[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hey, thanks so much for listening to this message. My name is Jason and I'm one of the ministers here at the Madison Church of Christ. It's our hope and prayer that the teaching you hear today will bless your life and draw you closer to God. If you're ever in the Madison area, we'd love for you to stop by and study the Bible with us on Sundays at 05:00 p.m. Or Wednesdays at 07:00 p.m. If you have questions about the Bible or want to know more about the Madison church, you can find us
[email protected] dot. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast as well as our Sermons podcast Madison Church of Christ sermons thanks again for stopping by. I hope this study is a blessing to you.
[00:00:38] Speaker B: Welcome everyone. Glad to see faces back in class this week. Welcome to those that are streaming online. We're glad to have you with us. Appreciate the feedback and the comments.
I will say that a common theme of multiple comments has been, oh, you skipped my favorite, this, or I wish we had talked about that. So we're going to take that, that we're not going too slow and probably going to slow things down a little. I think we've reached that point in the quarter where we are pretty sure we're not going to get through Matthew.
[00:01:17] Speaker C: We've recognized we failed, so we're going to revel in it then.
[00:01:21] Speaker B: So we're just going to take our time and let the class go where it goes. And who knows, we might pick back up another quarter or something and try to finish the second half later. But I say that to say, don't hold back on comments.
We appreciate and enjoy the feedback. And if we miss something, we're going to start backing up and trying to address it, because you're probably not the only one who's thinking that. So with that in mind, a quick review of what we've been doing with the Gospel of Matthew.
The first few chapters are about the authority of Jesus and his heritage that Matthew is trying to communicate and demonstrate to his primary audience, which is the Jews.
We saw John the Baptist come on the scene and baptize Jesus, and all along these chapters and these things, we're seeing a lot of Old Testament reference, a lot of Old Testament prophecy fulfillment, and that's a constant theme throughout Matthew. As we've discussed multiple times, we saw Jesus authority demonstrated through what he taught in the sermon on the mount.
Then we saw his authority through his deeds and his power, through the healing and the casting out of demonstration and then last week we spent some time looking into some of the responses of the crowds that Jesus got. A lot of them weren't very positive, a lot of different types of negative responses that led up to the point of just outright rejection.
There was no doubt about that rejection. And we saw some subtle but clear positive notes at the end of each of those two chapters that walk through those examples.
Reading for next week, we're going to shoot for cover in Matthew 14. Depends on how far we get through 13 today and if there's a lot of questions, comments that we need to cover, a bit of a summary or overview for chapter 13 and some things we want to talk about. We're going to make a pretty distinct transition here from what we've been seeing, and we're going to shift to parables, sort of a different take on Jesus teaching. There's seven or eight parables, depending upon your definition or how you would consider what's a parable and what you might term some things. Otherwise, we're going to talk a little more about that, and the bulk of it is about the kingdom. That's the bulk of the subject matter that he covers in these parables. We're also going to see that within the chapter, Jesus tells the disciples why he was teaching in parables. We'll talk a little bit more about that later. But in summary, it had to do with the secrets and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and it had to do with fulfillment of a couple of different Old Testament prophecies. And they're here for reference. One of those is in chapter 13 in the early verses, and the other one is in verse 34 and 35.
Now, one thing we've been pretty big on is context and perspective. And before we get into individual parables themselves and talking about those, and I'll just say, I'm going to think most of us have studied the parables multiple times and they're going to seem fairly familiar with you. So to set the context, help our stimulate thought from a little different perspective, I want us to understand a little bit more about parables. And Dave, I know you had some other information and some other potential definitions, but in Greek it's pretty simple. It's a compound word that has a verb and a noun, but it's to throw or lay or place something alongside of something else is a very basic definition.
So you would place it alongside something else for what purpose?
It's to compare the two, right? Intentionally to make you think and compare those two things.
And I'm sure we've all heard that the common definition growing up and throughout our lives, parables are thought of as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. And that's a reasonable definition, though maybe not inclusive enough, because not all parables are stories.
You may be thinking through your mind of. Are there parables that come to mind that aren't stories? Because we typically think of them in terms of stories, but you'll see the theme that they all seem to stimulate personal thought.
And what have we noticed about Jesus up to this point in our study?
How does Jesus answer questions?
