2. Discovering God’s Message, Methods & Messiah Matthew 13:10-14 Discovering God’s Message, Methods & Messiah Matthew 13:10-14

3. S So much we do not know or have forgotten, such as... Ziryab

4. S He is one of the most important people you have never heard of !

5. S Ziryab He was a Persian Renaissance man: A poet, musician, singer, cosmetologist, fashion designer, celebrity, trendsetter, strategist, astronomer, botanist, geographer and former slave.

6. S Ziryab Introduced the idea of a three course meal (soup, main course, pudding).

7. S Ziryab He introduced the use of crystal for drinking glasses (previously, metal was the primary material).

8. S Ziryab He introduced asparagus and other vegetables into society.

9. S Ziryab Made significant changes and additions to the music world.

10. S Ziryab Popularized short hair and shaving for men.

11. S Ziryab Wore different clothes based on the seasons.

12. S Ziryab He created a pleasant tasting toothpaste which helped personal hygiene and longevity.

13. S Ziryab Invented an underarm deodorant & promoted bathing twice daily.

14. S DANGER! It may be amazing that you never heard of Ziryab and therein lies the danger! There is much God would have us to know, but we think we already…

15. S DANGER! In all your knowing, make sure you leave enough room for God to teach you something new!

16. S Matthew 13:10-14 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

17. S 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them…

18. S …the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive.”

19. S Matthew 13:10-14 (The Message) 10 The disciples came up and asked, ‘Why do you tell stories?’ 11-15He replied, ‘You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t…

20. S …been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their…

21. S …present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don’t hear a thing.

22. S Your eyes are awake but you don’t see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won’t have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won’t have to look, so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them.

23. S Parable both Reveals and Conceals God Deals with Truth in the Midst of Mystery

24. S 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10

25. S Parable Opens the Door to Revelation and then unto Salvation Belief Requires an Initiative, A Godly Desire, A Spiritual Hunger

26. S “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

27. S 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!.” Matthew 7:7-11

28. S Earnestly Seek God’s Truth in the Midst of Mystery! It is then you will truly learn …of God’s Message! …of God’s Methods! …of God’s Messiah!