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This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.
And when He [Jesus] was alone, those around Him with the twelve [disciples] asked Him about the parables. And He said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (Mark 4:10-12)
Why did Jesus tell parables? Well, who doesn’t love a good story? As a public speaker, with every audience I’ve ever talked to, large or small, young or old, Christian or not, everyone immediately quiets down, looks up, and leans in as soon as you start telling a story. And that may be part of why Jesus told them—to connect with His audience. But if we thought that was the only reason Jesus told stories, it would be difficult to understand what happened to Him—that is, what got Him crucified. People who tell touching stories don’t often get the death penalty. Chicken Soup for the Soul authors end up on bestseller lists, not nailed to a cross.
Jesus did more than just tell stories. He could also preach a direct, straightforward message like, “Repent! Turn around. Follow Me. Now is the time because the rule and reign of God is here” (see Mark 4:15-17). He said to the demons, “Be gone.” He said to the sick, “Be healed.” He said to the storm, “Be silent.” He said to the sinner, “I forgive you your sins.” And that last one really got the religious leaders riled up because they knew that not just anyone can talk like that. No one can forgive sins, but God alone (see Mark 2:7). That’s the kind of talk that can get a storyteller crucified.
Jesus was talking with the authority of God as the Son of God. It’s not sufficient to say that Jesus told stories to connect with people. That might be Disney’s mission, but not Jesus’. Jesus’ stories don’t just connect, they point. The crowds connected with Jesus’ stories. But for the disciples, the stories pointed them to the mystery of the Kingdom, to Jesus Himself. He is the point of the story. So, Jesus’ stories don’t just connect, they also divide—they divide crowds and draw disciples. The crowd wanted part of what Jesus had to offer: a life lesson, a heart-warming tale. And when they got what they wanted, they moved on. But disciples linger with Jesus after the crowd loses interest. The crowd comes for a short while, but the disciple is drawn to Jesus for life—drawn through His cross, and into His resurrection on the other side.
I heard a parable about a boy who loved butterflies. He was captivated watching them float and flutter, flower to flower. So, he caught one, pulled it apart, studied and preserved it. But when he did that, he lost something. Jesus’ stories are special. And people have been pulling them apart for two thousand years. But don’t lose the point. Jesus is the point. Follow Him. Be captivated by Him. Be attentive to Him. Be crucified and raised with Him (see Galatians 2:20). Become His disciple.
That’s why He told parables.
WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, draw me out of the crowd and into the circle of Your disciples so that I may have forgiveness and life in Your Name. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
- Why do some stories universally connect with people?
- Do you have a favorite parable of Jesus? Which one? Why?
- Which of His stories challenge you the most? What do you want to say to Him about that?
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