The Authority Of The King

The Authority Of The King

Text: Matthew 14:1-36

Focus: Matthew 14:15-33

What we will find as we continue to study in the Book of Matthew is that Jesus Christ will continue to prove His authority. We will see Him as He suspends the laws of nature for His use. We will see that all the laws of nature are obedient to the God of creation. We will see how Christ Jesus can and will always provide for those that follow Him. We will see that even Christ Jesus spent some time alone, in His prayer closet with the Father who is in Heaven.

We will find that after His rejection Jesus withdrew some from the crowds and spent some time alone. Christ dealt with three groups of people at this time.

1.) His enemies.

2.) His disciples.

3.) The many multitudes that followed after Him.

The multitudes wanted to make Jesus King.

His enemies wanted to kill Him.

His disciples continuously showed a lack of faith at times.

When we see and realize the truth of these scriptures, how can we not allow Jesus to rule in our lives?

Before we begin let's take a look at this man called Herod.

Vs. 1-14)

The Herod family were enemies to Christ Jesus and to the Jews.

1.) We first saw Herod the Great.

He ruled from 37 BC to 4 BC the birth of Christ. This man was not a true Jew by birth. He was an Edomite. He was a descendant of Esau. If we look back to the prophesy of Isaac:

Gen 27:39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

Gen 27:40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

We can see it is this time, the time of Christ and the beginning of the Church that the descendants of Esau had dominion over the Jews and they broke the yoke of domination of the Jews. The descendants of Esau hated the Jew and we can see that the rule of the Herods was a terrible time for the Jew.

Herod was a heathen and he was also a monster. It was this Herod that ordered the murder of the infants in Bethlehem.

Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

This Herod had nine wives and he thought nothing of slaying his wives or his sons if they got in the way of his plans.

2.) We see in our chapter 14, Herod Antipas.

He was a son of Herod the Great. As "tetrarch" he was a ruler over just one fourth of his father's kingdom. He ruled from 4 BC till 39 AD. He was a selfish ruler and was ambitious to become a great ruler. When he heard about Jesus and the things he did, this Herod thought that Christ Jesus could be a resurrected John the Baptist.

This Herod was guilty of gross sin. He had eloped with Herodias who was the wife of his half brother Philip I after having divorced his own wife who was the daughter of the King of Petra. Herodias was also a half sister of this Herod making this an incestuous relationship.

Mat 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

Mat 14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

3.) There was also Herod Agrippa.

This the Herod who killed the Apostle James and imprisoned Peter:

Act 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Act 12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Act 12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4.) There was also Herod Agrippa II.

This was the Herod that tried the Apostle Paul.

Act 25:13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

Act 25:21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

Act 25:22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

****In our chapter 14 we see that John the Baptist had preached the truth of the Bible. God's rulers "even if they are unbelievers" are expected to live moral lives. The Bible proves that God did chastise the nation of Israel if the rulers did not follow God's laws.

God expects all rulers to live moral lives even today and nations are still chastised for not following God's laws.

The Moral laws are the "schoolmaster" of this world to all peoples.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

There are no rulers that are not put in place except of God.

Joh 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, [except it were given thee from above]: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

As Herod had murdered John the Baptist, he was also determined to kill Jesus:

Luk 13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

If you study it out you will find that that word "fox" is feminine. Jesus was saying "Go tell that vixen" Which could have meant that He was saying to Herod that it was Herodias that was the true ruler of his throne.

What we see in history after this incident, is that Herod soon lost his prestige and power. His armies were defeated by the Arabs and The Roman Emperor Caligula ignored his request to be made king and he was soon banished from Israel and died in Spain.

This Herod is remembered as the man who killed the greatest prophet that ever lived:

Luk 7:28 [For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist]: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

We find that the Bible teaches that Christ was cautious after the murder of John and followed His own timetable to the cross, fulfilling all prophesy.

The Jewish nation had permitted the death of John the Baptist. The ruling government was immoral and "when the religious leaders should have stood with this, God's prophet", they stood with the world.

The nation of Israel stood with it's religious leaders also becoming the enemy of God.

Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? [whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God].

They, by rejecting the witness of John the Baptist, rejected not only the Messiah but the One True King of the Jews.

*****Our Text:

Mat 14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

Mat 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Mat 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Mat 14:18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

Mat 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mat 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Mat 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

We can see a turning point in the ministry of Christ Jesus at this point in His life on this earth. There had been a blaspheming of the Holy Spirit in chapter 12 and now we see the death of John the Baptist. Christ Jesus now turned from a public ministry to more of a teaching ministry, especially to His disciples. At this time in history there was only about a year before the cross.

Christ Jesus and His disciples were in need of rest. Mark writes:

Mar 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

Mar 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Mar 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

What we can see is that even though Jesus in His flesh was tired, He still could not separate Himself from the multitudes that followed but He had compassion on them. We can know that even though Christ has called out His Church:

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

He does still have compassion on those in the world.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Christ Jesus would not teach a principle that He Himself would not follow!

