Matthew 13....

Matthew 13...

Matthew 13 is filled with parables which Jesus explains to his disciples as they sit by the sea and later in a house...I can just imagine sitting there talking to the people with the sea in the background, the hills surrounding...the Creator with the creation, the people who listened, understood and those who didn’t...trying to work through the teachings, the stories, the meanings...

We are now fortunate to have the written words, the explanations, while back then they only had them orally...whose hearts were touched by his teaching, whose hearts and ears didn’t understand....we can mull over the words, meditate on their meaning...

There are those who still do not hear and understand...whose hearts are hardened for whatever reason...as in the parable of the sower...the Word is snatched away by the evil one, or has no root or the worries of the world and deceitfulness of wealth choke or out...

Oh Lord, let me be among those who hear, understand, produce a good crop...who find and bring out new treasures as I study your Word...let the world and wealth not choke out the seed which you have planted...

Thank YOU....

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 

Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 

19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” 

He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

Matthew 13:1-13,16,19-23,52