Category: Parables

Posted in joyful-echoes, Let’s Learn the Bible, Ministry, Parables, teaching

Walking Along with Jesus The Parables Day 3

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb

🌾 The Parable of the Weeds: Coexistence of Good and Evil 🌾

Good Morning and Welcome to Day 3

In the book of Matthew in the Bible, Jesus shares a powerful parable known as the Parable of the Weeds. This story is a metaphorical illustration that speaks to the nature of good and evil coexisting in the world, while also addressing the concept of divine judgment.

The Parable of the Weeds

Mathew 13:24
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

The Parable:
Jesus begins by saying that the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. However, while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When the wheat started to grow and form heads, the weeds also became visible.

The Dilemma:
The owner’s servants noticed the intrusion of the weeds and questioned the owner about it. They wondered why there were weeds among the good seed that had been sown. The owner explained that an enemy had done this.

The Response:
The servants then proposed removing the weeds, but the owner advised against it. He was concerned that while pulling up the weeds, the wheat might be damaged in the process. Instead, he instructed them to let both the wheat and the weeds grow together until the harvest.

The Harvest:
The owner’s plan was to wait until the harvest time. At that point, he would command the harvesters to first gather the weeds and tie them into bundles to be burned. Afterward, the wheat would be gathered and brought safely into the barn.

The Message:
This parable teaches profound lessons about the nature of the world. The wheat represents the righteous, the good people who follow God’s path, while the weeds symbolize the wicked or those who choose to follow an evil path. It highlights that in our world, both good and evil will coexist until a time of reckoning or judgment.

The Wisdom:
The owner’s wisdom in not immediately removing the weeds teaches us patience and restraint. It’s a reminder that hasty judgment or action may unintentionally harm the good along with the bad. The parable emphasizes the importance of waiting for the right time when a just and final judgment will take place.

the Parable of the Weeds serves as a profound reminder that in our complex world, good and evil coexist, and divine judgment will ultimately distinguish between them. It urges us to be patient, trusting in the divine wisdom that knows the right time for separation and justice.

Posted in Bible, joyful-echoes, Ministry, Parables

Walking Alongside Jesus Day 2

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb
Day 2 Walking Alongside Jesus in Matthew 13 we have the Parable Jesus told
The Parable of the Sower New International Version

13 That same day Jesus went out of the houseand sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because 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 they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 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.’[a]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Unveiling Spiritual Growth: Is What The Parable of the Sower is About

Explained


In Matthew 13, Jesus employs the powerful tool of parables to convey profound spiritual truths. Among these stories, the Parable of the Sower stands as a timeless lesson about the receptivity of human hearts to the message of God’s kingdom. Let’s delve into the meaning of this parable and the valuable insights it offers.

The Parable:
Jesus, sitting by the lake with crowds surrounding him, tells the story of a farmer who went out to sow his seed. The seed falls on different types of soil, each yielding different results. Some seed falls on the path and is devoured by birds, some on rocky ground grows shallow roots and withers in the sun, some among thorns is choked, and some on good soil produces a bountiful crop (Matthew 13:1-9).

Explaining the Parable:
This parable beautifully illustrates the diversity of responses to the message of God’s kingdom. Just as different types of soil yield different outcomes, people’s hearts react differently to the Gospel:

  1. Path: The seed on the path represents those who hear the message but fail to understand it. The evil one snatches the message away, symbolizing how a lack of understanding leaves the heart vulnerable (Matthew 13:19).
  2. Rocky Ground: The seed on rocky ground depicts those who receive the message with joy but lack depth. When troubles or persecution arise, they abandon their faith, showing the importance of a firm foundation in understanding (Matthew 13:20-21).
  3. Thorns: The seed among thorns represents those who hear the message, but the concerns of life and the allure of wealth suffocate their faith, revealing how worldly distractions can stifle spiritual growth (Matthew 13:22).
  4. Good Soil: The seed on good soil signifies those who hear the message, understand it, and allow it to take root. They bear fruit in varying measures, demonstrating the potential for abundant spiritual growth through genuine understanding and receptivity (Matthew 13:23).

Lessons from the Parable:

  1. Understanding Matters: Just as fertile soil yields a bountiful harvest, understanding the message of the kingdom is essential for spiritual growth.
  2. Steadfastness in Adversity: Shallow roots cannot withstand challenges. A deep understanding and firm foundation are necessary to endure hardships in one’s faith journey.
  3. Guard Against Distractions: The lure of worldly concerns can choke out the message. Prioritizing God’s kingdom over worldly pursuits ensures fruitful growth.
  4. Genuine Receptivity: A heart open to understanding and applying God’s message leads to abundant spiritual fruitfulness.


The Parable of the Sower offers insights into the various responses people have to the message of God’s kingdom. Through this parable, Jesus encourages us to cultivate hearts like good soil, ready to understand, receive, and bear the fruit of His teachings. It reminds us that spiritual growth is nurtured through understanding, steadfastness, and prioritizing the eternal over the temporary. May we heed the lessons of this parable and strive to be the fertile ground that yields an abundant harvest in our spiritual journey..

The more you stand firm in your faith the better you are to fight off demons and forces of evil.