To be "moved with compassion" means to be stirred in your inner being. It is having more than sympathy.

The Bible says:

Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

While Christ Jesus concerned Himself with the spiritual needs of the people.

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

The disciples concerned themselves with their physical needs. They recognized that these people needed food but their solution was to end the revival that was going on and to send the people away to buy their own food.

Remember everything Christ did at this time was teaching these disciples for His time was growing short. Christ was not just concerned with the spiritual needs of these people but He also had their well being in mind.

Christ commanded the disciples to fulfill the needs of these people. The disciples quickly estimated the cost of such food (a working man's wages for at least eight months) and they knew they did not have enough money.

Mar 6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

There were more than 5000 and the disciples had no means to feed them. Remember if each person had a wife and one child there easily have been 15,000 people in this multitude. Certainly the disciples knew that Jesus had the power to fulfill this need but all they could think of was their own food supply. (the lad with the fives loaves and two fishes)

When they considered the time (evening) and the location (a desolate place) they came to the conclusion that nothing could be done for these multitudes of people. They had no answer for Christ Jesus!

It is sad in this world that when we go through this world having accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior that when we go through our trials and tribulations, we still have no answers.

IT IS THE WORD OF GOD THAT HAS ALL THE ANSWERS!

The Apostle John writes:

Joh 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

Joh 6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

*****We must first start with what we do have:

Joh 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

God begins where we are and uses what we have.

*****We must then obey the commands of Christ Jesus:

Joh 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down.

The disciples here are now pictured as "distributors".

If we give what we have to Jesus, He will bless it and give it back to us to use in the feeding of others.

*****We must conserve the results:

Joh 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Joh 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

As disciples of Jesus Christ we must admit that we have an inability to meet the needs of people. It is Christ Jesus that has that responsibility. We must make ourselves "available" to the Lord and He will use us!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

He will never ask us to do things that are unreasonable.

*****The lesson the disciples were to learn was:

1.) The ministry of Christ is still "His" ministry.

2.) We as disciples are "His" agents in "His" ministry.

3.) We as disciples must give ourselves to the Lord to meet the needs of the people of "His" ministry.

4.) We as disciples must depend on the Lord when we make ourselves available to "Him" for "His" ministry.

Christ Jesus still has compassion on all people and He depends on the Church to provide spiritual food and when neccessary to provided physical food.

A hungry world is feeding on "empty substitutes" while the Church deprives them of the "Bread of Life".

There is another principle we should not miss here. When we give what we have to Christ, we can never lose. We will always end up with the greater blessing!

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

**********Our Text:

Mat 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Mat 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Every word here has a special meaning in "typology". Jesus commands the disciples to go on

board this ship. A change is about to take place by Jesus' own arrangement and it is Jesus the Christ that will dismiss the multitudes. All of this indicates the setting aside of Israel, because of their rejection, though it will never be completely nor will it be final.

Jesus goes upon the mountain which in "type" represents His ascension back to the presence of His Father as intercessor and advocate.

The Apostle John writes of this incident:

Joh 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

Joh 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Joh 6:16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

Joh 6:17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

The Lord Jesus knew that their motives were not spiritual, but carnal. These people only wanted a King who could free them and provide all their needs. The Lord knew what He would do but He did not want the disciples to get caught up in this. Christ Jesus sent His disciples across the lake to Bethsaida and He remained behind to dismiss this crowd which would not be dispersed.

What we now see is a stormy night and the storm tossed disciples. In "type" this night gives us a picture of the time when Christ Jesus has returned to Heaven, this present Church age in which we are now in.

The return of Christ from that mountain in the fourth watch is in "type" a representation of the second coming of Christ and the beginning of a NEW age.

To describe this present age in which we now live we see these words:

"But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary"

It was by design that Christ Jesus compelled these disciples to take this boat across the sea. Jesus would now demonstrate His "Authority" over all His creation along with valuable instruction.

As these storms develop we see an uncertain fear among the disciples as these experienced fishermen are tossed about on the Sea of Life. They had not been able to make this journey across the Sea alone. This Sea had prevented them from fulfilling the commands of Christ. They did not give up even though they buffeted by the waters. They strained at the oars and Christ Jesus saw their peril:

Mar 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, [and would have passed by them].

*****Our Text:

Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Mat 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Mat 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Mat 14:32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Mat 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

It is said by many that this ship represents the Church but really this period of time represents the age between the rejection of Christ and His second coming. Though the Christian lives in this storm tossed age the Christian nor the Church is in peril.

Paul wrote:

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What we see is that this peril that impeded their movement was no obstacle to the One who created it all. These disciples that expected death thought they had seen a ghost or some one coming from the world of the dead but when they heard the "Voice of the Comforter" they new it was safe:

Mar 6:50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

Peter then said then "Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water".

