Pastor Mark Carrillo
Part 1 – Do You Understand
“And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13, ESV)
The Parable of the Sower is a Key to “understand” all parables.
Understanding what it means to understand is a key to spiritual growth.
Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. (I Corinthians 14:20 NKJV)
Do you not understand?!?
Misunderstanding
Thomas:
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the wayto where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”” (John 14:3-5, ESV)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV)
Philip:
“If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know himand have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”” (John 14:7-8, ESV)
“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
(John 14:9, ESV)
Peter:
“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”” (Matthew 16:21-22, ESV)
“But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Matthew 16:23, ESV)
Peter went from understanding that Jesus is Messiah to tempting Him not to fulfill His mission.
Parents have to check for understanding. Look at me! What did I say?
We need to ask for and receive understanding and not contradict His words.
God’s Will Works with our Obedience
“And Jesus sternly chargedhim and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.” (Mark 1:43-45, ESV)
People can hinder God’s work through delay and indifference as well as disobedience.
Lordship comes down to how we respond to His word
“Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.” (Psalms 119:128, KJV)
“and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober. (Deuteronomy 29:19, NKJV)
AMP “ . . . I shall have peace and safety, though I walk in the stubbornness of my [mind and] heart . . .”
Parenting is all about teaching children to obey God.
Forgetting at some point becomes choosing not to remember.
Reality Discipline– allowing children to experience the consequences of their decisions
Why Parables?
But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has beengiven to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And theirsins be forgiven them.’ ” (Mark 4:10-12 NKJV)
Only after rejection escalated did Jesus begin teaching in parables.
Outsider or Insider is our choice.
Truth is hidden only to those who reject Him
“To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God”
To you it has been given to come to know experientiallythe hidden truths now revealed and intelligible of the kingdom of heaven
(Matthew 13:10–15 Wuest)
Have you ever “lost” something that you had in your hand?
How did your understanding change after being born again? After receiving Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
“as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,”
(I Peter 2:2 NKJV)
And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
(Luke 24:45 NKJV)
No one can see without light. Generally, the older you get the more light you need to see.
Prayer:
“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power”
Ephesians 1:17-19 NKJV