With questions and with thought, stimulating examples of things so parables fit right into that same mode that he uses for teaching a couple of those examples. Let's flip over real quick and read mark 715 17. I'll catch that one. If somebody else wants to get Luke 423, just as examples of those that aren't the typical story that we think of, if somebody gets to look 423, go ahead and read it as one of the examples.
[00:07:34] Speaker D: He said to them, no doubt you will quote this proverb to me, physician, heal yourself. Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum do here in your hometown as well.
And he said, truly, I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But I say to you, in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over the land. And yet Elijah was sent to none of them.
[00:08:07] Speaker B: Bart, that's good.
Back up and read the first four or five words there.
[00:08:15] Speaker D: But no doubt you will quote this proverb.
[00:08:18] Speaker B: And then what is it?
[00:08:20] Speaker D: Position, heal yourself.
[00:08:22] Speaker B: Not much of a story there. Right. Now, the version you read does refer to it as a proverb, but other versions refer to it as a parable rooted in a similar word. So very short. Now, mark 715 17.
I'll start at 14. And he called the people to him again and said to them, hear me, all of you, and understand there's nothing outside a person that going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.
And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.
So again, this one is referred to as a parable. It's a little, it's more of a proverb sounding statement than a story.
So all parables don't fit quite that definition that we've grown up thinking.
What about the Old Testament?
Any parables in the Old Testament, they.
[00:09:32] Speaker E: Just hold one for David.
[00:09:34] Speaker B: That's one of the key ones. And I actually wanted to read that one. The vineyard came to mind in Isaiah five.
But if you guys will bear with me. Because I think back to the point of why did he teach in parables?
To stimulate thought on the end of the receiver, as well as to protect those mysteries for who they were intended for in the beginning, for the twelve, and then, as they taught the others, those mysteries of the kingdom.
Second Samuel, twelve, one, seven. And let's think about a parable is usually a simple story that's very relatable.
That I'm going to lay alongside some spiritual or. Or kingdom related concept.
And would we say parables are effective?
I think that's a pretty effective means of teaching. And I'm glad Robert mentioned this example. It's pretty powerful to me. And I just want to read this and think about being in David's shoes. When Nathan is playing this story to David. It's pretty effective.
And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, there were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought.
And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and his children.
It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms.
And it was like a daughter to him.
Now there came a traveler to the rich man. And he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd. To prepare for that guest who had come to him.
But he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.
Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, as the lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die. And he shall restore the lamb four foe. Because he did this thing and because he had no pity, Nathan said to David, you are the man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel.
Was that an effective parable?
It served its purpose. And I may be taking this too far, but think about how we might.
I want to be careful with my words, how we might approach someone in that situation.
Wouldn't it be difficult not to come across the way that the Pharisees did to Jesus and the disciples? I mean, just think about the potential conflict or confrontation. That you're going to draw.
When you try to make that point to someone.
It just struck me how effective. And I haven't thought about it until I studied this lesson. How effective. That parable was for Nathan to play back to David, convicted him. I mean, he.
[00:13:07] Speaker C: Well, what this is to the class, why do you think it was effective.
[00:13:14] Speaker D: David, to convict himself rather than being told to him?
I think it was relatable to David. He was a shepherd at one point.
[00:13:24] Speaker C: Right?
I think you're both right. And, you know, to Robert's point, Nathan could have gone in and said, you're a sinner, you're an adulterer and you're a murderer type of man. David was. What would David. What might David have done?
He might have killed him. He might have tried to cover it up more. I don't know, again, maybe going too far there. But I do think. I agree with Robert. It's very, very interesting that that was the approach taken there in the Old Testament. And then we'll talk a little bit more about this as we go through the chapter tonight.
It's so much more effective when I'm saying it's more effective, but I'm not sure I'm saying this correctly.
In any kind of encounter with someone, it's better if they can come to the conclusion than you telling them. And I believe when we get down to specifically verse 16 in Matthew, chapter 13 in verse 16, he's really getting at the heart of the matter. Why he's talking in parables and it's this thing. It's the same concept, which is they've got the same information you've got and they're making a different conclusion. So, you know, essentially, I believe he's saying, so me telling them isn't going to do them any good. They've got to get there, you know, on their own.
[00:14:59] Speaker B: I think you're right. I agree with that. It just hadn't struck me until studying for Matthew how the story of Nathan and David hit home so hard with me. I hope it carries something with you guys.