We will always get the same answer from Our Lord in the times of peril or at any other time:

"Come"

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Suddenly the thing Peter had been so afraid of was gone. Peter could face his fear with confidence because of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not know how far Peter walked but we do see that his fears over came him again and at that moment he began to sink and he said:

"Lord, save me"

and we find an immediate reaction from Christ Jesus:

" And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

This incident proves that obedience to Christ Jesus does not remove all the obstacles in the fulfillment of His will. There are things that we cannot overcome by our selves. Christ will always be available in our difficulties.

Our "trials must be born in faith"!

Our "faith" is our greatest weapon against the trials of this world!

God wants us to fulfill His will that He has for us and He will not allow us to fail if we will only "trust" Him!

Now if this ship does not represent the Church then what?

1.) In a general way it is a "type" of the Jewish people. The Lord being absent from them who are His own and for whom He came and they rejected Him.

The Bible says:

Mar 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and [would have passed by them].

2.) The Sea represents the nations.

3.) The waves and the wind represent the persecutions and distress the nation of Israel is going through.

This is the portrayal of this age from the rejection of the King and Savior until His second coming.

Remember all prophesy of the Church has been fulfilled EXCEPT for the "Rapture".

This ship with fluttering sails, broken mast, tossed from wave to wave, blown about, uncontrollable yet controlled, ever in danger and yet never in danger is in type the Jewish nation.

It is still upon this sea!

4.) These disciples then represent the saved Jewish remnant.

When the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to Heaven He did not leave the Church behind for the Church had not been established at that time. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this Earth, He will not find the Church for the Church will have already been taken out!

He is coming back to receive the remnant of His own people.

As believers we should have no fear of the fourth watch of the night for when Christ comes for the Church we will all rejoice:

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

OF A TRUTH THIS IS THE SON OF GOD

To the Church when Jesus says "come" then that word will accomplish it's intended purpose:

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When He says "come":

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, [Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter].

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Let's Pray!

The Parables Of The King

THE PARABLES OF THE KING

Matthew Chapter 13

Focus: Matthew 13:3-23

As we continue in our study of the Book of Matthew we come to another important section, but they all are. The Parables. Matthew grouped them all together for us in one place and there is also a reason for that.

Some things we need to know right off is:

1.) What is a parable?

A parable is ordinarily, in a more restricted sense, a comparison of earthly with heavenly things, "an earthly story with a heavenly meaning,".

2.) Why did Our Lord Jesus Christ start teaching in this fashion?

Three things had happened while Christ Jesus had been in that synagogue from chapter 12:

a.) Jesus had healed a demon-possessed man and then He was accused of healing in the power of Satan and being demon-possessed Himself.

b.) Even after all the miracles that these Pharisees had seen they had requested some miracle sign of proof that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Messiah.

c.) Christ was rejected by the leaders and soon the people of the nation of Israel.

In "type" we will now see that Christ Jesus withdrew Himself from this house, therefore withdrawing Himself from the Nation of Israel. Christ Jesus would now teach the multitudes, people from all nations.

Jesus now constructed His teaching in such a way that those that believed would understand and those that rejected Him would not understand. You know, it is believers that hold the key to the knowledge of God!

Unbelievers cannot understand the Word of God!

To properly understand a parable we must study the historical context in which the parable was spoken. It is then necessary to consider the question or the problem with which Our Lord was dealing. We must understand the question if we are to interpret the truth. If our interpretation does not answer the question Jesus ask then, we have the wrong interpretation.

We must see that in these parables we must consider the words Christ Jesus said:

"Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given"

These parables then are designed to teach the truth about the kingdom of heaven.

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NOT THE CHURCH!

These parables are then to teach us about the kingdom program, the fulfillment of God's covenant with the Nation of Israel:

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

2Sa 7:16 And thine house and [thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever].

Psa 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Psa 89:2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Eze 36:29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

Eze 36:30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

There is a requirement on the part of the Nation of Israel:

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,

Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, [and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee].

Deu 30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

Deu 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Deu 30:7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

Deu 30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

This nation of Israel had awaited this coming of the Lord, the Messiah:

John the Baptist had preached:

Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: [for the kingdom of heaven is at hand].

Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

To Israel this meant that John would introduce the promised King, which he did, King Jesus.

Jesus Christ was the one in David's line that would sit on David's throne and rule over David's house.

At the beheading of John the Baptist, Christ Jesus preached this same message.

Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Christ Jesus declared that the Messianic promise was fulfilled:

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, [This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears].

It was then that the leaders of Israel decided to kill the Lord of Glory. They consistently and persistently rejected the Jesus Christ, His Word and His Person.

It is then and then only that the destiny of the nation of Israel was sealed.

Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

From this point onward Christ Jesus would not preach that "the kingdom of God was at hand".

Christ Jesus did not seek a throne, but He sought after the Cross!

