DAY 5: Parables, Provision, and the Simplicity of God’s Kingdom
Reading Matthew 13-15
Welcome to Day Five of the RedIn30 Reading Cycle.
Remember, our theme for this month is reestablishing the norm.
Today’s reading is Matthew chapters 13 through 15.
In Matthew 13, Jesus begins to share a whole series of parables—each one giving us a deeper understanding of what the Kingdom of God really looks like.
What I love about this—and what ties directly into our theme—is how normal His examples are.
Jesus doesn’t use outlandish illustrations. He doesn’t rely on far-fetched ideas or supernatural concepts that feel otherworldly or out in space.
Instead, He uses things that are right there in front of them—things they already know.
He talks about seedtime and harvest, a language familiar to His audience. Many of them were farmers or lived in agricultural societies, so these simple analogies made the mysteries of the Kingdom both accessible and relatable.
It’s a beautiful picture of God’s wisdom: the Kingdom isn’t far away—it’s woven into the very fabric of everyday life.
Then, in chapter 14, we see a deeply human moment.
John the Baptist is beheaded.
Jesus, in His humanity, grieves. But even in that place of sorrow, He shows us something profound about the normalcy of being one with God:
Your grief does not hinder your belief about who you are.
Immediately after hearing the news, Jesus feeds the 5,000. And in the very next chapter, He feeds 4,000 more.
Why?
Because feeding people is a normal thing to do.
When we’re hungry, what do we do? We eat.
When people are hungry, it’s natural to supply food. It’s not some outlandish miracle—it’s an expression of God’s nature.
We’ve been raised to see these stories as extraordinary. We’ve been taught to frame them as rare, supernatural events.
But Jesus is reestablishing the norm:
When there is hunger, there should be feeding.
It doesn’t matter how many people there are. There’s nothing too big for God, because He is a big God—one who supplies for everyone.
Being one with God means I can do whatever needs to be done to meet the need, whenever it arises.
So as you read today, remember:
This isn’t about extraordinary events or exceptions to the rule.
This is about seeing the Kingdom of God as it truly is—the way life was always meant to function.
Enjoy today’s reading.
Let’s Read/Listen to Matthew 13-15!
There are a few ways you can get the reading done: listen below via our YouTube video, open up the Bible App of your choice, or simply turn to the pages in your physical Bible.
Be sure to give your take in the comments and join our chat for further conversation.
