Kingdom Parables, Part 2 B

Jesus says I'm going to show you mysteries of the kingdom of heaven never revealed to anybody but there given to you to know but not them because they don't accept it. So Lord then unfolds and ties same God and obscure to those who are willfully ignorant. You ever wondered why Jesus didn't just make his teaching plain to everyone. Why conceal truth from those who arguably needed the most.

Why make the meaning difficult to grasp. Consider those questions today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his study from the 13th chapter of Matthew titled the parables of the kingdom. Now with the message here's John now as we look at Matthew 13. I want to give you just a general overview and a sense of what's going on in the mind of our Lord as he teaches here three points I want you to know the plan. The purpose and the promise and I think these three will help us to get a grasp of this great chapter. First is the plan.

Verse three and he spoke many things unto them in parables. The plan of our Lord was to speak in parables now listen very carefully. Admittedly, while parables explain things and parables, help us understand things and parables make things clear. Listen when they are explained to us and unexplained parable is nothing but an impossible riddle and unexplained parable is an impossible riddle unable to be understood and that is why he had to explain everything, even to his own disciples in Mark 410 indicating the same occasion when he was alone. They that were about him with the 12 asked of him. The parable and he said unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But under those who are outside all these things are done in parables, he said it's only for you.

Jesus only explained the parables to the 12 and those who believe not to the rest. All they got was on and explained parables and those are nothing but riddles, unable to be understood. That takes us to verse 10 and the purpose for his plan, the disciples came and said to him, why speak us now unto them in parables.

Why do you just give him these parables without explanation why do you do that, he answered and said under them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given that tells us about the purpose of parables they are to reveal and they are to what conceal to song they make truth clear to others. They make it even more unclear now Jesus says it's for you to know the mysteries.

Now when he said that word. No doubt there cultural identification help them to understand it better than we do when we think of the word mystery. We think of Agatha Christie or somebody we think of some kind of whodunit, but that is not the way they did in the Greek culture in the Hellenistic world of that era mysteries were sacred secrets known only to upper-level religionists. They were true is only for the initiated. Now we have a parallel of that with the secret societies of today like the Masons and others who have these secret proves that nobody knows except the people who get the certain levels to know that that's really a heritage born out of Gnosticism. From the word gnosis to know we are the ones who are in the know we know the secrets and the mystery religions of of Greece, which were born out of Babylon were religions in which there were these secrets that you attained as you moved up the ladder of that religion. For example, one of the most famous mysteries was the mystery of Isis and Osiris. Osiris was a wise and good King Seth his wicked brother hated him and with 72 conspirators persuaded him to come to a banquet and when he came to the banquet. He put them in a coffin and threw them in the Nile River body was found by his wife and brought home and while he was at home gets complicated. Seth came again and cut his body into 14 pieces and ship them 14 locations throughout all Egypt figuring that would be the end of Osiris. However Osiris pulled himself together is actually his wife went everywhere and collected the pieces and he rose from the dead and became forever after the immortal King of the living and the dead. Now the initiated people were told what that story meant everyone of those little things had little secret. It talked about goodness being attacked by evil, the sorrowing search of love. The triumphal discovery that love finds its object, raising to life.

Death conquered reborn for eternity and the ultimate secret was that if you as a worshiper would say to Osiris. I am Val and thou art hi. You would then be placed in union with Osiris and live forever. That was the ultimate secret that without an explanation.

You can only do your best to make sense out of that whole thing, but they had a down Internet cyber Jesus is I'm going to show you mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. The secrets never revealed to anybody but there given to you to know but not them because they don't accept the king so the Lord then unfolds and hides at the same time. Look at verse 12 for whosoever hath inheres the principal that he uses for whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. Oh, what a great statement that is the only singer whoever has, whereas what will whoever has, in the sense of having received from God that which comes to those who believe whoever is regenerate whoever as a part of the kingdom.

Whoever has received the king and believed in the king and therefore identifies with the king. Whoever has accepted God's truth will get more of God's truth that is sent. That is enlightenment that is illumination as the one who has gets more and more and more. You remember the parables of our Lord where you find the Fed the unfaithful servant and invariably the Lord will say take what he has and give it to those who already have more and what he has. He lose to the one who accepts the simplicity of the king and his kingdom. God will begin to reveal an ascending revelation of truth. That's what he says to those who live up to the light of Christ. He will give more light and more light and more like but then look at the rest of the verse, but whosoever hath not, that is whoever is not regenerate. Whoever does not accept the king and his kingdom. Whoever does not believe God, from him shall be taken, even what he had was empty. While there may have been a little bit of of light daunting as he was being led to that point. Certainly that was true of Israel, the king, a term he had taught he preached he had done miracle after miracle after miracle they had some understanding of who he was. Some understanding of what he could do some glimpses and foretaste of the kingdom. They had seen the signs of the of the spirit of God dancing wonders.

They had some of that but when they said no to the king, even what they had.

