MANY of Jesus’ stories about the kingdom of God contain an implicit challenge to his listeners to respond in a personal way. Here are some – and their apparent morals.

The Sower and the seed

(Matthew 13:1–9; 18–23)

A farmer hand-sowed a field. As he threw the seed from his bag some of it fell on the path and was eaten by the birds. Some fell on shallow, stony soil; it grew at first but then withered. Some fell in thorn patches which soon choked the young shoots. But some fell on deep fertile soil, germinated, and developed grain – between 30 and 100 times what was sown.

The Sower is God, the seed is his word. The soils are those who hear it. And only some understand it enough to become fruitful disciples who put the teaching into practice.

Moral: Listen carefully or else you’ll miss God’s word to you.

The weeds in the field

(Matthew 13:24–30; 36–43)

Once upon a time a farmer sowed good quality seed corn in his field. But an enemy sowed poisonous darnel in it too, contrary to the law. The farmer told his workers not to pull up the darnel because its strong roots would dislodge the weaker roots of the wheat. They could be pulled up just before harvest when there could be no mistaking the plants and no damage to the crop.

The farmer is the ‘Son of Man’, a title Jesus uses for himself. The seed is the people who follow him, among whom evil sows its minions which are often indistinguishable from believers at first. The harvest is the end of the world when evil is weeded out for ever.

Moral: The kingdom will grow quietly, and the wicked will get their come-uppance.

Small beginnings

(Matthew 13:31 – 33; cf. Daniel 4:10–12, 20–22)

God’s kingdom is like a small mustard seed. From insignificant beginnings it becomes a huge shrub, home to numerous birds. If Jesus is thinking of the bird’s-nest tree in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel, he means the nations of the world will be incorporated into God’s kingdom. It is also like a tiny pinch of yeast which makes a whole batch of dough rise sufficiently to feed about 100 people.

Moral: Be patient.

Worth a fortune

(Matthew 13:44–46)  

This was the farm worker who dug up a pot of coins in his employer’s field. So he sold everything he had to buy the field at market rates – with its forgotten added value! He was overjoyed. So too was the merchant who saw the biggest pearl ever. He sold all he had to buy it because its value was incalculable.

Moral: If you want real happiness, you’ve got to give the kingdom all you’ve got.

Sorting the catch

(Matthew 13:47–50)

The real work in large-scale fishing comes when the catch is landed. The dragnet pulled between two boats trawls up many inedible creatures which have to be sorted out and thrown away.

Moral: Don’t think you’re acceptable to God just because you are caught up in kingdom activity.