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Pumpkin Parables

Carving a pumpkin is a familiar fall favorite, a cherished tradition that brings warmth to the crisp autumn air. Each stroke of the carving knife brings to life a radiant masterpiece. The soft, amber glow spills from its intricately carved face, casting whimsical shadows reminiscent of laughter, togetherness, and the quiet magic of autumn.

Pumpkins have long been a quintessential hallmark of fall, gracing our porches and filling our kitchens with warmth and flavor. Beyond their seasonal appeal, pumpkins subtly depict symbolic tidings that parallel God’s plan. Grab a pumpkin spice latte and join us as we look closer at the insights these humble gourds can impart. 

Wise Little Squash

Parable 1: The Process of Carving

The process of carving a pumpkin is an intentional process that starts with selecting the right fruit and culminates in cutting away its thick skin. 

Once the pumpkin has been selected, its potential becomes perceptible as we carefully cut around the stem. With a sharp knife, we slice through the layers, exposing its ooey-gooey interior. 

Much like the protective shell of a pumpkin, we often build walls around ourselves—walls of fear, shame, or denial—that prevent us from facing the sticky things we’ve hidden deep inside. These barriers keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s healing and power. God uses His Word to penetrate the layers of our lives, examining our hearts. We must be willing to invite Him to “cut” into the layers of our defenses, pride, and resistance, trusting Him to reveal the things within us that need to change.

Now it’s time to get our scoopers ready! Cleaning out the innards of the pumpkin is wildly messy, and can sometimes feel cumbersome and overwhelming. We need to reach inside to scoop out the slimy, stringy pulp sprinkled with seeds- requiring our hands to get dirty —literally and metaphorically.

Just as the pumpkin needs to be cleared out to fulfill its purpose, we too must allow God to empty us of the clutter that accumulates in our hearts and minds. To do so, we need to be willing to sift through the layers of our lives and challenge habits, unhealthy mindsets, and unresolved issues. Confronting sins, pride, fears, and distractions isn’t always easy, as we need to honestly face our inner darkness, acknowledging uncomfortable truths residing within us. 

Once the pumpkin is cleaned out and ready, it is time to carve a design into its surface. Each cut shapes the pumpkin into a reflection of the creator's vision. 

Like the design on the pumpkin, we are each uniquely crafted, with gifts, talents, and purposes that God has specifically designed for us. We must recognize that He is at work in our lives, and willingly allow Him to shape us, carving away the remnants of our old selves for His purpose. 

The pumpkin is nearly ready to be put on display,—we just need to place a candle inside. This empty, hollow cavity, which was once cluttered and chaotic, has become a vessel that can now radiate light from within. 

When God’s work is complete, His light fills the spaces once occupied by sin and fear, and we shine brightly with His love, hope, and grace for all to see. In His hands, we are transformed from a raw, unfinished state into something that reflects His glory.

Parable 2: Growing a Pumpkin

Growing a pumpkin requires time, care, and patience. From the moment a tiny seed has been planted in the soil, it must be diligently attended to, only reaching fruition when properly nurtured with water and sunlight in the right conditions. As the seed germinates, it gradually pushes through the earth and begins its upward journey, developing roots that anchor it and vines that stretch toward the sun. 

At times, gardeners face challenges, like pests, weather changes, or slow growth. Still, they consistently tend to their plants, doing all that they can to provide an environment where they can flourish. 

Comparably, faith begins as a small seed planted within our hearts that also requires a supportive environment to thrive. Rather than water and sunlight, we need to nurture our faith with prayer, community, and His Word.

Parable 3: Bearing Fruit

Rows of vibrant ripe, plump pumpkins scattered across the field are the pinnacle of months of patience, care, and persistence. Each pumpkin is a testament to the farmer’s hard work, a reward for the effort and care invested throughout the growing season. 

Just as a farmer expects a bountiful harvest from their crop, God expects that our lives produce spiritual fruit—visible evidence of His work within us. 

