Last time, we watched Jesus butt heads with the Pharisees yet again, as they tried to lay a trap for Him, to blaspheme Himself so as to find a way to kill Him (see The Pharisees Try to Catch Jesus in a Lie).
Later that same day, Jesus traveled to the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Because the crowd that followed Him was so large in number, He stepped into a boat and pushed out in the water a bit, so that He could address the entire group.
Christ taught mainly in ‘parables’ – simple stories that He used to teach spiritual and or moral lessons. Jesus did this because the bulk of His audience consisted of farmers and shepherds. He wanted to meet them on their intellectual level – beginning with the ‘parable of the sower:’
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell upon a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Mt. 13:3 – 9. NLT
Later, Jesus gathered with the apostles privately, and they asked Him what the parable meant. He responds:
“You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’” Mk. 4:11, 12. NLT (see also Is. 6:9).
“The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
“The seed that fell among the thorns represent others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Mk.4:14 – 20. NLT
Jesus is also alluding to effective preaching, as did the Apostle Paul:
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2 Tim. 4:2 NLT
Christ immediately teaches another parable (‘parable of the weeds’) to further demonstrate the plight of unrepentant hearers of the Gospel:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
“’An enemy did this,’ he told them.
“’ So, do you want us to pull them up?’ the servants asked him.
“’No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers; Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ “ Mt. 13:24 – 30. CSB
Privately, Jesus would expound upon the meaning of this parable to His apostles:
“The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom.”
That is one SERIOUS bit of information – Life or Death type seriousness. Ignore at your peril. Things are not looking good for the unrepentant unbeliever when the ‘great sifting’ takes place:
…in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Tim. 3:1 – 5. NLT
…everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught…to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 3:12 – 15. NLT
Only one group gets to go:
…in accordance with His promise we expectantly await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 2 Pt. 3:13 AMP
Jesus continues to teach parables to the crowd. One of them likened the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed (one of the smallest of plant seeds) that grows into enormous trees that nurture the birds that inhabit it (Mt. 13:31, 32.)
In another, Christ associated yeast with the Kingdom, saying that the leaven transformed flour into edible food. Likewise, does the Gospel contain a transformative power (Mt. 13:33).
In still another, Jesus creates a metaphor for the Kingdom as a hidden treasure (Mt. 13:44) and as a pearl of great value (Mt. 13:45, 46.)
Finally, Christ tells of the ‘parable of the dragnet,’ where a dragnet was tossed into the sea and the catch was sorted out, the good from the bad. Again, he adds an end-time warning:
“That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Mt. 13:49, 50. NLT
When Jesus had finished teaching His parables, He and His apostles sailed across the Sea of Galilee. The Son of Man fell asleep. Suddenly, a storm arose, the apostles panicked and woke Him up. He responds:
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mk. 4:39, 40. NLT
Is there nothing Christ Cannot do?
Apparently not, because when they disembarked in the region of Gadarenes, Jesus was immediately confronted by a demon-possessed man that lived among the tombs, cutting himself and screaming continually. He was so wild that chains could not bind him, and he was terrorizing the local region.
The man immediately dropped to his knees in front of Jesus and spoke:
And they screamed out, “What business do we have [in common] with each other, Son of God? Have you come to torment us before the appointed time [of judgment]?” Mt. 8:29 AMP
The demons that possessed this man were trembling before the stature and power of Christ – afraid that He was there to torture them before the end of time. Jesus commands:
With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Mk. 5:7 – 9. NLT
The demons begged Christ to let them inhabit a nearby herd of swine. (Interesting to note the presence of the pigs because Mosaic Law declares pork unclean). Jesus assented and once the swine were possessed, they ran and drowned themselves in the sea.
Afterwards, the people asked Jesus to leave. Instead of being grateful for being liberated from the demons, they cared far more for their pigs.
Miracles after miracles!!
Jesus and company sailed back across the Sea of Galilee, where they were met with yet another crowd. A Pharisee by the name of Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet, begging Him to come cure his dying daughter. Christ accompanies him, followed by the crowd (Lk. 8:40 – 42.)
Within that crowd was a woman who had been suffering from a non-stop menstrual flow for 12 years. No doctors were able to help her. When she saw Jesus, a thought came to her that if she could just touch His clothes, she would be healed.
The very instant she touched Him, she was completely healed. Jesus stopped in His tracks, having felt power go out of Him, and asked who it was that touched Him. The woman confessed (Lk. 8:43 – 47.)
Christ responded:
“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Lk. 8:48 NLT
Simultaneously, someone from Jairus’ house met their master along the way and told Jairus that his daughter was dead. Jesus turns to Jairus and reassures him:
Overhearing what was being said, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; only keep on believing [in Me and my power]. Mk. 5:36 AMP
When they arrived at Jairus’ house, it was filled with the wailing of the bereaved. Jesus calmly states:
“Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” Mk. 5:39 NLT
Some of the people ridiculed Jesus. Unfazed, He enters the house with Jairus and his wife, takes their 5-year-old daughter by the hand and tells her to arise. And she does!
As Jesus is leaving, He is met by 2 blind men, who plead with Him to cure them. He replies:
“Do you believe I can make you see?”
“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “We do.” Mt. 9:28 NLT
Christ touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Mt. 9:29 NLT
Jesus then heals a demon-possessed mute. Next, He travels to His hometown of Nazareth but could find no one with faith in His deity – the outcome?
And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Mt. 13:58 NLT
No faith, no miracles… Goodnight and God bless.