TELL ME A STORY

Jesus' stories always had some contact with real life, and still today, Jesus' parables have contact with the day-to-day life you and I live. Hear how we share God's love by sharing stories, His and ours, today on The Lutheran Hour. I'm Mark Eicher, and today we conclude Archives August with a classic message from Dr. Dale Meyer. Later, Lutheran Hour speaker Michael Ziegler and Dr. David Schmidt help us see how Jesus' parables changed as he got closer to the goal of his mission, His cross and resurrection. In a ministry spanning more than 50 years, Dr. Dale Meyer has served as parish pastor, author, teacher, Lutheran Hour speaker, television host, and seminary president. Today's message originally aired in June 2018. Now here is Dr. Meyer. I thank you for joining us. Today people in many lands are observing Father's Day. Let us begin by praying for the care of children. Almighty God, Heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children. Give us calm, strength, and patient wisdom, that as they grow in years, we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. What makes for a good father? One of my memories as a seminary student, this goes back almost 50 years, time flies. One of my memories was Professor Arthur Carl Peepkorn telling our class that he had studied what makes for good parenting. Dr. Peepkorn was a very learned man, so when he said he studied something, we knew he did. He had looked at parents in various situations, but he found only one thing that made for good parenting. That was love, simply love. Now the question is, how do you show a child, or anyone for that matter, that you love them? My message today is that we show love by spending time with our children, grandchildren, and others, and in that time together, we tell stories. Tell me a story.

Do you remember the Andy Griffith show from the 1960s? Andy was the sheriff of Mayberry, a fictional town in North Carolina. He was a widower raising his son, Opie. At the end of every show, you would see Andy and Opie walking down a dirt road with their fishing poles. They were going off not only to fish, but also to spend time together and share their stories. Opie would grow up knowing his dad loved him. To our own harm, these days many of us are not sharing time and stories the way Andy and Opie did. Bernard Bull is Associate Professor of Education at Concordia University, Wisconsin. He has written Digitized, published by Concordia Publishing House. Digitized is very helpful because Dr. Bull examines how our tech culture has changed our lives. Chapter two is titled, Cats in the Cradle Goes Digital. That refers to a 1974 song by Harry Chapin. The song is about a father whose son is born while he's away on business. As the boy grows up, he wants to be like his dad. Through the song, the son repeatedly asks to spend time with his father, but his father always answers by saying he doesn't have time now, but later will have a good time. At the end of the song, there's a sad turn. The dad has become old and wants to spend time with his son, but now the son is too busy. Sure enough, he grew up to be just like his dad. My father-in-law used to say, they don't learn it from strangers. Dr. Bull gives the moral of Cats in the Cradle. Remains a warning to parents around the world to enjoy time with their children and to recognize that they are the model for their children. Yet modern life often values that which happens outside of the home more than what happens inside the home.

Modern society and its technological innovations create so many ways to accommodate longer work days and to focus on getting ahead in our careers that we fail to enjoy the God-given gift of family and neglect to take the time to enjoy one another. Whether it's Andy and Opie going fishing or you working together around the house, showing up at your kids' events or eating meals together and eating together without TV on or your phones in your hand, however you do it, sharing time and stories shows your love. Jesus told stories. When Jesus began his ministry, he announced, the time has come, the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news, Mark 1 15. What is the kingdom of God? Professor James Veltz of Concordia Seminary says it is the reign and rule of God. That works. The kingdom of God is how God reigns and rules in our hearts. Most of all, the reign and rule of God is about his love for us all. Jesus often taught about the kingdom of God, about God's reign and rule. Sometimes he did it by commenting on current events, like the accident when the tower at Siloam collapsed and people were killed, Luke chapter 13. Or when he and the disciples were admiring the architecture of the temple, Jesus made a teachable moment and spoke about the end of the world, Mark chapter 13. Other times, Jesus preached. He laid out the truths of God in straightforward teaching, as he did in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 through 7. But very often, Jesus told stories. They are called parables. Some of the parables were made-up stories, like the story of the good Samaritan who took care of a man beaten by robbers, Luke chapter 10. Jesus' stories always had some contact with real life, with the day-to-day life the people knew. This was the way Jesus taught the disciples about God's love, about his gracious rule and reign in our lives.

