Trained for the Kingdom (Parables from Matthew Pt. 2)
Text: Matthew 13: 51 – 52
(READ TEXT)
Well if you remember from last time, we looked at those two verses and we talked about being trained for the Kingdom, and the importance of getting understanding… and if you remember I said that the Biblical idea of understanding isn’t just having a head full of knowledge or facts, but that’s it’s the right and proper application of those facts. You might have read all there is to read about doing heart surgery and watched a youtube video or two about it… you might have even stayed at a Holiday Inn last night… but surgeons… before they ever get to do surgery on their own, they have to first go through years of schooling, then they have to actually watch a professional do the surgery, then they assist the professional do surgery, then they are observed by the professional while they perform the surgery, and then finally they are allowed to do it on their own. If you haven’t ever had the proper training you probably shouldn’t be doing the actual surgery on anyone. That’s also why, when a person joins the military and they go to Basic Training, not only does the Drill Sergeant tell you what to do, you actually get hands on, task oriented, experiential training. And again the whole purpose for that is to get this Biblical idea of “understanding.”
That’s why Jesus asks His disciples, “Do you understand?”
And then He goes on… in verse 52 and says, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
So in other words; to be trained for the kingdom and to have a proper understanding of Jesus Words and teachings is to be like a scribe. Now that’s pretty wild if you think about who Jesus is talking to here. These guys… the disciples; for the most part, were what we would call uneducated; blue collar workers. Several of them were fishermen. Then there was Simon the Zealot – he was basically kind of a Tea Party militia member. Matthew probably had an education of sorts because he was a tax collector – he worked for the IRS… can you imagine the tension between Simon the Zealot and Matthew? But over-all; these guys weren’t Theologians. They weren’t PhD’s from Harvard. In-fact we don’t really see what we would call a formerly educated disciple until the Apostle Paul comes on the scene. So basically, all of these guys were normal, everyday people, like you or me.
But here Jesus is saying to them that if they get understanding; then they’re going to be the scribes. Now – there was a group of people that the Bible calls scribes. According to the Ben Sira: (which is an ancient book dealing with Jewish life, and practice, and religion) Scribes were “wise men” who not only worked for the local government (in other words; for Herod or Pontius Pilate), but there were also some who served as temple scribes who recorded Scripture, made copies of Scripture, recorded history, and ruled on points of the Law. Some of them even sat on the Sanhedrin – which was kind of like the Supreme Court system of Israel at the time. But here… Jesus is calling these disciples, scribes trained for the kingdom of heaven. To put that in Oklahoma laymen’s terms – Jesus is saying, “If you understand My Words, and My teachings, then you’re way ahead of those so called scribes sitting in the palaces and in the temple.”
Now that word “TRAINED” simply means “DISCIPLE.”
Jesus is making these men into disciples of the kingdom.
And really; we have all kinds of ideas about what makes disciples don’t we? And some of them are pretty good ideas…
You read one book and it might emphasize fellowship, and fellowship is important. Some say you need a mentor, or accountability – and all of those things are important, but don’t miss the foundation. Because that’s really what Jesus is teaching here… He’s saying that the foundation for a growing disciple is to hear His Words and to understand them (or to live them out) in faith. In other words; if we truly want to be disciples we need to get into the Word, be exposed to it more and more, study it, know it, and live it out as we come to understand it. That is the foundational key to being trained effectively for kingdom living.
And that’s what these men did… they listened to Jesus, and gradually they grew in their understanding of His teachings, and that’s what Mary was doing in Luke 10… remember that story? Jesus comes to the home of Mary and Martha, and Martha busies herself with all sorts of things, but Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. And understand… she wasn’t just sitting there all doe eyed. She was listening intently. She was wrestling with Jesus’ words, trying to understand and bring her life into alignment with what Jesus was saying.