Christ Jesus began to teach with parables:

Psa 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Psa 78:2 [I will open my mouth in a parable]: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Psa 78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

Psa 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

Psa 78:6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

Psa 78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

The time period covered by the parables in Matthew 13 extends from the time of Israel's rejection until Israel's future reception of the coming Messiah, the second coming of The Lord Jesus Christ. [This means this kingdom program began while Christ was still on this Earth and will extend untill His second coming].

In this period we will find the Church Age which began at Pentecost and will end at the Rapture of the Church.

These parables do not primarily concern the nature, the function, nor the influence of the Church.

These parables do show how the unrevealed form of God's theocratic rule in a previously unrevealed age because of Israel's rejection of Christ Jesus.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

A "sower" went forth to sow, vs 37 tells us that this sower is the Son of Man or Christ Himself. Christ came down from Heaven bearing "precious seed", the fine wheat but He Himself is "the corn of the wheat".

Joh 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The "seed" that is sown can only bring forth as it falls on good ground and in the ground it dies and out of death comes forth the fruit.

First we can apply this to the time of Christ on this Earth but we can also apply this to the entire age in which Christ is now at the right hand of the Father.

The "sowing" He began continues still and the result of sowing is like wise the same!

What we should realize is this is the beginning of something new. This is a new work which Our Lord now takes up! Israel had failed to yield fruit:

Isa 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Isa 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Isa 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

Isa 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Isa 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

While Israel is unfruitful the "Sower"(Son of Man) has gone out to sow.

He cast His seed into the field, "the field is the world", no longer just to the house of Israel. The field then is the heart of the individual hearer!

1.) The heart is the center of spiritual activity.

2.) The heart is the center of all operations of human life.

3.) The heart is home to personal life.

4.) The heart is the seat of conscience.

5.) The heart is naturally wicked and it can contaminate the character of every person.

6.) It is the "heart" that must be changed, regenerated, before a man can willingly obey God.

The message of Christ Jesus was being preached and it was heard. We can see the response to this message:

1.) That seed that fell by the wayside:

This seed showed no signs of life at all.

2.) That seed that fell on the stony ground:

This seed geminated quickly but if we see the sun as a "type" of persecution we can see that this seed soon perished.

3.) That seed that fell among thorns:

This seed showed signs of promise but was soon over come by [the cares of this world].

Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

4.) That seed that fell upon good ground:

This seed produced a crop.

In each case the sower was the same, (Jesus Christ) and the seed was the same, (The Word of God). It was only the soil that was different!

Through this parable Christ Jesus explained the different responses to the Word of God. There will always be those that refuse to hear the Word of God. There will always those that hear God's Word and respond but will not continue in His Word. There will always be some that heard the truth but soon forgot accepting man's truth instead. And there will always be believers who will become sowers themselves!

The thing that determines the outcome of the sowing will always be the preparation of the soil before the sowing!

*****Our Text

Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

What we notice is that immediatly after Jesus finished the first parable that the disciples ask why he was speaking in parables. They had never heard Him speak this way. What Jesus had spoken earlier had been simple and easy to understand.

Jesus was very solemn in His answer because it was announcing judgment upon Israel. "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given"

The disciples are believers and therefore a "type" of all believers. It is the believer that will understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens but to those that have rejected Him, none would understand! The nation that refused the light would sit in darkness.

Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Isa 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

All disciples who have received the Lord will be given more and Israel, who had rejected Christ Jesus and so what they had as His earthly people, even that would be taken from them at this time.

This principle is still alive today in the Church Age. The true believers will be provided for with an abundance:

Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

But the apostates of the Laodicean Church age will lose what they boasts to have:

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Paul wrote of Israel:

Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Jesus does not say this of the Church. The time of the Church is now. We live in the time of "Grace" not in the time of "slumber" as Israel does.

The Apostle John wrote of Isaiah:

Joh 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

compare:

Isa 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

The Jehovah that Isaiah saw was the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke writes of this:

Act 28:25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

Act 28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

Act 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Act 28:28 [Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it].

Once Christ Jesus has explained this to the disciples, He then explains this parable. A parable was designed to conceal the truth to some as well as reveal it to others. Many have the ability to see with their eyes and hear with their ears yet they are completely ignorant of the truth of the kingdom of God. It is still a mystery to them yet the salvation taught by the Lord Jesus Christ is the most simple of all things of this world.

One need only to believe:

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, [so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ].

We will only understand more truth when we accept and act on the truth that we have already received!

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Mat 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Vs 18-19) The wayside is hard and trodden down by feet. The birds were ready to snatch it up. These simply do not understand the Word of God. It's not a mental thing nor are they of low of intellect. The Lord says the Word was sown in their heart. It was then directed to the conscience where it could be rejected or accepted. The heart would not have it! "Understandeth" means the heart would not receive God's Word.

The "birds" here represent the wicked one. If "birds" are the wicked ones here then they will be the same in the later parables.