And still today, Jesus' parables have contact with the day-to-day life you and I live. For example, let's consider the well-known parable of the sower. It's about a man who sowed seed by hand. If Jesus were telling the story today, he would probably talk about a farmer pulling a planter behind his tractor to plant hundreds of acres. As I read the story to you, listen how lavish, or you might think how careless, the farmer is with a precious seed. Listen, a farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow, but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, multiplying 30, 60, or even 100 times. Then Jesus said, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Sounds careless, doesn't it? Sowing seed on the road and on an outcrop of rocks? My friend Louie is a farmer. He tells me that when a farmer is ready to plant, he programs into the computer exactly where he wants the seeds planted. For example, he programs in 24 rows with 30 inches between the rows. The computer and the GPS make sure that no seed is wasted. But Jesus was not telling the story about a careless farmer, but rather about the lavishness of God sowing him. His saving word. God doesn't look at whether someone will receive the word or not. Saint Paul says, God, our Savior, wants all men to be saved and come to a

knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2, verse 4. So the sower scattering seed on all kinds of ground is not careless. It's the lavish love of God to get His saving word into every kind of heart. However, the disciples didn't understand the parable of the sower. Because the crowd that heard the story had true followers of Jesus and also critics, people out to get Him, Jesus spoke cryptically. When the disciples were alone with Jesus, they asked Him to explain. That's important. As a teacher, I often slip into stories of experiences in my life. I do that because the story makes a point about the lesson we are covering in class. When I launch into a story, the students stop taking notes and lean back. They think it is entertainment time. No. This story makes a point you need to learn. So, when Jesus' critics had left, the disciples asked what the parable meant. In his explanation, Jesus teaches us that people receive the word of God in different ways. Listen. The farmer sows the word.

Some people are like seed along the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop, some thirty, some sixty, or some a hundred times what was sown. People receive the word of God in different ways. The critics don't give it a second chance. The devil is there to keep the word from their hard hearts. Other people receive the word enthusiastically, but don't grow in it. Don't stick with Jesus when discrimination or persecution comes for following Jesus. Still others are preoccupied with the things of this world.

These people are like Harry Chapin's song about the dad, so caught up in making a career that he didn't give time to his son. In this context, I would say to the godly raising of his son, but the good soil. That's what you and I want to be. To be sinners who receive the forgiving and hope-giving word of Christ. To continue to grow in reverence for the loving rule and reign of God. To be followers of Jesus who produce godly fruit in our lives. May we be good soil in whom the love of God's kingdom grows. But how does this happen? This growth in the reign and rule of God in us? Jesus has a story about just that. This also comes from Mark chapter four. The setting is that the crowd that listened to the parable of the sower has dispersed. The hard-hearted critics are gone. Jesus tells his followers that his ministry of the word is not spectacular, not something that amazes the world, but the kingdom does grow because God's word works. Listen, he also said, this is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows. So he does not know how. All by itself, the soil produces grain. First the stalk, then the head,

then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it because the harvest has come. Has come it is Jesus who scatters the seed on good ground you I and Others here is preaching and teaching We take it to heart Like a seed his word grows slowly But surely in us Dr. Veltz says this story is intended to comfort us. He writes this in his commentary on mark the ministry of Jesus especially in his preaching and teaching brings the reign and rule of God in a way that is simple and Mysterious and leads finally and inevitably to success at the proper time The narrative is to comfort to assure those with eyes to see and ears to hear that despite meager appearances especially initial appearances of Unproductiveness the fullness of God's reign and rule will be achieved That is comforting in these days when many people are full of gloom and doom about the decline of the institutional church God's lavish sowing of love from his word makes all the difference in our lives and in the church the prophet Isaiah put it this way as The rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without Watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater So is my word that goes out from my mouth It will not return to me empty But will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it Isaiah 55 verses 10 and 11

Tell me a story. I Have one more for today's message, and this is another story from Jesus about seeds again, he said what shall we say the kingdom of God is like or What parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed Which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground? Yet when planted it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants with such big Branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade Mark chapter 4 verses 30 through 32 the mustard seed Traditionally thought of as the smallest seed grows into a large garden plant Don't discount what the Word of Jesus is doing in your life and in the church Says dr. Veltz the reign and rule of God in Jesus is not in and of itself Magnificent at least not by normal worldly standards its results. However are Magnificent great branches result and all peoples everywhere the birds in the parable benefit greatly One cannot help but see the worldwide spread of the Christian faith as a fulfillment of this depiction Tell me a story Let's wrap up today's message by going back to fathers Taking time to be with your children to tell them your stories and to hear their stories is An important way to show you love them Andy and Opie went fishing to be with each other and to share stories But the father in cats in the cradle was too busy to spend time with his son So as they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when the son grew up He didn't have time for his aged father Jesus is our Savior from sin and our model for daily life By spending time with his disciples and telling them stories Jesus prepared the disciples for what was going to come in their lives Mark says With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them as much as they could understand