[00:15:15] Speaker C: Ziegfried, did you have. Am I calling you out? You look like you wanted to respond.
If you don't, that's fine.
[00:15:23] Speaker F: I always had things.
[00:15:27] Speaker C: We said we need to slow down.
[00:15:29] Speaker F: So one thing, objectivity.
When I was trying to get rid of most of my accent, I still haven't. I sound. I sounded.
My English was very bad at one point, and folks would tell me how to pronounce things. I said, that's what I'm doing. I couldn't hear it. I finally recorded myself in college and I played the recording back, reading things. When I heard myself objectively for the first time, the voice was distorted, didn't really quite sound like me. For the first time, I could hear, hear objectively. And I said, that's bad.
And that's how I was able to get rid of some of the problem on a daily basis in prison. I can never tell anybody what they did. I always have to tell them what somebody else did or what I've seen. And then they're so quick to condemn women. Isn't that the same thing you just said? Oh, yeah. And then they finally objectively see how things was bad.
[00:16:34] Speaker C: I think you're right. And I think as we go through, if you remember last chapter, I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Last chapter. Last week, we talked about what happens, you know, in the story, they were saying, look. Look at what those people are doing. Look at what those people are doing. We're going to see some of the same thing. Actually, in the second parable in this chapter, it's the same thing. And I think it's, I think that is a concept that is woven throughout this chapter. And again, back to what we've even been saying in this class, is so much of the time, the direct answer is not the answer that needs to be given. There needs to be some internal struggle on the part of people that you're talking with. And I'll even go so far as to say not, not even necessarily in a christian conversation. I mean, think about in the way you approach all your life how conversations can go differently if you take this appropriately. So it's absolutely got a spiritual connotation, a spiritual impact and spiritual application. But I think it can also apply to our everyday life as well.
[00:17:53] Speaker B: So we spent quite a few minutes up front with your application point for the night.
But I think it may be one of the most important things we learned from this. Now, another point, as you study, next time through January. Where did January come from? Through Matthew.
Y'all better watch me tonight.
Through Matthew. Have that different perspective, understand the effectiveness. So we have application, but as we read the parables, couple of things to consider. First, I think as we read them, we need to think about what's the core message here, what's the simple message that he's trying to convey. And then second, we've got to concern ourselves with the context, the circumstance where this parable is shared with us in scripture and what's going on then. So first, let's make sure we catch the core message, and then let's put it in context with why that message then.
Sorry, go ahead.
[00:19:01] Speaker C: Oh, no, we're good. I think enough of an intro yeah, I think where we're going to get to tonight, I'm thinking we'll probably get through those first two parables. I would like to go back to the. The kind of the way we've done this every week. I'd like us to read verses. We're going to read through the chapter, but could I get somebody to read chapter 13, verses one to nine?
And this is just the introduction. And then the parable of the sower, which I think we're probably all familiar with.
[00:19:35] Speaker B: Go ahead and read out.
[00:19:37] Speaker G: On the same day, Jesus went out of the house, sat by the sea, the great multitudes were gathered together, so that he got into a boat and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Then he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, behold, the sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them.
Some fell in stony places where they did not have much earth.
And immediately they sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was off, they were all scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
[00:20:45] Speaker C: Okay, so the parable of the sower, that's one we're all familiar with, correct? Anybody not familiar with that one? I have a pure question for you, and this is, you probably are going to think this is funny. As I prepared for this, I wrote myself a note, and I remember writing myself a note and being really excited about this. And here's what I wrote. It is interesting that the first parable recorded is the parable of the sower.
Anybody know why that's interesting?
I have forgotten.
I had a really good point that I was going to make there, but I have forgotten what that point is. Anybody have any guesses as to why that may be or what that point may have been?
[00:21:32] Speaker E: Okay, so what, Jesus is sowing the seed?
[00:21:36] Speaker C: Yeah, that very well may have been it. I was in the back of my mind, I think that's what it was, is he's literally now starting these parables, sowing the seed and talking about sowing the seed and what's going to happen when the seed is sowed? And that's what he's doing.
[00:21:58] Speaker E: You're a magician. I'm a real mind reader.
