Simplicity

Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
~Matthew 13:1-9

Let me ask you something, have you ever had to listen to someone explaining something but all you could do was watch their lips move and hear the "blah, blah, blah" sounds because you had no idea what they were trying to say?

Honestly, why do we take concepts and ideas then complicate them until they are no longer recognizable?  This is why I hated word problems in school (and still do).  "If a train leaves Chicago at 7:43 and travels 80 mph to New York, and a car leaves New York at 8:00 and travels to Chicago at 60 mph, what color is the dog walking on Main Street in Kalamazoo at 9:05?"  REALLY?

I have also sat through sermons by Dr. Fuller Mummydust (insert your least favorite pastor here), and found that when the sermon ended, my mind was so numb that I could barely stand up to leave.  Why? Because the good Reverend spoke to me like I was in a Doctor of Theology lecture.  

If you look at the parables of Christ, you will see a pattern that would make Him extremely popular today (for those who are willing to listen).  Why?  Because Jesus spoke to people in ways they could understand!  The purpose for Jesus' teaching was to help people understand His message of peace, love and forgiveness.  The message is still simple.....or should be if we didn't do our very best to complicate it!

Keep It Simply Simple!!!