Matthew 13:1-53, Mark 4:1-9, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:16-30, Luke 8:4-8

(Matt 13:1-23)

Summary: Matthew, Chapter 13, presents a series of stories, or parables, that Jesus used to illustrate the concepts of the kingdom of God, the approaching judgment, and the work of the devil. Listen, if you have ears to hear.

The thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel focuses upon the parables of Jesus.

As the Master got into a boat while teaching the people on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He told a story about a man whose job it was to sow seed into ground that had been tilled in order to grow crops. In the parable, the seed fell on varied types of ground, which represents those who hear and either react to or ignore the Word of God.

Some seed fell to the wayside (13:4, 19) and were devoured by the birds. This describes a person who hears the gospel yet does not understand it. There is no one to teach or help them in their ignorance of spiritual things. The devil sees this as an opportunity to “devour them” (Matthew 9:35-38; 1 Peter 5:8). They are unprepared and lack the spiritual knowledge needed to counteract his schemes. This is why we need to be ready to give a defense of our faith in Christ and be obedient to His call to tell the world about Him while there is still time (Mark 16:15; John 4:35-36; 2 Corinthians 6:2).

Jesus described the seed that fell upon rocky ground (13:5, 20-21), which represents the individual who hears the Word of God and receives it with joy. This person has made a “decision for Christ” and possesses a spiritual euphoria. However, this same person begins to experience troubles and persecutions of varied kinds. He decides that his so-called “conversion” is not worth the effort or trouble and walks away from the faith he claimed to have (1 John 2:19; Hebrews 6:4-6). This person is, in reality, a false convert who ends up as an angry apostate and was never saved in the first place.

There were seeds that fell among thorns (13:7, 22). Here is another illustration of a person who hears and apparently receives the message of the LORD with gladness yet gives more attention and time to the cares and concerns of the world. This is a case of someone who wants to be in both worlds. One of these will prosper while the other withers away. No true Christian should want to see this present fallen world as something on which to hold, as it will eventually be destroyed, forever purged of evil, and be recreated into a new heaven and earth (Isaiah 11:1-9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21-22).

The seed that fell on good soil (13:8, 23) is self-explanatory. When someone hears the gospel, receives it with joy, and then makes a serious commitment to persevere through troublesome times, that seed is spread in his life so as to bring about a harvest of souls. Spiritual fruit is the best evidence that our lives have been truly transformed by the Lord Jesus (Psalm 92:13-14; John 15:5; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; James 3:17).

He concluded by telling the people to listen and understand what had just been taught (v.9).

Jesus gave the apostles the ability to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God, even though this had not registered in their minds yet (13:11). This would be made clear on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them in the upper room (Acts 2:1-42), empowering them to proclaim the gospel and eventually write the New Testament, preserving the Word of God for all generations (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

The work of the apostles ensured that we have everything we need to know about the LORD. Nothing else needs to be added.

Verse 12 deals with the importance and responsibility of teaching the Word of God. It is not something to be taken lightly (Acts 17:11). Those who have been given this responsibility from God yet do nothing about it have it taken away from them and given to someone else. Jesus said that an unbeliever’s response to His parables was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (vv.13-17), where God told him that the people of Israel would not respond to his message (Isaiah 6:9-10).

The apostles were blessed by this new revelation, which had not been revealed to the prophets and the righteous people of old but was now revealed to them. Some readers and scholars have found difficulties in harmonizing the concept of truth being revealed in such a way that unbelievers cannot understand it. After some study and prayer concerning this issue, I believe that the best way to interpret it is that there was a long background of unbelief and disregard of previous revelation by the people of Israel. They sinned away their day of grace and opportunity. They had allowed their love of sin to blind them to the obvious.

You can read this message yet be totally unaffected by it due to the fact that you love your sins and do not want to part with them. You are the description of the degenerates Paul mentions in Romans 1:18-32 and 3:10-18. You are inching closer to the edge of the cliff, ignoring or ridiculing the cries and pleas from others to turn around and come to Jesus Christ for mercy, grace, peace, salvation, and be forever freed from the curse of death and hell.

You laugh and sneer at the holiness of God, and the words of Jesus are just so much drivel to you. There will be a day, my friend, when all of the pleas, witnessing, sermons, copies of the Bible, prayers, and the calling of God will not matter anymore. You will be dead and in hell and have all eternity to regret yet be unable to repent of your stupidity and refusal to humble yourself before God and call to Him to save you.

I hope that this got your attention and that you do something about it NOW (Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-30; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 10:9-10; James 4:13-14).

Jesus told these stories for a reason. You are the reason that He came to this world (John 3:16). If you have ears to hear, then listen.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

https://ocosbe.org/donald-whitchard

Matthew 28:18-20; “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you to the end of the age.” This is what’s known as the Great Commission. (ESV – all emphasis is mine.)

