THE SERMON IN PARABLES

Matthew Chapter Thirteen

Sermon of the Week #200536-September 16, 2005

          The thirteenth chapter of the gospel according to Matthew is the great sermon of Jesus on parables. Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside; a great multitude came and so He entered into a boat and sat. He would speak to the multitudes from a sitting position in the boat.

Jesus used many and varied pulpits while on earth. Sometimes He spoke in the synagogue; sometimes He spoke in the Temple and sometimes on the street. He used the cross as a pulpit to preach a seven-point message at His crucifixion, but here He uses a boat. We cannot confine the preaching of the gospel to the formality of the pulpit in the Church house on Sunday morning at eleven AM. We need to take the gospel everywhere. Jesus preached this sermon in parables from the boat pulpit.

THE FOUR SOILS

The parable of the four soils was the first; “The sower went forth to sow. Some seed fell on the wayside and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on the rocky ground, and because they had no depth of earth when the sun was risen they were scorched and withered away. Some fell on the thorny ground and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others on good ground and yielded fruit, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.” We are not left in doubt as to what this parable represents because Jesus explained it later to the Apostles. The wayside was hard ground packed down by the tramping of feet where nothing ever sinks in. That is a good term for some who always seem to be off on the wayside, never really a part of anything. The wayside is a good description for some who always seem to be on the fringes of the Church.

Then there was the seed that fell on rocky ground. Jesus said this represented the people who receive with joy the Word of God, but who have no roots. Their Christian life is not rooted in study of the Word of God. When trouble arises they wilt and dry up. These are the ones who think that the Lord's Church is glamorous. They see a crusade on television; they are enamored with a gospel quartet or other musical groups. It sounds good and looks good. This is what I've been waiting for! They try it and then at the first sign of trouble they are gone.

The third soil was where the thorns were, “The care of the world choked the Word” Jesus said, and they died up too. We see many like this. They want what the Lord has to give, but there are too many other things to do—ball games, television, school meetings and many other things. They are so busy making a living that they do not have time to make a life. There is simply no time for the Lord and their interest is choked out.

Some seed however fell on the good ground and yielded fruit some a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Some are greater in their capacity than others. All are not equal. Some can do more than others.

Isn't it strange that princes and Kings-And clowns that that caper in sawdust rings- And common folk like you and me-Are builders for eternity-To each is given a bag of tools-A shapeless mass and a book of rules-And each must fashion 'ere time has flown, A stubbing block or a stepping stone.

          The Apostles later came to Jesus and asked Him why He spoke to them in parables. He said, “It was not given to them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to them it was given.”

          There are mysteries in the Kingdom of God the world does not understand. How about the mystery of the Lord’s Supper? Suppose a non-Christian visits an assembly of the saints at the communion hour. He sees people eating a small chunk of bread and drinking a thimble-sized cup of the fruit of the vine and does not understand that this is not body food but soul food. It is no mystery to the Christian who understands that Jesus said, “This is My body and this is My blood of the covenant which is poured out for many unto remission of sins”, and so continues to observe this feast every Sunday as a reminder of something that the Lord does not want us to ever forget.

         Then again there is the mystery of baptism that the world does not understand. He visits an assembly of saints and sees a person go into a small pool of water and become submerged with their clothes on and the congregation sings; “Now I belong to Jesus”. That visitor does not understand this mystery. The Christian understands that Paul said, “All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. We were therefore buried with Him in baptism that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also might walk in newness of life.” Baptism is not a mystery to the Christian because Jesus said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given.”

THE TARES

The second parable that Jesus told is the story of the tares among the wheat; “A certain man sowed good seed in his field. While men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away.”

Jesus explained, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto that man who sowed good seed in his field.” He identified Himself as the sower of the seed and he sowed the seed in the world. Most Christians think He sows the seed in their community in the suburbs and no place else. Jesus wants the seed sown in the whole world. He wants to be more than your hometown God. While men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. Jesus revealed the identity of the enemy when He explained, “The enemy that sowed them is the Devil.”

Many people are ashamed to let anyone hear them referring to a person called the Devil. Surely there is no such person. They would like to think that such belief is superstition. We have the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ for it, that there is such a person. Jesus said, “The enemy is the Devil.” The Devil is just as real as Jesus.

Sowing tares among the wheat is a favorite device of the Devil. John tells us during the Passover feast the Devil put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus, and before the feast was over Satan entered into him. When Ananias and Sapphira sold a property and held back part of the price and gave the rest as though they were giving the full amount, Peter asked, “Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land?” The Devil is still sowing tares among the wheat. Every evil thought we ever had was put there by the Devil.

The tares grew up before it was noticed and the servants wanted to know what to do. The householder said, “Let both grow until the harvest, then I will say to the reapers gather up first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

All these bundles will wind up in the same place. They will be cast into the fire. I want to make it plain that I love all the above lost in whatever bundle you may be, but I surely do hate what the devil is doing to you.

The wheat however would be gathered into the barn. This is the only place I know where Heaven is likened unto a barn. But it is God's barn. I would rather live in God's barn than in the Devil's mansion. When I die, I have every intention of heading for the barn. He said we would shine as the sun in the Kingdom of Heaven.

THE MUSTARD SEED

The third parable is the mustard seed. Jesus said, “It was the smallest of seeds and yet when it was grown it became a tree and the birds of the heaven came and lodged in the branches thereof.”

