Week Four: The Lord Often Taught with Parables

A parable is defined as a story that relates Heavenly things to everyday earthly things in order to veil the true meaning of things, so that only those who are ready to hear the truth will understand it.

The parables of the mustard seed and the leaven describe the future growth of the Church. The parable of the gospel net explains why the Church sends out so many missionaries. The parables of the mustard seed and the leaven explain the incredible growth of the Church, especially considering its humble beginnings in the American Frontier. The parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price explain why some members of the Church are willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church. The parable of the tares and the parable of the gospel net explain why some members choose to leave the Church.

Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price, I'm not exactly sure what I would sacrifice to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. I've never really thought about it before. I've grown up in the gospel, so I've never really had to think about what I have or will have to sacrifice. But I can think of one thing. I had to give up my obsession with anime. But it doesn't really feel like a sacrifice anymore, because the blessings far outweigh the sacrifice. I suppose that's how it is with everything, and why I've never really thought of it before.

As for the parable of the gospel net, I suppose the net that is cast into the sea would be the Lord's Church. If that's true, then being caught in the net would mean joining the Church. And if that's true, then that means that the separation of the good and the bad is very much like the division between the five wise and the five foolish virgins in the parable of the ten virgins. Even if you're in the Church, you're not necessarily saved just because you got into the Church. So the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away would represent the last judgement, in a way.