066 The Purpose of Parables
Matthew 13:1-17
September 18, 2011
We have been on quite a ride thus far in the book of Matthew.
We’ve seen Jesus REVEALED, and Jesus REJECTED.
Matthew Revealed who Jesus was.
(Lineage, Baptism, Miracles, etc.)
Men Rejected Him.
Some rejected with INDIFFERENCE; some rejected with OPPOSITION.
John 1:11 “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”
The Jews rejected Christ, and His kingdom,
So the kingdom was taken from them.
This takes us into a new section in the book of Matthew.
Jesus is going to reveal the REALITY OF HIS KINGDOM.
The Kingdom is here,
And it is advancing, it is growing,
Some ask: “How can you say Jesus’ kingdom is here, when He isn’t?
The kingdom is here for those who choose to enter it,
And for those who choose to follow the King.
For them, Jesus is King, and He is ruling.
For those who choose not to follow the King,
They are not members of His kingdom,
And when He returns, He will break them with a rod of iron.
ILLUSTRATION
• David was the rightful King of Israel.
• During his reign, Absalom tried to take his throne.
• David left Jerusalem – but he was still King.
• Some continued to follow David, they remained in his kingdom.
However some chose Absalom, rejecting David’s kingdom
They were punished when David returned.
And now, Christ has left earth, but He is still the King.
(And some follow Him)
The world is being run by the usurper Satan, the god of this world
(And many follow Him)
When the rightful King returns, they will be punished.
Philippians 2:9-11 “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
This is what Psalm 2 is all about.
Psalms 2 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
You can try to follow another king, thinking Jesus is gone.
That only makes God laugh.
For God knows who the real King is, and that King will return.
THE KINGDOM IS HERE FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO ENTER IT.
We are in the Church Age.
The Church is the physical picture of Christ’s kingdom on earth.
They are the ones who have rejected this world, in order to follow Christ.
It is that spiritual kingdom Christ deals with in Matthew 13.
In this chapter we will see 8 parables concerning the kingdom.
• Parable of the Soils
• Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
• Parable of the Mustard Seed
• Parable of the Leaven
• Parable of the Hidden Treasure
• Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
• Parable of the Dragnet
• Parable of the Head of the Household
Now many have assumed that Jesus is here giving parables
To better explain the kingdom to those who need to enter it.
That is to say that many see this chapter as evangelistic
As Jesus explains to the lost how to enter the kingdom.
THAT IS NOT TRUE
The Sermon on the Mount is where Jesus explained to the lost how to enter the kingdom.
This chapter is for those who are entering, or have already entered.
This is seen clearest in the last parable.
Matthew 13:51-52 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.” And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
Obviously then, the point of the chapter was for the disciples.
This chapter is for those in the kingdom.
This then is a chapter for the church.
• It is meant to explain to us why some enter and why some don’t.
• It is meant to explain to us how the kingdom grows and where it is headed.
• It is meant to explain to us the value and cost of being in Christ’s kingdom.
• It is meant to explain to us the responsibility of being in the kingdom.
But it is not necessarily for the lost.
Nowhere is that more clearly seen, than here in the first 17 verses.
3 Things this morning.
#1 THE POPULARITY
Matthew 13:1-2
“That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.”
So Jesus finished speaking to the crowds about morality and true righteousness and He has left to get some rest from the crowds.
But as you know, there was never any rest to be had for Jesus.
(2) “And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.”
It is obvious that the crowds were attracted to Jesus.
And they flock to Him here.
This crowd is an amazing group of people.
They are the same people who have been INDIFFERENT to Him.
They had seen so much.
And still failed to accept Him as the Messiah
He told these people they were worse than Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon.
Because they would have repented at such truths.
It is obvious they are only there for the miracles and excitement.
(That will be obvious in a moment)
This is partly why Jesus had to get in a boat.
This kept people from constantly touching Him and crowding Him
Looking for power out of His garments and things like that.
These people are very much like the crowds that listened to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 33:30-33 “But as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, ‘Come now and hear what the message is which comes forth from the LORD.’ “They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. “Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. “So when it comes to pass — as surely it will — then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.”
That verse perfectly describes the crowd around Jesus.
He was like a sensual song to them.
But they had no intention of obeying, or submitting to His leadership.
They went to Him for entertainment, not for revival.
They could care less about the truth,
They only wanted to be catered to.
We certainly understand that today.
In seminary we were told all about this group of people called “Seekers”
And we have to be willing to find what they want and give it to them
In order to draw a crowd.
But seekers are nothing new.
Jesus is dealing with those people here.
But they don’t want truth as much as people think
AND JESUS IS ABOUT TO PROVE IT
#2 THE PARABLE
Matthew 13:3-9
“And He spoke many things to them in parables”
Jesus here delivers to them a parable,
Which is sort of like an illustration to help them apply the truth.
(Verses 3b-8)
He gives these people a parable, of course, He never explained it,
So to these people, this parable would have been nothing more than a riddle.
Hard Soil – Birds ate the unprotected seed.
Rocky Soil – large bedrock underneath, no root, withers and dies.
Thorns – Thorns steal, water, sun, and space – plant is unproductive.
Good Soil – allows the seed to grow, bears fruit.
Every one there certainly understood the farming illustration.
The only problem with the story,
Is all the people got out of it was a lesson on farming.
They didn’t understand the spiritual truth that Jesus intended.
So He said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Jesus actually says, “That sermon wasn’t for everyone, but is only for those who can hear. And if you can hear what I am saying, then pay attention.”
Not everyone can hear God’s word.
WHO CAN?
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.”
These people could not hear because they would not hear.
And so Jesus will not give them anymore.
