The Glory of the Kingdom of God.

If you have a bible open it up to Matthew 13. I have titled the message this morning.. The Glory of the Kingdom of God. Pray with me.

Well here we are again together gathering as two churches under one Lordship of Jesus Christ. And today we are again looking at the parables in fact we are looking at several parables together and i will tie them all together today as we work through it.

And if you could take just one big main idea from this text it would be this..

The Glory of the Kingdom of God is revealed through growth, through judgement, and through understanding its worth.

Lets open up the text shall we..

Several verses to read today..

Follow along with me. Matthew 13:24-33

Matthew 13:24–33 ESV

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” 31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Matthew 13:36–50 ESV

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Several points to unpack that text the first is this..

The Glory of the Kingdom of God is growing.

If you remember what I said in a previous sermon. The parables must be first understood in the original context in which it was written.

Let us start by looking at verses 31-33.

One of the commentators said.. This is what a preacher would look like preaching this text shortly after Jesus left this earth.

He says, "Brothers and sisters, let us remember what our Lord has taught us about his kingdom. What seems to be the smallest of seeds (a mustard seed) will one day grow into a large tree, a tree so large that all kinds of birds birds from Jerusalem, birds from Damascus, birds from Macedonia. birds from every corner of the world-will make their nest upon it.?

"So let us trust this promise. And let us wait with patience and hope and expectation that what is now humble will be glorious, what is now unseen will be seen, what is now hidden will be revealed, what is now only whispered in our gatherings will one day be shouted upon every housetop.

For Christ's words and his ways, like leaven, at first imperceptible, will soon pervade and permeate the whole world.? The whole earth shall be filled with his glory and the glorious good news of the kingdom!

"Despite opposition, setback, loss, rejection, heresies, and defections, we have seen growth in our own individual lives— the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, hundredfold fruit of faith. In the same way we must wait in faith to see such growth in the church universal, trusting the gospel will indeed spread to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The seed of the Sower that has landed on good soil will grow. God's Word will not fail. It will not return void."

End of exhortation.For the first century pastor.

Now I see for us a different picture of this text for us because I am 2000 years post the cross now and we have seen this little seed of the gospel that started in Isreal expand to have this great growth all throughout the world. I read and hear about people like Athanasius who lived 300 years after Jesus, and Augustine of hippo who was 400 years after Jesus Thomas aquinas who was 1200 years after Jesus or Calvin who was 1500 years after Jesus Charles Spurgeon 1800 years all these men though have different theology believe in the mustard seeds of the gospel.

Its incredible that we sit her 2000 years later with all this growth the gospel and its kingdom have produced.

And how this little seed has grown despite all these other kingdoms it has come across. These branches that the first century pastor was speaking about extends to places like Oklahoma a place no first century person even knew about, and its spreading in all parts of the world because God has his good soil all over the world and people are coming to Christ because the small seed is so powerful that it make trees all over the world. The glory of the kingdom of God is growing.

But It does not in there though.

Second point.

The Glory of the Kingdom of God has judgement.

Really every parable of Jesus has judgement in it. While God is loving, kind, and gracious he is just and being a Holy God he has to deal with that sin. You see that judgment is in the parables I read you. In the parables of the Weeds and the Parables of the Net Judgement is there.

Now talking about the Parable of the Weeds we must understand a few things.. One The good seed represents believers these are people whom we focused on last week that have eternal life that bear fruit in their lives.

Then there is the weeds the weeds represent the unbelievers who were not true followers of Jesus Christ they might manifest in a variety of different ways but they do not truly believe in Christ, and for those people their judgement and a serious judgement if you read Jesus words here. what does he say.. Matthew 13:40-42

Matthew 13:40–42 ESV

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And we see it again in just a few verses later. Matthew 13:49-50

Matthew 13:49–50 ESV

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus is making the point that so many of us fail to make when sharing the gospel that the judgement of God is real and its coming. There is no escape from judgement.

In fact based on what Jesus word says on the day of final judgement all mankind which includes everyone in this room listening online everyone is going is going to be divided into either the side that believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God will inherit this eternal life, or will be judged with a wrath that we cannot even begin to understand.

