Never has a Man Spake as this Man!

Author : Charles King
"Never has a man spake as this man!"Never in the history of mankind has a man effected the world like Jesus. The world's calendar was changed to reflect His birth. This year we are celebrating two thousand years since that birth. A large portion of the world celebrate Christmas and Easter which are recognized as the dates of His birth and resurrection.Who is this man Jesus? Jesus asked Peter (Mt 16:13) "Who do the people say that I am?"
Peter responds by saying, "some say John the Baptize, some say Elijah, others say one of the prophets." Even today two thousand years later, the person of Jesus is still being debated. Some like Peter say, "that He is the Son of God, the Messiah." Many others recognize Him only as a great man, a prophet?Most of the world are familiar with some of His teaching such as the stories (parables) of the "Good Samaritan" and the "Prodigal Son." They are familiar with the general teaching (surface) but many do not understand the deeper spiritual meaning that Jesus intended. In fact the definition of parable is "to cast along side". His method of teaching was to cast a spiritual truth along side a true-to-life truth that was common to His hearers.The importance of the parables of Jesus can not be overestimated. They comprise a substantial part of His recorded teaching. Perhaps no part of the Bible, then, can better put us into touch with the mind of Jesus Christ than the parables. They present to us the same challenge that His hearers encountered in first-century Palestine. No study of the Bible is more demanding and fascinating than the study of the parables of Jesus. When Jesus said, "He, who has ears to hear, let him hear," he made it evident that His teaching is not meant merely to entertain, it is meant to be a life-changing event. That phrase "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," is like a very large sign which says THINK, TAKE HEED!In this study we want to join the disciples in listening to Jesus explain what he calls the "secrets of the kingdom of God." These "mysteries of the kingdom," as they are often referred to in our Scriptures, are really vital truths about Christ and our relationship to Him. They are the authentic words of Jesus and contain the great themes of Jesus' teaching.Let us study these parables with the goal in mind of trying to understand the "mind of Christ" and in so doing having "ears to hear." Let the Holy Spirit speak to each of us. By this I mean let Christ's teaching to become a daily part of our lives. My prayer is that we will experience Philippians 3:10 in this study." to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like Him in His death."It is my prayer that you will enjoy this study of a small portion of the parables of Christ. In the parables we get at least the following three major themes with pictures of desired attributes of each: The Character of the King, the Character of the Kingdom, and the Character of the King's Citizens.As we continue this study, let us meditate on each parable, using any resources that can amplify the meaning or application of these principles in our lives. Let us use the Word of God and the convicting of His Holy Spirit as a mirror to see ourselves as He sees us and to use this new insight to develop the "character of the King's citizens" that He desires for us! Let us be transformed into the image of Christ while not being conformed to this world. As we study each parable, ask, "What has God showed me about Himself and what has He showed me about myself?"His Word is both a mirror and a window. It is a window to see His character. It is a mirror to see our on character. It is the by applying the truths that the Spirit has shown us that we are transformed into the image of the Son.Listen to His Spirit, "He who has ears let him hear!" It is my desire that we all be stretched as we take a new look at Scripture. So pleased don't be offended if my interpretation and/or understanding of a specific parable is different from yours. I believe that the Word of God is alive and God applies the same Word to many situations, just as parents we use the same words to our children, but the child understands the meaning to be totally different at different times and situations. This true when God speaks to us. Let us experience the presence of God in our lives by seeing Him active through His Word.Have a great study with the Lord Jesus Christ. You brother in Christ, Charlie.This is the first of a number of articles on the parables of Jesus.About the Author: Rev. Charles King, D.MinRev. Charles King is the founder of Four Soils Ministry and has been involved in the sowing the Word of God as well as the teaching and encouragement of God's servants in a number of countries around the world.
Keyword : Parables, Jesus, Christ, prodigal, son, good samaritan