Parables of the Kingdom!

READ TEXT – PRAY

The CONTEXT of the passage we just read was Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (or the Soils), which prompted the question from the disciples, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?”

In His answer (v.11), we learn the PURPOSE of Parables is twofold: to REVEAL and CONCEAL at the SAME TIME!

(v.11) – “…Because the secrets [mysteries] of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.”

Matthew 13:11 CSB

He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

‘Secrets’ or ‘mysteries’ is not a reference to something unknowable, refers to something previously hidden and unknown.

The secrets of the kingdom have been given to believers—to Jesus’ disciples—to US!

And the MEANS by which we have been given this knowledge of the kingdom is through parables!

Why PARABLES? Why STORIES?

Why didn’t Jesus just speak “plainly” to them?

John 16:29–30 CSB

His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”

At least TWO reasons are provided in the passage:

1. If you want to understand spiritual truth, YOU MUST BELIEVE! – (vv.12-13)

Jesus never answers willful unbelief! –

John 1:9–12 CSB

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

2. Jesus had to FULFILL PROPHECY – (vv.14-15)

John MacArthur – “All men are either progressing or regressing spiritually. No person remains static in his relationship to God. The longer a person knows and is faithful to Christ, the more his Lord is faithful to reveal His truth and power. The longer a person rejects the knowledge of God he has, whether much or little, the less of God’s truth he will understand. Willful human rejection leads to divine judicial rejection. When a man says no to God, God says no to that person. God confirms men in their stubbornness and binds them with their own chains of unbelief.”

I can think of a THIRD reason:

3. People LOVE, REMEMBER, and RE-TELL STORIES!

Four very powerful words in English are, “Once upon a time…”

Matthew 13:16–17 CSB

“Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.

– Folks, there is a BLESSING in the study of the parables!

MY POINT: I believe one of the best ways in which we gain a true understanding of the Kingdom of God is through the Parables!

According to my research there are eighteen kingdom parables in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke)—providing PICTURES of the kingdom of heaven.

What I would like to propose is that we spend a few more weeks looking at these parables to learn as much as possible about the kingdom of heaven.

FURTHERMORE, I would like to propose the following PATTERN of study:

WHAT? – “What is the picture or story?”

• CONTEXTUALLY – What would it picture to the audience at the time? How would they have understood it?

• CONTEMPORARY – What is the picture today? Are there parallels?

SO WHAT? – “Why is this important?”

• What does this story teach me about the Kingdom of God?

NOW WHAT? – “What is the application for us?”

I. The SOWER – (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Mark 4:1-9, 13-20; Luke 8:4-15)

A. What is the PICTURE?

(Matthew 13:3) – “Consider the sower who went out to sow.”

CONTEXTUALLY, this would have been a very familiar image, but with an added clarification:

The Sower seems to be intentionally OVER-SOWING! Farmers then and now do not intentionally plant seed where they know it has no chance of growing!

He is sowing seed broadly; regardless of the condition of the soil, which is an important point when we get to the application.

CONTEMPORARILY, though our farming methods changed, this is still a well-understood picture. If you want to grow something, you need to plant a seed!

B. Why is this IMPORTANT?

1. This story tells us WHAT we are to be doing!

(Mark 4:14) – “The sower sows the word.” (Luke 8:11b) – “…The seed is the word of God.”

The secrets of the kingdom are contained in the Word of God! They are only “secret/ hidden” until someone (a sower) declares them!

Why do we preach the Word of God? Why is preaching and teaching the primary focus of the church?

Because the SOWING of the word of God is HOW the kingdom grows!

We’ll explore this next week in the parable of the Growing Seed – (Mark 4:26-29)

2. This story also warns us that MOST will NOT RECEIVE what we are sharing!

Not everyone we preach to is ready to receive! There may be some hardness (path); there may be a lack of depth (rocky soil); there may be circumstances in their lives that choke the Word (thorns)!

(Matthew 13:23) – There is even a difference in the yield/harvest of those who “…hear and understands” (Mark and Luke, “…welcomes”).

Which leads to…

C. NOW WHAT – “What is the APPLICATION of this story?”

We sow seed (Word of God) knowing that not everyone will receive/welcome them!

Let’s go back to where we started: (Matthew 13:11)

“…Because the secrets [mysteries] of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.”

The FIRST and PRIMARY lesson from the parables on the Kingdom of God is that the seed—the Word of God—the knowledge of the Kingdom is to be SOWN—SHARED—in fact, OVER-SOWN without prejudice or discrimination!

Teaching and preaching are the primary means by which the Kingdom of God is grown!

“You’re just saying that because you are a preacher!” NO.

Quite the opposite: I preach BECAUSE that’s what Jesus taught in the parable of the Sower!

For there to be a harvest of “…some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown” (v.23), I must sow the seed of the Word of God!

Now perhaps someone might be thinking, “Is it really this simple? You just sow (or over-sow) the seed and the Kingdom grows?”

The third parable teaches just that (we are skipping the Lamp until next week)!

II. The GROWING SEED – (Mark 4:26-29)

The STORY couldn’t be simpler (or more profound):

FIRST, (v.26) – “…A man scatters seed on the ground.”

SECOND, (v.27) – This process is NOT understood by the one sowing the seed!

Jesus couldn’t be CLEARER on how CLUELESS the person scattering the seed is!

THIRD, (v.28) the “crop” is produced in the “soil by itself,” culminating in a “harvest” – (v.29)

There is a DIVINE MYSTERY to the growth of the kingdom –

Romans 1:16 CSB

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

And aren’t you glad that we only have two responsibilities: SOWING and HARVESTING!

We PREACH, we BAPTIZE, and we TEACH some more! God is the one who SAVES!

1 Corinthians 3:5–7 CSB

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.