DO NOT MISAPPLY THE PARABLE OF CHILDREN IN THE MARKET: Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide.

BY PASTOR PAUL RIKA
(Int'l Director Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide)

DATE:
TUESDAY NOVEMBER: 19, 2019.

TEXT: Matthew 11:16-19

KEY VERSE: Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is  the principal thing; therefore get  wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Parables are stories of common or  historical events employed to present  the gospel in an understandable way. In our society today we get such stories from the media and from daily  interactions with fellow men. These  stories can be employed in our  preaching and teaching to make the  people gain good understanding of  the gospel message.

Parables are  events which the preacher observed personally in his daily life or interactions which are employed to assist in conveying the gospel message to the people. Parables are applicable stories formulated by the preacher or teacher to convey his message to his audience 

The parable of children in the markets  falls under one of the three sources of stories employed for conveying the  gospel message. This story presents a secular scene.  The market is a secular business site.  The children sitting in the market are in a secular setting. 

Those doing  piping were not doing so under Holy  Spirit's inspiration, but in the normal  way of children in a play. Hence the  dance desired here was not in the  praise and worship of God, but in  amusement or entertainment. This  parable is far from suggesting that  Jesus favours the present dance in  His church. His church is not a noisy  market square. Alas, many have  turned it to be so today. 

His  worshippers should not behave  irreverently as children sitting in the market! 'Dance' was just one of the  words in the body of the story  employed to convey a gospel message to the audience. Here we learn that  those who play the instruments of  music dictate the response of the  people. 

When the singing and the  striking of the instruments are geared towards making people dance, the people sing and dance, but when the music is geared toward spiritual worship, the people sing, lifting up  their hearts unto the Lord. 

Many of  these musicians who have turned the  church of God into a dancing church are not in Christ; their names are not in the book of life. 
As it's said in the parable, “We have piped unto you and  ye have not danced;” let the true worshippers of God refuse to be  controlled by these musicians. They  must never allow themselves to go  into dancing in response to sensual  music in the name of worship.

Thought for the day:
Parables are stories of common or historical events employed to present the gospel in an understandable way.

Song for the day:
Lord teach me Your word (2x) I want to know Your word.. 

Bible reading  for the day:
Ezekiel 20-21; James 1.