Feb 21: Crowds Leave. Disciples Stay.

Mt 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

Jesus spoke to the people of Israel mostly through stories and parables. Parables are short stories using the elements and characters of this world, with a deeper hidden message pertaining to the kingdom of God. Parables required interpretation and was never straightforward to decipher. But they are an excellent imageries that communicate powerful truths that we cannot forget.

One such parable was the parable of the tares. It’s the picture of a famer who sows good seed in his field, but while he is sleeping, his enemy comes and sows tares (weeds) among the wheat and goes away. When the seeds sprout, there’s both wheat and tares in the field. The servants are puzzled and ask the farmer for an explanation to which the discerning farmer replies “an enemy has done this”. When the servants ask the question if he needed them to pull the weeds out, the smart farmer tells them to wait till its harvest time, else the good crop will get destroyed when the weeds are pulled out. Come harvest time, when all the crops are harvested, the tares are bundled separately and cast into fire and burnt, while the wheat is gathered and stored into the barn.

The crowds heard this parable, and would have thought “that’s a great story”. But most of them left it at that. I’ve had people come up to me after preaching a sermon saying “nice message”, or “that was a great message”, and then they move to other topics. I’ve also witnessed people getting transformed from that same “nice message” and commit their lives to following Christ. Same message, wildly different response. Crowds listen and leave. Disciples listen and stay.

The disciples of Jesus came back to him after the crowds left, and say “explain to us the parable of the tares of the field”. The explanation that follows is mind blowing. Jesus was talking about heaven and hell, God and angels and the devil, and the people who would make it to heaven, and those who would end up in hell. It was a parable of utmost importance with eternal consequences. Imagine missing out eternity and heaven, because you didn’t stay and listen to the explanation to the parable. Well, it might not be as dramatic as that, but you get the point.

Mary took the time to sit and the feet of Jesus every time He came to her home. She knew in her heart that those were precious moments with the greatest Teacher of all times. Martha on the other hand would have heard only bits and pieces of what Jesus had to stay. Mary is a good example of a true disciple of Christ. Martha, as loving and caring as she was, might have been more in the side of the crowd type follower. Same house, same teacher, but different attitudes.

Will you take the time to press on and ask Jesus to reveal more of Himself to you? Have you asked God to speak more from His word to you lately? Have you sought a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit? Or are you in a rush to move on to the next thing. Take some time today. Stay in His presence. It might just change the trajectory of your life completely.