Kingdom Parables, Part 1 B

As you look at the kingdom on earth as it is defined biblical. You must understand several things in the first is this that it is a kingdom composed of the true and the false you don't understand that you get very confused biblical that the kingdom is a term that encompasses all those who externally identify with the people of God want to break up long blocks of teaching with short illustrations want to teach the truth in some other way a more sophisticated way. Consider that today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his study called the parables of the kingdom. Now speaking of the kingdom.

John you have in your hands letter from one of our listeners that tells an encouraging story about how God is using this ministry to draw people into his kingdom. So share that with our listeners. Now this is a wonderful letter that comes from Tracy as she writes, my husband left the Navy in 2019. Because of the disability and we moved back to our home state of Michigan.

The transition from military life to civilian life was a big one for our family and things were strained between my husband and me.

My sister-in-law invited me to a ladies Bible study. Not long after the move to Michigan. We've gone through your books on fundamentals of the faith and God's high calling for women. I've been listening regularly to your sermons on the grace to you Apple over the past year. It's amazing how relevant your sermons from the 1970s are for today because the Bible is relevant. I'm so thankful for your preaching the word faithfully and for offending me with the truth.

Last fall I realized how sinful I really was and you pointed me to the Savior. I came crawling to the cross! I have now found a church that teaches sound doctrine and I'm looking forward to my believers baptism and a couple of weeks.

I pray for the salvation of my husband and children continually.

Your voice is well recognized in our home and in the car. I'm encouraged continually by your teaching to be salt and light and account persecution as a blessing. Thanks for being a faithful instrument of righteousness in this decaying world, and she signs her name. Tracy's sweet letter and we thank the Lord for the role he is allowed grace you to play in Tracy's life in Tracy's one of many lots of people like Tracy have benefited from the word of God because the word of God never returns void. It always accomplishes what God intends it to do and that's what's so wonderful about supporting Grace to you. Your supporting the word of the living God which never returns void. You can't make a better investment. So thank you for faithfully upholding our work in your community and beyond. Yes, thank you and friend. If you want to join us in taking God's word to people around the world helping them understand the word of God accurately and apply it to their lives. Visit TTY.org and I will pass along the rest of our contact information. Right after the lesson, but for now, stay here as John MacArthur continues his look at the parables of the kingdom. There are two basic aspects of God's kingdom and you need to understand these at the very beginning. First is God's universal kingdom and that's very simple to understand that means God rules everything and everyone forever.

He rules everything and everyone forever. He is the sovereign. He is the creator.

He is the sustainer he is the beginning and the end of all things. He dominates all things. He rules over everything and everyone forever.

But then there's a second aspect of God's kingdom. And I suppose that Alva MacLean has given it a title that's as good as any I've searched my own mind for a better one in heaven found one. Let me use his term because of the mediatorial kingdom, that is, it is mediated it is not the direct rule of God is mediated through some other agency through some other individual or individuals and it refers to God's rule on earth is directly referring to God's rule on earth. Now it is this kingdom that is in view in Matthew chapter 6 when the Lord says this pray this way. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done what's in x-rays on earth as it is in heaven.

The as it is in heaven perceives the universal kingdom of God. The on earth perceives the earthly mediated kingdom of God and the prior says God rule on the earth the way you rule everywhere else so that the earth somehow is isolated in the midst of God's universal kingdom as a point of rebellion and it is the only point really where the rebellion is focused in the universe. And here is the prayer God rule on earth as you rule everywhere else in your universe.

And this brings us to the perspective of the mediated kingdom and God's great and glorious universal kingdom. There is a there is a little tiny stage of rebellion that when God created the world. He designed to rule on the earth through human instruments.

Now keep that in mind that's the key. He designed to rule on the earth through human instruments.

Now let me talk for a moment about this mediatorial kingdom. This kingdom which on earth is mediated through the instruments God chooses as you look at the kingdom on earth as it is defined biblical. You must understand several things in the first is this that it is a kingdom composed of the true and the false you don't understand that you get very confused biblical that the kingdom is a term that encompasses all those who externally identify with the people of God you looking at it from from the earthly view as we look at the kingdom of God on the earth.

The mediatorial kingdom we see outward profession and inward possession and the fact of the matter is we really sometimes can't tell which is which. Right we don't know always who is real and who is now this is been true in God's kingdom. You go all the way back when God began to mediate his kingdom after the fall and there were people.

