamp

The lamp likewise casts light but is never intended to cast light only to a select group under a bed or under a basket.  The Light of the World is lifted up upon a cross shaped lamp stand for all to see and be drawn. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). “For nothing is hidden…nor anything been kept secret” (Mark 4:22).

The Measure

Then after the lamp parable Jesus digresses to say, “Take heed what you hear.” And notice that the “what you hear” is directly related to the “measure you use” (Mark 4:24). What you “hear" is what you take in and receive and yield to.  Therefore, what you “hear” is what you “use.”  And so Jesus says emphatically, “With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Mark 4:24). There is no question that as our utilization and need goes, so will be our supply.  Those that hear and avail themselves to the measure “more will be given.”  This is the supply and demand principle of the gospel. This also teaches us that if we refuse to hear and do not use what has already been given more will not be given.  And this is true not because God is not willing or wants to hold back but simply because we are not able to receive. The Lord simply tells us in these instances,” I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 12:3).

In addition to the boundless measures available to meet our need as we hear and use, there is also a sense that a measure has come to all before we hear and use, “as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Thank God there is more than an ample supply of gospel riches and promises for any who will hear, for whatever the need.  And thank the Lord also that He has supplied a measure while we were yet ungodly and enemies of His kingdom in order that we can hear and respond to what comes to us.

The Growing Seed (i.e. The Harvest Principle)

Seeds, when planted and watered, do seem to grow.  Isn’t it amazing how that happens?  The seed sprouts, takes root, forms its first blade then grows until there is grain in the head of the plant.  And once the grain is ripened by the ripening rains of at the end of the growing season, the harvest comes immediately.

Now notice that Jesus points out that “the earth yields crops by itself” (Mark 4:28).  That is to say that the farmer, who will “sleep by night and rise by day…does not know how” (Mark 4:27) this growth happens and only cooperates with the agencies God has provided, by simply planting the seed.  And likewise, we do not contribute of ourselves to our own growth or the growth of others.  Our role is simply to cooperate the divine agencies already at work. 

Jesus’ teaching to Nicodemus is reflected in this parable.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Johns 3:5-8).

Jesus makes it clear that if He, the Seed, is planted in the life, all will grow.  It is inevitable — early growth, middle growth, and finally latter growth and full ripening of the grain. And when this happens for His church, the harvest will immediately follow.  This is a work that is both individual and simultaneously corporate.

“‘When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’ Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.        

“It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” - Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.

The harvest principle taught by Jesus in the parable begs the question for us today.  Why does the Lord tarry?  Why has He not returned yet?  According to the parable there is only one answer.  The grain is not willing to be ripened.  It is not the Lord who tarries but rather His people.

He has given everything He could.  He has provided every good gift and all eternal riches and they are all at our disposal.  There is nothing more He can do.  He is more willing to give without measure all that would ripen the grain and provide every need to bring the gospel to the world and lighten the earth with His glory.

The Mustard Seed

The mustard seed, a seemingly insignificant tiny little seed when planted in the ground becomes “greater than all the herbs” (Mark 4:32).

Notice the words of Jesus in regard to Himself and by extension to all who truly follow Him:

“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:13-15).

Jesus is the mustard seed.  The One who was “in the beginning” …” with God” and the One by whom “all things were made” (John 1:1-3).  It is this One who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (vs. 14). It is He who “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7) and “had no form or comeliness” and “no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). It is this One who stepped out of heaven and into our lives to live and ultimately die the death that we all deserve, “even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). 

Furthermore, it is the One who is drawing and calling all to come to Him, to hear Him and to allow the gospel principle of the seed that dies to take root in our hearts, that we can be restored into the very image He created us to be. “For he who is least among you all will be great” (Luke 9:48).

Conclusion

This it is the promised Seed that has been given to all men for their full and free salvation.  He has not been hidden or kept secret, but lifted up for all to see and be drawn.  The full measure of love and the measure of His faith has been given freely to all to receive and experience even now.

The only questions that still remains are: 1) Do we believe this to be true?  and 2) Will we hear, use, receive the measure fully and freely that it may be manifest in our lives in increasing measure “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:13)

“to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19).

May we all enter into this experience with our Lord even now so that we may hasten that day and bring to our Lord and Christ His greatest reward, ourselves.

 

~ Kelly Kinsley