Secrets of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:24-43)

August 23, 2020

The book of Matthew is about the Messiah coming and establishing his rule on the earth. So far, he has done nothing of the sort. His life began with a bang, but he spent most of his life in Nazareth. Nazareth is out in the country. After being baptized by John the Baptist, he moved to Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee and began his ministry. He would preach, "The kingdom of heaven is near," teach people the true meaning of the law, and miraculously heal all of their afflictions. None of that makes him a king or sets up a kingdom that the world has ever seen. Typically, overthrowing an oppressive government requires the person to speak out against the government at the very least. We don't get a hint of Jesus rousing the troops or training for battle. What is this king, and what kind of kingdom is he planning to establish?

Jesus has been speaking to a massive crowd in parables because they won't listen to him. In Matthew 13:1-23, we saw that they have become dull of hearing. They don't care to listen to the fantastic truths Jesus is trying to tell them. They are more interested in miracles, or in making Jesus the king/messiah that they were after. Who cares about how to follow the law from the heart better? We need a kingdom. We need a new David to lead us to great wealth and prosperity!

Jesus speaks parables to conceal and reveal the secrets of the kingdom simultaneously.

Matthew 13:11 (ESV) --- 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

The first parable showed what was happening in their hearts when they refuse to listen to the words of Jesus. This morning we will look at three more parables and start to understand the secrets of the kingdom as Jesus revealed them to his disciples.

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like (24-33)

As we study through each of these parables, I want us to notice that Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to some familiar pictures that the people would be aware of. Even if they weren't farmers, they would understand the farming process for his parable, but again we will see that Jesus does not explain the parables.

The Parable of the Tares (24-30)

Matthew 13:24--30 (ESV) --- 24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

In the first parable, Jesus tells us a story about a man who sows good seed in his field. But an enemy sows bad seed. No one can perceive that the stalks coming up out of the ground are weeds until the wheat starts to bear grain. Then they know that something very similar to wheat has been sown.

Then the workers question the master, wondering if the master understands what is going on. He tells them an enemy has done this. So they ask, "Should we go pull the weeds up?" But he wants them to stay to make sure that the servants don't accidentally pull up wheat in the process. When the harvest time comes, it will all be gathered and separated. The grain will go into the barn while the weeds go into the furnace. We might feel like we can understand this parable, but what does Jesus mean by it? He does not explain it to the crowds.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (31-32)

Matthew 13:31--32 (ESV) --- 31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

In the second parable, he brings up a very similar illustration, but he talks about the growth of a mustard seed rather than a crop of wheat. As the mustard tree starts from a very tiny seed and grows into something higher than all the other plants, the kingdom will start small and grow to be higher than all the others.

This parable is interesting because the language resembles other parts of scripture. In Ezekiel 31:3-9, Assyria is called a great tree that all the beasts and birds could come to and find shelter. In Daniel 4:12, Babylon is called the same thing. This was a popular image for a kingdom, and Ezekiel 17:22-24 described Israel's future kingdom in this way. This kingdom would begin as a tiny seed and rise above all the other kingdoms of the earth. This is a pattern we see throughout the Old Testament. Abraham was one man who became a great nation. David was insignificant in the eyes of his father and everyone, but he became the great king of Israel. God makes nothing into something.

The Parable of the Leaven (33)

Matthew 13:33 (ESV) --- 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

The final parable compares the kingdom of heaven to leaven that a woman hid in a large portion of flour. Leaven is good bacteria that mix and spread throughout the flour so the woman can make bread. Making bread would be something that Israel was very aware of. Everyone would be eating leavened bread for the majority of the year. The kingdom of heaven will be mixed in and will eventually have a spread to all the earth.

What Do These Parables Reveal? (34-35)

If you were a Jew in the first century, you would be praying for God to fulfill his many promises of restoration. Every Jew was looking forward to God sending another David-like figure to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth and overtake Rome. This would bring about the reign of God and peace for Israel.

In Acts 5, we get a taste of what it was like in the first century. Gamaliel says that the Romans broke up two uprisings in the last thirty years. A man named Theudas claimed to be somebody and amassed four hundred followers, but he was killed along with his followers. Then, a man named Judas the Galilean had the same thing happen to him. Apparently, people were hoping for a man to rise from Judah and take over. A whole group of people called Zealots began to develop around 30 AD.

What were they reading in the Old Testament that made them feel that way? The prophets are full of promises. Isaiah and Daniel have some of the clearest promises.

Isaiah 2:2--4 (ESV) --- 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Jeremiah 33:14--18 (ESV) --- 14 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ 17 “For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.”

Daniel 2:44--45 (ESV) --- 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel 7:13--14 (ESV) --- 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

All the Jews were expecting God to fulfill his promises and establish this kingdom that would last forever. That's why they have come to Jesus. They were hoping to see his following develop into that kingdom.

Instead of feeding the frenzy, he tells them parables. What do these parables reveal about this kingdom? Notice Matthew's commentary on these parables.

Matthew 13:34--35 (ESV) --- 34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

He says that Jesus has "uttered what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." Really? How did these parables reveal something hidden since the foundation of the world? The disciples wanted to know the same thing.

