REVELATIONS FROM THE SEVEN PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
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OUTLINE
1. The Parable of the Sower
2. The Parable of the Weeds
3. The Parables of the Mustard Seed
4. The Parables of the Yeast
5. The Parable of the Treasure hidden in the field
6. The Parable of the Pearl of great value
7. The Parable of the Net
THE MESSAGE
REVELATIONS FROM THE SEVEN PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
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1. The Parable of the Sower :
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The Parable of the sower teaches us the importance of the condition of our hearts for the word of God to bear fruit in our lives. If our hearts do not understand the word of God , the devil will take away the word of God from our hearts . We must pay close attention when we hear the word of the God so that we can understand clearly what the Lord is saying to us . Otherwise the word of God will not have any effect in our lives. If our hearts are like stony ground , we may receive the word of God with joy , but we will not endure long because we cannot endure trials and tribulations and we will fall away. If our hearts are like thorny ground , the word of God that we receive will be choked by the thorns such as the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth and the word of God sown in our hearts will not bear fruit. But if our hearts are like good ground, we will receive the word of God in truth and honesty and we will keep the word in our hearts and bear fruit with patience . We must examine the condition of our hearts if we are not experiencing the power of the word of God . Instead of doubting the faithfulness of the promises of God , we must prepare our hearts to become good soil for the word of God to bear fruit in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13: 1-9 , 18-23
" That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
He who has ears, let him hear."
"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Luke 8:15
" But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. "
2. The Parable of the Weeds :
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The Parable of the weeds teaches us that the enemy may plant weeds in the field of the Lord . We should not be surprised to find evil doers in the midst of the people of God . This is the work of the devil . However the Lord will allow these weeds to remain in the field till the end of the age when he will send his angels to seperate these weeds from the wheat and throw all the weeds into the furnace. We must be patient when evil doers and the wicked are not destroyed immediately.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13: 24-29 , 36-43
" Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
"The owner’s servants came to him and said, ’Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
" ’An enemy did this,’ he replied. "The servants asked him, ’Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
" ’No,’ he answered, ’because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ "
" Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."
3. The Parables of the Mustard Seed :
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The parable of the mustard seed teaches us that in the Kingdom of God , the beginning may be small but the end will be abundant . We should not despise small beginnings . The Lord begins his work in a small way but will cause it to grow abundantly . When we are faithful in the little responsibilities , the Lord will give us great tasks to fulfill.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13:31-32
" He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
Job 8:7
" Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly. "
Zechariah 4:10
"Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
"(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)"
Luke 19:17
" ’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ’Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ "
4. The Parables of the Yeast :
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The Parable of the Yeast teaches us the danger of allowing corrupting influences in our lives . A little yeast can leaven trhe whole lump. The Lord warns us of the yeast of the Pharisees and Saducees which is their false doctrines and their hypocrisy. The Lord warns us not to take sin lightly as it will soon destroy us completely.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13:33
" He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."
Mathew 16: 5-12
"When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.
"Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn’t bring any bread."
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?
Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. "
Luke 12:1-3
" Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. "
I Corinthians 5:6-8
" Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?
Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. "
Galatians 5:9
"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."
5. The Parable of the Treasure hidden in the field :
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The Parable of the Treasure hidden in the field teaches us the work of Christ the Messiah for His chosen people , the children of Israel . The Jews are His chosen people and the Lord has paid a great price for their redemption. His great plan for his chosen people will soon be fulfilled. We can also learn from this parable that the treasures of the Kingdom of God are attainable only by those who are willing to pay the price and are willing to sacrifice everything to attain them. The treasures of the Kingdom of God are not for those who live a superficial life reaching out only for those things which are free and easy . The treasures can be obtained only by digging deep . Only when we reach the depths of intimacy in our walk with God , we will obtain the treasures of the Kingdom of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13:44
" The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "
6. The Parable of the Pearl of great value :
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The Parable of the pearl of great value teaches us the great price that Christ paid for His Church . Christ loved the church and gave everything that he had and purchased the church with His own blood. We can also learn from this parable the great value of knowing Christ intimately and that we can sacrifice everything for this great privilege. The Apostle Paul realised the great treasure that he gained in knowing Christ intimately that he considered everything he sacrificed for the sake of knowing Christ as loss and rubbish .
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13: 45
" Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."
Philippians 3:7-8
" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ "
7. The Parable of the Net :
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The Parable of the Net teaches us of the day of Judgement at the end of the age when the angels will seperate the wicked from the righteous . Surely there is a reward for the righteous. We need not be disheartened when we see the wicked prosper in this world . The Lord is faithful to reward those who walked before Him uprightly and He will surely punish those who walked in wickedness and iniquity.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 13: 47-50
" Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "
Malachi 3:13-18
"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, ’What have we said against you?’
"You have said, ’It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?
But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’ "
Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."
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