The Secret Mysteries in Jesus’ Parables
Do you love a good mystery story? Most of us do. When Jesus was on earth he told lots of them. Many of the stories he told were called parables. When I was little, one of my teachers told me that a parable was “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning”—whatever that means. The point about parables is that they have a deeper meaning—a meaning that not everyone can understand. In other words, deep within what appeared to be simple stories that even a child could understand, was a meaning that was hidden from certain people. It is like when you hide something in plain sight and nobody can find it because they look in all the wrong places.
Sometimes my sunglasses like to hide on top of my head and I go all over the house looking for them and they are right on my head. You might ask your little sister to find a little trinket you have hidden and she looks in all the drawers and hiding places when all along it is hanging from the cat’s collar and the cat is right in front of her! Haha!
Jesus hid true meanings in plain sight on purpose to keep some people from understanding. You may not believe me, but it is true. Look at what the Bible says: “Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Matt. 13:10-11.
Jesus knew that the Holy Spirit would enlighten the minds of God’s chosen so they could understand the deeper meanings of the parables, but others could not. Look at this verse: “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” Luke 10:21.
Most of the scribes and Pharisees and teachers of the law were considered to be very smart but they did not seek after Jesus at all. The true children of God seek after him. That means they want to understand and they ask a lot of questions and they don’t give up until they get an answer. I have two granddaughters, Meagan and Kristen, who liked to ask a lot of questions about Jesus. When I would tuck them in bed at night, they would want to talk about God and be assured that God loved them and that they were saved. That is what a true disciple does. When that happens, the Holy Spirit gets inside their minds and shows them the truth.
Do you know what we call that when the Holy Spirit shows us the truth? I bet you do know by now! It is GRACE! We do not deserve to know the secrets and the mysteries of God’s plans, but his GRACE is so OUTRAGEOUS and SCANDALOUS. He gives us his grace so that we can understand and be saved and live with him forever.
Understanding God’s Word is evidence of God’s grace in our lives. Here is some more evidence of God’s grace in my life:
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