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While Jesus walked this earth, he taught us the truths of God and the secrets of living well. In just 3 years of ministry he said everything he needed to say, and he said it perfectly. Now, over 2000 years later, his words are our perfect guide for life.

Some of Jesus’ teachings were on deeply spiritual things that he knew we would struggle to understand. Not all things needed to be understood, but for some things we would need to understand so we could live well. For these things, Jesus often taught in parables.

Parables are stories. The word parable means “to throw alongside”. So, Jesus is teaching using a story thrown alongside a truth. These are earthly stories with Heavenly meaning.

Today, we begin our study of the parables of Jesus. We will read the stories he told, understand them, and apply them to our lives so we grow and get better. Through these parables we will see how a holy God speaks to ordinary people with everyday stories we can see, understand and remember. Some things God says are mysteries and simply cannot be figured out – but these are not. God essentially leaned down and brought his wisdom in a way we would actually get it.

(Now you will notice with these parables, they are often found in a few of the gospels. Remember the 4 gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the accounts of 4 of Jesus’ disciples as they walked with him. They are retelling everything they saw, experienced, heard and learned from Jesus. So, you may read the same parable in the gospels and that’s why. For simplicity, I’ll just be choosing one of the gospel accounts and reading it. You could also study the other books to see if there’s any special differences noted by the authors.)

Ready to get it? Let’s dive in to the Parables of Jesus!

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Part 1: The Parable of the Sower

Scripture: Matthew 13: 1-23

Here’s the setting. Jesus is in his 3 years of actively teaching and preaching here on earth and more and more people are beginning to follow him. On this particular day Jesus was staying at a house near the sea and when he walks outside a large crowd starts gathering around him. So, Jesus gets in a boat, goes out a little on the water and sits down in the boat to start teaching. The crowd of people stood on the beach to listen.

First, just knowing that the King of the Universe, the Savior of the world, the divine Creator in human form didn’t choose a fancy synagogue like all the other teachers. He didn’t choose a formal stage or a platform. No, he chose a boat floating on the sea, wearing his ordinary robe and sandals like everyone else there that day. We see through this example that Jesus really didn’t come to judge the world, he came to save it. In humility, he met us right where we are to teach us the highest of lessons.

And here, in this boat, is where Jesus begins teaching in parables – again earthly stories with heavenly meaning.

“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 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, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

That was Jesus’ story. But what was the point in this? Was he giving a gardening lesson?

For some listening, it would seem like nothing more than that – but for those God was calling to follow him and setting apart as his people, he was speaking in a way they could truly understand.

Everyone in this day understood farming. Everyone had to grow crops to survive. Their survival depended on a successful harvest. They knew seeds, they knew soils. And for those who were called as followers of God, he was