‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4).’
At a loss as to what to present for this contribution to the Biblical Way Blog, I resorted to listening to a *sermon online, hoping for God’s guidance, and I wasn’t disappointed! The preacher preached on the ‘Supremacy of Christ’. Obliquely, I was led to examine Christ’s own preaching – in particular, the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23; Luke 8:4-8,11-15).’
The Preaching of God’s Word
When God’s Word is preached truthfully from the heart, and by the Spirit, it is ‘prophecy’ – prophecy in respect to His Word being broadcast, as seeds are scattered by a sower. Jesus presented His gospel in this fashion, and often He told parables. Strangely, or so it would seem, He preached to deaf ears (Matthew 13:13), and even His disciples did not understand (Cf v 23) His parables. They were perplexed why He should tell them; so they asked Him (v 10) why, and He said because it was ‘given’ to them to ‘know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (v 11).’ To this end He explained the meanings of the parables, so that they would have understanding.
The Scattering of His Seed
He left them in no doubt as to the meaning of the Parable of the Sower. He told them that when the Word of Life (1 John 1:1), i.e., He Himself, [**the Seed], is scattered, He takes root in those who ‘hear Him’ with ‘understanding’ (Matthew 13:13). They are the ‘good ground (Matthew 13:23),’ and He is the life-giving Seed. They are enlivened by His Spirit (John 3:3-8), nourished and transformed to be like Him. In due time, and at the right season, they bear much fruit (John 15:5); which in turn is scattered by the Sower (Matthew 13:37). And so, the ‘kingdom of heaven’ exponentially grows like the very small ‘mustard seed’ (vv 31, 32) into a tree where birds build their nests.
Unlike those of the: ‘wayside’, ‘stony places’ and those ‘among thorns (vv 4-7)’, the ‘hearers’ who ‘understand’ (v 23) God’s word, become partakers of His kingdom. They are given the privilege of living ‘in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3; 2:8, 9)’, where God blesses them abundantly (John 10:10). They are the ones who ‘have’ (Matthew 13:12), and to whom more is given. God’s grace is multiplied (Romans 5:17) to them; whereas those who have deaf ears and who are blind (Matthew 13:15), and lack understanding, they bear no viable fruit (Luke 8:14).
Christ is Supreme
In all of this Christ is supreme (Colossians 1:15-17): ‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.’
*The Supremacy of Christ [Preaching by Chandi Chirwa]
https://www.providencebaptistchurch.org.uk/sermons/the-supremacy-of-christ
**The Seed [Jesus]
The Biblical Way 