Why do I get the feeling that Jesus' parables have become like fairy tales or Aesop's fables to the church in America? As I studied and preached through some of the parables, I got the distinct feeling that we have truly missed the point of Jesus' stories. His stories were never meant to be cute. There was no "happily ever after" butterflies in the bellies of the listeners. No one asked Jesus at the end of his parable, "So what's the moral of that story, Jesus?" Granted, a lot of people didn't understand what he was saying (ie the disciples asked Jesus what a few of his parables meant), but they were more confused because they were hearing something that was totally counter-cultural. They were trying to understand Jesus correctly- ("So you're telling me that if I don't forgive that Roman soldier for running his sword through my pregnant wife, then I won't be forgiven by God?" "Jesus, you're telling me that if I sin and cause others to sin, then your angels will gather me along with people much worse than me and throw us all in the 'fiery furnace'?" Their understanding of God and humanity was being rocked and turned upside down.
Do you get what Jesus is saying in his parables? He's asking everyone to consider- "Are you sure you know God?" "Are you sure you are wearing the white hat?" "Are you sure you're on steady ground?" "Are you sure you aren't God's enemy?" May we approach the parables with a bit of fear and a prayer that we will understand what Jesus is really saying in his "cute little stories."
