Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Parables of the Kingdom: Its Value Matthew 13:44-52 What would you save if you had 10 minutes to evacuate before it a fire would come & destroy your house

Setting the Context The conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders has reached a peak Jesus has rebuked them and warned the people about being like them Jesus begins to teach in parables in order to reveal truth to His followers and conceal it from His enemies

Setting the Context The mysteries revealed about the kingdom are in contrast to the then common understanding of prophecy The parable of the soils revealed the kingdom would come through a message that only a few would believe The parable of the tares revealed God’s tolerance of sinners until the end of the age

Setting the Context The parable of the mustard seed revealed the kingdom would start small and then grow large The parable of the leaven revealed the kingdom would expand through its internal influence Jesus spoke many more parables, but Matthew only records the last three told only to the disciples

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure Matthew 13:44 People buried their wealth to protect if from thieves and marauding armies If the person who buried the treasure died or was taken captive, its location would be unknown

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure Matthew 13:44 The man was filled with joy when he accidentally found a treasure in a field The man did not steal the treasure but went and sold all he had in order to buy the field and legally secure it

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure Matthew 13:44 The parable is in contrast to the expectation for Messiah to come and conquer and set up a Jewish kingdom The kingdom would come hidden, and a person who found it and knew its value would give all to get it

The Parable of the Costly Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 The merchant would buy quality pears from the Persian Gulf and coast of India to sell at a profit elsewhere He found one pearl so extraordinary that he sold all he had in order to purchase it In those times pearls were the most highly valued gem - much like diamonds today

The Parable of the Costly Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 This parable is connected to the previous one by “again,” so its point is similar Man’s only value comes from being made in the image of God - and sinners will be judged for defiling it

The Parable of the Costly Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 They expected the kingdom to come upon them with the arrival of Messiah and gain it by blood line Here, the kingdom exists in such a manner that what is valuable must still be actively sought

The Parable of the Costly Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 The man stumbled onto the treasure while the merchant actively looked for good but found extraordinary Both men recognized the value of what they found and sold all they had in order to acquire it

Gaining a Place in Christ’s Kingdom Some people stumble upon salvation while others search for truth and finally find Jesus is the truth Salvation cannot be earned or purchased by man, but a transaction takes place - the old is given for the new Isaiah 55:1-7

Gaining a Place in Christ’s Kingdom Your wickedness is exchanged for God’s righteousness through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ Life in Christ costs nothing in the sense of paying for it, but it costs everything in the sense of surrender

Gaining a Place in Christ’s Kingdom Christians find that sinful pleasures have no value compared to walking with Christ - Philippians 3:5-7 If you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, what is holding you back that you value more than His offer?

The Parable of the Dragnet Matthew 13:47-50 A large net was spread in the water and then drawn in after which the good and bad would be separated This parable is also connected to the previous by the word “again,” and is similar to the wheat /tares

The Parable of the Dragnet Matthew 13:47-50 2 Peter 3:9 - God tolerates sin because He is patient and calls people to repentance, but judgment will come Romans 1:18-32 - God’s wrath against ungodliness is revealed - mostly in consequences of sin

The Parable of the Dragnet Matthew 13:47-50 Hell is a real place of eternal torment shut out from God - 2 Thess. 1:8-9; Matt. 22:13; Mark 9:43-44 Hell was made for the devil & his angels, but those who do not obey the gospel will also go there

The Parable of the Dragnet Matthew 13:47-50 Denial and false doctrine do not change reality - Hell is as real as heaven according to Jesus - Matt. 25:31-46 Death brings worse suffering, not relief, for the unbeliever - Hell should scare you, fear the Lord (Mt. 10:28)

Conclusions Matthew 13:51-52 God is holy and just and so will judge, but also loving, merciful and gracious and so offers salvation Isaiah 55:6-7 - Repentance and faith go hand in hand

Conclusions Matthew 13:51-52 They understood the prophecies & the parables and so could proclaim the good news of the kingdom God has provided a way of salvation for those currently on the path to hell, we must proclaim the Gospel

Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