They loss it. None. None of it made anymore sense and they begin a descent into more profound and deeper darkness all the time.

I think we see that today nobody in our society. No group of people in our society are as lost in terms of disorientation from their religion as Jewish people. They had the covenants is the promises that that the gifts of God the father's the adoptions, all that stuff in Romans nine he pauses you had everything and as soon as they rejected the king and the light went out.

They began to lose the meaning of everything that you see if you live up to that light which Christ gives them more light comes if you refuse that light and deeper darkness ensues in the parables of the servants and the talents reiterate this again and again take away what he has and give it to one who has rightly responded to me and so he says even what they have.

They will lose all men.

Then I listen carefully. All men then are in progress or down. It's a fearful thing. No man stays static. The longer you know Jesus Christ more faithfully is to reveal his truth, the longer you refuse, Jesus Christ, the deeper the pit of darkness become verse 13 Jesus says therefore I speak to them in parables I speak to them in parables because this is an act of judgment they seeing see not hearing they hear not, neither do they understand because they will not hear with understanding they will not see. I will now speak to them so they can, not see you see what happens is that willful rejection becomes judicial rejection man says no. So God says no as well.

God confirms men in their own stubbornness. God binds them by their own chain and for them. The parables become interesting stories and they really don't know what the point is just riddles and then marvelous statement in verses 1450 and in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah right on schedule. This was no surprise that they rejected the king. No surprise, they fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 6 verses nine and 10, which Seth by hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive for this people's heart is become fat gross. Their ears are dull of hearing their eyes. They close less than any time they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears should understand with their heart should be converted nice and healed. You know when Isaiah wrote that Isaiah wrote that at a time of profound judgment on Israel. He had just pronounced a series of curses on them. He cursed them for all of their drunkenness, debauchery, their immorality cursed them for their bribery curse them for their oppression of the poor. He cursed them for their hypocritical religion. And then, of course, at the height of all that cursing is the King Uzziah died, and the country plunged into the darkest days in a long time. They were on the edge of imminent conquering in the Babylonian captivity came as that judgment and Isaiah says to them.

Now God is going to judge you.

You wouldn't here and you wouldn't see. And now you can hear, and you can't see. You wouldn't be converted and you wouldn't be healed. And now you can be healed or converted and it wasn't long after that Jeremiah echoed the message of Isaiah and the great hordes came and swept away the people in the Babylonian captivity. That was the first fulfillment of Isaiah's words and Jesus says here's the second sort parables listen carefully are a judgment on unbelief. The fact that the natural man understand is not the things of God is not only a statement about his ignorance is a statement about God's judgment on that individual and the fact that we love Jesus Christ understand the Bible is not a statement about our intellect is a statement about God's gracious illumination of our hearts and minds.

This is judgment look at it this way. When Jesus first came.

His words are very clear. He said he was looking he proved he was the king he preached the kingdom message.

He said here's how it is in my kingdom. He said repent.

The kingdom is at hand. He gave Molly to know about the kingdom. They didn't hear they refused. So when they wouldn't listen to the clear words that he spoke you never back in Matthew 5 to 7. He would say the kingdom of heaven is like, and then he would use that analogy sold or lighter birds or lilies of the field and he would always explain its meaning. Therefore, he said, seek ye first the kingdom, and all these things back was always very clear what he meant and then when they hardened their hearts and blaspheme him and said he was from Satan. Then he talked to them in riddles that he did not explain want to see with the third step was look at the 14th chapter of first Corinthians 14 chapter of first Corinthians in verse 21 in the law is written, he says, quoting out of Isaiah 28 and here is another word of judgment pronounced by Isaiah on Israel with men of other tongues are languages and other lips will I speak to this people. And yet for all that will they not hear me, says the Lord. Wherefore, languages or tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not the listen. People always asked me what or tongues for that says right there. They are assigned for moon not for those who believe.

But for those that believe not, where was Tom's primarily used the day of Pentecost in the face of the Israelites. Why listen. Clearly they wouldn't listen. When he spoke to them clearly in their own language so we judge them by speaking in riddles. They wouldn't listen and seek the truth then so thirdly, he spoke to them in a language they didn't even know see the progression of judgment. Tongues are a sign of judgment upon Israel.

God is now talking so you can't even understand the language. I go back to Matthew 13. With that in mind, so that he says the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled. So the plan was to speak in parables, and the purpose of the parables was to reveal and conceal that we seen the conceal us. Look at the reveal in verse 60 but blessed are your eyes for they see in your ears, for they hear that great when that's the other side we understand the parables you say how so because Jesus explained them and we have the New Testament text, and also because the spirit of God is our teacher is the illumination Mark 434 of this same incident. Says he expounded all things to them and over in verse 52 to see if there of Matthew 1351.