He did not say anything to them without using a parable But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything Mark 4 verses 33 and 34 Tell me a story and make sure to share the point of your story That is one of the most effective ways we can share the wonderful word of Jesus with the next generation Ted and Chelsea daring have written myth of the millennium a book about connecting generations in the church. As Jesus told stories to prepare his disciples for the future, doesn't our heavenly Father's love given to us in Jesus motivate us to tell the next generation how Jesus' word has worked in the stories of our lives? Here's what Ted and Chelsea say. When the word of God goes out, it does not come back empty. You are not alone, nor must you have the exactly right answer every time. God is going to do his work. There is a generation in need of the goodness of the gospel. They are scraping to find meaning in life. Friendships, jobs, and a long line of relationships have let them down. But the gospel will not. This is the importance of what you have to share. Tell me a story. Amen. You're listening to The Lutheran Hour. For free online resources, archived audio, our mobile app, and more, go to LutheranHour.org. Joining us now, here's Lutheran Hour speaker, Dr. Michael Ziegler. Thanks Mark. Visiting again with my good friend and teacher and mentor, Dr. David Schmidt. Thanks for talking about parables with us. Thank you for inviting me. I want to talk to you today about how Jesus' parables change as he gets closer to the goal

of his mission, the cross and resurrection. Scholars have sometimes grouped them into categories, and it's kind of beginning, middle, and end. In the beginning of Jesus' ministry, you have parables of growth, parables of creation, parables showing this generosity of God. But then in the middle of Jesus' ministry, now you start to get parables of grace, parables that have, you know, the lost son that's received back home, the lost sheep that's brought back home. You've got these parables of forgiveness and grace, which is the central message and work of God in Jesus Christ is going to be to bring about this grace. And so this is when Jesus is beginning to reveal his mission to his disciples, and you've got those parables of grace. And then toward the end of his ministry, parables of judgment. I think they're parables that Jesus brings the judgment to bear upon the hearer because he wants them to change. He wants to turn their hearts. This is the last chance before they kill him for them to hear. Let's reflect then on now what we've learned about parables over these last five weeks we've been talking about them. So we started with this definition of a parable that is drawn from everyday life. There's some setup, there's a shocking or startling event, and then some teaching about God's ways and our response. But then also looking at how the parables align to Jesus' own ministry of spreading the word about the kingdom, but recognizing that it's going to lead him to a cross and judgment of God on him that he takes so that he can be that shoot that rises from the stump and start new. So how does this, how does this help us understand and receive the parables? On the one hand, I think it, it helps us really treasure the clarity of the gospel that happened after the resurrection. As Jesus opens everyone's minds to understand the scriptures so that there's greater clarity

and the time of parables, in a sense, the time of parables is over. We speak the clear, beautiful gospel of Jesus Christ to God, to people. There's no need to be speaking of it in parables anymore. Then in the ministry of Jesus, it helps us see his desire to reach out to people using what they understand in a way that awakens them to something more that's going on in his ministry that will be of saving value for them. So in some sense there, like you said, there's not a need for parables anymore. The gospel is very clear, God, God so loved the world, he gave his son that whoever trusts in him, believes in him would not perish, but have eternal life. And yet the, especially Matthew, Mark, and Luke, when they wrote down their accounts, they saw fit to include by the Holy Spirit's inspiration to include all these parables. So now we can go back to them and they're not establishing the truth of the gospel, but they're supporting it and drawing a steep. Into it. Yeah, you know as we read them we think about common life and how God works in common life Sometimes in surprising ways that lead us deeper into an understanding of his will for this world and for our lives You've been teaching God's people and preparing pastors for a long time long time. How does Jesus way of teaching? How does that influence you the way you you try to bring there the mystery of the kingdom of God to bear in your students? Well, I kind of like Dale's Reference to that smaller parable about you know, sowing the farmer sows the seed and it grows He knows not how that is exactly how I teach I just throw the seed out there and it's I don't understand how it grows. It's beautiful to see it though You see it growing in students in different ways so the same teaching will be heard in different ways and you get to stand there and Tend to that growth and then send the students out and then you hear from them You see them at a pastoral conference and it's beautiful to see the way in which God works at replenishing his kingdom you Students and and I rejoice in the in the work of God that he's done through you and how that's been all now Multiplied how it happens. We know not How we're thankful that it does because God's in control of it and that's the beauty amen Now dr. Ziegler invites you to join him in praying the Lord's Prayer

Taught by Jesus and trusting in his promises. We are bold to pray Our father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name my kingdom come I will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Her line is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever Amen The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you The Lord look upon you with his favor and give you peace Amen The Lutheran hour is made possible through the support of faithful listeners like you To learn how your prayers and gifts can extend the worldwide outreach of the Lutheran hour go to Lutheran hour org Join us again next week as we begin our 94th season with a message by dr Michael Ziegler about two books that speak of God in different ways I'm Mark Isher. This has been a presentation of Lutheran our ministries You