Vs. 20-21)

The rocky ground is lightly covered with earth. There is a sudden springing up, an enthusiastic reception but the "sun" representing persecution rises higher and the heat is felt and there is no resistance and there is no life. Behind that little bit of earth we find a heart of stone that will not yield to the plow.

Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; [break up your fallow ground]: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hos 10:13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

There are many professing Christians that have covered their wicked heart of stone with a little earth, they have a form of Godliness but they know nothing of the power of God.

God says to turn away from such people:

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

When persecution (the "sun") shows up these people will show there true colors. They are alive in name only. Behind that life is death. The great tribulation and the judgments that precede the rising of the "Sun of Righteousness" will burn many up and sweep them away.

Vs. 22)

As in all God's Word this verse say all that need be said. The deceit of riches hinder the growth of God's Word. There are so many in this age that preach a prosperity gospel that they also have caused much confusion in the Church. It will be the same all the way through the tribulation period. The Word of God will become so twisted (choked) that it cannot produce fruit.

What we have seen is the three main hindrances to God's Word:

1.) The Devil snatches up and devours.

2.) The Flesh attempts and fails when it is alone.

3.) The World surrounds and chokes.

How really simple is this parable of God to those that open up their hearts to receive God's Word!

But when a receptive heart has been prepared of God, hearing and understanding, by faith and through faith God's Word, then that heart is productive. This is the "grace" of God.

The kingdom of heaven was not mentioned in the first parable but now we will see these words throughout the remaining chapter.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Mat 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mat 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

If we look we can see the connection to the first parable.

1.) The same Sower, Son of Man.

2.) The seed is deposited into the World, not just Israel.

3.) Now we see the good seed are the Sons of the Kingdom.

4.) The Tares are the sons of the Evil one.

5.) The Enemy is still the Devil, the evil one.

6.) The harvest is the completion of the age. (age of tribulation)

7.) The harvest men are angels.

The good seed, the "children of the kingdom" must be the fruit from the first parable. The word of the kingdom produces the children of the kingdom. The fruit is according to the seed.

Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

But it is the enemy we should concentrate on. The enemy is by the words of Jesus, the Devil. The seed he sows then become the children of the Devil. If we notice the time of this work of the Devil we will notice:

1.) It was immediatly after the good seed was sown.

2.) It was while "men" slept.

It was while "men" slept, not when the Sower slept:

We know this has happened in the Church age:

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Even after Paul:

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

These tares then are the lies of the Devil, his evil doctrine, a counterfeit of the true faith.

1.) The denial of the Deity of Christ.

2.) The denial of the resurrection.

3.) The denial of the death and burial of Christ.

4.) The denial of the "Virgin" birth.

5.) The denial of the Inspired Word of God.

We know that this process continues and will continue until the second coming of Jesus Christ.

In other words the true character of this age is EVIL!

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Though the servants be willing to try to root out these children of the devil, they are not permitted to do so. It is an idle dream, which many hope to realize, to reform the world. This is not taught in the Word of God. These two will grow together until the time of Christ, (The Rapture, the Second coming).

To some this means we cannot have a pure Church but that also is not taught in the scriptures. The Lord Jesus was not speaking to the Church in this parable nor the others. He is speaking of the time from His rejection until His second coming. This kingdom of heavens is not the Church.

The Epistles teach us that evil is not to be tolerated in the Church and Jesus did too:

Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The assembly is to judge evil in the Church and it is not said to let them grow together. The field is not the Church but it is the World. It is in the World that this parable takes place. The Lord Jesus does not teach that this wheat is the Church. The wheat is the good seed which produces the children of the kingdom.

Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The harvest will be the completion of this age. The end of this world is a long way off but we know the next thing on God's agenda is the Rapture of the Church and then the tribulation period. It is the end of the tribulation period that is spoken of in this parable.

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

This is when the Nation of Israel will be bringing forth fruit!

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

To review:

1.) The enemy, the Devil, began his work in the beginning of this age.

2.) This age is mixed, good and evil and they will grow together.

3.) This mixed condition will only cease at the end of this age. Then the Sons of the Kingdom will inherit this earth. The tares will be cast in the eternal flame of fire.

We must be aware of Satan's counterfeits:

1.) He has counterfeit believers.

2.) He has a counterfeit gospel.

3.) He encourages his own counterfeit righteousness.

4.) He has his own counterfeit church.

5.) During the tribulation period he will produce a counterfeit Christ, the Anti-Christ.

*****Our text:

Mat 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Mat 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

There are many interpretations of this parable and Christ Jesus did not give an explanation. The main ingredient in this parable is the mustard seed. The growth of the mustard seed was a well known fact at the time of Jesus. We can understand that a tree with such wide spreading branches could lodge all the birds of the second heaven in "type" gives us a figure for a mighty kingdom that could lodge all nations. The disciples would understand that the kingdom(Millennial Kingdom) that would come at the second coming of Christ would grow till it would give shelter to all nations on this earth at that time.

