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Matthew chapter 13 is Basically a chapter of parables. This is one of the major discourses in the book of Matthew where Jesus tells parables about the kingdom of heaven. Welcome to Sunday night Bible study with Pastor Josiah Shipley of Witten Baptist Church.
We're continuing our series on Matthew. We're on chapter 13. And before we get into the text, I need to show you guys our Greek of the week. We have two of them this time Basilea and Auranos or excuse me Uranus.
Uranus. Uranus Basilea and Uranus Basilea is kingdom used 162 times in the New Testament in 52. 55 times here in Matthew and Uranus that is heaven. Used 273 times in the New Testament. No surprise there, but 82 times here in Matthew.
You'll see in Matthew a lot of times these words are used in the same phrase kingdom of heaven. Well, let's just read the first few verses that same day. So this is the day that Jesus told everybody. His mother and brothers won't talk to him.
He said whoever follows me is my mother and brother. That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. Remember he has a house in Capernaum. By the Sea of Galilee great crowds gathered together around him.
So he got in the boat and sat down and the whole crowd stood on the beach. So there's so many people he gets on a boat gets offshore and he's teaching to the crowds from the boat. And they're all on the beach.
He told him many parables first one is the parable of the soils or Jesus calls it the parable of the sower. I guess I shouldn't Try to improve on Jesus's words, but it's really about the soils. Now what's amazing about verse 3 through 9 is we have Jesus's exposition.
Jesus's explanation of it in verses 18 through 23, and I dare not improve on so as I explain verses 3 through 9. Know that I'm just repeating Jesus's explanation in Verses 18 through 23. I don't want to improve on it.
My commentary will be directly from his exposition. So a Sower went out to sow. As he sowed some of the seeds fell on the path and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky down where they didn't have much soil and they immediately sprang up and since I had no depth of soil.
But when the Sun rose they were scorched. Since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns and the thorns grew and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain some a hundred.
Fold some 60 some 30. He who has ears let him hear or so many translations will say who he has ears to hear. But him here so Jesus says up here on the first example The sower and The seeds the seeds the gospel of good news, okay the seed.
Excuse me, the seed that falls on the road is eaten by birds. This is the gospel. This is the gospel being heard by someone who does not understand it. Then Satan comes and snatches away what was already on the heart.
So this is somebody who Who hears the word doesn't understand it and then instead of searching further or Or seeking more Satan comes and takes away that initial thought in their head Or their heart of.
I need to know what this is. Other seed falls on rocky ground and Jesus says this is the gospel being heard and initially received with joy. But that reception doesn't last long as it has no true root.
It's only surface level and this wilts away at the first sign of persecution or cost of adhering to the gospel. How many times have we seen this in our own life? It's initially received with joy. But there's no root to it, it's not real it's surface level only so it looks legitimate really.
It's not and at the first sign of it costing you anything. Like the young rich man will read about later. It's forsaken. Because there's no root. Whether way then there's the one that falls among thorns.
This is the gospel being heard much like the seed on rocky ground. But this time it's not cost or affliction or persecution that makes it not take root. But it's the cares of this world the cares of riches once again.
No fruit is produced. Other seed fell on good soil and produced grain some hundredfold some sixty some thirty. You see the seed that sowed on good soil. This is gospel being heard understood and submitted to in one's heart so that it actually takes root.
Only this kind of seed producing fruit thus signifying true salvation. So only kind of this kind of seed produces fruit and it signifies true salvation. Not all seed not all soil produces the same amount of fruit just like not all Christians produce the same amount of fruit, but all produce fruit if You haven't noticed.
This is a common theme in the New Testament all true Salvation will result in fruit will result in good works rule was old and love joy peace patience kindness goodness gentleness mercy self-control.
Not the same amount in everybody, but all will produce fruit. Any of that does not produce fruit should tell you that there's actually no roots behind it as our pastor often says their faith may Be a mile wide but an inch deep there's no Substance to it.
It's not real. Now to the question That Jesus says in verse 10. Why can some of them not understand and why would Jesus use parables to where they can't understand on purpose? This is gonna be a hard teaching for some but understand God is not causing people to reject something that in their heart they want to accept.
Remember at the end of all things people either receive mercy or justice. No one will ever receive injustice from God guys. We need to remember That Jesus enters a world that's already rejected him and Every single person on planet earth myself included left to their own devices will always choose their own way over God's way.
