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We are in the opening verses of Matthew Chapter 13. One day a large crowd had come together and as if to get a bit of room Jesus got into a boat and Jesus began to speak to the crowd from the boat. This is surely success. Does Jesus preach the encouraging word which everyone would appreciate and which the itching ears would want to hear and for which Jesus would receive adulation? Does Jesus seek to rally the party faithful?

Jesus is really quite shocking and challenging.

Jesus does not give them a comfortable cushion on which to sit! Are you going to follow me from the heart or are you just wanting more miracles?

It is a peaceful setting – with a crowd – we almost have that golden word, ‘success’!

We may be familiar with the parables, but we need to read them afresh and understand them more deeply, and their significance for our day and for our lives.

Jesus begins to speak about a farmer sowing seed. Some may think they have heard this parable so many times that we know it so very well. Well, is that so?

"A farmer went out to sow his seed - as he sowed some fell on the path - this roadway was hard - the seed could not penetrate - and the birds came and ate it up." Do take time to read the parable though, carefully.

Jesus was teaching this in the countryside - by the Lake of Galilee. He was in a horse-shoe shaped bay, at the water's edge. He is facing a sloping field, which has perfect acoustics. I have been at that water’s edge on a few occasions and have spoken from that rocky beach and it is a natural amphitheatre. Your voice just carries.

There were fields all around. Everybody knew the situation. They could identify with what Jesus was saying.

Verse 5. Some seed fell on rocky ground. Now there were and are many rocks in those fields. There would a little soil covering the rocks. The young plants sprouted up, but they had no room to put down roots. Soon they withered for lack of moisture.

Verse 7. Some seed fell among thorns and weeds. What grew would soon be choked.

Verse 8. Other seed fell on good soil. It grew and produced fruit. The fruitfulness was as high as 100 times what was sown. That is a high yield.

Then Jesus cried out to the people - "Are you listening? Are you really listening? Are you paying attention?"

Jesus is saying - use your ears - hearing is hard work.

That is all he said. Often his parables are brief. That is all he gave the crowd.

But that does not satisfy the disciples. "What does this mean? What is this all about?"

Be prepared to ask good questions. These keen earnest disciples wanted more than just a story - a children's address. They wanted Jesus to teach them. They wanted a little meat. Milk - sops - wasn't enough for them.

Jesus begins to explain and this is one of the very few places where Jesus Christ explains and develops and expands upon His basic message.

Verse 10. What is the point of teaching in this way, they ask Jesus? A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning – from the familiar to the more unfamiliar – the better known to the less known – and Jesus uses this method. Jesus uses skilful illustrations, but Jesus’ answer, when questioned, is really quite surprising.

It reveals truth to those who have spiritual sight and who are prepared to obey, and it seems to conceal spiritual truth to those who do not have spiritual sight and who are unprepared to obey Him.

You take from the person who has nothing and give to those who already have something. This is revolutionary teaching. It is almost unjust, humanly speaking.

But it is true to life – like the law of atrophy. Someone who refuses to use his physical ability will soon lose strength in his muscular ability.

The parable has a two edged effect. It is a parable about the teaching of Jesus.

The parable is not just a nice story. We have to ask – where am I in this parable?

Nobody is missed out in Jesus’ comprehensive picture of the preaching and teaching of His Word.

You can understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is prepared to share with the likes of us - Sacred Secrets.

We will continue with Jesus’ explanation next week.

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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