[00:22:03] Speaker B: We have also studied when he sent the twelve out. He kind of told them, here's what you're going to experience. You're going to run into these type of things. To me, this is kind of a follow on of, at least for their benefit, of what they're going to see and what expect.
[00:22:18] Speaker C: Let me ask you guys a question. How many types of soil were there? I think I just gave it away by waving my fingers.
Four.
Okay.
How many of those were effective?
One. So one of you engineers, what's that in a percentage?
Huh? Well, it's a math question. Who's 25%? Right. So here's where I'm going with that. I remember when we were doing. When we were doing door knocking, right.
Or learning how to do it and how to do those sorts of things. And I think Brian's grinning. He remembers some of this.
So I remember somebody saying, so the best you're ever going to be at evangelism is about 25% response rate, right. And actually, if you look at it, if you look at. We had some statistics on door knocking, and it's actually much, much smaller than that. And that can be, at times, discouraging. Right. Because when we think about evangelism, how do we think about it? What do we think about when I say, you know, evangelizing somebody or studying with them, what goes on in your mind?
Baptisms and what else?
But how does that happen?
Some of y'all have been in a class with me, and you've seen me do the example I'm about to do.
Anybody got any? How do you think about it in your mind?
All right, I'm gonna illustrate how I thought about it. Hi, Robert. You know, I'm a Christian. I want you to be one, too. Come on. We're gonna go, and I'm gonna take him all the way, and I'm gonna put him in the water. Right?
Is that the way it works?
No, it's not. And what does the parable even tell us there? When we plant seed, right? If you're a gardener, what do you do? You plant that seed and you water it and you nurture it and you take care of it. But when you're sowing, what are you doing?
You're broadcasting, you're throwing it, and you're moving on. And a few years ago, in this classroom, we were doing a class, and we were talking about that. We did a video that's still out there somewhere, and two people that are in this class were in that video, and that's Bart and Julie Graham. And one of the things I wanted to give you all, just a few seconds tonight, if you don't mind, to kind of talk a little bit about how you came to become christians, how you came to know the truth and kind of contrast it with what I'm saying in our minds, what we think it should be like. Can you do that fairly quickly for us?
[00:25:12] Speaker D: I had a good friend in the office next to me that I didn't know one denomination from another, but he was a church of Christ, and he always had a bible on his desk, and he was always willing to answer questions and discuss, and that was it. And Julie was Catholic at the time, and so there was a lot of study, and it's probably a three year process from beginning to end. But for me, it was that good friend who was just willing to try to answer any question and talk about.
[00:25:48] Speaker C: The Bible, and that was somebody working with you.
[00:25:53] Speaker H: Now, Julie, I had the same situation. My office mate was also a member of the church, and she was very involved with her youth group. She wasn't married at the time or had kids, but she was just a young adult helping. And so, you know, they always. She would always talk about the things that she did and what she went on, and it just sounded like a whole lot more fun than where, you know, I had grown up, up, very different background, but very much a similar thing. So we would ask a lot of questions, and we knew in our marriage that we needed, you know, as Samantha came along, that we needed to be committed to the same story and to be, you know, both behind where we were going to teach Samantha. And so we started studying on our own for lent one year, which is the big preparation time before Easter, and started reading the New Testament. And between the questions that our office mates were able to answer and the questions that Bart had about why the church that I went to did these things, it was apparent that because we've always done, it wasn't a good enough answer. And when we studied the New Testament, you know, there was a lot of things that were taught as doctrine or dogma that were not in the New Testament. And that's kind of where we started. And then we started looking at how all of the. How all the Catholic Church came to do the things that they do. And, you know, so it was very apparent that those were not inspired people that came up with those rules and regulations, and so we just kind of started visiting around.
Madison was the second church of Christ that we went to because we started there because of our officemates encouragement. And that was 1996, and that process.
[00:28:03] Speaker C: Was it days months. Weeks. Years.
[00:28:06] Speaker D: It was years.
[00:28:07] Speaker C: Yeah, it was years.
[00:28:09] Speaker D: I was actually baptized in the baptist church during that process, which really confused them because I didn't go back.
[00:28:19] Speaker C: And so it was.
So here's the point I wanted to make. It was more than one person.
And there was, you know, not to put y'all on the spot, but there was commitment in searching by Bart and Julie. Jeff was in that video as well. I'm not going to ask you to.