For example, in the nation Israel, through whom God was mediating his kingdom there were people in the nation Israel, who weren't really truly God right now it says in Romans nine Paul said this all Israel is not Israel. All Israel is not Israel. He also said a Jew is not a Jew who is one outwardly, Romans two, but is one what inwardly so there will always be identified with the quote unquote kingdom of God. Both the true and the false if you don't understand that you get very confused when we give an illustration of that right here in Matthew back to chapter 8 says in verse 12.

An interesting word, but the sons of the kingdom, the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth enough you know anything about the New Testament anything about the Gospels you know that that is a description of what place, hell, eternal hell. Now it seems to me that believers do not go to hell that true that is true believers do not go to hell.

Unbelievers go to hell, but would you notice the title of the people who are sent to hell here was her title sons of the light sons of the kingdom. Therefore, we can conclude that not all sons of the kingdom are what believers and that is the whole point.

The Lord is making so you must see within the framework of the kingdom, the true and the false I will see that in Matthew 13 because growing together in the field as the weed under tears and will see that now if you want to see it from an and by the way, this is consistent all through the Scripture you look at John 15. I think you see another illustration.

The very same principle and people get confused about John 15 because they don't understand this concept.

John 15 does not use kingdom terms uses the terms of fine and branches, which is an agricultural metaphor rather than a kingdom metaphor, but none the less that the ideas the same Jesus is on the true vine and you are the branches. Now who are the branches.

Who are the branches of the verse two every branch in me. All right the branches are people in Christ somehow not sure all that that means yet.

In reading this, we have to go on but every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away the year. The glossy what he doesn't. Verse 6000 men gather them, cast them into Firebird. We think that describes take a wild guess. Hell describes hell not, says a branch in me that doesn't bear fruits going to hell. So intimate is when you lose your salvation.

Nobody see you go, go back to the kingdom principal that you can be in the kingdom is not of the king. You understand you can be superficially attached I think is talking about a Judas branch.

At this point where the outward attachment is there, but the obvious lack of life is manifest in the fact that there is no fruit there's no fruit and this is the principle that you have to keep in mind as you get into Matthew 13 that the kingdom of God mediated today as we are living in this interim. This time of the mystery kingdom as at other times in the kingdom will encompass the true and the false, and some of the sons of the kingdom, and some of the branches that attach themselves are going to go to hell sick because there was no real life there. There was no real subjection. There to the king now then you understand some very basic things about the kingdom and this is what is in Matthew's mind as we come to chapter 13, he will show us the character of the kingdom as it will exist in this interim period in which we live not to give it another thought about God's universal kingdom has no conditions for entrance to get that God's universal kingdom has no conditions for entrance. If you are you are in it.

It's everybody and everything forever but God's mediatorial kingdom has a condition, you're not in his mediated kingdom unless according to Mark 115 you repent and believe the gospel. That's what it says unless you repent and believe the gospel if you do not do that. You are not in God's mediated kingdom while you are in his universal kingdom you will suffer under his universal rule over hell. But no, not the blessing of heaven and sold the universal kingdom has no condition for entrance. The mediatorial kingdom does and when Jesus was coming that and saying, repent and believe the kingdom is at hand.

What was he asking men to come into the mediatorial aspect of his kingdom. The redeemed community and there's no room for neutrality. At this point, over and again the Lord was saying. You either receive me or you don't. You're either for me or you're not.

You're either accepting the king or rejecting the king. Therefore either entering the kingdom work being kept out and that was the thing that John the Baptist asked the Jews to decide and that was the thing that Jesus asked him to decide and, tragically, they decided the wrong thing in. They refuse the king and therefore refused his kingdom refused and so he pronounced judgment on this and at that point. Listen carefully the full fulfillment of the kingdom was postponed. You say, does that mean there's no kingdom now know the kingdom now exists, but its primary definition is internal internal in its full fulfillment. It'll be both internal and what external and as you read the Scripture you see Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of David in the literal city of Jerusalem, running with a rod of iron in the nations being brought to Jerusalem to to see him there, and so forth.

