That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

Matthew 13:1-2

The crowds came to Jesus.  Thousands had heard of the miracles following this man.  This man, who was God, had the wisdom of the Eternity within His heart, and He chose to take a moment to go out to the lake.  Perhaps He went out to pray in a quiet place, or possibly to rest for a moment, but, whatever the reason, the crowds surrounded Him until He was pressed on every side.  While the masses swelled, He entered a boat and taught them, while the people came.

Everyone wants the miraculous, the signs, wonders, and miracles, but who wants the reason behind them?  We want the power, but who wants the man?  We want the demonstration, but who wants the price he paid?

Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Luke 6:46

The Jews associated the miraculous powers and “wisdom” (Matthew 13:54).  Jesus came preaching a greater wisdom than Solomon (Matthew 12:42).

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:15

The answer to the question of power is not so much technique or answers, but it is Jesus Himself.  Yet, this man who had the greatest wisdom ever sat beside the sea-shore in a boat, looking out over the crowds of people that were often more interested in a free lunch than the Spirit.

They didn’t see.  They didn’t understand.  Their interests were earthly, His heavenly.  The greatest desire of His heart, to please the Father, was that they might begin to come into a knowledge of their heavenly Father and of who He really was (John 17:3).  His greatest desire was that they might come to live by Him and His Spirit.

As He looked out over a crowd, a crowd that by His own explanation (John 3:3-5) wouldn’t be able to even understand what He really wanted to talk about, because it was spiritual and they were carnal, He taught.

He couldn’t explain the mysteries of the anointing, nor of the realms of God in which He Himself was walking (see John 3:13). He couldn’t begin to explain even, to most, of the angels attending to Him on every side (John 1:50-51).  But, instead, with something they could see, touch, and begin to understand, He explained the principles of the Kingdom in words which they would understand, and, perhaps one day, as faith came, understand.

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: A farmer went out to sow his seed.

Matthew 13:3

You see, it all begins with a Word, a seed.  This Word, Jesus Himself, was a living thing, like a natural seed.  It was Spirit.

He said, I’m here today, and many others after will come, and I’m speaking this Word of the Kingdom, this Word of who He was spiritually seen through faith, and it was in the prepared hearts, the ones softened, and ridden of rocks,  weeds, and thorns that could receive who He was and prosper.

The seed was sufficient.  Although there may be other things around, it will grow and produce a harvest anyway.  There may have been greater produce without the competition, but it will grow, and it would be better to have the fruit it would yield than to risk destroying the good with the bad.  Even as Abraham pleaded with the Lord to not destroy the good with the wicked in Sodom.

The Seed was complete.  There would be no need to add to a seed already planted.  He, Himself, is God, and the word of His Kingdom is sufficient to produce the fullness of the Kingdom in the believer.  While you water a seed, the life that was in the seed is the same life that is in the full-grown plant.

The seed worth it.  It doesn’t really have to be explained to many.  But, when the seed comes, there is nothing like it.  It is pure.  Yet, when you see it, nothing else in this life matters.

The seed is what matters.  Only the good are kept in Heaven, those who have listened to and accepted His word.  There must be no mistaking the seed.  It is Christ alone within us that matters to the Father on judgement day, and Christ alone that will save.

This man of sorrows, sitting on a boat, misunderstood by everyone, sat and explained a realm of the miraculous in such a way that absolutely no one but those who believed would understand.  Yet, with faith, the understanding leaps out at the hearer.

What is the yeast?  The Kingdom.  How do you reckon it?  Just meet the Kingdom, and it will require little more instruction.  Until then, nothing anyone said would ever matter any way.

You see, it must bee seen through faith!

“But I have faith!” you might say.  Well, Jesus’ demonstration of faith was the miraculous (Mark 16:17), signs, wonders, and miracles.  You say you have faith but demonstrate no life that requires it.  Jesus came with what He called faith, and signs and miracles were the result.  And, finally, when the disciples couldn’t keep up with his levels of the miraculous, Jesus said it was because of their lack, principally, of faith.

The point is not to question the true faith that you do have, for everyone who truly has met and loves the Lord Jesus Christ is born again of Him, but faith is not mere intellectual assent.  It is a living, active connection with a heavenly realm, whether understood or not, that is as good as the real thing.  The difference between a  Christian community that is simply friendly, cordial, and attempting to do right and a community that has testimonies in its midst of lives changes, people healed and changed, and living in greater and greater abundance of life (John 10:10), is faith.  The one can have a life that looks pleasant, but only the one with the true substance can change the heart of a man.

This King of Kings sat on a boat, and explained what seemed to be the most gracious stories.  You could hear them a hundred times and sincerely enjoy them.  But, the question remains…  What do they mean?

At the end of the discourse, after retiring inside with the disciples, he asked them a most pertinent question.

“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.  “Yes,” they replied.

Matthew 13:51