JESUS, the Storyteller (19)

In Section Four, we encounter

JESUS

the Storyteller

Most of us are familiar a little with JESUS as the Storyteller, stories usually known as Parables: "a short, simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson." I read that the characteristics of a parable are: "earthiness, conciseness, repetition, conclusion, listener-relatedness, reversal of expectations, kingdom-centered, kingdom ethics, God and salvation, major and minor points" (Osborne 2006). "Through speaking in parables, Jesus brings understanding to those who are seeking after Him - revealing truth..." simply put - Jesus using parables was a way to simplify complicated or spiritual truths of living a Christ-centered, kingdom life, with a practical and applicable manner for His audience. His stories were to help and teach kingdom living principles by something the listeners could relate to and understand.

There are 12 Chapters in this Section Four - "the precise number of Parables in the Bible varies based on different definitions of what a parable is. By some counts, Jesus gave us more than 30 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke." Others suggest  more than 50. But without question, Jesus was a Storyteller! Here is one source that lists them as found in the Bible and another. Although these Chapters probably cover only 12 (we'll see), there are more, but there's a book written called the "Twelve Parables of Jesus", which could be a bit misleading, so I'll assume that those 12 are the most well-known. I have some favorite parables, perhaps you do also. You're invited to share in the comments your favorites & why.

19. The Seed Sower 5/7 20. The Best Boss    5/14 21. The Eye Opener 5/21 22. The Divine Auditor 5/28 23. A Better Financial Planner 6/4 24. The God of Tomorrow        6/11 25. The Life of the Party          6/18 26. A Hospitable Host              6/25 27. The Object of Our Worship7/2 28. The Grace Giver                7/9 29. Discerner of the Heart       7/16 30. A Divine Divider                 7/23

For this week (from the intro), we start off with Jesus telling an "earthly story imbued with both eternal and practical meaning""not for entertainment but for edification; not for information but for transformation""If you want to know who Jesus was and what He valued, take a plunge into thePARABLESHe told."
#19 The Seed Sower
with these scriptures

Matthew 13:1-9; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Matthew 9:35-38; John 4:27-38; Matthew 28:16-20

and 
the following segments/ subtitles

"A New Measure of Success" "Our Part is Sowing the Seed" "Variety of Soils" "God's Part is Producing the Harvest" "Rock Hard or Pillow Soft"

This is the prayer I make as my own for this Chapter on The Seed Sower:

"Lord, give me boldness to partner with You in evangelism and grant me confidence that You alone are in charge of the harvest."

and another fitting prayer from another devotional

"Jesus, I don't always see the ends of stories. And some of my own stories are untied threads with no knots ending them nicely. But You are the great Storyteller and Story weaver."... Mary DeMuth, Jesus Every Day, day 122,  "... Your surprising task is to make every story beautiful in its own time."

Help me become a Storyteller of Your Storyso that my story weaves together with Yours because
You

JESUS
are
the very best
STORYTELLER
and 
You know 
the beginning & the ending
and all the content in-between
too
Thank You Lord
that my name is included
in Your Book of Life
because of
YOU