The Popularity, The Parable
#3 THE PURPOSE
Matthew 13:10-17
Here the disciples are very honest.
They just saw a massive crowd flock to Jesus. (This is what we want right)
And it appears to them that Jesus has laid an egg.
No miracles – No Signs – Not even that deep penetrating preaching
Jesus gave a farming report and then dismissed the crowd.
Think about it.
There are some in here that if you went to another church and all the preacher did was talk about the farming, you’d come back to me and tell me how terrible it was.
It looks like Jesus totally missed his opportunity.
And so the disciples confront Him.
Verse 10 “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
Why didn’t you just tell them straight?
Why did you just give them a riddle, and leave it at that?
Why did you speak to them in a parable?
So Jesus answers their question.
And His answer has two parts.
The reason Jesus spoke to the people in parables
Is TO CONCEAL, and TO REVEAL.
1) TO CONCEAL (11-13)
The first reason Jesus speaks in to them in parables is to conceal.
He is purposely keeping from telling them the truth out right.
He says in verse 11, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”
Quite simply He speaks to them in parables,
Because it has not been granted to them to know the mysteries of heaven.
I didn’t tell them because they aren’t allowed to know.
I know that sounds harsh.
Why would God keep the truth a mystery for some people?
Why would God keep that truth a secret?
Well, Jesus answers that question in verse 12.
Verse 12, “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
What in the world is Jesus talking about here?
I’ve told you the illustration before.
“Eat what you have, and then I’ll give you more.”
That is very similar to Jesus answer.
You see, the people had truth right before their eyes; – JESUS.
They had a plate full of truth.
But until they ate the truth they had, they weren’t getting any more.
“Whoever has,” or “Whoever has accepted this first part of truth”
“To him more shall be given,” or he can have seconds.
“But whoever does not have,” or “Hasn’t accepted this first truth”
“Even what he has shall be taken away from him.”
Jesus didn’t grant them to receive more truth,
Because they hadn’t done anything with the truth they had.
Truth just sat before them.
Their failure to take it,
Meant no more truth, and eventually that truth taken away.
Don’t assume that attendance always equals hunger for truth.
While the crowd looked good the disciples, Jesus knows that attendance and hunger aren’t necessarily the same thing.
• Some people only come because they want to be entertained.
• Some people only come because they want to be catered to.
• Some people only come out of habit.
• Some people only come seeking for a sign.
And Jesus knew that. In fact, He always knows it.
John 2:23-25 “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”
Later in John 6 He fed the five thousand and had great initial results.
John 6:15 “So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.”
But Jesus knew better, and He was right, for look at the next day.
John 6:60-66 “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”
SO IT WAS WITH THIS CROWD
They looked like a crowd hungry for the truth, Jesus knew otherwise,
And so no new truth for them.
AND SO THE ANSWER
Verse 13, “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
He simply says, I speak in parables, because they are seeing truth,
And not paying attention to it.
They are hearing truth, and not listening to it.
I am not giving them more truth,
Until they deal with the truth they’ve got.
He purposely was concealing truth from them.
He doesn’t want to starve them,
He wants them to eat at their heart’s content.
But He wants them to eat what they’ve got first.
Isaiah 55:1 “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.”
But for those who have refused to see Him, they get no more truth
And this truth is concealed from them.
2) TO REVEAL (14-17)
Jesus quotes Isaiah, “In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled.”
Isaiah 6:9-10 “He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”
God told Isaiah to “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.”
Now that sounds almost like God wants the people condemned.
Is that what He wants? No, of course not.
God is not willing that any perish. So why does He tell Isaiah to do this?
He wants Isaiah to render them without excuse.
Reveal that they are blind.
ILLUSTRATION: Blind man in a coal shaft.
What I want you to hear is the prophecy in Isaiah’s verse.
God told Isaiah, “Render the hearts of this people insensitive,”
Jesus says, in (15) “For the heart of this people has become dull,”
Isaiah was speaking of a future event, Jesus saw its fulfillment.
He was literally the light that God spoke of to Isaiah,
And He was the light that when it shined,
Would reveal the blindness and deafness of man.
John 9:39-41 “And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘ We see,’ your sin remains.”
Jesus spoke in parables
Not only to conceal more truth from them,
But to reveal their blindness.
He was revealing that they did not get it.
He proved it by speaking in parables.
If this crowd was not blind, they would have understood the parable,
But they didn’t.
This, by the way, is why the disciples did understand it.
(They may not have understood every concept,
But they did understand that there was more than just farming)
(16-17) “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
They had seen truth in Jesus and accepted,
And to them it was granted to learn of the mystery of the parables.
The disciples were blessed because of what their eyes were saw.
They saw something so special,
That even righteous men and prophets didn’t get to see it.
WHAT WAS IT THAT THEY SAW?
Jesus!
They saw the Savior.
And because they saw Him, Jesus called them blessed
And allowed them to see more.
But the crowd, having refused to see Jesus,
Was not allowed to understand the truths of the kingdom.
JESUS WAS THE CATALYST
What they did with Him determined everything else.
He was the light.
And He either showed you the truth,
Or He revealed that you were blind.
“The same sun that melts the wax, hardens the clay.”
WHICH HAS HE DONE FOR YOU?
Have you seen Him as the Son of God?
Have you seen Him as the Savior of the World?
Have you surrendered your life to follow Him?
If so, He has much more that He wants to show you,
Namely the truths of the kingdom.
But if you have never come to Him.
If you are just here for the food (so to speak)
But not interested in following Him.
Then don’t expect Jesus will give you the truths of the kingdom,
For He isn’t even giving the kingdom at all.
It is vitally important that you and I surrender our lives to Christ.
It is only for those who see and hear and understand.
“He who has ears, let him hear.”