And that's the real kingdom of Jesus Christ I say real I mean that external object. If touchable reign of Christ on this literal earth that will, if you have any fears of that is not come to pass. Read Revelation 20. It says it will come to pass on earth for thousand years.

That's the millennial kingdom and will be preceded as I said earlier by the. The internal response to Christ on a worldwide basis, and particularly by Israel and then the kingdom will come in through them to reach the world. But for now, that external element of it in its fullness awaits the belief of Israel.

In the meantime, the kingdom is internal and God is reaching out across the world and bringing people into his kingdom through salvation. I will make one other statement of importance.

I think at this introductory level in verse 11. Would you notice the phrase there.

Jesus says it is given to you to know the mysteries now. That's why we call this the mystery form he called it that the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. I may I suggest to you that the term the kingdom of heaven is a very important term is used in verse 11 that is used in verse 24 is used in verse 31 it is used in verse 33 verse 44 verse 47 and then in verse 52, the phrase the kingdom of heaven is used in at least eight times that some people have tried to suggest that the kingdom of heaven in the kingdom of God are different term that is not true is simply another way of saying, the kingdom of God.

God being synonymous with heaven reason.

We know that is because in the parallel passage to this in Luke the term the kingdom of God is used to refer to the same thing.

So two titles used to refer to the same thing mean the same thing. So we accept the fact that the kingdom of God in the kingdom of heaven are the same.

That's not important to most of you. It might be important to some of you now just another note to try to help you define this. The period in which we live is also called the church age. It is synonymous with the church age. We are the unique mystery of this. And that is defined for us rather explicitly by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3 he says this is the mystery which in other ages was not made known to the sons of man is now revealed to the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs and the same body, and partakers of the promise of in Christ by the gospel. In other words, the mystery of this age is that Jew and Gentile, would constitute a new body, a new identity unknown and that is the church.

The church is the body of Christ is made up of Jew and Gentile. That was not seen in the Old Testament that was hidden from them, so is a sense in which this is the mystery age. This is the kingdom, but it is also the church now, having said that, we must say that the kingdom is not the same as the church and the church is not the same as the kingdom. In this sense, the kingdom was before the church and the kingdom concept goes beyond the church, but for this period of time. They are one and the same, but the kingdom you must see is sweeping beyond those things and I might add as well that in all of that sweet you will have within the kingdom both the true and the fault you had it in the Old Testament, and it with the nation Israel.

You have it now in the church and listen to this, you'll have it, even in the millennium where right on the earth in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. There will be believers and unbelievers as witnessed by the fact that at the end of that millennial time when Satan is loosed from the pit and goes about the earth. He gathers a multitude of people. Disney and makes an army and fights against Jesus Christ. So whenever you're looking at the mediated kingdom on earth. Whether you're looking Old Testament or millennium or anytime in between. You always see the true in the fall side-by-side. So were not surprised today to find it all were not surprised today to find the church populated by unbelieving people and may not be that they admitted but if the truth were known, we would see that that is the case. The second verses one and two and at least will get a very small start now. Therefore, things are what you see the places. First of all, the place is just a small point, but I think it's an interesting kind of way to remember, think, and then the plan and then the purpose and the promise first visited the place verse one, the same day was at me what day were the same day with whatever's been going on what's been going on. Well, Jesus is in a house tells of the end of chapter 12 and his mother and brothers and all came to prior to that he was letting the Pharisees habit. Prior to that, they accused him of blasphemy.

Prior to that he had to chapter 12 verse 22 healed a man possessed with a demon who was blind and dumb craps death been some day. In fact, it may have been even that there been other healings. It may have been a whole day full of healings and he heals a demoniac, then he is blasphemed. Then he pronounces judgment. Then his parents, then he gives an invitation at the end on the same day what one day what same. He went out of the house and he said by the seaside. Now I know that that's just a geographical footnote and I know that it doesn't convey any profound spiritual truth. And I suppose I stop at that point and said to him was wise, all that there why does it even bother to say that it doesn't even really matter because he started in verse three spoke many things soon under them in parables, you don't even need to want to because one says he went out of the house at the seaside and twos has great multitudes gathered together to him so that he went into a boat and sat in the whole multitude sit on the shore and it's also interesting I think to note that at the beginning of his ministry. He seemed to be in houses quite a lot whereas as you begin to see his ministry from here on. Toward the end of his ministry.

