Jesus often used parables to convey the “vibe” of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to articulate the culture and economy that the people of God are called to. His stories contextualize the nature of God’s kingdom in ways that can be absorbed at a basic level.
The first stories are about exponential growth. First, a tiny seed growing into a mighty tree – a small thing changing over time to become a shelter for birds and creatures. Likewise, the yeast in bread works through the dough to raise it into the fluffy nourishing goodness of bread.
The next stories are about incredible value – a treasure buried in a field that is worth more than the field itself, the perfect pearl worth more than all the goods of a merchant. It’s the kind of value that turns radical behavior into the only logical option.
Why did Jesus tell Parables? First, He sought to reveal and conceal the Kingdom at the same time. Not everyone in his audience had open hearts, and so in an effort not to “cast pearls before pigs,” he shrouded some truths behind stories, explaining the specifics in more detail to those who were in direct relationship with Him.
Along today lives, the parables invite engagement and response, drawing more people into those relationships that would uncover more truths.
And along those lines, parables make profound truths accessible – anyone with a garden or farm, anyone who baked bread or so bought and sold goods could relate to the tales he told
And finally, his parables fulfilled prophecy. Psalm 78:2 promises “I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old.”
So what are we prepared to sell to gain the kingdom? Where do we see the seeds planted and the dough rising? Where do we need patience as the kingdom grows from tiny actions and powerless people?
We live in a “go big or go home” culture, but the biggest things start very small, hidden from sight. Jesus calls us to a kingdom built on insignificant and hidden, a kingdom that nonetheless rises to the heights of eternity.
— Sermon Notes, Dave Sim, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, August 9, 2026
Image by Gemini.