Ghosts, Lizards, and Pearls - The Parable Series

Ghosts, Lizards, and Pearls - The Parable Series Ghosts, Lizards, and Pearls - The Parable Series

In a message delivered at Founded In Truth Fellowship, the speaker, possibly Matthew Vander Els, explores the parables of Yeshua (Jesus) with a fresh perspective, encouraging listeners to reconsider familiar stories and discover deeper meanings relevant to their lives. The central theme revolves around identity, personal transformation, and the pursuit of the Kingdom of God. Drawing inspiration from C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce," the teaching uses vivid metaphors like "lizards," "ghosts," and "pearls" to illustrate the challenges and rewards of spiritual growth.

The Great Divorce: Ghosts and Spirits

The message references C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce," which presents a narrative about ghosts residing in a gray, joyless town, symbolizing a purgatorial or hellish state. These ghosts have the opportunity to journey to a beautiful, heavenly realm but find it painful and uncomfortable because they are not compatible with it. They carry burdens and attachments that prevent them from fully embracing the new reality.

In contrast, spirits inhabit the heavenly realm and try to help the ghosts, encouraging them to let go of their burdens and take steps toward the Kingdom. The story highlights the struggle between holding onto familiar comforts and embracing the transformative, yet potentially painful, process of spiritual growth.

The Lizard on Your Shoulder

A key illustration from "The Great Divorce" involves a man with a small red lizard on his shoulder, representing lust or any other persistent sin or negative influence. This lizard constantly whispers temptations and justifications, hindering the man's progress toward spiritual freedom. An angel offers to kill the lizard, but the man hesitates, rationalizing and delaying, unwilling to part with the familiar comfort, despite its harmful effects.

Ultimately, the man agrees, and the angel kills the lizard, resulting in both pain and transformation. The lizard transforms into a magnificent stallion, which the man then rides into the mountains, symbolizing his entry into the Kingdom, now in control of the beast. This powerful imagery emphasizes that overcoming our "lizards" – our persistent sins and negative influences – is essential for experiencing the fullness of God's Kingdom.

Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

The teaching then shifts to two short parables from Matthew 13:44-46: the parable of the treasure hidden in a field and the parable of the pearl of great price. In the first parable, a man discovers a treasure in a field, buries it again, and then joyfully sells everything he owns to buy the field. In the second, a merchant finds a pearl of great value and sells all his possessions to acquire it.

These parables illustrate the immense value of the Kingdom of Heaven and the willingness to sacrifice everything to obtain it. The speaker emphasizes that the parables are about identity and transformation. The man who finds the treasure must sell all that he has to take ownership of the field, and the merchant must sacrifice his capital and identity as a merchant to possess the pearl. These are stories about people killing their lizards.

The speaker challenges traditional interpretations of the merchant as a positive figure, suggesting that in the first century, merchants often had a negative connotation, associated with exploiting others for personal gain. Thus, the merchant's willingness to sell everything highlights the transformative power of the pearl, leading him to abandon his former identity and way of life.

The Rich Young Ruler

To further illustrate this theme, the message references the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. This man asks Yeshua how to obtain eternal life, and Yeshua initially instructs him to follow the commandments. The ruler claims to have already done so, but Yeshua then tells him that if he desires to be perfect, he must sell all his possessions and give to the poor.

The speaker points out that Yeshua's instruction is specific to this man, whose identity was wrapped up in his wealth. The commandment that Yeshua omits when listing the commandments is "Do not covet," suggesting that the man's "lizard" was his covetousness and attachment to his possessions. The man walks away sad because he was not willing to kill his lizard.

Peter's Restoration

The teaching contrasts the rich young ruler with the Apostle Peter, who denied Yeshua three times before the crucifixion. After the resurrection, Yeshua appears to Peter and asks him three times, "Do you love me?" Peter affirms his love, and Yeshua instructs him to feed His sheep, symbolizing Peter's restoration and renewed commitment to the Kingdom.

However, immediately after this profound moment, Peter turns and asks about the fate of another disciple, John. Yeshua rebukes him, saying, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." This highlights the importance of focusing on one's own path and calling, rather than comparing oneself to others or being distracted by their journeys.

Application for Everyday Life

• Identify Your "Lizard": Recognize the persistent sins, negative influences, or attachments that are holding you back from fully experiencing God's Kingdom.
• Be Willing to Sacrifice: Understand that obtaining the treasure or the pearl may require selling everything, letting go of familiar comforts and identities.
• Embrace Transformation: Be prepared for the pain and discomfort that may accompany spiritual growth and transformation.
• Focus on Your Own Path: Avoid comparing yourself to others or being distracted by their journeys. Focus on your own calling and relationship with God.
• Recognize God's Creation in You: Acknowledge that God created you with a specific purpose and plan for your life. Embrace your unique identity and vocation.
• Live in the Eternal Now: Realize that eternal life and the Kingdom of God are not just future realities but are present experiences that begin now.
• Participate in God's Creation: Recognize that God wants us to participate in the progress of creation by representing His Kingdom in our words and actions.

Conclusion

The message concludes by emphasizing that the question is not what you need to sell to enter the Kingdom, but what you are not selling to experience the fullness of God's Kingdom in your life. It encourages listeners to identify the "lizard" whispering in their ear and to be willing to let go of whatever is hindering their spiritual growth, trusting that the reward will be worth the sacrifice.

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References

• Matthew 13:44
• Matthew 13:45
• Matthew 13:46
• Matthew 19
• John 21:20

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