Matthew Ch13v24-52 - Kingdom Growth

so Matthew 13 we're going to pick it up in verse 24

and we're going to read down to verse 43

so last week you remember we looked at the parable of the sower

this week we're going to look at a few more parables together

let's read from verse 24 here hear God's word

Jesus told them another parable

the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field

but while everyone was sleeping his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat

and went away

when the wheat sprouted and formed ears

then the weeds also appeared

the owner's servants came to him and said

sir

didn't you sow good seed in your field

where then did the weeds come from

an enemy did this he replied

the servants asked him

do you want us to go and pull them up

no he answered

because while you are pulling up the weeds

you may uproot the wheat with them

let both grow together until the harvest

at that time I will tell the harvesters

first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned

and then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn

he told them another parable

the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed

which a man took and planted in his field

though it is the smallest of all seeds

yet when it grows

it is the largest of garden plants

and becomes a tree

so that the birds come and perch in its branches

he told them still another parable

the kingdom of heaven is like yeast

that a woman took and mixed into

about 30 kilograms of flour

until it worked all through the dough

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables

he did not say anything to them

without using a parable

so was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet

I will open my mouth in parables

I will utter hidden things

since the creation of the world

then he left the crowd

and went into the house

his disciples came to him and said

explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field

Jesus answered

the one who sowed the good seed

is the son of man

the field is the world

and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom

the weeds are the people of the evil one

and the enemy who sows them

is the devil

the harvest

is the end of the age

and the harvesters

are angels

as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire

so it will be at the end of the age

the son of man will send out his angels

and they will weed out of his kingdom

everything that causes sin

and all who do evil

they will throw them into the blazing furnace

where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

then the righteous will shine like the sun

in the kingdom of their father

whoever has ears

let them hear

well let's pray together

as we

look at this passage together

father

would you enable us

to hear

your voice to us today

through your word

and by your holy spirit

that you would give us understanding

not just intellectually

or mentally

with our minds

but that we would truly understand

with our hearts

so that

what we hear

changes us

and helps us to

follow you as we should

so speak to us

and encourage us today

Amen

well Matthew's message

has been very clear

all the way through his gospel

Jesus is God's promised king

with absolute power

and supreme authority

and he's come to establish

an eternal kingdom

you remember back in chapters 8 and 9

we were given a preview

a picture

of what this kingdom

will be like

as Jesus forgives sins

heals the sick

and defeats Satan

Jesus is the

longed for king

who has come to restore

this disordered world

and redeem our broken lives

he's come to undo

the effects of sin

and a world under God's judgment

but despite all these

promotional fireworks

and this introduction

to Jesus

it all seems to have

fizzled out

not much is happening

not many of the crowds

are repenting

and following Jesus

in fact there seems to be

great opposition

to the kingdom

in chapter 10

Jesus warned his disciples

you can follow on screen

I am sending you out

like sheep among wolves

you will be handed over

and flogged

and then in chapter 12

we read that the Pharisees

the religious people

went out and plotted

how they might kill Jesus

what's happened

the kingdom

and we can ask the same question

ourselves

the world

the world doesn't seem

to be getting any better

does it

we're staggering

out of a global pandemic

and we're on the verge

of entering into

a global war

and in the middle

of all of this

opposition

and persecution

against the church

is increasing

living as a Christian

today

is not getting easier

it's getting

harder

so what's happened

to the kingdom

well we need to be able

to listen

to the king

look at verse

24