Like the pumpkins that flourish because they are attached to healthy vines, our ability to bear spiritual fruit depends entirely on remaining connected to God. As long as we nurture our relationship with Him, He will empower us to grow, flourish, and produce spiritual fruit, no matter the season we find ourselves in.

Overall

The first parable reminds us that we each carry a unique light and purpose, sculpted by the Master’s hand. Just as we carefully scrape out a pumpkin to prepare it for carving, we must be intentional about identifying and removing the sins, burdens, and distractions in our lives. This cleansing is not a passive process; it requires effort and self-reflection. However, when we invite God into this process, He begins to reveal the areas that need transformation and gives us the strength to let go of what hinders us. The more we allow Him to work within us, the more we are emptied of sin and filled with the goodness and glory of His light. As God shapes us, we become vessels that reflect His love, radiating His light to the world around us.

The developmental stages of a pumpkin echo the progress of our spiritual growth; requiring patience, consistent effort, and a willingness to stay connected to the source of our nourishment—Jesus Christ. As we cultivate our relationship with Him, we become more fruitful, maturing in our faith and bearing witness to His work in our lives.

Finally, the last parable emphasizes that when we prioritize our connection to Christ, we position ourselves to experience the fullness of life that He promises, leading to an abundant harvest of good works and spiritual fruit.

As you carve your pumpkins and celebrate the season, may you be inspired to embrace the lessons they offer and allow God’s light to shine brightly through you.

-Torrance Community Church of Christ

The Parable about Parables

It is no secret that Jesus heavily taught in parables, but have you ever wondered why that is? His twelve disciples were curious as to why He preferred to teach using parables. In fact, on one occasion, after sharing a parable by a lake, His disciples asked Jesus why He favored teaching in parables. 

Jesus questioned His disciples:

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 

Mark 4:13

So, what then was the parable Jesus taught by the lake that day? 

The Parable of the Sower

The Gospels of Matthew (13:3-23), Mark (4:3-20), and Luke (8:5-15) provide corresponding accounts of the Parable of the Sower. 

In this parable, Jesus unfolds a story about a farmer who went to sow his seed. As the farmer sprinkled the seed along the soil, some of the seed fell on soil on the path, soil in rocky areas, soil in thorny areas, and on good soil. 

Consequently, hungry birds flew in and ate up the seed that fell on the path. The seeds that fell in rocky areas sprouted quickly, but the soil was shallow and the rocks prevented the plants from taking a deep root; ultimately blocking sufficient nutrients and water. Because of this, the plants died because the heat of the sun was too much to bear. The seed that fell among thorns was obstructed by the piercing bristles. This rendered the plant incapable of bearing grain. Fortunately, the seed that fell among the good soil had all of the right conditions to amply grow and prosper. The bountiful crop multiplied a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times what was sown. 

Jesus ended the parable with:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Matthew 13:9

Symbolism

+The Farmer depicts God

+The Seed depicts the Word of God

+The Soil on the Path depicts people who have heard the Word of God, but as soon as they have, Satan sneaks in and turns them away. 

+The Soil on Rock depicts people who have heard the Word of God. They believe and accept His Word. However, they are not able to take root in His Word. So in times of persecution and testing, they fall away. 

The Soil among Thorns depicts people who have heard the Word of God, but as life progresses, they become enamored by worldly pleasures, worries, and gains. They took root, but the thorns got in the way and inhibited them from maturing. 

+The Good Soil depicts people who have heard the Word of God and understand it. They continue to live by His Word and produce a prolific crop. 

How Can The Parable of the Sower Be Considered The Parable About Parables?

This is the point where His disciples ask Jesus why He speaks in parables.

This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”                               

Matthew 13:13

Here, Jesus is reiterating Isaiah. 

“Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,  hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:9-10

All three accounts of the Parable of the Sower indicate that those who have the Word of God rooted within them are privy to understanding God’s messages. We see this in the scriptures below:

“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Matthew 13:11-12

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“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Matthew 13:16-17

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He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables”

Mark 4:11

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He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others, I speak in parables”

Luke 8:10

God has extended His Word and Grace to everyone- those planted on the path, among the rocks, intertwined with thorns, and in the good soil. However, only those who have cultivated their hearts with good soil are receptive to the messages and meaning of His Word. They are the ones who will truly understand. All others are on the outside. All they hear is a parable- a little story about a farmer. The Parable of the Sower reflects Jesus’ purpose of teaching with parables. 

