What Real Christianity Looks Like: A Study of the Parables

Introduction

Ed Gallagher

The Western world has grown tired of Christianity. For close to two millennia, the Christian faith has dominated the identity and history of Europe and, latterly, America, but the past several decades have seen a sharp reversal. Congregations are shrinking, church buildings are vacant, and polls continue to show that more people are giving up the Christian label in favor of … well, nothing in particular: when it comes to religion, they choose ‘none.’ Such a cultural transition—such a rejection of Christianity—should drive believers back to Scripture to discover again what Jesus expected of His followers.

Other areas of the world have witnessed remarkable growth in adherents to Christianity. Africa and Asia are perhaps already the center of gravity for the Christian religion, at least in terms of numerical strength and vibrancy if not in terms of financial resources. As Christianity enters new cultures east and south of its traditional strongholds, we should, again, reconsider the qualities Jesus wanted His followers to develop.

In short, the issue of what real Christianity looks like presses on believers from multiple sides. If we are going to maintain this historic faith, what does that faith look like in a changing world, and what will it look like a decade from now, or a century? Is the religion that is spreading around the globe now the same as what Jesus preached? We should not be surprised if masses of people in the West reject the message of Christ, since He assured us of that precise response (Matt 7:13–14), but we still might wonder whether America and Europe have turned away from the biblical faith or, perhaps, rather from some heartless perversion of that faith.

As a people committed to the restoration of New Testament Christianity in whatever time and whatever place, we advocate careful reflection on the New Testament’s witness to the religion promoted by Jesus, and here the direct teachings of our Savior in the gospels seem an appropriate point of emphasis. Of course, we could study real Christianity by looking at the letters of Paul, or the Revelation of John, or the Acts of the Apostles, but we have chosen to concentrate on the teachings of Jesus Himself so that we may listen to the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). We are further zeroing in on His parables—some, not all—because our Lord used this form of discourse to lay bare many essential truths that He had come to reveal.

That is not to say that the parables are easy to understand. In fact, Jesus said the opposite: He spoke in parables in order to hide certain truths from the crowd and reveal these truths only to those who searched. When the disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables (Matt 13:10), Jesus responded,

To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it (Matt 13:11–17).

Jesus explains that His parables fulfill the commission of Isaiah to speak to people in such a way that they would continue in their unbelief (Isa 6:9–10). We might compare this hard saying to the Lord’s counsel that we should not toss our pearls before swine (Matt 7:6). Jesus says that He is using the parables to conceal His message from all but those who see beyond the surface. Real Christianity digs deep.

We do have an advantage over the first-century crowds, however; we know more about Jesus than they did. We know how His life will turn out, that this Messiah will die on a cross, and we recognize that that basic fact turns everything upside down so that, in Christianity, necessarily the first will be last and the last will be first. This insight should guide every reading of the parables. But we also know that the parables have a deeper significance, that they are simple stories about profound truths, and we know that because in this same passage from Matthew Jesus says as much. And He goes on to provide an example of interpretation, expounding the Parable of the Sower in terms of the different responses people have to the gospel. If we persistently seek the meanings of the parables, we have assurance that we will find.

However difficult the parables are to understand, they are much more difficult to put into practice. Lessons about mercy and compassion, or responsibility and preparation, or joy and hope, or inclusion and generosity, have resounded in church auditoriums every week from time immemorial, and yet these very character traits prove to be perpetually elusive for many. If the West has rejected Christianity, one may still wonder whether they have really rejected mercy, preparation, hope, inclusion, or whether these are not the values they associate with Christianity. If the answer to that last question is negative, the church has work to do.

1 Endless Possibilities

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Jeremy Barrier

Mark 4:30–32

One Main Thing

The possibilities are endless with God …

Introduction

What is it like?

Some things are simply too difficult to put in to words. I remember several years back, when my wife, Robin, and I were expecting our first child, and we were overflowing with anticipation and excitement about the prospects of parenthood. Amazingly enough, my brother, Joey, and his wife, Anna, shared the same due date with Robin for the anticipated birth of their daughter! I remember the day vividly, when Robin and I arrived at the hospital to visit Joey and Anna who beat us to the punch a