February 4, 2021
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Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 13 (NIV)
The Parable of the Sower
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed........Continue Reading
I find it interesting that Jesus said He used parables to teach because if you are open to the lesson in it you will receive it, however, those with a hard heart won’t hear the lesson just a story and not become more hardened to His teachings.
So He is planting seeds by teaching in parables and His parables all had seed and growth references. He knew that some would hear His words and they would grow and flourish and others would disregard them and remain in their evil ways. But He makes it very clear that the day will come that the good will be separated from the bad and ultimately answer for their refusal to listen to Christ’s words and follow Him!
Matthew 13:
“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”
Matthew 13:16 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/mat.13.16.niv
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Again, this is another example of the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who are believers in Christ are part of the Kingdom of God, those who are not, are not part of the Kingdom of God. The enemy cannot sow tares into the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is spiritual, we must be “born again” to enter it. A spiritual kingdom where our destination is not dependent on out righteousness, but Christ’s. When Jesus offers the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel He is proposing they recognize Him as King, the return of the Kingdom of David, an earthly kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven is an earthly kingdom that where Christ will reign over the righteous and the wicked. At the end of the age his angels will “gather out of His kingdom all things that offend”.
Matthew 13
Matthew 13
49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
Several parables are given in this chapter and Jesus reveals why He taught this way. He wanted people to pursue truth and pursue Him rather than having things laid out before them too easily. He desires all to be saved but some when they listen will be ever hearing and never understanding. The parable of the sower certainly challenges us to consider what kind of soil we are. It is easy for us to not persevere in truth , or get choked out by the temptations and concerns of the world. But far better to have the word sink in and bear fruit in our lives and multiplying to the lives of others as well. The parable of the weeds should cause us to be aware that there could be some amongst us who are working against the cause of Christ. This should not make us cynical or paranoid or judgmental, but sober minded. The parable of the mustard seed and yeast is to show that the things of God can start small but grow big and permeate the things it affects. God’s kingdom is a kingdom that is expanding. And the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl show the inestimable value of the kingdom of heaven, We should be willing to sacrifice anything to get it. And the parable of the net brings the same principle as the parable of the weeds.
And isn’t it unfortunate that it is sometimes the ones we are closest to that are the least impacted by us. You would think Nazareth would embrace Jesus, but they couldn’t get beyond what they understood about Him rather than accepting Him for who He is…..kind of sounds familiar, doesn’t it?