Daniel gave us a "type" of this tree:

Dan 4:10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

Dan 4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

Dan 4:12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

Ezekiel also gave us a "type of this tree:

Eze 31:3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.

Eze 31:4 The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.

Eze 31:5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.

Eze 31:6 All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.

Eze 31:7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.

Eze 31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.

All previous empires have been established by military might. This kingdom of heaven which actually began humbly with Christ and was rejected will at His second coming spread out to the ends of the earth for one thousand years with every living thing under the shelter of God's wings.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

*****Our text:

Mat 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Here again is a parable that is interpreted in many different ways. We know that leaven is used in the Bible many times as a symbol for evil. This parable is not so much about the leaven as it is how the leaven works. Actually, this is a parable about the leaven hidden in the meal. Christ is explaining the "mysteries" of the kingdom of heaven. Mysteries are things that are hidden.

Once the leaven was introduced to the flour, the process would begin and it would be steady, continuous and irreversible. The process would continue until all the dough was leavened. Christ then was teaching that His new kingdom would not be established by any outward means because there is no external force that could make the dough rise. God's new kingdom will operate by an internal force that will continue until all His Kingdom will be leavened, filled with His presence.

Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

In "type" we have this passage from the Book of Genesis:

Gen 18:5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and [comfort ye your hearts]; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Gen 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, [Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth].

*****Our text:

Mat 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Christ Jesus reveals that a remnant from among the nation of Israel will become God's purchased possession.

Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, [then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people]: for all the earth is mine:

Deu 14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be [a peculiar people unto himself], above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Psa 135:4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, [and Israel for his peculiar treasure].

We already know that the field represents the "world". This parable places God's treasure (the Jew) out of their land and scattered in the world. This was a reality in the time of Titus 70AD. In order for the man to regain his treasure, it was necessary for Him to purchase this field where this treasure is hidden. Christ did this by His death on that cross!

Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, [but also for the sins of the whole world].

At the second coming of Christ this treasure will be returned to the rightful owner:

Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Mat 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

What Christ Jesus revealed here is that God will get a treasure not only from the nation of Israel but also from the Gentile nations. A pearl comes from the sea. We know that in scripture the sea represents Gentile nations. This treasure from the Gentiles(The Church) was also paid for at the Cross.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

Mat 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

Mat 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

Mat 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

What we see here is that this form of the kingdom will end in a judgment. There are all types of fish in the sea. They will be separated, with "the useful" being gathered and "the useless" being cast away. We know that only the righteous will enter into the New Kingdom(Millennial). This judgment will take place near the end of the tribulation period prior to the Millennial Kingdom.

Matthew 25:1-30

The Nation of Israel will be judged:

Matthew 25: 31-46

This not a judgment on the dead but on the living:

Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Mat 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Christ the owner has entered into His storeroom and has brought out what is needed from the

storeroom. He has presented some things old, from the prophets, and some things new, His

parables (the new mysteries). When Christ was rejected, He postponed the Millennial Kingdom:

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

This new thing, the kingdom of the heavens, extends from His rejection until His second coming.

The Word of God has been sown during all this time. There have been many different responses.

The fruit from the good ground has also been resown to produce more fruit. There has also been

an enemy sowing his seed also producing evil fruit. The power of this kingdom is internal and

cannot be influenced by anything of this world. God will gather His peculiar treasures to Himself

at different times but within this time frame.(the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price) This

period will end in judgment (Armageddon) just before the Millennial Kingdom.

*****Our Text:

Mat 13:53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

Mat 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Mat 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Mat 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Christ Jesus returned to Nazareth for the last time before the cross. He went into His home town synagogue again trying to teach. These people had to ask themselves who was this Person? Jesus had grown up in a carpenter's home. He had not been trained in any of the rabbinical schools. These people could not understand where Our Lord obtained His knowledge and had already rejected Him as the Messiah.

Mar 6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

They knew the knowledge shown of Christ Jesus could not have come from Joseph nor any of His family. Since Jesus had not attended any of the schools, All His Word's Were Rejected!

They took offence at Him:

Mar 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

The city of Nazareth was totally unresponsive to the ministry of Jesus Christ Our Lord. This unbelief made it impossible for Jesus to do many works as the work of Christ demands believing:

Mar 6:5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

The world we live in is becoming as blind as the city of Nazareth and becoming incapable of receiving the light of Jesus:

Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

I love you Jesus.

Let'sPray!

The Lordship Of The King

The Lordship Of The King

Our text:

Matthew 12:1-50

It is in this chapter of the Book of Matthew where we will see that the Jewish religious leaders will make known their rejection of Jesus as Christ the Jewish Messiah. We will and we have seen that Christ Jesus has fulfilled the prophesies from the Old Testament. He has performed miracle after miracle. Jesus is the King of the Jew and He had presented the Kingdom to them up to this time. Everything up to this point in this Gospel has proven Christ Jesus to be the promised One. We have seen the blind regain there sight, still impossible in our day. We have seen lepers cleansed of their disease. We have seen demons driven out of people, not by exorcism but by command. We have seen the dead raised back to life. There could be only one explanation of these miracles.

