Do you understand all these things? Matthew 13: 51-58

Matthew 13: 51-58 51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. 52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.

Matthew 13: 51-58  54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Serious things tomorrow Many years ago there lived in Greece a ruler named Archias. A very selfish man, he lived only for pleasure and cared little or nothing for the needs of his people. Many hated him, and at last some plotted together to kill him. Archias knew nothing of the plot, but a friend in Athens heard of it. Immediately, he wrote a letter to the king warning him of his danger and pointing out a way to escape. Urgently the vital message was sent on its way.

Serious things tomorrow Archias was busy holding a great feast when the messenger arrived, but since he came all the way from Athens with an important letter, he was admitted at once into the presence of the king. "My lord," he said, "your friend earnestly begs you to read his message at once as it speaks of serious things." Archias, merry with wine and bent on pleasure, was in no mood to read the letter then. Never guessing what it contained, he laughingly cast it aside, exclaiming as he did so, "Serious things tomorrow!" Then he returned to his pleasure. Poor man. For him tomorrow never came. 

Do you understand all these things? “All God’s children are stillborn. They come spiritually dead into the world. And dead they continue till they are born again of the Holy Ghost.” – Augustus Toplady

Matthew 12: 29 29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.”

Jesus’ emotion “You blame me for weeping but how can I help it when you will not weep for yourselves though your immortal souls are on the verge of destruction.” – George Whitfield.

Applying knowledge “Many in the old world knew there was an ark but were drowned because they did not get into it. Knowledge which is not applied will only light a man to hell. It would be better to live a savage than to die an infidel under the gospel. Christ not believed in is terrible. Moses’ rod when it was in his hand did a great deal of good. It wrought miracles; but when it was out of his hand it became a serpent. So Christ, when I laid hold on by the hand of faith, is full of comfort, but not laid hold to will prove a serpent to bite.” - Thomas Watson.

Do we really believe in Christ? “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million of enemies. Yet the distance makes no difference; He is praying for me.” – 19th century Scottish preacher M’Cheyne

Believing in Christ “40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” – John 5:40 “6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14: 6 “3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3 “2 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.  For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.” – Matthew 22-23

Richard baxter “A hard heart now makes heaven and hell seem but trifles. We have showed them everlasting glory and misery, and they are as men asleep; our words are as stones cast against a wall, which fly back in our faces. We talk of terrible things, but it is to dead men; we search the wounds, but they never feel it; we speak to rocks rather than to men; the earth will as soon tremble as they. But when these dead souls are revived, what passionate sensibility, what working affections, what pangs of horror, what depths of sorrow will there then be! How violently will they denounce and reproach themselves! How will they rage against their former madness! The lamentations of the most affectionate wife for the loss of her husband, or of the tenderest mother for the loss of her children, will be nothing to theirs for the loss of heaven.” – Richard Baxter