One commentator has said that a parable is “storytelling with a message,” that also declares a truth, and that also asks for a response. So, when Jesus is telling a parable, it’s not just a literary exercise or a brain teaser. He’s using a story to call His listeners into some kind of transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart.

Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors.

Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone.

Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon:

1. Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat.
2. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986.
3. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display.
4. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum.
5. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum.
6. “The Sower” by Millet (1850).
7. “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888).
8. “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).