Kingdom parables....

Let's read a little more about the kingdom Jesus speak so much about…



Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying,


Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.


Now imagine- because this is what Jesus wants us to do, just as He wanted those back then listening to Him to do- use their imaginations. Jesus wanted them to picture what He was saying, make it real to them. They could all imagine someone sowing seed- it was a way of life. It's not so much a way of life for us here- we buy most of our food from grocery stores. As a rule it seems *most* people do not farm, and a lot of people have never even had a small garden. We know what it means to sow seed though- planting seed so crops can grow and then be harvested once they've matured. While most of our food might come off store shelves it didn't start there- it had to be grown.


Now let's use our imagination here and picture what Jesus is saying:

A sower went forth to sow.
When he sowed- some of the seed he was sowing fell by the way side- not where it was intended to go- and the birds came and ate up the seed.
Some of the seed he sowed fell among stones where there was very little dirt. Those seeds didn't take long to sprout in that little patch of dirt surrounded by stones. Unfortunately because there was more stone than dirt the roots couldn't go deep into the ground for protection from the sun's heat. With the roots having no depth they were exposed to the sun and they withered up- killing the little seedlings.
The sower continued to sow and some of that seed fell in among thorns. The thorns being more plentiful and wild quickly choked out the little seedlings, killing them.
However- some of the seed fell onto GOOD ground- no way side, no stones, no thorns- and this seed grew up healthy and strong producing fruit- some of those seeds brought up plants to produce lots of fruit and others less, and still others little, but all the fruit those seeds sown on the good grown produce was good.


This story is a good one. At first glance it's a good message for those sowing seeds to sow it properly. Jesus had more in mind though- this was a parable- a story with a meaning behind it.


Now the disciples wanted to know something, let's read it…


Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?


Why was Jesus speaking in parables, this is what they wanted to know.


Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.


What words! What amazing words! Jesus was speaking in parables because He knew some had hearts ready to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but others didn't. Could it be that some wanted to hear nice little stories but not stories that had real meaning? Is it possible that understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven were the last thing on some people's minds? They weren't interested in the kingdom of heaven not like Jesus' disciples were. So Jesus would speak to them, but understanding mysteries wasn't necessarily something that would happen. Jesus had more to say about it...


Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.


Now this is something to really think about. Could it mean that to those who desire to know these mysteries, those whose hearts are receptive to the truth being told will have their hearts filled with understanding? And those whose hearts are not open at all to the truth who have nothing receptive in them towards the knowledge of God's mysteries will not only NOT be able to understand the mysteries but the little understanding they might have will be taken from them- it wasn't real understanding to begin with.


Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.


Truth. The people were listening for the novelty of doing so but they didn't not listen to really learn from Jesus. Their hearts were waxed gross, they couldn't really hear, their eyes were closed and this is how they wanted to live- without understanding, without truth, not hearing, not seeing. These people did not want to understand with their heart- they did NOT want to be converted- they did NOT want to be healed- not in the manner we ALL need healing- spiritually.


Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.


Amazing! Wonderfully amazing!


Now Jesus would have us understand… we MUST understand by His grace may we do so, through His love and by the Holy Spirit's enlightenment.


Mat 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.


Hearing without understanding- is there ANY sense to that? Think about it for a moment. There is absolutely NO sense listening if you don't listen to gain understanding. If we go to listen to someone speak it's with the hope of learning from them isn't it? We listen to people giving speeches because we are learning more about them and their beliefs from their speech. We listen to our loved ones when they talk to us because we want to understand what they're trying to say to us. Hearing and understanding is SO important, hearing and NOT understanding is senseless, it's empty, meaningless.

When hearing the word of the kingdom we need understanding! If we don't understand then Satan will quickly take away that spark of interest right out of the heart! We don't want the seed to be on the wayside for Satan to snatch away, we want that seed sown in fertile soil in our hearts with full understanding of the kingdom of heaven!


Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.


Hearing the word and not receiving it with joy, hearing the word and that word meaning nothing with substance to us, then we've received it without any power because as soon as troubles come because we are God's then we get offended. We CAN'T get offended, we just can't! We have to have the love of the words of Jesus in our hearts. We have to receive the words with joy, with understanding, with knowledge - knowing and believing that those words, that truth will triumph! We are protected by the truth and should NOT be offended when we face tribulation and persecution because of this truth we believe.


Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.


Thorns of riches….deceitful riches.
Thorns of worldly care.
People might believe it's impossible for riches to be deceitful.
People might believe that worldly cares are a part of life we have to accept and embrace- it's hard not to, right? Well those worldly cares can be thorns that CHOKE the words of truth, the words of the kingdom of heaven, the words of LIFE. Choke the life right out the words of Jesus- killing our eternal life. You can be on the path to eternal life and those thorns can creep up and those thorns are deceitful riches and worldly cares something that are WAY too familiar to us and WAY to acceptable to us! We have to be so careful not to let ANYTHING keep us from the kingdom of heaven, those words, that reality has to be FULLY in our hearts, in our lives. WE are LIVING FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! All this we live through now is temporary!!!!! WE have to LIVE for the kingdom of heaven, we have to live for our Savior!


Mat 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.


Hear the word.
Understand the word.
Bear fruit from that understanding… any fruit…little or lot!


Let us LISTEN!
Let us UNDERSTAND!
Let us BEAR FRUIT!


By HIS GRACE!!!!!!!!


Kingdom parables- we need to understand our Savior wants us to understand- all life is through Him, He is the kingdom of heaven, He is the way, the truth, and the life! HE has to be OUR way, OUR truth, OUR life, no other…no other!


In His love!


Amen.