I had worked out before they were going to talk. I didn't know if you would be here or not. Jeff. Jeff was in that video that we did. Again, it was similar. It's more than one person. It's not what we think it is. It is that sewing. It is being that co worker that has a Bible on their desk or that person who's willing to talk about sometimes difficult subjects. Right.
But it's doing that. And then, I think, also important, and we'll get to this in verse ten, is also being. I got you also being the type of person that will allow that process to go on for weeks and years, because I guarantee you, those people that were working with y'all, I mean, I don't know if y'all still have contact with them, but they were probably every day for weeks, months, and years, praying and saying, oh, please, please let them see. Okay. Yeah.
[00:29:41] Speaker B: Correct.
[00:29:41] Speaker D: So it's interesting, I grew up on a farm, and so it's interesting to me that if we just look at it from the typical perspective, we would look at Barb Julian say they were good soil.
Right? They had those characteristics that made them good soil. But I wonder, in your experience, did you experience from those people any soil preparation that helped cultivate that within you to maybe change where you might have been before that and where you wound.
[00:30:11] Speaker F: Up, if you see what I'm saying.
[00:30:14] Speaker D: I mean, we plow all the time, right? And we prep soil to make it good. You know, out in the midwest, they have rock pickers that machines that go out and just continually pick up rocks to get rid of that so that the soil is prepped. I'm just curious if you experience that.
[00:30:33] Speaker H: I don't know if it was, I would consider it prepping, but it was questioning, you know, in a non threatening way. You know, what do you think about this scripture? Or, you know, why do you do that practice? And then that made us, you know, and I have to admit, sometimes I started to prove them wrong, but, you know, that didn't necessarily work out. But, you know, so I think that that very non threatening and loving questioning, you know, to really make people think kind of like the parables do. You know, you kind of have to sit and kind of think about it for a while and find in the scriptures, you know, where it says that to kind of make your thought process.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: Change, your response was different than me telling you, here's what you, you gotta do this. If you don't do this than that. And I'm not trying to intimidate or be a troll. I'm trying to get the microphone closer to the people that are talking in the audience for our folks online.
[00:31:41] Speaker C: Okay. Any other, any other comments there?
[00:31:45] Speaker D: I kind of always thought that gradual change was more lasting change.
[00:31:50] Speaker C: Yes, it takes the time, but then you're going to be more.
[00:32:00] Speaker D: Getting solid.
[00:32:01] Speaker C: Getting and staying where you need to be.
And that's kind of in contrast, I guess, to the seed that fell on the rock. Right. And I think as we move into verse ten, and I don't know if we read it, I'll read it, but as we get into verse ten, one of the things that becomes stark to me, and it's something that I've been been saying all along, just by context. Some of these people that he's talking to, what have they seen him do?
What did they seen?
They'd seen people healed. They had seen miracles. So, you know, also, as Robert pointed out, these would have been Jews that he was talking to. What did they have? They had the law and the prophets. And he gets into that in verse ten there. Now, what was the difference in those Jews? And if you'll remember back, and I'm specifically going to talk about the twelve here, what's the difference in those Jews he was talking to? In the examples we had, if you'll remember specifically when I was talking about Andrew and John, what was the difference? And I think it goes back to your soil example. What was the difference in the Jews he's talking to here and what we saw with Andrew and John? Do you remember a point that I made about Andrew and John? Where were they when Jesus was baptized?
[00:33:26] Speaker H: They were watching.
[00:33:27] Speaker C: They were watching. They were there. So do you remember the example I said, where did they fish? You remember how far it was? It was, I think it was about 26 miles away.
So what were they doing?
They were searching. They had taken the evidence that was in front of them. They had heard, okay, there's this guy out in the wilderness saying stuff. We're going to go see what he has to say. And so they were looking. And I think that's essentially, where I'm trying to get to in verses ten and further. Now, interestingly, I do think it's interesting. In verse ten, it says, who came to see him? The disciples. It didn't say the apostles. Okay, so I don't know if that's, you know, more than the twelve, but it says, and the disciples came up and said to him, why do you speak to them in parables? And Jesus answered them, to you, it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has to him, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because while seeing, they do not see. Back to my point, what had they seen? He had demonstrated power to them. And while hearing, they do not hear, nor do they understand.
