That’s actually the title of a book by a guy named Klyne Snodgrass. It’s the most comprehensive book on the Parables of Jesus that I have ever read. It’s heavy. Both in content and in weight. Mr. Snodgrass reminds the reader periodically that Jesus told stories on purpose. Sometimes we tell stories that have no point at all. We’re just together and we’re explaining what happened during our day, and many of the stories we tell are forgotten in a few weeks or months. Due to the miracle of “preservation,” the stories of Jesus are still with us almost 2,000 years after He told them. His stories were intentional. We call many of His stories parables but it would be short-sighted to assume that all parables are the same. The classic definition of a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Some are. However, some parables are historical anecdotes with earthly warnings. Some are agricultural occurrences with prophetic implications. Unlike Aesop, or the Grimm Brothers, almost all of the stories that Jesus told involve people. There are also weeds, flowers, birds and clothing but none of them are anthropomorphized. There are no talking birds and certainly no talking cats. The stories about people include dialogue and the dialogue has an indirect way of getting to the heart—if the heart is ready. This week, for Palm Sunday, we’re going to study a parable that serves as the backdrop for Palm Sunday and the following events. Make sure the soil of your heart is ready, there are some seeds looking for good soil.