October 31, 2010
Morning Service

Matt. 13:1-23

 

Review:

1.                  In chapter 12 we saw;

• Controversy of Sabbath labor.
• Sabbath healing.
• The Pharisees plan to kill Jesus.
• Pharisees blaspheme the Holy Ghost.
• Pharisees demand a sign.
• Jesus speaks of His true brethren.

 

We are now ready for chapter 13.  Jesus now begins to teach by parables; a parable is;  A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction; such as the parable of the trees choosing a king, Judg 9; the parable of the poor man and his lamb. 2 Sam 12; the parable of the ten virgins, Mat 25.  This was a fairly common way of teaching, and Jesus uses it quite frequently.

 

Let’s begin;

 

Mat 13:1-23 KJVR  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.  (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.  (3)  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;  (4)  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:  (5)  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  (6)  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  (7)  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  (8)  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.  (9)  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

• This is possibly one of the most famous parables that Jesus gives.  It is not the first for He has used this type of teaching already. 
• Wise and foolish builders Mat_7:24-27;

Children of the bride chamber Mat_9:15; New cloth and old garment Mat_9:16;

New wine and old bottles Mat_9:17; Unclean spirit Mat_12:43;

• The O.T. prophets also use this method of teaching.

• But here Jesus begins a series of parables, this being the first.

(10)  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  (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. 

• Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant.  This was the case here.  Some were very hungry to hear and receive what Jesus had to say, and they will understand this parable, others didn’t care one way or another, and they won’t understand it.

(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. 

Whosoever hath ... – This also is a proverbial method of speaking.

• It means that a man who improves what light, grace, opportunities, and even talents,  he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away. The Jews had many opportunities of learning the truth, and some light still lingered among them; but they were gross and sensual, and misimproved them, and it was a just judgment that they should be deprived of them.
• Superior knowledge was given to the disciples of Christ: they improved it, they cherished it, however slowly, and the promise was that it should be greatly increased.

(13)  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  (14)  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 

 

(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. 

(16)  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  (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. 

• I think of this scripture when I hear things like this;  Heb 11:32-40 KJVR  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:  (33)  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  (34)  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.  (35)  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:  (36)  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:  (37)  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;  (38)  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 
• These are the ones Jesus was talking about when He said they desired to see His day, and to know the things He was teaching them concerning the Kingdom of God.
• (39)  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  (40)  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
• Heb 11:13-16 KJVR  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  (14)  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  (15)  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.  (16)  But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

(18)  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.   THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD!

Our surroundings could be anywhere.  Revival meetings, personal witnessing, Sunday Church services, anywhere you might here the Word of God.  This is what happens:

• First example:  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Explanation: (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.

I believe this person is totally unconcerned about the things of God.  He hears the gospel, but could care less. 

• Second example:  Mat 13:5-6 KJVR  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  (6)  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

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

The key here is ( hath not root ).  He received the Word, even with joy, but without much depth.  Not doing the things that gives depth.  Bible reading, prayer, fellowshipping with the saints, good deeds, etc.  He couldn’t stand against satan, and his deceitful ways of destroying believers.

• Third example: Mat 13:7 KJVR  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Explanation:  (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. 

People allow the cares of this world, and it’s riches to rob them of their faithfulness to God, and doing the good works that accompany salvation.  Therefore losing their reward.

• Forth example: Mat 13:8 KJVR  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

(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 a hundredfold some sixty, some thirty.

All of these heard the Word.  The rewards go to the ones who received it, understood it, and brought forth fruit.      ALMIGHTY GOD, HELP US TO BE THE GOOD TREE THAT BRINGS FORTH GOOD FRUIT.