Jesus told them

another parable

in fact Jesus

will go on to tell

six more parables

all the way through

to the end of chapter 13

a parable

is a practical

story

to highlight

a spiritual

reality

a practical

story

to highlight

a spiritual

reality

so Jesus

uses these

parables

to teach

about the kingdom

of heaven

so again

look at verse 24

Jesus told them

another parable

the kingdom

of heaven

is like

verse 31

he told them

another parable

the kingdom

of heaven

is like

and in verse 33

he told them

still another

parable

the kingdom

of heaven

is like

you see

he uses

these parables

to reveal

to us

what is going

on behind

the scenes

we can turn

on the television

and listen

to the news

we can read

what the political

and social

commentators

are saying

to get

their perspective

to get

their understanding

of what's

going on

in the world

but Jesus

uses these

parables

to uncover

to us

to reveal

to us

what is

going on

from God's

perspective

it's like

he's opening

up a big

curtain

and pulling

it across

and saying

look

come and see

and I will

show you

what is

going on

Matthew

gives us

an example

verse 34

Jesus

spoke all

these things

to the crowd

in parables

he didn't

say anything

to them

without using

a parable

so was

fulfilled

what was

spoken

through the

prophet

I will

open my

mouth

in

parables

I will

utter

things

hidden

since the

creation

of the

world

he says

I will

reveal to

you

what is

really

going on

I'm going

to take

you behind

the scenes

and show

you God's

eternal plan

for his

kingdom

a plan

that's been

in place

since the

creation

or before

the creation

of the

world

what we

are going

to see

this morning

you will

not hear

on your

television

and you

will not

read

Indian

newspaper

we're

going to

see

three

things

about

God's

kingdom

in the

world

today

very

simple

the

struggle

the

surprise

and the

separation

the

struggle

the

surprise

and the

separation

first

the

struggle

in the

kingdom

verse

24

Jesus

told them

another

parable

the

kingdom

of

heaven

is

like

a

man

who

sowed

good

seed

in

his

field

but

while

everyone

was

sleeping

his

enemy

came

and

sowed

weeds

among

the

wheat

and

went

away

when

the

wheat

sprouted

and

formed

ears

then

the

weeds

also

appeared

now

it's

very

clear

isn't

it

there's

two

sowers

and

there's

two

crops

there's

two

kinds

of

seed

one

that

produces

wheat

and

another

one

that

produces

weeds

and

Jesus

interprets

the meaning

for us

verse

37

the

one

who

sowed

the

good

seed

is

the

son

of

man

the

field

is

the

world

and

the

good

seed

stands

for

the

people

of

the

kingdom

the

weeds

are

the

people

of

the

evil

one

and

the

enemy

who

sows

them

is

the

devil

now

while

there are

two

sowers

there is

only one

owner

of the

field

one

ruler

Jesus

and the

devil

are not

equal

forces

or powers

who are

fighting it

out and

we're waiting

anxiously to

see who's

going to

win

no the

field

the

world

all

belongs

to

Jesus

he

made

it

and

he

rules

over

all

things

we're

told

in

verse

37

that

he

is

the

son

of

man

now

the

son

of

man

isn't

just

a

different

way

of

talking

about

Jesus

it's

a

title

and

it

comes

packed

full

with

meaning

it

comes

from

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7

so

in

your

Bibles

if you

turn

backwards

to

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7

chapter

7

I

haven't

got a

page

number

so

if

anybody

does

I

can

call it

out

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7

so

the

sower

of

the

seed

is

called

the

son

of

man

why

would

Jesus

refer

to

himself

as

the

son

of

man

well

here

in

Daniel

Daniel 7:13

chapter

7

verse

13

we

have

the

answer

he

has

a

vision

he

says

in

my

vision

at

night

I

looked

and

there

before

me

was

one

like

a

son

of

man

coming

with

the

clouds

of

heaven

he

approached

the

ancient

of

days

that

is

he

is

coming

before

God

and

was

led

into

God's

presence

he

that

is

the

son

of

man

was

given

authority

glory

and

sovereign

power

all

nations

and

peoples

of

every

language

worshipped

him

his

dominion

his

kingdom

is

an

everlasting

kingdom

and

it

will

not

pass

away

and

his

kingdom

is

one

that

will

never

be

destroyed

let's

go back

to

Matthew

13

so you

see

Jesus

claims

this

title

for

himself

he's

saying

I

am

the

promised

son

of

man

make

no

mistake

Jesus

is

God's

king

with

absolute

power

and

supreme

authority