Summing It All Up

The Parable of the Sower illustrates the inner workings of the parables Christ used throughout His ministry. Those who are close to Him, who haven’t hardened their hearts to His messages, are privileged to receive the powerful and transformative proclamations of the Word of God. 

Now, the only question that remains is what soil are you?

The Banquet Parables

The Parables of the Embarrassed Guest, Luncheon for the Poor, and the Great Banquet can all be found in chapter 14 of Luke. These three parables begin with the same setting. One Sabbath day, Jesus is dining at the house of a prominent Pharisee. Jesus knew that he was being scrutinized throughout the meal. He took the opportunity to teach the Pharisee and his guest a valuable lesson about the New Covenant, The Kingdom of God, and the attributes that are required to get into His Kingdom: compassion, humility, kindness, and charity, just to name a few. 

We will also discuss the Parable of the Wedding Banquet, which is found in Matthew chapter 22. In the Parable of the Wedding Banquet, Jesus is teaching to a crowd gathered at the temple. Chief priests and elders came over and began to question Jesus and His authority. 

The Parable of the Embarrassed Guest 

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 14:7-11

The message is clear here. Dodge prideful ways. Keep pride out of your thoughts and actions. Don’t assume your esteem. Humble yourself. 

Humility is a resounding theme throughout the Bible. 

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The Parable of the Luncheon for the Poor 

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14:12-14

Remember, act with kindness. Don’t do things just because you expect something out of them. Do something because it is right. Show compassion and love. Be charitable. Help others, even if you don’t agree with them; even if you don’t like them. 

Give, help, and support because you can. 

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The Parable of the Great Banquet 

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Luke 14:15–24

There are a couple of things to consider in this parable. 

The original guests invited to the banquet made up excuses as to why they wouldn’t be able to attend. These guests put their own wants and desires above their prior obligation to the host. 

So the host had his servant go out and invite people on the street to his banquet. Not just any people, but the poor, downtrodden, and dejected. 

Breaking it down:

• The Host is God
• The Banquet Hall is the Kingdom of God
• The Original Guests are the Pharisees and others of the Old Covenant
• The Servant is a disciple of Jesus
• The New Guests are the unclean, common man. You and me

The Pharisees of the Old Covenant mocked Jesus and His teachings. They put their wants and desires above God and His teachings. They were prideful and did not feel the need to submit themselves to Him. 

Meanwhile, the common people, Gentile or Jew, who were willing to listen and commit themselves to follow the New Covenant are invited to God’s Kingdom. Despite being seen as less in the eyes of the Pharisees, God knew their worth. 

Everyone who puts God and His teachings first is invited to the Kingdom of God-the sinners and righteous alike. 

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The Parable of the Wedding Banquet 

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:1-14

This parable is interchangeable with the Great Banquet. But there is a dark twist. Some of the people who denied the king’s invitation abused and killed his servants when they came calling. 

As a follower of God, there will be people who don’t understand you. You’ll come across those who will mock and criticize you and your faith. Don’t judge them, but stand firm in your faith. 

At the end of the parable, a man who was not dressed for the occasion was found among the king’s guests. The man wasn’t welcomed, so the king kicked the man to the curb. This man represents those who walk the line. They believe they are doing just enough, but still not fully committing themselves to Him. 

You can't straddle the line between God’s ways and the way of man. 

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In Closing

Through Christ, we are invited to have eternal salvation. He knows we are not without sin, yet He wants us to be with Him forever. Actually, beyond forever. How special and astonishing is it that somebody loves each of us so much that they want to spend an endless amount of time with us? The gift He is offering us is unlike anything that exists on this earth. This is why we must heed His words as well as His warnings. It is our decision if we will take Him up on His invitation.

- Torrance Church of Christ