You see Church… God’s Word is God’s ordained means of making us His disciples. That’s why we read things like “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” In other words it shows us the way to go. And so God’s Word is not only the incorruptible seed which causes us to be born again, it’s also what He uses to cause faith to develop within us, and not only that; it’s what the Holy Spirit uses to sanctify us (set us apart), and to cleanse us, and train us. That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 7:24 – “Every man who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock…”
Here’s a practical way to know if you’re growing as a disciple – Do you want more of God’s Word or less?
But you know what? It’s even cooler than that! Jesus not only wants to do something to us and in us, but He also wants to do something THROUGH us!
Verse 52 one more time – “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Now let’s say it in the language we’ve been using… Every scribe who has become a disciple brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old…
Have you ever been over to someone’s house and they’re like, “Hey you have to check out this new thing I’ve got!” I’ve been over to Jeff and Jeremy’s and they’ve both shown me their guns… and they’re not bragging or boasting, or showing off… they just know that I appreciate a good collection of firearms and they wanted to share that with me. And they’re excited to share it. And again; it’s not to be showy or flashy, or boastful… For some of you it might be, “Hey let me show you my new tractor…” Or, “Let me show you my new kitchen aid mixer.” One of the “treasures” I show people who visit our house is our ice maker. I know that sounds funny, but MJ bought one of those stand alone ice makers. It makes about a tray full of ice every 7 minutes. And I understand the value of that because I grew up with the old metal ice trays that you would fill every time you used them and then you’d wait an hour or so before you could get more ice. This thing is pumping out a tray of ice every 7 minutes.
Well the idea is the same here in our text. As a disciple; we have a great treasure… it’s the same Treasure we see up in verse 44 (READ MATTHEW 13:44).
I hope you understand what that treasure is… it’s the great prize – more valuable than anything else in life. That’s why this guy… when he finds it, sells everything he has. Because nothing in this world can compare to it.
That treasure is Jesus Christ!
It’s Christ! His person, His work, His Word, His blood, His cross, His empty tomb, His reign at the Father’s right hand. It’s knowing Him and being known by Him! That’s the treasure! And when Matthew says, we pull out both old and new he’s referring to the Old Covenant Scriptures that speak of Christ and promise His coming, and that explained why He was coming… and the new is the New Covenant Scriptures that talk about when He came, and what He has done, and what He continues to do within His Church. They talk about how Jesus fulfilled all those Old Covenant promises. Understand – all Scripture is about Christ!
The old and the new testament Scriptures are the treasures that we as trained scribes of the kingdom are to be drawing on, and sharing…
And that brings us back to where I started last week…
Remember how I started last week. I read to you a quote from Penn Jillette. Let me read it to you again. “How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them?”
The mark of a disciple whose been trained for the kingdom is not simply that they know the truth and love the truth and want more of the truth… it’s that they share the truth that they value so much with others, so that they can come to value it as well. They are opening up their treasure in order to display Jesus to one and all. They want others around them to see what they see, and know what they know, and value what they value.
All of our students here should be able to get this… you see; we’re drawing close to the end of the school year, and that means tests. We have to take those end of the year tests right? And the reason for that test is to determine whether or not you’ve truly learned all that material you’ve been studying for the last year.
Well… the test for us as those being trained as disciples is this… are you sharing what you’ve been taught? Are you sharing your treasure – which is Jesus Christ with others?
One theologian said it like this – “When Jesus Christ is increasingly all to you; you will find it increasingly difficult to keep Him to yourself.”
Another theologian that I read after quite a bit recently said this, and I quote, “I think the greatest sin that Christians are guilty of today isn’t lust, or pride, or even greed. It’s a sin of omission… and it’s a sin of disobedience. It’s the sin of not doing what Christ has clearly commanded us to do in the Great Commission.”
Here’s my point; and I’m gonna’ close with this… Jesus want’s disciples – that’s why He gave His Church the Great Commission. He wants you to be trained for kingdom living, not only so that we ourselves can grow, but so that we can be the salt of the earth. And I pray that by His Holy Spirit He would help us to do that.
