Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." NIV
Another day. Another venue. Another crowd. Another crowd so large that as they squashed down closer and closer to the edge of the lake You had to get into a boat to avoid being pushed into the water. Can you imagine the scene today. Health and Safety would have a field day. Crash barrior fences would be erected to keep people away from the water's edge. The crowd would be marshalled and thinned to avoid a crush. And You and the disciples would have to wear life jackets and safety lines. It's just as well that You chose the 1st century Palestine rather than 21st century England. Presumably the disciples are crowded in the boat with You. No doubt Peter, Andrew and John were taking charge and looking authoritative and perhaps those like Matthew who were unused to the water were a bit anxious but all of them would be as attentive as the crowd to Your teaching.

Here were the crowd, eager, anticipating, hanging on to Your every word. It wasn't dry, lifeless teaching like the Pharisees or the Teachers of the Law, but stories full of life, of everyday things and situations. They caught the attention because they were so obvious and everyday. Something they could all associate with.

But they also had a meaning, a hidden depth that wasn't so obvious on the first hearing. Take this one about a farmer. Everyone in that rural community had seen farmers. Many of them probably were farmers with small plots of rocky, fertile soil where they scratched a living. Scattering the seed by hand as they walked along would see them used to the occupational hazards of birds finding the seed, of stones that hadn't been removed and weeds that choked the growth. The aim of course would be to achieve a crop.

You said "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" and as the crowd trudged back along the lake shore in the evening to return to their homes they would be deep in conversation. "What do you think he meant by that?" "You know that's so true, I get that every time I sow seed" "Those birds are real pests". I would imagine it was the centre of conversation for days.

Of course, once the crowds disappeared and the disciples were alone with You, then they asked their questions. "What did You mean Lord?"