Bible Memory Verse:
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Luke 14:35
Questions:
1. Large crowds followed Jesus after He began His public ministry—the last 3 ½ years if His life. Why did large crowds of people follow Jesus? (Matthew 4:23-25 they loved Him, wanted Him to heal them, wanted to hear what He had to say—Jesus talked about God—God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) Jesus spoke with power and authority. Everything He said was truth.
Matthew 4:23-25
“ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
2. Jesus taught in parables. What is a parable?
"A parable is a short story with a meaning you can clearly see and a hidden meaning that explained something that Jesus wanted to teach. “Our word ‘parable’ comes from the Greek parabole, which means ‘a placing beside,’—and thus a comparison or an illustration. Its most common use in the NT is for the illustrative stories that Jesus drew from nature and human life,” NIV Study Bible
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear"—Jesus was saying, "Listen to what I am really saying." He wasn’t just telling them a story; He wanted them to understand a truth.
3. Why did Jesus speak in parables?
Matthew 13:10-17
“The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’
11 He 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. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did
not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
Mark 4:9-12
“Then Jesus said, ‘He who has an ear to hear, let him hear?’
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and others around him asked him about the parables? 11 He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
Luke 8:8-10
“…When he said this, he called out, ‘He who has an ear to hear, let him hear.’
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”’"
“Jesus used parables to illustrate truths, stimulate thinking and awaken spiritual perception. The people in general were not ready for the full truth of the gospel. When alone with his disciples Jesus taught more specifically, but even they usually needed to have things explained.” NIV Study Bible
“Jesus speaks in parables because of the spiritual dullness of the people.” NIV Study Bible
“Although parables clarified Jesus’ teaching, they also included hidden meanings needing further explanation. These hidden meanings challenged the sincerely interested to further inquiry, and taught truths that Jesus wanted to conceal from unbelievers (see v. 10). From parables Jesus’ enemies could find no direct statements to use against him." NIV Study Bible
4. What does Jesus mean when he quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15?
“Jesus likens his preaching in parables to the ministry of Isaiah, which, while it gained some disciples (Isaiah 8:16), was also to expose the hardhearted resistance of the many to God’s warning and appeal.”
“This quotation from Isaiah 6:9 does not express a desire that some would not understand, but simply states the sad truth that those who are not willing to receive Jesus’ message will find the truth hidden from them.” NIV Study Bible
Does God want everyone to believe in Jesus? “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
The meaning of the parables could only be understood by those that were willing to listen to the Spirit of God. “But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16
5. What is the kingdom of heaven? “This phrase introduces six of the seven parables in the Bible.” NIV Study Bible
“In the NT “secret” refers to something God has revealed to his people. The secret (that which was previously unknown) is proclaimed to all, but only those who have faith understand. In this context the secret seems to be that the kingdom of God had drawn near in the coming of Jesus Christ.” NIV Study Bible
“The kingdom of God is the divine authority and rule given by the Father to the Son (Luke 22:29).” Baker’s Dictionary of Theology
Daniel 7:14
“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Matthew 6:33
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Luke 13:41
“The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.”
Luke 17:20-21
“Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God does not come visibly, nor will people say, ‘Here it is’ or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is within you.”
“Jesus Christ is the most single-minded person who has ever lived. His entire earthly life, including the whole of His public ministry, was focused on one thing: announcing and establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. He announced it with His preaching, teaching and healing; He established it through His death and resurrection. The first recorded words of Jesus deals with the Kingdom: "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand’" Matthew 4:17.
When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, the first thing He told them to ask of the Father was for His Kingdom to come to earth: "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in Heaven" Matthew 6:9-10.
Because the Kingdom of God was so central to the purposes and plans of Christ, He wanted His followers to constantly seek after its unveiling. If the Kingdom of Heaven was Jesus’ central priority, it must be ours as well. We must keep the main thing the main thing.
The phrases "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of Heaven" are a common and fundamental part of Biblical theology, with the word "Kingdom" appearing 150 times in the New Testament alone. Its root meaning is God’s royal kingship and power, His divine authority to lead and rule. God is the supreme ruler over all creation. The royal rule of Christ is invincible, imperishable and will last forever (see Colossians 1:13-20, Revelation 1:8).
Jesus declared that this Gospel of the Kingdom was to be preached in all the world. Our mission on earth is to obey Him, and we need His anointing to empower us to carry out His command. As the Body of Christ, we are to live a life so yielded to Jesus that the Kingdom (the power and authority) of God is recognized here on earth, even by those who do not believe. We are to be so obedient to our King that His Kingdom will be expressed on this earth to an ever-increasing extent–no matter how much the influence of the powers of darkness grows–just as it will be shown in its fullness at the end of the age.
The Kingdom of God is more than a good method or a great message. It consists not of eloquent words–but is a demonstration of the power of God. A well-delivered sermon or an expertly reasoned teaching is not enough; people need to see God’s power on display. The people of this generation are ready to see God’s Word displayed in power and action. Only then will they begin to see and believe in the Kingdom of God and to trust Christ as their Savior and Lord. “ “The Kingdom Of God Is Emerging” Bobby Conner