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THE PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED

"And He [Jesus] said, So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.  For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.  But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." (Mark 4:26-29).    Jesus told this parable to His hearers to reveal the mystical nature of the Kingdom of Heaven by comparing it to something very common and familiar.  The process of casting seeds into the ground, waiting for it to mature, and harvesting a crop from it is a process that most folks understand at least in theory.  Many of us have had experience with planting and watching things grow, but in some ways the process seems counter-intuitive to the way we might think things should be.  Once we bury seeds in the earth, they rot ...
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THE WHEAT AND THE TARES

"And when one of them that sat at meat with Him [Jesus] heard these things, he said unto Him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God.  Then said He [Jesus] unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  And they all with one consent began to make excuse .  The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.   And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” (Luke 14:15-20).   One thing that all of Jesus' disciples had in common was that they all left everything behind to follow Him.  Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and called to the fishermen who were casting their nets into the sea, and to those who were helping...
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THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

The Oxford Dictionary defines a parable as “ a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.”  Jesus made extensive use of parables in explaining the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven in down-to-earth terms to those who were unfamiliar with them.  He used analogies of familiar activities that the farmers, shepherds, vinedressers and fishermen that heard Him could easily understand and relate to.  Late in Jesus’ ministry, before He was betrayed, He told His disciples that the time was coming when He would no longer speak to them in parables, but would plainly reveal the Father and His ways to them (see John 16:25).  He was referring to the time after His resurrection when the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon His disciples on the day of Pentecost.  Of that day Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth .” (John 16:13).   Chapter 13 of St. Matthew holds a wealth of parables.   The first...
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