Matthew 13:24-43

What kind of world do you really want to live in?
Pastor Jim Thomas

In the eighteenth century, the French atheistic philosopher Voltaire predicted, ‘Another century and there will not be a Bible on Earth!’ What irony, then, that Voltaire’s house later became the headquarters of the Bible Society, printing and distributing many thousands of Bibles.” – Amy Orr-Ewing, Beyond Opinion

The person of ChristMatthew 1-4
The principles of ChristMatthew 5-7
The power of ChristMatthew 8-12
The parables of ChristMatthew 13

Major themes of the Parables of Jesus:

  • The already-but-not-yet kingdom of heaven
  • God loves and invites us to come to Him, even though we are sinful
  • Some people respond to God with faith; others respond with unbelief, scoffing, scorn, orindifference

“The kingdom of heaven”

  • Mentioned 32x throughout Matthew
  • Mentioned 8x in chapter 13

What is the kingdom of heaven?

Wherever God’s name is honored; where God’s righteous reign and rule are respected; where kingdom perspectives, kingdom values, kingdom vision, mission and goals are all embraced.

What kind of world do you really want to live in?

Kingdom of heaven parables:

  1. Two kinds of kingdoms
  2. The nature of the already-but-not-yet kingdom of heaven
  3. The astonishing growth and purpose of the kingdom of heaven
  4. The radical influence and impact of the kingdom of heaven
  5. The ultimate fate of each kingdom

We can know with some clarity what Jesus intended to convey in v. 37-43:

  • The one who sowed the good seed = the Son of Man (Jesus)
  • The field = the world
  • The good seed = the sons of the kingdom
  • The weeds = the sons of the evil one
  • The enemy who sows them = the devil
  • The harvest = end of the age and the coming judgment
  • The harvesting reapers = God’s angels
  • The destiny of the weeds = destruction in the furnace of fire
  • The destiny of the wheat = to be kept safely in their Father’s “barn” until the day theybegin to shine like the sun!

The kingdom of heaven protects us from misplaced hope, unwarranted despair and unnecessary cynicism.

“Today the world has so infiltrated the church that we are more beset by traitors within than by foes without. Satan is not fighting churches, he is joining them. He does more harm by sowing tares than by pulling up the wheat. He accomplishes more by imitation than by outright opposition.” – Vance Havner

“The Christian is a man who should walk through this life as conscious that it is but transient and passing, a kind of preparatory school. He should always know that he is walking in the presence of God, and that he is going on to meet God; and that thought should determine and control the whole of his life.” – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“If the kingdom of heaven is at hand, as John the Baptist says, then all our other kingdoms are called radically into question, including my own private kingdom, and yours.” – Fleming Rutledge

What kind of world do you want to live in?

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