Thematic Bible: Sermon


Thematic Bible



On that day Jesus went out of the house [and] was sitting by the sea. And large crowds gathered close around him, so that he got into a boat to sit down, and all the crowd was standing on the shore. And he spoke many [things] to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow, read more.
and while he was sowing, {some seed} fell on the side of the path, and the birds came [and] devoured it. And other [seed] fell on the rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up at once because it did not have [any] depth of soil. But [when] the sun rose it was scorched, and because it did not have [enough] root, it withered. And other [seed] fell among the thorn plants, and the thorn plants came up and choked it. But other [seed] fell on the good soil and produced grain, this one a hundred [times as much] and this one sixty and this one thirty. The one who has ears, let him hear!" And the disciples came up [and] said to him, "{Why} do you speak to them in parables?" And he answered [and] said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to those [people] it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him [more] will be given, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. For this [reason] I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand, and with reference to them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, "{You will listen carefully} and will never understand, and {you will look closely} and will never perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them." But your eyes [are] blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous [people] longed to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it]! "You, therefore, listen to the parable of the sower: [When] anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand [it], the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown on the side of the path. And what was sown on the rocky ground--this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he does not have a root in himself, but {lasts only a little while}, and [when] affliction or persecution happens because of the word, immediately he falls away. And what was sown into the thorn plants--this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word and it becomes unproductive. But what was sown on the good soil--this is the one who hears the word and understands [it], who indeed bears fruit and produces, this one a hundred [times as much], and this one sixty, and this one thirty." He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat and went away. So when the {wheat} sprouted and yielded grain, then the darnel appeared also. So the slaves of the master of the house came [and] said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have darnel?' And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' So the slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go [and] gather them?' But he said, "No, lest [when you] gather the darnel you uproot the wheat together with it. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the season of the harvest I will tell the reapers, "First gather the darnel and tie it into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my storehouse." '" He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took [and] sowed in his field. {It} is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it is grown it is larger than the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches." He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took [and] put into three measures of wheat flour until the whole [batch] was leavened." Jesus spoke all these [things] to the crowds in parables, and he was saying nothing to them without a parable, in order that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, who said, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden since the creation." Then he left the crowds [and] came into the house, and his disciples came to him saying, "Explain the parable of the darnel in the field to us." So he answered [and] said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world. And the good seed--these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one. And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Thus just as the darnel is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all the causes of sin and those who do lawless deeds, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear! "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, that a man found [and] concealed, and in his joy he goes and sells everything that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. And [when he] found one very valuable pearl, he went [and] sold everything that he possessed and purchased it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was thrown into the sea and gathered [fish] of every kind, which when it was filled they pulled to shore and sat down [and] collected the good [fish] into containers, but the bad they threw out. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! "Have you understood all these [things]?" They said to him, "Yes." And he said to them, "For this [reason] every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of the house who brings out of his storeroom new [things] and old [things]."

And he began to teach them many [things] in parables, and was saying to them in his teaching, "Listen! Behold, the sower went out to sow. And it happened that while [he] was sowing, {some seed} fell on the side of the path, and the birds came and devoured it. read more.
And other [seed] fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up at once, because it did not have [any] depth of soil. And when the sun rose it was scorched, and because it did not have [enough] root, it withered. And other [seed] fell among the thorn plants, and the thorn plants came up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. And other [seed] fell on the good soil, and produced grain, coming up and increasing, and it bore [a crop]--one thirty and one sixty and one a hundred [times as much]. And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!" And when he was alone, those around him together with the twelve began asking him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is in parables, so that '{they may look closely} and not perceive, and {they may listen carefully} and not understand, lest they turn and it be forgiven them.'" And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones beside the path where the word is sown, and whenever they hear [it], immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. And these are like the ones sown on the rocky ground, who whenever they hear the word immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Then [when] affliction or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among the thorn plants--these are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other [things] come in [and] choke the word and it becomes unproductive. And those are the ones sown on the good soil, who hear the word and receive [it] and bear fruit--one thirty and one sixty and one a hundred [times as much]." And he said to them, "Surely a lamp is not brought so that it may be put under a bushel basket or under a bed, [is it]? [Is it] not so that it may be put on a lampstand? For nothing is secret except so that it may be revealed, nor has become hidden except so that it will come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!" And he said to them, "Take care what you hear! With the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you, and will be added to you. For whoever has, [more] will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." And he said, "The kingdom of God is like this: like a man scatters seed on the ground. And he sleeps and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows--{he does not know how}. By itself the soil produces a crop: first the grass, then the head of grain, then the full grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he sends [in] the sickle right away, because the harvest has come." And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or by what parable can we present it? [It is] like a mustard seed that when sown on the ground, [although it] is the smallest of all the seeds that [are] on the ground, but when it is sown it grows up and becomes the largest of all the garden herbs, and sends out large branches so that the birds of the sky are able to nest in its shade." And with many parables such as these he was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear [it].



And he came down with them [and] stood on a level place, and a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast district of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled by unclean spirits were cured. And the whole crowd was seeking to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing [them] all. read more.
And he lifted up his eyes to his disciples [and] said, "Blessed [are] the poor, because yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed [are] those who are hungry now, because you will be satisfied. Blessed [are] those who weep now, Because you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile [you] and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward [is] great in heaven. For their fathers used to do the same [things] to the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, because you have received your comfort. Woe to you who are satisfied now, because you will be hungry. Woe, you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep. Woe whenever all people speak well of you, for their fathers used to do the same [things] to the false prophets. "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from the one who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic also. Give to everyone who asks you, and from the one who takes away your things, do not ask for [them back]. And just as you want people {to do} to you, do {the same} to them. "And if you love those who love you, what kind of credit is [that] to you? For even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good to those who do good to you, what kind of credit is [that] to you? Even the sinners do the same! And if you lend [to those] from whom you expect to receive [back], what kind of credit is [that] to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may get back an equal [amount]! But love your enemies, and do good, and lend expecting back nothing, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful! "And do not judge, and you will never be judged. And do not condemn, and you will never be condemned. Pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you, a good measure--pressed down, shaken, overflowing--they will pour out into your lap. For with the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you in return." And he also told them a parable: "Surely a blind person cannot lead the blind, [can he]? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not superior to [his] teacher, but everyone, [when he] is fully trained, will be like his teacher. And why do you see the speck [that is] in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood [that is] in your own eye? How are you able to say to your brother, "Brother, allow [me] to remove the speck [that is] in your eye," [while] you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your [own] eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your [own] eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck [that is] in your brother's eye! "For there is no good tree that produces bad fruit, nor on the other hand a bad tree that produces good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn plants, nor are grapes harvested from thorn bushes. The good person out of the good treasury of his heart brings forth good, and the evil person out of [his] evil [treasury] brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "And why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell [you]? "Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and does them--I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And [when] a flood came, the river burst against that house and was not able to shake it, because it had been built well. But the one who hears [my words] and does not do [them] is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, which the river burst against, and immediately it collapsed--and the collapse of that house was great!"