Telling It Like It Is
Notes
Transcript
My Favorite Illustrations Building the Kingdom
During World War II someone told a soldier he was building a better world. He replied: “No, I am destroying an evil world. Someone else must build a better one.”
Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Last week, I told you that the Parable of the Sower was the only one that Jesus explained. Today, I reveal that I don’t know everything, for in the same chapter, Jesus explains another parable. This one shares the agricultural theme. It also tells us what the Kingdom of God is like, rather than what it will be like.
Also, this parable reveals some other things that sometimes are missed. The next time somebody wants to talk to you about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, you can show them something from this parable that puts that to bed for good.
Today’s reading continues Chapter 13 of Matthew. Like we heard last week, Jesus uses a story based upon farming to teach regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. If you have ears to hear, the parable will reveal what God has granted us to know concerning the Kingdom.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of 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 weeds appeared also.
The first point to note is that Matthew connects this parable to the previous one that you heard last week. He calls it “another” rather than “a different” parable. Thus, it is actually good to read this chapter together if you want to get the total picture as Jesus presented it. The next key point is that Jesus describes the Kingdom, not in terms of its ultimate fulfillment when He return, but the way it is now.
Everything that is addressed speaks to the Kingdom of Heaven as we see it now, where Christ is reigning, but it seems like the devil is still free to wreak havoc in our lives. To some Christians, that seems to be contrary to what it should mean for Jesus to be ruling. Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t stutter, “The kingdom of 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” (Matt 23:24-25).
The first mistake I want to correct is that the field is not the church. It is the world. How do I know this? Because in v. 38, Jesus says “The field is the world.” Why do bad things happen to good people? Because the field is the world. Why is it that some people live lives of ease while other people struggle to make it from day to day? Because “the field is the world.” God’s people are here, and so are the devil’s people. And yes, because the church is in the world, although not of it, people will be affiliated with the church who are not of the Church - as if you didn’t know!
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?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 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.” ’ ”
Did you notice what gets gathered together first? Not the wheat, but the weeds! They get gathered together to be burned, and then the righteous are left standing. So, while “Left Behind” was an entertaining book series and made a couple of interesting movies, Jesus says that is not the official narrative. This is.
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. 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.”
Again, Jesus tells us what the Kingdom is like now, in this case, seemingly insignificant. But when it comes to maturity, when all is fulfilled, all will see what the World has rejected.
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.”
Not only is the Kingdom small, it is hidden! But it does it’s most powerful work then in that condition. When we just quietly go about the business of serving one another, when we get serious about working out our own salvation instead of just playing the role of “Mr. Christian and Sister Saint” in polite company, God works in us to make us fruitful unto every good work.
When we neglect our sanctification, settling instead for just “playing church on Sunday,” we might fool those around us, and we might even fool ourselves, but listen to what Jesus says:
Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
We don't know the hour of His coming, nor do we know how long we have in this life. Therefore it is wise to pray with David:
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
That doesn’t mean, “Lord, tell us how to count our days,” because He won’t. It means “Lord, teach us how to make each day count.” That, He will do, every time.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
What God wants us to do right now, loving our neighbors, desiring their good, will make life “interesting,” and it could put us in uncomfortable situations on occasion. It will never put us out of reach of His grace, though. When we think of others, even if we don’t get it right, there is a balm in Gilead that can heal a wounded soul. Godly sorrow still works repentance which is not to be ashamed of.
It is still daytime saints. There is still a city to be served, there are still people to be loved, who need to know that Jesus Christ is for them. The trumpet has not yet sounded, and the reapers have not yet come.
So let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.