This is what the book of Isaiah 53 says. Every one of us have turned to our own way. The problem is not that morally neutral people don't know how to find God. The problem is Morally neutral freewill people will always choose themselves.
Therefore their will is in bondage To their sin because they love their sin. There are some who in their hardness God turns them over to a debased mind to be even more heartened. In other words He removes his hand of restraint and allows them to be as evil as they want to be in this He's judging them for their unbelief.
We can't know at what point in someone's rebellion God will do this. So all the while we preach the word now is the day of salvation today if you hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts. This type of hardening is God simply allowing people to love their sin instead of him and no longer pursuing them with further revelation.
So guys This type of judgment that that we read about here where he says. For the one who has more will be given and have an abundance. But for the one who has not even what he has will be taken away.
This is Why I speak to them parables because saying they don't see hearing they don't hear and they were gonna stand in their case the prophecy Of Isaiah fulfilled saying and this is quoted in John 12 to you will indeed here.
But never understand you will indeed see but never perceive this people's heart is grown dull and with their ears. They can barely hear with the eyes. They've closed lest they should see with their eyes here with their ears and understand the heart and I would turn and I would heal.
But blessed are your eyes for they see in your ears for they hear. Truly I tell you many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see. Did not see and hear what you hear and did not hear. So guys Jesus judges people and Everyone's already turned to their own way.
But God doesn't allow people for a time in his mercy to be as evil as they want to be. He still leaves them open. He doesn't allow them. He restrains their evil. He keeps them from being as evil as they want to be.
There comes a time in someone's rebellion where God says, okay, I will give you no further revelation. No more the only revelation because you've not submitted to all the revelation I've sent you time after time whether it's a preacher whether it's a song.
However, God's Word came to bear you've rejected it for so long. Eventually God says I will send you no more revelation and the only revelation you have to submit to is that which came years ago. That you can recall.
But he won't be sending you any further revelation. This is an act of judgment of God for people who love their sins so much He will not send them any further revelation. We can't know at what point God does this.
We just know he says he does it. That is not unfairness. The fact that people reject God and want to choose not God. Want to choose anything but God and he eventually lets them do that is still them making the choice to choose themselves.
They're rebelling against God. Eventually. He says okay have it your way. That is the type of judgment. How merciful does God have to be that his judgment is simply allowing you to be as evil as you want.
That's how merciful God is. That in his mercy He doesn't even allow us to be as evil as we want to be until it's time for judgment now in verse 24 We have him Exegete another one of his parables. And this is the parable of the weeds and the tears.
This is how this one goes. Let's just read. He put another parable for them the kingdom the boss away there it is of Heaven or unknown here or a nice or their run on the king that heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed In his field, but while his men were sleeping his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weirds appeared all the weeds and the weirds the weeds appeared also. And The servant of a slave of the master of the house came and said to him master Did you not so good seed in your field?
How did we then have weeds and he said an enemy has done this. So the servants of them do you want us to go and gather? He said no less than gathering the weeds you root up the weed along with them. Let them both grow together until the harvest.
There is no and at the Therismo at the harvest time. I will tell the reapers gather the weeds first and Then bind them in bundles to be burned and gather the wheat into my barn so prevalent in our day so prevalent in our day.
Notice at first the wheat and the weeds are Indistinguishable from one another until fruit is produced guys. They weren't able to tell there was weeds with the tears until fruit started being produced or not produce.
That's how you tell a true Christian from the faith. What fruit is being produced only when the plants bore grain. Is it noticed that weeds were impostors though? They look like wheat. They could not produce grain.
I Know of no other analogy in Scripture. I'm gonna read what I wrote. I know of no other analogy in Scripture more important to grass than this one. The master decides to not separate the wheat from the weeds and the tears.
I'm sorry not separate the wheat from the weeds or tears until the harvest at that time on the threshing floor of persecution. The separation of the fake from the real a purifying in the church will take place.
Jesus will do the final gathering and separating as. Only he can perfectly identify the identity of every seed in the heart of every man. The weeds will be thrown into a fiery furnace in that place. They'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the Sun in the kingdom of their father. Jesus goes on to talk about more parables. He uses the parable of the mustard seed. The kingdom of heavens like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
It's the smallest of seeds. But when it has grown is larger than all the garden plants and comes a tree so the birds of the air can make their nests on its branches. The basic teaching this parable is not to underestimate the power and magnitude of Impact the gospel can have not just on an individual person's life, but also on the lives around it.
Like the mustard seed analogy the kingdom of heaven is like. Is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till is all leavened. The smallest amount of leaven makes the entire loaf leavened.
