Can You Hear Me Now?

02/02/2025 - Matthew Destry

Matthew 13:1-17

1. What is a parable?
2. παρά (para) – meaning “beside,” “alongside,” or “near.”
3. βολή (bolē) – derived from the verb βάλλω (ballō), meaning “to throw” or “to cast.”

a/ Story / narrative (not like a metaphor)

b/ Examples from everyday life

c/ One main point (not like an allegory)

d/ ‘Sting in the tail’

2i. Why?

Parables are not just illustrations; they are a form of spiritual discernment. They test the heart of the listener.

• To those with faith, parables illuminate the mysteries of the Kingdom.
• To those with hard hearts, parables obscure the truth, leaving them in their blindness.

Isaiah 6:9-10: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.”

2ii. The Parable of the Sower: A Parable About Parables

The Parable of the Sower describes four different responses to the message of the Kingdom, just as people respond to parables in different ways:

• The Path (Hard Hearts)
• The Rocky Ground (Emotional, but No Root)
• The Thorns (Distracted Heart)
• The Good Soil (True Discipleship)

1. How: Parables invite reflection and understanding for those willing to listen deeply.
2. Revealing and Concealing:
3. Spiritual Readiness:
4. Fulfilment of Prophecy:
5. Blessings for Disciples:
6. Every Heart is Invited:

Now: Do You Have Ears to Hear?

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:9)

Pray: “Lord, give me ears to hear. Give me eyes to see. Make my heart good soil. Amen.”