Storyteller: The Parables of Jesusනියැදිය

Understanding Parables

God is the Creator of the human heart, and He knows best how to shape and instruct it according to His truth. Therefore, one of the many effective ways Jesus taught was by using parables—stories involving ordinary people, familiar objects, and situations everyone could relate to. The answers people seek are found within the metaphors themselves.

The word parable means “to throw or place alongside,” often through contrast and comparison (i.e., The Kingdom of God is like…). Jesus employed this method to make complex spiritual truths more tangible. His goal is to give His people a vision of what is possible when we put all our trust in Him and of the unspeakable joy, power, and love available to us.

Parables have had and continue to have the ability to unlock hearts and minds in a way that differs from other forms of teaching or preaching. They do not just tell us something; they show us something. They are not just informational; they are an invitation into the grand story of Jesus, designed to tap into the imagination and enable us to discover where we fit into that story. Parables invite us to reflect on the condition of our own hearts, challenge our corrupt ways of thinking, and reorient us around His truth so that we are able to live in the light of that truth.

It is an appeal to a new way to be human—the way we were created to operate.

First and foremost, parables are meant to reveal the character of God and the nature of His Kingdom (the activity of God). It’s vital to understand who He is and what His mission is about.

The Kingdom of God is central to the teachings of Jesus, but what is it exactly? Simply put, it is a group of committed followers living in unity under the peaceful reign of King Jesus. It is where we offer our loyal service in wholehearted submission to His benevolent leadership and generously seek to meet the needs of our neighbors. Even more simply, it is imitating the example Christ Jesus set for us and then living as He did.

This was as countercultural in Jesus’ day as it is today. His radical ways of teaching have always scandalized people because they require us to dethrone ourselves and the small kingdoms we serve and allow Him to take His rightful position as the King of our hearts.

Jesus came to demonstrate that His Kingdom was unlike any other kingdom in the world, especially Rome’s at that time. Theirs was a kingdom of violence and oppression, where leaders used fear to intimidate people into submission. The powerful rule of Rome negatively affected every area of life for the Jews, particularly those who were poor, weak, and in bondage. They were desperate for relief and believed their promised King would come to overthrow Rome and rescue them, restoring political and military power by reestablishing their national identity.

Although Jesus came in power, more than enough to destroy Rome, His way was different. His unique Kingdom was more comprehensive and lasting than anyone could have expected. It would not just liberate the Jews at that time; it would liberate all people throughout history. It would not merely bring temporary order; it would bring eternal order. It would not just bring regional peace; it would bring the unending shalom of God.

Jesus often used the expression, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:7, ESV), meaning the invasion of Heaven had come to earth. His revolution would remake all things, healing the condition of the world and overthrowing evil.

When God’s Kingdom of Heaven invaded earth, everything changed. There was forgiveness of sin, joy in sorrow, light in darkness, salvation in bondage, and life in death.

The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus made this possible, partially at His first coming and fully at His return.

This is the Gospel: God, who, out of an abundance of love and mercy, pursues and rescues an undeserving and sinful humanity (Ephesians 2:4-6, ESV). Jesus is the main character; we are not. But our response to Him will alter the course of our lives and the lives of those who come after us. Neutrality is not an option because Jesus did not come merely to change minds or behavior; He came to transform hearts.

Therefore, the parables gently yet urgently offer the distinct but crucial choice: to either live for Christ and in His Kingdom or not.

Full acceptance of the Kingdom of God will rearrange our hearts from the inside out, making us people who think, act, and speak differently, which, in turn, will determine our impact on the world around us.

I cannot wait to experience the parables of Jesus, our great storyteller, together over the next thirty days as we seek to discover their meaning and significance for both Jesus’ original listeners and us today.

Prayer

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Jesus, give me Your mind, for it is my spiritual inheritance as Your child, so I can think, reason, and obey. Amen.