I read one commentator who said these words that are quite powerful and fitting for this message…

We see judgement, and there is no way around it. But why are we always looking for a way around it? What is wrong with judgment? Why does judgment, when found on the lips of Jesus, get a bad rap? Think about it. We call judges in our country from the Supreme Court to the lowest court "justices." The idea is that their rulings are just and bring about justice. Nobody complains if a justice punishes a lawbreaker for breaking one of our nation's laws. The Bible depicts Jesus as the ultimate Justice. Why then do people complain all the time about God punishing someone for breaking his laws?

Our laws are imperfect. His are perfect. Our justices are imperfect. His Son is perfect. Jesus is the ultimate just Justice.

In fact It is good news that one day Jesus will come and judge the living and the dead. That reality is as good as when Jesus cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (27:46)-when Jesus took on our sin, taking on himself the heat of the fiery furnace and the unbearable separation from his Father. It is good news that in the death of Christ we have the death of death, the death of our spiritual death. He died for our sins. He took on the full wrath of God so we might be fully right with God. we should say… Hallelujah!

This commentator would say That is the gospel-Jesus is Savior! But "Jesus is Judge"that is also the gospel. I altered what he said here to fit our modern world, but when you wake up in morning and check your phone and turn on T.V when it reports everything from terrorism to murder to sex scandals to kidnappings- don't you long for justice? Don't you long for a world made right?

Don't you long for the kingdom of heaven to reign on earth? Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. Jesus will also judge the church in righteousness. and the weeds will be weeded out and the bad fish and bad soils and bad apples disposed of. They will be sent to eternal destruction at "the end of the age" (vv. 39, 40, 49) when the Son of Man comes upon the clouds of Heaven with his angels in power to save and to judge (cf. 16:27;24:30; 26:64).

and as I studied I was reminded that though he has not judged us yet we should take the time to repent now. Remember what 2 Peter 3:8

2 Peter 3:8 ESV

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The commentator I quoted just a short while ago would say …But for the unbeliever this theme of judgment is a gracious warning and invitation. God is still lavishly offering salvation to all. He is scattering the seed of the gospel everywhere. Take hold of it. Plant it deeply and safely within the good soil, and watch it grow like wheat waiting to be harvested. Why stay a weed? As charitable Augustine wrote, "Those who are weeds today may be wheat tomorrow?" Why stay a weed? Repent. Turn from your sin, and tum to Christ. Trust in him alone to save you from the judgment to come.

Though the judgement of God is real so is the grace of God, and when you know the grace of God despite the judgement of God you know this last point quite well.

Third point is this..

The Glory of the Kingdom of God is the greatest treasure.

I want to spend the most time on this point. Because i say something to my church all the time and that is what you believe about God determines how you worship him. x2 We cannot just see Christ and Christianity as a little part of our lives he is our life in fact he is greatest treasure.

Let me read to you again verses 44-46 Matthew 13:44-46

Matthew 13:44–46 ESV

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Remember first the context. In Jesus day treasure was not just something you could take to the bank most people if they had anything of real value would bury it often in a remote place where no-one else knew about it and in the case of this parable the treasure was forgotten about the owner of the land either did not know about or something else happen but someone else found this treasure and he saw this treasure to have so much value that he took and sold everything he had just to buy that field. What a treasure that must have been.

Verses 45-46

Matthew 13:45–46 ESV

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

This man looked for the treasure, and he finds it and far exceeds his expectations.

These two examples are the experience of a true born again Christian, because Christ is worth far more than anything else and when he is truly understood he just becomes even more of a treasure.

One of my favorite chapters in all of the bible is Philippians 3 specifically verses 1-11 which I want to read to you. Philippians 3:8 has become my wife and I’s favorite verse, but the verses that proceed it and follow it make it all the bit sweeter.