he

rules

over

all

the

nations

and

over

every

leader

he

has

authority

over

every

spiritual

power

he's

the

ruler

of

the

world

it's

his

field

his

kingdom

now

while we

have a

ruler

of the

world

we

would

be

foolish

to

dismiss

the

fact

that

there

is

an

enemy

in

the

world

the

devil

loves

nothing

more

than

to

disrupt

and

destroy

God's

kingdom

you

see

what's

going

on

here

are

two

things

are

happening

simultaneously

we

have

the

good

seed

the

word

about

Jesus

and

his

kingdom

is

being

proclaimed

the

good

seed

is

being

planted

people

hear

the

word

and

in

response

people

repent

and

believe

so

in

verse

38

we

read

that

the

good

seed

stands

for

the

people

of

the

kingdom

they

hear

it

and

they

believe

on

the

other

hand

we

have

lies

about

Jesus

and

his

kingdom

that

are

being

proclaimed

people

hear

this

twisted

truth

and

rebel

and

push

against

Jesus

as

king

end

of

verse

38

the

weeds

are

the

people

of

the

evil

one

and

the

enemy

who

sows

them

is

the

devil

so

simultaneously

all at

the

same

time

we have

on the

one hand

the work

of God

going on

and at

the same

time

the work

of the

devil

going on

side

by side

at the

one time

people are

being rescued

into the

kingdom

and people

remain in the

kingdom of

darkness

and

the

world

and

the

world

of the

devil

are

taking

effect

that's

why

we

experience

both

peace

and war

wickedness

and justice

good

and evil

and it's

what we

see right

now in

the region

of Ukraine

terrible

violence

mindless

war

destruction

and death

the seeds

of the

devil

has taken

root

in people's

life

and they're

in living

a very

disordered

and a

corrupt

way

chaos

and disorder

reign

suffering

and pain

are the

fruit

of the

devil's

work

yet at the

same time

we hear

of great

sacrifice

and service

don't we

there are

churches

and Christian

communities

in the

surrounding

regions

in Poland

and Moldova

Romania

and Slovakia

taking in

hundreds and

thousands of

refugees

feeding

providing

caring

as they

open up

their homes

as they

open up

their church

buildings

to be

places of

refuge

and rest

the good

seed of

Jesus

has taken

root

in people's

lives

and they

are displaying

love and

peace

compassion

and kindness

this is the

fruit of the

work of the

son of man

side by

side

in the

same

field

wheat

and weeds

grow

together

it's why

in the

region of

Donetsk

and Lusank

where the

war has

been raging

since

2014

3,000

people have

lost their

lives

but multiple

people are

coming to

faith in

Jesus

there are

towns and

villages in

that region

that lie

empty

but in that

same area

on the

border

there have

been eight

new churches

planted in

recent years

that are

being filled

of course

the question

we're all

asking is

well if

Jesus is

the king

and he's

the one

with absolute

power and

supreme

authority

why doesn't

he intervene

right now

and end

what's going

on

why does

there have

to be wheat

and weeds

growing at

the same

time

well go

back to

verse 27

and we

will see

the answer

to that

question

the owner

servant came

to Jesus

and said

sir

didn't you

sow good

seed in

your field

where then

did the weeds

come from

an enemy

did this

he replied

the servants

asked him

do you want

us to go

and pull

them up

no

he answered

because while

you are pulling

up the weeds

you may

uproot

the wheat

with them

let both

grow together

until the

harvest

at that time

I will tell

the harvesters

first collect

the weeds

tie them in

bundles to

be burned

then gather

the wheat

and bring

it into

my barn

as we'll

see shortly

Jesus

the king

is going

to return

but until

then

wheat

and weeds

grow together

the gospel

seed will be

sown

and people

throughout the

world and

throughout the

land of

Ukraine

will enter

the kingdom

of heaven

but don't

forget

there's an

enemy in

the world

who will

not give

up the

fight

he's

spreading

his

lies

with

devastating

results

and until

Jesus

returns

the kingdom

of heaven

will be

struggling

with the

kingdom

of darkness

so what's

going on

in our

world

what's

happening

behind

the

scenes

there's

a struggle

between

the kingdom

of heaven

and the

kingdom

of darkness

but second

there's

the surprise

of the

kingdom

while there's

an enemy

at work

sowing seeds

of destruction

and chaos

we need to

know that

Jesus is

the sovereign

ruler

and that

nothing and

no one

can hold

back the

kingdom of

heaven

God is

at work

and the

kingdom is

advancing