The Church, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, is like this. First there was Jesus then there were the Apostles, then there were five‑hundred that Jesus appeared to after the resurrection, then there were the three‑thousand who accepted the terms of pardon the day the Church began, then there were five‑thousand, then several times we are told the number of the disciples multiplied. The number has grown through the centuries, and when we think of all the Christians who have ever lived their number can be summed up in the description in Revelation chapter seven when we are told, “After these things I saw and behold a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and people and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands, and they cry with a great voice saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne and unto the Lamb.”

THE LEAVEN

Another parable like unto it was when He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven was like unto a woman who hid leaven in three measures of meal until it was all leavened.”

Leaven is usually referred to as sin, but this is an exception. It is the Kingdom of Heaven that is like unto this woman and the leaven. It works silently in the bread and gives it good taste. The Kingdom of Heaven is like that. Paul says to the Corinthians, “Be not deceived neither fornicators, not idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you, but you were washed, ye were sanctified, ye were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

Leaven gives flavor to this life. Without the leaven the bread would fall flat. Without the gospel this world would be flat. That is not too difficult to prove. If there were no Church and no Holy Spirit in this world, and no Bible, in a matter of hours this world would be a Hell on earth.

I can remember a time when in school the Bible was read every morning and prayer was made. There came a time when prayer and Bible reading was taken out of the school. What we had wasn't much, but it must have had a lot of power. At least it was a polite nod in God’s direction. When prayer and Bible reading were removed it wasn't long before the National Guard was called out to maintain peace in some places and today educators tell me in many places that the biggest problem in school today is discipline and drugs. Whenever a nation thumbs its nose in the face of the Almighty, it is only a question of time until that nation has had it.

THE TREASURE

Jesus continued in Matthew chapter thirteen with the parable about the treasure in the field, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field which a man found and hid and in his joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.”

At that time people sometimes hid treasures in the ground for safekeeping. Jesus told of one man who dug in the earth and hid his Lord’s money.

This man found a treasure by digging in a field. He found it by accident, and went and sold all that he had and bought it. This man found the greatest treasure of life by accident. Many people find the Lord by accident. They were not seeking for Him. In Romans Paul quotes Isaiah when he said, “I was found of them who sought me not.” Maybe you just happened to be present in services one day and in that particular message you found the greatest treasure of life even though you were not looking for it. So he sold everything that he had and purchased that field. There are some things about the Lord’s work you have to dig for. A familiarity with the Word of God takes a lot of digging. The Kingdom of Heaven is worth any price you have to pay.

THE PEARL

The parable of the Pearl was much like the story of the treasure in the field except the merchant seeking goodly pearls was deliberately looking for the pearls. There are many good pearls to search for; the pearl of education, the pearl of music, the pearl of achievement in various areas, but there is one pearl greater than all, and must be purchased at all costs. All other pearls are like a bucket of costume jewelry compared to it. Whatever you have to give up to obtain it will be worth it.

THE NET

Then there is the parable of the net; “The net let down into the sea and gathered of every kind.” Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men.” Fishing with a hook and line with bait is person-to-person evangelism. That is a good way to fish.

Another way is with a great net such as this radio broadcast. The only thing is you never know what you will find in the net. Jesus said, “You gather of every kind.” How about gold fish? Oh, how we need them in the Lord's work. Usually the gold doesn't rub off too easily on these fish. Then there are some porpoises; I am glad to say a whole school of them. They are the ones who go to services every Lord's Day and they go on porpoise. You will always find a few crabs and crawdads in every congregation. Then there are some flounders. They are the ones who just flounder around. Watch out for the pariahs. Paul speaks of these when He said, “They bite and devour one another.” There have been a few whales like Peter and Paul and many, many minnows, like me. The interpretation of this parable was, “So shall it be in the end of the world.” The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the righteous and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be no mix up on the Day of Judgment. Paul told Timothy, “The Lord knoweth them that are His. There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

THE HOUSEHOLDER

After all these parables came the question of Jesus, “Have ye understood all these things?” They said they did and Jesus said, “Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a householder who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

Jesus Himself is the greatest example of that householder. He brought forth out of His treasure things old and new. The Sermon on the Mount is a good example. He said, “Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time thou shalt not kill.” He reminded them that a murderer was in great danger; in danger of the judgment. That was something old out of His treasure. Then He brought out something new out of His treasure when He said, “But I say unto you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment.”

Again He brought out something old out of His treasure when He said, “Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Then after that He brought out something new out of His treasure when He said “But I say unto you that everyone that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” If we took that something new seriously, the pornographic and advertising industry would be out of business.

One more item that was old He brought forth from His treasure was when He said, “Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.” Then He brought out something new from His treasure when He said, “But I say unto you swear not at all neither by the heaven for it is the throne of God, nor by the earth for it is the footstool of His feet.”

We live at a time today when God’s name is a by-word. Everyday we hear Christians using God’s name as a by-word. If someone stumps his toe, or gets fired, or sneezes they say, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” Without repentance it may be when the Lord returns and the Son of Man is seen in all His glory a great cry will be heard, “OH MY GOD!”

For those who do not take it seriously it is sufficient reminder to say, you can explain that to Him on the Judgment Day. “And it came to pass when He had finished these parables He departed thence.”