Philippians 3:1–11 ESV

1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

You know who wrote this passage in PHILIPPIANS , the Apostle Paul, and in this specific text he is going after people who are trying to say hey you have to do works in order to be saved. And he does not hold back he calls them dogs and this is not just your puppy dog these are filthy scavengers who are not going to be your cuddle buddies, and he tells them the people who have the true circumcision are those whom know they are saved by faith alone trusting in God’s righteousness not their own, and in order to kill their argument Paul says to them I have more reason to be confident in the flesh than any of you, and he list all these things, and im not going to get into all the details of each one and how important they were to the Jewish faith I can talk to you later about that I want to drive home the point though that starts in verse 7 and how that relates to having this treasure who is Christ, and just knowing him is great gain knowing him is the treasure.

I looked back on my sermon when I preached this message at church 2 years ago, and I said.. Think about that Pauls impressive resume and yet it cannot even come close to the fact that he Knows Jesus. It would be like me with my three degrees saying you know what this is nothing compared to knowing my wife. Ill trade it all just to know her. Paul did the same for Jesus.

Not only did he do that but he put those things in its proper place compared to Jesus. He in fact calls these things that the judaizers are pushing down the people of Philippi’s throat rubbish, the King James does a better translation here by calling it dung.

One commentator said.. At the risk of sounding crass, he says its all dog do do compared to knowing Christ. The vulgarity of this term is deliberate because Paul wants to strike with us the worthlessness of a life apart from Jesus. He says you can have the bread of life or you can have a pile of dung?

What a comparison right? Jesus or dung? Because the Apostle Paul wants you to know just how much better Jesus is than even the greatest work a man can do.

Knowing Jesus church is the treasure, and when you see Jesus for who he really is.. Everything changes. See what should happen in the Christian life is you conform your life to Jesus will because he is that valuable. You read the scriptures and you see the promises of God you see what he has done over and over again and that should lead you to see his true worth.

And seeing his true worth should cause you to take the life you have and live it all for Jesus. That means you put things in its proper place so that you can serve him and serve him well. And to do that that might mean you search for Jesus through this book over and over again finding out just how valuable he truly is, and when you do that you will conform your life to will of Jesus Christ, because every true treasure hunter knows that you do whatever it takes to find your true treasure, and as Paul said in Phil 3:11

Philippians 3:11 ESV

11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

There is a Promise to those who know Jesus and that is they to will experience the resurrection of the dead. See we don’t know the details about how our lives our going to play out we don’t know the details on how our churches lives are going to play out but we know as Christians the resurrection that Jesus Christ experienced is going to happen to us and we as Christians are always going to win because the value of the treasure of Christ is that he came into this world full of sin as the very son of God second person of the Trinity and lived his incredible life full of miracles, and great teachings just to die the kind of death that you and I deserve by taking the wrath of God and dont miss that that wrath is is coming to all those who do not believe that Jesus Christ is Lord over all, but by taking that wrath which we all deserve dying and rising from the dead three days later we can have eternal life, and knowing that and believing that is by far the greatest treasure a simple Sunday school answer is the greatest treasure any of us at can have.

SO what do we do with this treasure we believe it to be the greatest treasure and we become like all the treasure hunters we read about in stories and watch in movies seeking to find even-more treasure, and unlike those hunters who are looking to find the treasure for themselves and hide it where noone else can find it we bury the riches of God’s truth deep into our hearts so that it produces fruit and unlike all those treasure hunters who seek to hind their treasure we go and take the treasure to the world. Because the treasure of Christ is not one to be hidden in some church building its to be taken into the world in which we live.

So today you have to ask yourself first if you were to be judged today would you be the weeds that is thrown into the fire for judgement or our you the seed producing a fruitful life ( Do you know Christ or do you not ) Also do you have growth in your life see faith starts small like a mustard seed but overtime it manifests it to grow it does not matter if you are a baby Christian or someone who has been a Christian for 50 years you will always be growing as a Christian until the Lord calls you home. Went a funeral this past week of my brother in laws mom, and man she was a treasure and better yet she saw Jesus as a true treasure and lives were impacted every single week until her death bc she said my treasure is Christ let me show you how great it is. No matter where you find yourself today see Christ as that great treasure and take that treasure to the world so they can see that you treasure something far more valuable then anything else in this world.

SO where are you at today in your walk with God? Only you and God know it respond how he leads you you today. Let us pray..