All these things Jesus said to the crowds and parables indeed. He said nothing to them without a parable to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet. I will open my mouth in parables and I'll utter what is hidden since the foundation of the world the crowds.
He's already said you guys are getting judgment. You're getting no further revelation. But he did when the crowds leave explain it to his disciples. He's not judged them in the same way. This is his explanation the parable of the weeds.
We've already read this. The field of the world the good seeds that is the sons of the kingdom and the weeds are the sons of the evil. Okay, and then oh yes verse 44 the boss away. Oh Rana Rana, excuse me.
The kingdom of heaven is like a the sorrow like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up then in his Karas his joy. He goes and sells all that he has and he buys that field. Again, the king of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls who upon finding one pearl of great value went and sold All the he hadn't bought it.
The teaching of these two parables is the same but verse 44. Let's just focus on this one for a minute. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up then in his joy He go to he went and sold all he had and bought the field.
One of the greatest lies Satan can ever tell is that if you start obeying God, you'll be unhappy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because the miracle of sanctification is that the more you obey the more you love.
What you used to hate and hate the sin that you used to love. It's like a treasure hidden in the field that kingdom of heaven and when you find that treasure you sell everything you have and With joy you go buy it because it's a good trade.
Everything I have every friend every relationship every love every desire for sin every Pride and lust of the heart. It's worth getting rid of it all for the precious Valuable kingdom of heaven. It's worth it.
You'll do it with joy. Ladies and gentlemen, if you submit to God. Yes, it is a lifelong Life-altering 100 of you giving of yourself to God you laying yourself on the altar. But when you do it You'll do it with joy because it's worth everything you could have ever thought.
It's worth it. Jesus is more valuable than everything this world has to offer. Again, the boss lay down or on known or unknown. Who run on run on there we go. The kingdom of heaven is like a net that storm a sea and gathered fish of every kind.
When it's full men drew to shore and sat down and sorted the good into containers, but through the bad away so it will be at the end of the I Own us at the end of the age and angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous.
And throw them into the fiery furnace in that place. There'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Weeping and gnashing of teeth. Unlike the crowds who God is judging by sending no further revelation. He explains these things to his disciples.
He says therefore every scribe who's been trained from the kingdom of heaven is like a master of the house who brings out of his Treasure what is new and what is old. I want to read what I wrote here.
Jesus tells his disciples that since they've understood the parables. They're like scribes who have been trained from the kingdom of heaven. This is a foreshadowing of their writing. What will be seen what they've seen and heard.
I even New Testament. They're not to forget what they've already known the Old Testament. But see how the new information that Jesus has brought them fits in perfectly with the Old Testament. Revelation.
When Jesus had finished these parables he went away from there and coming to his hometown. Remember they tried to kill him before he taught them in their synagogue. So they were astonished and said where did this man get this wisdom these mighty works?
Is this not the carpenter's son. Is not his mother called Mary or not his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas. Are not all his sisters with us. Where did this man get all these things and they took offense at him?
But Jesus said to them the prophet is not without honor except in his hometown in his own household and He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Just one side note here is not this the carpenter's son.
Is not this the his mother called Mary. Are not his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas guys. Roman Catholic Church will teach you that Mary was a perpetual virgin and that is a sin to say that she ever had sex and.
That's blasphemy. Just read this with me. Talk about Jesus. Are not his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas. No, not that Judas. This is the James by the way. That wrote the book of James and this is the Judas that wrote the book of Jude.
Jude is the nickname for Judas four brothers. Also at least two sisters. You see it says sisters. Maybe more it says all. So Jesus had six or seven siblings, maybe more. When you have a system of religion you will turn text on their head.
You will rip them apart to make them agree with your system. If you show this to a Roman Catholic, they'll say oh, yeah. Joseph had another wife or another marriage or cheated on Mary or they just will defame the character of a man just to keep their tradition.
Guys, the most plain reading of this text is that Mary and Joseph had kids after Jesus. Logical understanding of a text. They were married Jesus again that recognizes that he's not accepted in his own hometown.
He did not do miracles there because of their unbelief. Another act of judgment. Not that he was unable to Chose not to because of their unbelief. All right, that's Matthew 13. That's just a quick rundown of those parables.
We have the death of John the Baptist in chapter 14 next week. Love you guys very much as always keep up with all of our sermons and all our podcasts on the Witten app or on Witten Media Ministry on YouTube.
Love you guys, and I'll see you next time.