THAT'S ADVERTAINMENT!

Matthew 13:11-16
11 [Jesus] replied, "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 he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."


Have you noticed the "mini-movie" trend in TV ads? Instead of simply presenting the virtues of a particular product, marketers tell a story that subtly sells the stuff.

For instance, do you remember the commercial in which Trisha, a sophisticated city-dweller, takes a trip to her boyfriend's family farm? She's seen riding a tractor, feeding fowl, and wandering in a field of wildflowers. The ad makes the viewer feel good with its storyline of an urban person having a great time on some green acres. But the point of the story is that Trisha had no problems with her chronic allergies because she took the right meds before heading for the countryside.

Marketers call these spots "advertainments." Expect to see more of them as advertisers struggle to get the attention of viewers armed with commercial-evading tools like TiVo and the always popular remote control.

There are no "mini-movies" in the Bible, but we do read of Jesus telling mini-stories. These brief, simple tales--called "parables"--reveal truths using characters and situations that His audience could easily follow.

The message, however, was often subtle--for a reason. Jesus knew the heart of man. When He said, "This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand" (Matthew 13:13), He was letting His disciples know two things: Believers would "get it" and unbelievers would reject it.

As theologian Dr. D. A. Carson has written, "If Jesus simply wished to hide the truth from outsiders, He need never have spoken to them. His concern for mission excludes that idea. So He must preach without casting His pearls before pigs (7:6). He does so in parables: i.e., in such a way as to harden and reject those who are hard of heart, and to enlighten--often without further explanation--His disciples."

As you read Jesus' parables, thank Him for revealing the "knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven" (13:11). These mini-stories can alter the story of your life. --Tom Felten

DESTINATION POINTS

* As I read the parable of the soils in Matthew 13:3-9, what insight do I gain into my own faith?
* Which parables mean the most to me and why?

bottom line: Jesus used parables to prick the heart.

soul journey