These things proved that God had visited His people. (Immanuel)(God with us). The Old Testament predictions of the Messiah, the manner of His coming, and His works were being fulfilled before the eyes of this nation and these Jews.

BUT: They "refused" to recognize Him!

AND: They had no "heart" for Jehovah God in the flesh!

In the words of Jesus about a Gentile and then the nation of Israel:

Mat 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, [I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel].

Mat 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 8:12 [But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness]: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We will see in this chapter that the kingdom of heaven will be put on hold until the second coming of Christ. Christ will now reveal the kingdom of heaven in mysteries. Christ Jesus will be the revealer of secrets and the Apostle Paul would later explain these to the Gentiles and to the Jews.

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

Mat 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

(The Lord of the Sabbath)

The Sabbath is an essential day to the Jew. To keep it is part of the laws given to the Jew. They pride themselves in this day and boast of the keeping of it. The Pharisees saw that this law was enforced and put great burdens on the people by adding to this law that was written by the hand of God and needed no additions.

To the Christian this is not so. There are many religions that in our day adhere to the Sabbath Day as the day of worship but that is simply not what the Word of God says. Those that believe this usually also have other doctrine they have twisted from God's Word. Some of these others are, "soul sleep", universalism, loosing your salvation amongst other things.

The Christian is dead to the law:

Rom 2:14 [For when the Gentiles, which have not the law], do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, [ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ]; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Gal 2:19 [For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God].

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The believer in Christ is above the law in the sense of Christ because he is complete and perfect in Christ. The rule of the walk of the Christian is the walk of Christ inside the believer.

The Sabbath day is connected with the Earth and with Israel, but the believer "IS NOT ISRAEL" "NOR DOES THE BELIEVER BELONG ON THIS EARTH".

The great and true Sabbath is still coming in the future at Christ's return.

At this time the Christian believer has no Sabbath to keep. If we desire to keep the Sabbath day holy then we must keep the seventh day and not the first day of the week holy. Some will say that the Sabbath day has been changed to the first day of the week but that also is not true, there is no scripture to lead us this way.

The first day of the week is the Lord's day, "the day of the resurrection", "the day of the new creation"(Born Again). This day was kept in the very beginning of the Church Age and is a memorial to Christ who was raised from the dead on the first day of the week. This is the day of the New Testament Church to worship in honor of Our Lord, on "His" day.

A man once wrote: "Israel was commanded to observe the Sabbath; the Church is privileged to enjoy the first day of the week, Sunday"

1.) To Israel it is a test of her moral condition.

The Sabbath makes known what Israel can do for God.

2.) To the Church it is proof of eternal acceptance.

The "Lord's Day" perfectly declares what God has done for the Church.

There is no law about this day in the Bible, the Christian believer is in perfect liberty with "no yoke of bondage" upon him:

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, [ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another].

Gal 5:14 [For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.]

Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Those that insist on the Sabbath day and call themselves Christian only cause confusion and God is not the author of confusion:

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

*****Jesus and some disciples were passing through some farmland on a Sabbath. Some of them were hungry, by law they were allowed to pick from those crops enough to satisfy that hunger. We must remember there was also no buying or selling on the Sabbath, they could not buy their lunch:

Lev 19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

The Pharisee did not view this to be legal because it violated their traditions and their additions to the law.

1.) It was working on the Sabbath, because they had to pick the food they ate, they were reaping.

2.) It was work, because when they picked the grain and rub it in their hands they were sifting, threshing and cleaning was also work that was not allowed on the Sabbath.

Remember these Pharisee considered rubbing wax on a cask just to stop it from leaking on the Sabbath as work that simply was not allowed. The Orthodox Jews of our day still recognize thirty nine categories of work that are prohibited on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees quickly challenged the Lord Jesus Christ, who cannot sin, that He indeed was allowing His disciples to sin.

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Mat 12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Mat 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

When Christ Jesus had met Satan at the time of temptation, He used the Sword of the Lord, "the scriptures" as His weapon, The Word Of God, His Own Word.

Now as He meets the offspring of the Devil, He again will use the Word of God to defeat them.

We should be learning that we always have a weapon against all evil and that weapon is the Word of God.

(Jesus said: "Have you not read"?)

1Sa 21:3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

1Sa 21:4 And the priest answered David, and said, [There is no common bread] under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

1Sa 21:5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, [and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel].

1Sa 21:6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

Exo 25:30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

Lev 24:5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.

Lev 24:6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.