He seems to be outdoors a lot and you seem teaching by the seaside CM teaching on the highways and the byways in the village streets you see them on the hillsides you see them in the countryside. It's almost as if there's some sort of a subtle statement being made is in. This is a new dimension the kingdom is preached to the nations, and I know to is I kinda thought this through and traced it. It seemed to me that early in the life of Jesus. He spent more time in the synagogue later in the life of Jesus. He spent less time in the synagogue and the times it is synagogue.

Later his wife were extremely hostile. There's a real turning here and it says in verse two he found a great multitude. It's an indiscriminate multitude is and that was going to be the. The major thrust.

The public curiosity was still very high about Jesus in spite of the leaders rejection.

There were many people who were interested in empty fascinated people and they just mobbed him and it says that he had so many people pushing and they pushed him into the water and I mean I can understand that kind of pressure on someone like him.

Can you imagine if you could heal all the diseases there were. If you could speak the words that he spoke of, and you would be the attraction of all attractions and they're basically in those days were not available. Books and sources of entertainment. I'm in this to be the most fascinating thing going by a long shot in the massive crowd just pushed him, and in those days they would take the little fishing boats and it would beach them up on the sand and he found one of those beached boats and I'm sure he got his 12th to help him or some of them and they push the little thing offshore anyone out about waist deep in got in the boat. They probably had them standing in the water up to their waist, holding the sides of the boat or else he would've been spinning around or being carried along by the tide and as the water flopped and lapped on the shore. He set off the shore. In his book and they stood on the shore and he spoke many things unto them in parables and what he says they didn't understand at all. 107 that was the whole point. That was the whole point were you saying John this, you know, listen when he speaks clear he will speak so you can understand your know something first.

He spoke to them in simple terms.

No parables.

Up to this point there's not one parable recorded. There are some wonderful illusions, figures of speech, but no parables because a parable unexplained is a riddle that can't be understood. Three spoke very clearly. Then when they didn't listen. He spoke riddles listen to this when they still didn't listen first Corinthians 14 says he spoke in a language they couldn't understand the depth deeper and deeper into darkness and so a turning point. But to those who believed he explained every single detail and you'll understand them too. If you believe as we go through this chapter) prayer father, thank you for sending the king offering us his kingdom.

Thank you that if we repent and believe the gospel.

We can enter the kingdom. Even though the king was rejected even though the full fulfillment of the kingdom and its internal and external glory awaits his second coming. We thank you that the internal development of the kingdom is here and now and the kingdom is in our midst for the king rains in the hearts of his redeemed people. Thank you that we can be a part of the kingdom. Our hearts are grieved that the world today is no more eager to receive the king and his kingdom then was Israel of old and yet we rejoice, Lord, that even after the announcement of judgment. There was always the message of grace coming to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I give you rest. Either do with the will of my father.

The same is my brother and sister and mother always the message of grace and so Lord to this rejecting world. We must preach the message of judgment because they too have rejected the king but for some, their hearts are opened to do your will to come for rest, we would ask Lord today that if there are any in this place gathered, who do not know Jesus Christ that today they might open their hearts to him, but they might be translated as Paul put it to the Colossians from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear son. May they believe the gospel, and repent turning from their sin and sorrow and brokenness and may they enter the kingdom to walk forever with the king. Father, I ask you to do your work in every heart. Bring those that you would have the common bring us all to the place of confession, repentance with deeper commitment to you.

Take this day Lord, and make it your own blessed abundantly and every person returns to you. May they know the fullness of blessing beyond their greatest expectation for Christ's sake, we pray that's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is current study on grace to you is looking at the parables of the kingdom. Well friend before the lesson John read a letter from a woman named Tracy who is benefited from our verse by verse teaching that God used grace to you to draw her to Christ and now we're able to reach people like Tracy all over the world because listeners like you give if you want to have a part in drawing people into the kingdom. Express your support today. You can mail your tax deductible gift to grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 where you can call us toll-free anytime at 855 grace. You can also donate online@tty.org and keep in mind your gifts not only translate into broadcasts like today's. They also allow us to send thousands of free Bible study to including books, CDs or study guides to Christians around the world month after month biblical truth is needed more than ever today you can help people in your area and beyond benefit from verse by verse Bible teaching if you'd like to partner with us.

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