in surprising

ways

first

small

beginnings

but

surprising

growth

let's

move on

to verse

31

he told

them another

parable

the kingdom

of heaven

is like

a mustard

seed

which a

man took

and planted

in his

field

though it

is the

smallest

of all

seeds

you know

mustard

seed is

tiny

tiny

tiny

yet

when it

grows

it is

the

largest

of

garden

plants

and

becomes

a tree

so that

the birds

come and

perch in

its branches

now what a

brilliant

picture of

the kingdom

a small

beginning

but surprising

growth

now think

about that

for a minute

just think

of how

Matthew

introduces us

to Jesus

and his

kingdom

how does

Matthew's

gospel

start

with a

genealogy

of

Jesus

his

family

history

it reads

like a

rogues

gallery

it's

full of

liars

deceivers

murderers

outsiders

pagans

not the

kind of

start

to a

kingdom

that gives

you

confidence

and then

we're told

that Jesus

is born

to an

unknown

teenage

girl

in an

animal

shed

in a

backward

town

called

Bethlehem

not

very

promising

is it

then this

young

Jesus

has to

flee

to

Egypt

to

escape

the

murdering

threats

of

Herod

Jesus

begins

life

as a

homeless

refugee

doesn't

sound

very

hopeful

does it

think of

some of

the scenes

of a

little

child

in

Ukraine

coming

off a

bus

into a

new

land

with

just

a

few

clothes

in

a

bag

would

you

look

at

that

child

and

say

they're

the

hope

of

the

world

well

in

a

sense

when

Jesus

was

taken

to

Egypt

as

a

homeless

refugee

there

in

that

little

child

was

God's

hope

for

the

world

that's

what

the

kingdom

of

heaven

is

like

it

has

small

beginning

but

look at

the

kingdom

today

it's

full

of

people

from

all

over

the

world

who

heard

the

good

news

about

Jesus

repented

and

followed

him

verse

32

it

is

like

the

smallest

of

all

seeds

yet

when

it

grows

is

the

largest

of

garden

plants

and

becomes

a

tree

so

that

birds

come

and

perch

in

its

branches

just

as the

birds

find a

home

in

the

tree

so

countless

believers

are going

to find

their

home

in the

kingdom

of

heaven

you

you see

despite

the

struggle

there

is

surprising

growth

but

there's

another

surprise

insignificant

people

yet

surprisingly

effective

look at

the parable

in verse

33

he told

them still

another

parable

the

kingdom

of heaven

he said

is like

yeast

you know

you take

a tiny

little

bit

of

yeast

a little

bit

of

dough

that

the

woman

took

and

mixed

it

into

about

30

kilograms

of

flour

until

it

worked

all

through

the

dough

again

it's

a

thrilling

and

exciting

picture

of the

kingdom

it

starts

insignificant

but

yet

is

surprisingly

effective

as

Jesus

begins

his

ministry

all

he

can

seem

to

muster

together

is

twelve

disciples

none

of them

are very

prominent

none

of them

are well

educated

none

of them

are

influential

in fact

as time

goes on

we see

they're

made up

of

deniers

and

betrayers

when push

comes to

shove

they all

run a

mile

yet

follow

the

story

of

these

disciples

as

they

went

about

their

work

proclaiming

the

gospel

thousands

believed

and

churches

were

planted

just

as

an

insignificant

amount

of

yeast

that

tiny

little

bit

gets

mixed

in

and

through

all

the

dough

and

so

it

rises

and

takes

effect

so

these

insignificant

disciples

are

surprisingly

effective

and the

kingdom

growth

doesn't

stop

there

today

there

are

millions

of

followers

thousands

of

churches

across

every

continent

in

every

nation

and

we

in

this

room

small

as we

are

today

in

number

are

a

living

reminder

that

we

are

part

of

a

surprising

kingdom

now

this

should

encourage

us

yes

the

work

is

small

yes

we

may

feel

insignificant

but

that's

how

the

kingdom

of

heaven

is

we

faithfully

sow

the

gospel

seed

so

people

come

to

faith

and

the

church

grows

some

of

you

know

the

history

and

the

story

of

this

church

it

began

with

a

few

people

praying

in

Cork

City

for

a

church

to

start

in

this

town

then

it

widened

to

a

children's

club

in

a

ladies

home

in

her

front

room

and

then

it

expanded

to

a

Bible

study

and

then

to

a

church

the

kingdom

may

struggle

we

may

seem

insignificant

we

may

think

nothing

is

going

on

and

nothing

is

happening

but

there

is

always

a

surprising

and

effective

growth

what's

going on

in the

world

what's

happening

in

God's

kingdom

right

across

the

world

today

there

are

hundreds

of

gatherings

just

like

this

meeting

together

because