Jesus’ Kingdom Parables
Jesus, God in the flesh, was the wisest man to ever walk the earth. Yet, when He spoke even the children clearly understood Him. In all His wisdom and supernatural ability He chose one main method of communicating the endless wisdom of heaven… parables. A parable is, “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.” Today we will look at some of the most powerful parables Jesus ever told and the timeless lessons they contain!
SERIES TEXT
Matthew 6:9b-13 (KJV), “9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
THE KINGDOM OF GOD DEFINED
The Kingdom of God is the Father’s dominion over all creation ruled by His Son and our King, Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
PARABLE DEFINED
A parable is, “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.”
SERMON TEXT
Mark 4:33-34, “33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”
SIX PARABLES JESUS TOLD ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD
- THE FARMER, THE SEED, AND FOUR TYPES OF GROUND: Matthew 13:1-23. Lesson: The kind of choice you make when hearing God’s Word determines the kind of heart you will have.
- THE WEEDS AND THE WHEAT: Matthew 13:24-30;36-43. Lesson: Those who follow God will always be surrounded by those who don’t and only God knows the difference.
- THE MUSTARD SEED: Matthew 13:31-32. Lesson: God can use the smallest amount of our faith and effort to change the world, Matthew 17:20. Mustard seed and tree.
- YEAST IN THE DOUGH: Matthew 13:33-35. Lesson: God wants all of His Kingdom to transform and impact all of your life.
- HIDDEN TREASURE & THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE: Matthew 13:44-46. Lesson: The Kingdom of God is worth giving up everything to have.
- GOOD AND BAD FISHES: Matthew 13:47-52. Lesson: On Judgment Day God will separate the sinners from the saints.
The Kingdom of God is far too grand for our earthly brains to fully understand. However, if we humble ourselves and listen to Jesus’ parables we will understand God’s truth and never be the same again. Just as the sun shines through a window, being so far away and greater than what we experience, so is God’s presence shining in our lives through Jesus’ Words!