Week 35 | Jesus Taught in Parables

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas recently told a couple of young NBA players, “Coaches always want someone who they can rely on.” One of the simplest ways to become someone your coach can rely on is to listen and apply what they are teaching you.

It’s amazing how many of our athletes don’t listen and don’t apply new information that their coaches give them. Coaches sometimes have to go over things or teach and reteach things over and over again before they can get some athletes to even try new skills, much less use them in the game or master them.

We are often educated way beyond our level of obedience. How many times do we need to hear that we alone control our attitude and effort? The message won’t help us until we do it and live it.

Some of the best coaches have some of the best quotes and one-liners. They can be powerful ways to say something important or to make a point in a different way.

Jesus did this by speaking in parables. In Matthew 13, Jesus taught 6 different parables:

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

Jesus began with telling a story about how a farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted (Matthew 13:1-9)!

Some people listen to Jesus and hear and apply His messages to their lives and receive the blessings that come with it, and some don’t. 

Some athletes listen to their coaches and become athletes their coaches can trust and rely on, and some don’t.

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds

A farmer planted good seeds in his fields, but then enemies came and planted bad seeds. When the harvest came, they kept the good plants and they burned the bad weeds.

Jesus later explained that the good seeds are the people of the kingdom, and the bad weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand (Matthew 13:24-29).

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The athletes who gain the trust of their coaches usually get more opportunities than those who don’t.

Parable of the Mustard Seed

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches (Matthew‬ ‭13:31-32‬).

Our faith should rest in the power of God. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. If you have faith and keep working, good things will happen to you and through you.

Parable of the Yeast

The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough (Matthew‬ ‭13:33‬).

Even a little faith can take over and transform a team. One teammate that brings energy and enthusiasm can lead to a championship culture.

Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. 

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it (Matthew‬ ‭13:44-46‬)!

Not all coaches are great coaches, so seek good teaching, instruction, and coaching like they are hidden treasures or choice pearls that need to be found and cherished. And when you find a good coach who cares about you, appreciate them and let them know how much you do.

Parable of the Fishing Net

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew‬ ‭13:47-50‬).

On your teams and in life, be good seeds planted in good, deep soil, and do and produce good things. Seek good teaching, instruction, and coaching like they are hidden treasures or choice pearls that need to be found and cherished. Be a good catch that you coaches and teammates want to keep and be around, and think thoughts and do things that Jesus demonstrated for us and would make Him proud.

THIS WEEK

1 - Which parable touches you the most?

Having the Faith of a Mustard Seed touches me the most. Doubt, fear, and anxiety can overwhelm me at times, but I need to have faith and remember that all things work together for the good of those who believe.

2 - What can you do this week to apply this parable in your life?

This week, I commit to having faith. Even if that faith is only the size of a mustard seed, if I work hard knowing that God will take care of me, my faith will grow and so will my ability to serve and bless others.

3 - What will be your biggest obstacle this week?

Bad things, obstacles, and storms are going to come this week. I will face adversity, and when the storms come, I can get down and lose faith.

4 - What is something you can do to overcome these obstacles?

I will write down the Parable of the Mustard Seed. Every morning, every night, and every time my confidence and faith drops, I will read it and remember God has great plans for me.

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: Jesus Taught in Parables