Just before Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He gave His disciples instructions that they stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. He stated (Acts 1:5), “For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” This was fulfilled in Acts 2. The event was so amazing that, as verse 41 states, “So those who received his word [Peter] were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.”

Of course, not everyone was impressed by this, as it threatened the religious temple rulers’ livelihood. They could just see their “treasured influence” slipping away with the boldness of the Holy Spirit-filled apostles. We’re told that each day saw more souls being saved, and the rulers had the apostles put into custody; but even so, about 5,000 more souls were saved (Acts 4:4).

The apostle Paul was a persecutor of the “Church,” which was also known as “The Way,” until he had his encounter directly with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Previously, he had attended the stoning of Stephen and was totally in favor of that act. His name at that time was Saul, and he was from Tarsus. He was a part of the religious sect that hated “Christians” and did all he could to persecute and condemn them (Acts 22).

Once Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), he became a true believer almost immediately. A large portion of the New Testament consists of “letters” that Paul had written, declaring that Jesus is the true Son of God, who came to this earth as a human to provide for us the only sinless blood sacrifice that our Heavenly Father could ever accept for the remission of our sins.

As zealous as Saul had been about persecuting believers, he became even more adamant that Jesus is the only true Son of God who deserves our full worship and praise. His road on this earth was not an easy one, as he himself was persecuted all the way to his death in Rome.

All he would have had to do was back down and remain silent in his beliefs. However, he plainly stated in Philippians 1:21-24, “For to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I choose, I cannot tell. If I am hard pressed between the two, my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”

Paul had no illusions about how he would be treated after his conversion, yet he remained faithful to the Lord throughout the remainder of his life. Jesus allowed Paul to be persecuted as He said to Ananias in Acts 9:15-16: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much He must suffer for the sake of My name.”

All who truly follow our Savior’s Great Commission are a true blessing. Keeping messages strictly to the scriptures without adding or deleting the Father’s word is what is expected of all who preach and proclaim the word of the Lord.

We read in 1 John 2:22-25, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”

There were antichrists and false prophets all the way back to the days when our Jesus was on the earth. They have been making a pathway for the ultimate antichrist to appear to be the ruler of the seven-year tribulation.

Our Heavenly Father allows “All who call on the name of the Lord” to be saved and to have a home in Heaven prepared for them (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13). Our Heavenly Home will be prepared by Jesus Himself as stated in John 14:1-3.

Being “baptized in the Lord” is to fully acknowledge that we have received and accepted Jesus as our true Savior and are committed to become a part of His precious flock. He is the true Shepherd who will not lead us astray, but has provided all we need to be with Him forever.

Ephesians 2:8-9 is very specific: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”

In 1982, Kirk Talley wrote a song that was performed by the Cathedrals and later by Legacy Five. Anytime I hear “Step Into The Water,” I can hear and see in my mind both George Yount and Glenn Dustin, and remember their wonderful, deep bass voices inspiring whole audiences at their performances. I would recommend going to YouTube to hear them for yourselves.

Ref) Step into the water; wade out a little bit deeper; wet your feet in the water of His love. Step into the water; wade out a little bit deeper; come join angels singing praises to the Lamb of God.

1) It’s time we, the people, stand up for what is right. It’s time we squared our shoulders back and raised our swords to fight. For the Bible is my weapon, and the Spirit is my Shield; the Church needs more of its members to be workers in the field. (ref)

2) There is victory for the Christian who walks the narrow way; there has been a prize appointed for the soul who does not stray. Oh, I want to live for Jesus, and be all that I should be, so that I can rest with Him, forever in Eternity. (Refx3)

As I’ve stated many times before, Matthew 24:36 tells us we don’t know the day or hour that our Savior will return to call us up to meet Him in the clouds. For all who have already received and accepted Him as Savior, it doesn’t matter when because we’re always ready.

For all who do not have Jesus in their hearts, your odds would be better at gambling in Las Vegas than taking a chance of missing the Rapture and going into the seven-year tribulation. It will be a time that will be worse than this earth has experienced so far. God has made it possible for all who receive and accept His Son to miss that awful time (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 and Revelation 3:10).

Seeing all that’s taking place in this world today, the prophecies of the Heavenly Father’s Bible have been completely accurate and are totally up to date. We could hear the Trumpet of God and the shout from the archangel just about any day, any hour, and even any moment now (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

The biggest question each person must answer for themselves is, are the things of this earth more valuable than my eternal soul? For me and my family, we’re ready to leave everything here and be with our Lord and Savior forever.

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! Shalom! Peace to You!