As my point earlier, what did these people have? They had the law and the prophets. They had been taught this stuff. And then he even says, and in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, you shall keep on listening, but shall not understand, and you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull with their ears. They scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and return, and I would heal them. And then he finishes by saying to these disciples, what? But blessed are your eyes because they see in your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see. And I'm going to add some editorial here. I don't think he means just see. I think he's saying there were people in that day and time that were looking, and the messiah was there, and they were going, nope, it's not him. It's not him. And that's what I think he's meaning there. And it says, people long to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. Okay, so it's back to this, sort of where I was starting tonight, which was saying they had all the information, they had seen the miracles, all those things. And as I read that, what Jesus is saying is, it's not going to do me any good to just stand up and outright say, this is what you need to be doing. This is who I am. And we go full circle back to where we started, back to even the way Nathan approached David. So we are not going to get.
[00:36:58] Speaker B: To the second parable, there's only seven or eight, depending on how you.
[00:37:04] Speaker C: Ok.
Actually answered the question with kind of a parable. Yeah, yeah. The next parable.
It also sort of gets, like you're saying, gets into some of that too, because it's to give a preview of next week. I feel like that parable is. He's back at. He's giving them a parable that says, hey, don't be the guy that says, oh, look at what they're doing. Let us go take care of them, you know.
Any other comments, questions?
[00:37:34] Speaker B: Let's cut it off there for our part. And any comments or questions or things you'd like to hear more about based on what we covered tonight. I'm sorry, I just thought about this.
[00:37:46] Speaker E: Tonight, that the disciples came to Jesus after the very first parables and asked.
[00:37:52] Speaker C: Why are you doing this in parables? I don't know, but this is what I wondered. Right? He's crowd and he's in a boat and he says this and did they like get up and walk over and go, oh, Jesus, you're just telling them riddles, you know? Is that the way? I mean, I think it kind of has to be that way because then he talks to them a little bit and then he goes into the next parable. So I was wondering about that. As I prepared for this is, again, I try to make these things as in my mind, I try to paint the picture of that day. And so I'm like, I mean, that has to be what they did. They had to stood up after he says this and walk over. And I think about, you know, nowadays if I, if Robert and I said something strange, I dare say nobody would get up, walk up and say, y'all hold on a minute and let's confer a little bit. I mean, that. That's what I'm. That's interesting to me, that it happened that way, if that makes any sense.
[00:38:58] Speaker E: Yeah, well, he knows these people and that's what I used to read this.
How is that? You know, if you have something already, they're going to take it away or whatever. Just to generally put that out there. Doesn't make sense in all contexts. But these people have the law and the prophets and they've decided what they think about it. They have their. All their system set up. Had he just said this out, right, you guys are all wrong. It would just been a big hullabaloo and it would have been nothing if accomplished. They would have been making so much noise. But that's carrying it over to us. I'm grateful for my dad who said, and other people said, read the Bible for yourself.
People can stand up and teach things and preach things, and you just can't go in and assume that the person's got it all figured out. And a lot of times we're trying to tell people the answers and they haven't even asked the questions. Yeah, if you list their questions, they might actually ask you a question that you didn't even understand that you needed to understand anyway. So I just think that, and I'm gonna say this just because I come from the strictest sect, you know, the antis, you know, me too.
But I believe the Holy Spirit still works. Christ still works if he comes and lives in us. However that happens, we don't understand it. If the Holy Spirit comes and does things for us, we don't understand it. These are real persons still alive and well. I don't think I should sit down and read my Bible. Sometimes I do. And I'm like, oh, hold on. Wait a minute. I've been reading the Bible and I go back and I ask God to help me to understand this, because this is Christ. This is Jesus. These are the words of life, the bread that came down from heaven, the living word of God.
I think we still need his help. Their help.
[00:40:54] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:40:56] Speaker E: You're asking a question of me that I probably hadn't even thought of. Maybe just the very thing I need. I don't need to have my plan all set out so perfectly that I don't listen to the question.
[00:41:09] Speaker C: And I think as we're talking, I also think it's interesting that even in this context, where there's a multitude. Right. The fact that they were questioning him also tells us something about how he was teaching. Right. It was a dialogue. It wasn't a lecture. Okay. I think that was, if you all have got kids and you need to go, please do that. As always, we'll be up here willing to talk.