Jesus Explains (36-43)

Matthew 13:36--43 (ESV) --- 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

If we thought the parables all made perfect sense, we should look more closely since the disciples struggled with it. First, notice that the field is the world. So this parable is about what will take place in the whole world. The "Son of Man" will sow the good seed, and the good seed will become the sons of the kingdom. All of those who are good soil, like the disciples, are represented in the good seed. This much everyone understands from the last parable. But what about the weeds/tares? The tares are the sons of the evil one, the devil. As Jesus is working in the world, he knows the devil is also working to spread lies and deception. He has no intention of removing the weeds. They will both grow together until the harvest.

Why wouldn't Jesus fight against the devil and destroy everyone who believes what is evil? Do we see how the parable answers this question? This kingdom will not immediately destroy those who believe the lies and deceptions of the devil. He will let them continue to exist. Verse 29 gives us the reason why. He says, "In gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them." Jesus is trying to get the most out of his crop. In his wisdom, the best thing that he can do for his crop is to leave those who cause sin and the law-breakers alive until the very end.

But how does that reveal something hidden before the foundation of the world?

What Does This reveal?

Next week, we will continue studying this, but all three of these parables should change everyone's perspectives of the kingdom of heaven. Let's see five critical lessons about the kingdom.

1. The devil is planting seeds. The parable of the weeds brings to our attention the judgment day. On that day, there will be a clear distinction between two different types of people. On the one hand, we have people who listen to Jesus and grow to produce fruit. On the other hand, we have people who listen to the lies and deceptions of this world to become causes of sins and law-breakers. Those who produce fruit will shine like the sun. Those who break the law will be thrown into the fire.

2. We should expect opposition. Like the weeds, people will always be trying to rob us of nutrients and keep us from producing fruit. Those who believe the devil's lies are active in our world. They are weeds that stunt our growth if we let them. In this parable, we have a promise that life will be difficult, but we also have an understanding of why. Ultimately, Jesus knows that it is better for us if he lets those weeds remain.

3. We are given time to bear fruit for God. The sons of the kingdom will be given time to grow and produce fruit until the harvest. This kingdom is not like the previous kingdom of Israel. Jesus is planting his word in our hearts to create fruit-bearing plants for God's glory. We have to be planted by Christ to become wheat.

4. He is not a king like the nations, and this is not going to be a kingdom like the kingdoms of earth. This is actually seen in all three parables. In the parable of the weeds, Jesus is planting this seed in all the earth. How many kingdoms look like that? In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus is taking something that seems insignificant and making it into the greatest of all kingdoms. In the parable of the leaven, the leaven mixes with the flour, spreads, and changes the flour from the inside.

5. This kingdom will be the most magnificent kingdom on earth. The parable of the mustard seed connects to previous images in the Old Testament to show how it will eventually tower over every other kingdom on earth. We might wonder, "Where is Christopia?" Where is the capital of the Christian nation? We might want to plant our flag in the United States of America and say that it is here, but it is much bigger than this country. The number of Christians in this country is hardly comparable to the number of Christians throughout the world. This kingdom is found in every nation of men. Like the parable of the leaven shows, it is an internal kingdom that spreads like leaven to the whole lump.

How Does This Change Our Lives?

Maybe you are hearing all of this and thinking, "So what? Jesus said he would make a kingdom that will be the greatest kingdom, but it would all be internal. Couldn't anyone claim that?" We want to see the measurements. We want to see the census that tells us how many Christians are on the earth. We really want to see a Christian nation take over the world just like Israel wanted to see their nation dominate.

What actually happened in the first century? When we read ahead, we find out that Jesus dies. But the message of this kingdom continues to spread. Jesus is resurrected to prove that he is the Messiah. Then, in the book of Acts, he ascends to heaven to reign while all of the sons of the kingdom grow and produce fruit. Sons of the evil one also grow, but they do not stop the growth of Jesus' crop. It is like an invasive plant that spreads and spreads until it takes over the whole earth.

1. Don't be deceived. We want a king to come and dominate our enemies. We want it to be over in a second, but he leaves our enemies alone and helps us spread his seed to many people. As we see a drop in Christianity in this nation, we must remember that this nation is not a representation of Christ's kingdom. Christ's kingdom is bigger than our country. Also, sometimes weeds look like wheat.

Maybe the growth is happening here more than ever before. Maybe the weeds are slowly dying and becoming wheat. The change is internal. We are like the good bacteria that leavens and spreads to the whole lump. Living like Christ will have its impact in due time. This message is like an invasive plant that changes the landscape of the whole earth. Don't put your trust in political leaders. Put your trust in the word of God.

2. Don't be discouraged. Do you realize that Christ's kingdom has ruled the earth for nearly two thousand years? God promises that it will continue until he reaps his final harvest. So we know that Christ is still in control, and his seed is bearing fruit in all the earth. This is the nature of his kingdom, and it will be this way until the end of the age.

Conclusion

The only question for us is, "What will we be?" Will we be fruit-bearing wheat, or will we cause people to sin and break the law of God? This kingdom is not defined by borders right now, but there is coming a day when God will separate the grain from the weeds. Then, we will see how amazing this plan of God really was. The truth about the kingdom was hinted to in the Old Testament. God knew what he was planning from the beginning of creation, but now we know. If anyone asks you what the kingdom of God is, you can tell them to study Matthew 13. What are we going to do with that information? Lord willing, we will talk about this more next week.