In Matthew 13 today we read some of the parables that Jesus was telling the crowds of people who had come to hear Him. There were so many people in this instance that Jesus had to get into a boat on the lake and taught them from there. I want to look especially at verses 10-11:
10 Then the disciples came to Him and said, Why do You speak to them in parables? 11 And He replied to them, To you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
The disciples, who had the amazing privilege of hearing Jesus teach and preach every day, wanted to know why He spoke in parables to the crowds. The crowds were there because of the things that they had heard that Jesus did. The ones who continued to follow Him would become disciples (learners, pupils). The twelve apostles were also disciples, but there were many disciples that followed Jesus beyond those twelve chosen by Him. Jesus said that it was given to real disciples to know the Word. A vital TRUTH to notice here is that even the disciples did NOT understand the parables! Not until Jesus explained it to them! Look at verse 18:
18 Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower:
Now notice verses 13-17:
13 This is the reason that I speak to them in parables: because having the power of seeing, they do not see; and having the power of hearing, they do not hear, nor do they grasp and understand. 14 In them indeed is the process of fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: You shall indeed hear and hear but never grasp and understand; and you shall indeed look and look but never see and perceive. 15 For this nation’s heart has grown gross (fat and dull), and their ears heavy and difficult of hearing, and their eyes they have tightly closed, lest they see and perceive with their eyes, and hear and comprehend the sense with their ears, and grasp and understand with their heart, and turn and I should heal them. 16 But blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men [men who were upright and in right standing with God] yearned to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
This priceless privilege of knowing and understanding the Word of God has been given unto US! Born again believers in Jesus Christ! We have Holy Spirit IN us as our personal Teacher! He WILL teach us all things, IF we desire to learn and to be taught! Hosea 6:3 says this:
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: KJV
"Follow on" is the Hebrew word "radaph", which means: to pursue, to run after, to chase, to attend closely to, to aim to secure. We will NOT learn to know and understand the Word of God unless we go hard after this knowledge! This cannot be a part time pastime! It MUST be a determined purpose! Understanding of the Word of God does NOT come to every believer, even though it has been GIVEN to every believer to know! That simply means that every believer has the right and the potential to know the Word of God, just as much as we truly desire and are willing to go after knowing! Simply hearing is not learning! Learning involves meditating and doing! Look at Joshua 1:8:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. AMP
Notice that when we meditate (mutter, speak, think, ponder, imagine) the Word, with Holy Spirit teaching, THEN we will be able to SEE what the Word is saying so that we can go DO what the Word is instructing. These two steps, taken together, will cause the Word of God to come to pass! Now look at the explanation that Jesus gave to His disciples about the seed (of the Word) that was sown on good soil (hearts ready to HEAR and DO the Word). Matthew 13:23:
23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.
THAT is where WE want to be! AMEN? So let's go hard after the Word! This song, from Hillsong Worship, should help with that! "Your Word":
Before the earth knew its
foundation
You spoke the dust into creation
Until the end when all has withered
Then still Your Word will endure forever
The lamp unto my feet
The light unto my path
Your Word will not be
shaken
Your Word will never fail me
Like a fire in my bones
Like a whisper to my soul
Your Word is revelation
Deep calls to deep within Your presence
When I hear You speak my soul awakens
Your Spirit leads my heart to worship
As Your Word reveals the light of Jesus
Shalom in Him!