Rather, Jesus said to them, have you understood all these things and they said unto him, what yes Lord, they were smarter they just possess the illuminating presence of Jesus Christ. This was part of his ministry at the end of Luke's gospel in verse 45. After the road to Emmaus. It says, then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures and you want to know something. Listen to me even though you regenerate, you would still not understand the Scripture were it not for the illuminating work of the Spirit of God that is his marvelous, illuminating work, and that is why the psalmist in Psalm one 1918 cries out open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things out of thy law. That's the heart of Isaiah and 64 one when he says, oh God rang the heavens and come down. I got have an explanation is what he said but verse 17 said, I say unto you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see those things which you see have seen them not to hear the things you hear of heard them that Isaiah said rend the heavens and come down and he was alive when the heavens were rented and he did come down. They were not perfected. He was 11 says without us.

Peter says they were looking into their own prophecies and searching what person and what time these things would come to pass.

They didn't get to see what we see they didn't see what the disciples saw in the heavens being around God coming down in human flesh to reveal his truth or how wonderful it is that we now have the resident Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, that one of whom it says in first Corinthians that he searches the deep things of God and reveals them to us and we only know that because of the spirit revealing them to us, even for the save.

There has to be divine illumination that is a mean we don't have to study we have to study to keep from being ashamed there is the discipline of study and in the process. The illumination of the spirit of God, so parables conceal as an act of judgment against Israel. At the same time, the reveal because Jesus gave the parables and gave the explanation today we have the word you say Jesus is ahead of explain nobody so when I go whale send another explainer the Holy Spirit and he will lead you into all truth. You realize what a privilege we had, you realize that we not only have this book. But we have its author living in us to explain it to us to interpret it to us to apply it to us how they of old hungered for that and so the plan so the purpose, one of the thought came to my mind that is the promise. The promise is a person who tries to think logically and as I try to anticipate the question. The inevitable question and it came from several sources as well. If the king offered the kingdom and they rejected it, that this foul up the plan is God up in heaven making alterations see adjusting saying I sent the king if they accept the king to get the kingdom of the dome except the king, they don't get the kingdoms I got have plan and plan B. This is all over what's going on. The fact that he had to judge these people for their unbelief in the kingdom had to be postponed and the mystery H had to be dropped in was that sort of an additional thing tacked on. When things didn't work out the way they were supposed let's look at the promise in verse 35 verse 34 says he spoke only in parables verse 35 says in order that for the purpose that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Marvelous you know so that Asaph Asaph was a prophet and a senior and that is what he said in Psalm 78 verse two. That's a Psalm by Asaph and Asaph predicted that the Messiah would have to speak in parables that he would have to speak in parables as an act of judgment and that to his own people. He would reveal a secret From the foundation of the world. Listen, God did in the just before the foundation of the world. He knew they would reject and he knew we have to put that secret mystery.

In was at senses.

Everything is on schedule. God is not making alterations as he goes. He sovereign, everything is on schedule, but I hope that wet your appetite a little bit for the message of Matthew 13. That's just the beginning.

Listen carefully to what I must say there are some great profound lessons we see, let me sum up the key once first truth is only available to people who believe and are taught by God. The other side of that is the second trip rejection of Jesus Christ means the D increasing darkness of unbelief.

You don't stay in the same spot, it gets deeper and deeper and deeper in the third point that I want to see is that God's plan is on schedule. It's big enough to encompass the unbelief of Israel and the mystery of this. This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John has been our featured speaker since 1969. He's also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary and our current study is looking at the parables of the kingdom. John, today you talked about the important discipline of studying God's word as well as the role of divine illumination.

The work of the Holy Spirit to enlighten us as to the meaning of Scripture, but of course God also provides preachers and teachers gifted men to help believers grow in their understanding of Scripture and I think we would say humbly and gratefully that grace to you is part of God's provision for equipping his people with the truth. That's absolutely right.

The truth of God's word depends on preachers and teachers.

But I think it goes beyond that you would see this. Of course it Grace Community Church all these years. We not only tell our people. What this text means we show them why it means that, and consequently were teaching them how to do the same thing that we do so in expository preaching that is done right, you are showing the meaning of the Scripture, and your showing the people how you got to that meaning of Scripture, which then teaches them the same process. This is just an incredible blessing for the people who sit under that kind of preaching and we we believe it's an incredible blessing for people around the world who do the same because of grace to you and that happens because of your support. So if I grace to you has fed your soul and if you want to share in making it possible for us to continue doing this we need to hear from you and we would love to have you invest when you lay up your treasure in heaven. You know moth and rust doesn't corrupt these don't break through and steal. Jesus said in your basically laying up an eternal reward so you need to keep that as a priority, your church, of course, comes first. But whatever you want to give to Grace to you will help us come alongside churches all across the world and help strengthen God's people and even bring the gospel to those who don't know Christ, pray for us. Let us know how, grace to you has helped you by writing us contact us.

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Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 now for John MacArthur in the entire grace to you staff on Phil Johnson with a question for you are. Some people permanently beyond redemption by Christ. Consider that tomorrow when we returned with another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth set a time on grace to you