Most everyone knows that Jesus often spoke in parables. But the Bible says that, to most people, Jesus ONLY spoke in parables?
Matthew 13:34… “Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.”
When the disciples asked Jesus why He did this, He answered that only those who were open to His teaching would be given the ability to understand the true meaning of what He said. (Matthew 13:12). For example, the crowds heard a story about a farmer planting seeds, but to the disciples that same story meant that God’s word creates different results in different people.
The other day I heard on the radio that there was a “car accident with injuries” blocking two lanes on the interstate. To some listeners, this may have been nothing more than a traffic report. To me, however, it was a parable. Jesus was telling me to pray for the people and families affected.
News of financial turmoil in the world may be investment advice to some. But to those who are open to the teachings of Jesus, it is a parable of God’s faithfulness and security.
Likewise family tensions, work challenges, health issues, and life’s pleasures — in all these situations, Jesus is delivering parables to those who wish to hear.
A friend of mine made a sad observation. Dogs are sometimes smarter than people.
If everyone in the neighborhood opened their front door and let the dogs out at the same time, what would happen? In just a few minutes, there would be packs of dogs roaming the streets. Packs… as in dogs together… as in a community of dogs.
People, on the other hand, build fences to protect their privacy. They make purchases to ensure their self sufficiency.
As for me, I have to make a conscious effort to be smarter than a dog.
(P.S. – Thank you, Tom, for the thought.)
For years – decades really – I’ve been meeting with other Christians. These gatherings have taken place in many settings, from formal, large Sunday services to small groups in a living room. It is especially in those small group settings that I’ve seen an interesting phenomenon.
Many times an enthusiastic leader, when inviting people to such a get together, says something like “Come over to my house and we’ll just see how the Lord leads.” My observation is that after about the third meeting, and often even before that, the Lord happens to be leading the same way every time… The leader says “Let’s open in prayer.” Then we sing a few songs. Then we launch into whatever is on the agenda for the evening – a book study, Bible study, listening to a mini sermon, etc. – followed by a closing comment or prayer(s).
Every time… it’s the same thing. Yet the well-intentioned leader says that we’re going to meet as “the Lord leads.”
I have a couple questions: Is the Lord in that much of a rut? Is the creator of the universe really that un-creative? Can He not think of anything else for us to do when we get together? Or is the pray-sing-study-pray formula truly the one and only divine way to meet? (Oh, how I hope not!) You’d think that just once in awhile, the Lord would want to watch a basketball game with His people, or just sit around and hear how their weeks went.
In fairness to glorious groups who have given me glimpses of the other side, I must admit that some of the above is the ranting of one disenchanted. I do know that there are those who are finding Jesus in a corporate way outside the stale formulas. May we all find each other.
Christians who are trying to be evangelistic tell people that they should believe certain things. But how does one believe something which one doesn’t believe? Can a person force him or herself to believe?
For example, I do not believe in unicorns. If someone tells me that unicorns exist, will I then believe in unicorns? Not at all. If I see a unicorn for myself, will I then believe in unicorns? Most definitely.
But Jesus wanted us to believe without seeing. He said “Blessed are those who believe, though they have never seen.” That seems quite difficult (impossible?) and perhaps even foolish. There must be a step between seeing nothing at all, and seeing the actual unicorn.
If someone tells me that they have evidence that unicorns exist, will I then believe in unicorns? Probably not at first. I’ll most likely ask to see the evidence.
Jesus said “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”
So even Jesus realizes that I need to see something… perhaps a picture, or a reflection.
Next come some hard questions…. Where, today, can I see a picture or a reflection or an example of God? Is it found only in fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity, thus leading me to the conclusion that that is the true path to the Father?
These thoughts are becoming a bit scary. Perhaps I’ll contemplate unicorns and get back to them later.
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