The Purpose of Parables

What was something that stood out to you from this past Sunday’s message? Share what you learned and how it will impact your life.

Read Matthew 13:10-17. What is one word, phrase, or idea that stands out to you from this passage? Why?

Read In Matthew 13:10. The disciples ask Jesus “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Does Jesus' use of parables mean that He did not want certain people to understand?

What do you think is the difference between someone who hears Jesus and someone who truly listens to Jesus?

Read Matthew 13:11. Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven...”. What does this teach us about God's grace in salvation and spiritual understanding?

Read James 1:22, Isaiah 6:9–10, and Matthew 13:15. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says: “Their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes...” Why do you think people sometimes resist God's truth even when they understand what God is saying? What does it mean for someone's heart to become “dull”?

Why does Jesus say that understanding the “secrets of the kingdom” is something that is given? What does this teach us about God's grace?

If two people hear exactly the same teaching from Jesus, why might one person grow while another remains unchanged? What does this passage teach us about the importance of the heart?

Read Deuteronomy 29:29 and Proverbs 2:3–6. What do these passages teach us about the way God reveals truth, and what responsibility do we have in seeking His wisdom? What does it look like in our lives to actively pursue understanding from God's Word?

When God speaks to me through His Word, am I simply trying to understand—or am I willing to respond?