The loaves of bread which the officiating priest placed every Sabbath day upon the golden table in the Sanctuary, before the Lord, were twelve in number, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The loaves must have been large, since two tenth deals (about six pints) of flour were used for each. They were served up hot on the Sabbath day in the Sanctuary, when the stale ones, which had been exposed the whole week, were taken away, and none but the priests were allowed to eat them.

In an extraordinary move, David and his men partook of the shew-bread [they were indeed in great need of nourishment]. Jesus showed from this that ritual observances [must at times give way to moral duties in case of urgent necessity], thus He justified His disciples in plucking corn on the Sabbath day.

In "type" when David, God's anointed, was rejected and was a fugitive, the holy things connected with the ceremonial laws given to Israel ceased to be holy. The sin was David's rejection and [this made the consecrated shewbread to be common] as David said to the High Priests.

The rejection of God's anointed (Christ Jesus) had profaned all things. You see by the Pharisees rejecting Christ Jesus [they had profaned all the holy things of the law]. They had rejected Him and had no love for Him.

It was a ridiculous thing for these religious leaders, hypocrites, to speak of the keeping of the Sabbath at the same time rejecting the Lord Of the Sabbath!

Even in our day, and increasingly so, the divinity of the Bible, the Lord and His redemptive work is being denied by many so called Christians, who still hold to outward forms, rituals, the keeping of holy days and ceremonials.

Christ said, "how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless"

The Bible says:

Num 28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:

Num 28:10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

This also demanded work and according to the way these Pharisee interpreted the law, this work was not allowed on the Sabbath.

We can see Our Lord even now, showing in "type" Grace. Jesus indicated that all laws and ceremonies were to find their end in Him. He was the true Priest. He was the true Sacrifice. He was the Redeemer to take away "all sin". He is the One to bring the true Sabbath Day of Rest. He is the Lord of the Sabbath and He is also the Son of Man!

Hos 6:6 [For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings].

Hos 6:7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

Christ Jesus repeated Himself again to these hypocrites:

Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

*****What we will see is that even after these statements Christ did not turn His back on them. It is a lingering, and patient love we can see and need to learn from Him here as He turns towards their synagogues.

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

Mat 12:10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

Mat 12:11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

Mat 12:12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Mat 12:13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

As Jesus Christ entered into the synagogue, He was confronted with a man that had a withered hand. "This was most likely a setup" and these Pharisees immediately hurled a another challenge at Jesus Christ Our Lord.

For knowledge sake, there was a widespread controversy among the Jews as to what medications were allowed on the Sabbath. Any application of medicines to the outside of the body was strictly forbidden for it was not seen as life threatening. Some internal medicines were allowed.

The man with the withered hand could not be classified as dangerously ill but also there was no known cure for this disease. The Pharisees "did" believe it was lawful to save a life or they would have involved themselves in murder.

"The first thing we should notice here is that these Jews knew Jesus had the power to heal at will". [They did not question His healing ability even when it involved a healing that could not be done by any other person on this earth]. True miracles even in our day of medicine.

Was there anyone in that synagogue that would have allowed their own sheep to suffer from falling into a pit? No not a single one! These people would not even respond to the remarks of Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ concluded then that it must be lawful to do good on any Sabbath. It was a miracle when this man stretched out his hand and proved that Jesus had completely restored this man's arm to full use.

What happened next?

1.) Not the amazement of such a miracle, for they knew Jesus could heal but they were furious that Christ had publicly shown the foolishness of their traditions that did not adhere to the law.

Luk 6:11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

2.) Not amazed at the proof that God was indeed among His people but they plotted the death of the One that rejected their own traditions.

Mat 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

3.) Not believing and worshipping but they even entered into an alliance with the Herodians and the Sadducees and other religious leaders to get support, for they were determined to kill Jesus from this point forward.

Mar 3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

These Pharisees from this point forward did not hide their feelings of Christ Jesus but openly defied Him and were determined to put Him to death!

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

Mat 12:16 And charged them that they should not make him known:

Mat 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Mat 12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Mat 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

These acts of Christ cause so much hostility that He left Jerusalem and returned to Galilee.

Mar 3:7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

Mar 3:8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

What we see is that all nations that bordered Israel had now heard of the Messiah and they came to see Him with their own eyes but they came because of the miracles, the same miracles that were rejected as proof by the Pharisees.

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

Isa 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

In the midst of His enemies Our Lord Jesus Christ remained calm, trusting in the Father and was well pleasing to Him.

Our example:

2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, [This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils].

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Mat 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Mat 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Although the scriptures speak of sins against the Holy Spirit:

1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

It is the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit that usually comes to mind. To consider this sin we need to look a little deeper.

Christ Jesus had made known Himself to His nation of Israel:

Matthew chapters 5-7 (His teachings)

Matthew chapters 8-10 (His miracles)

The religious leaders had come out to investigate:

Luk 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: [and the power of the Lord was present to heal them].

You know they could have been healed also but they simply had no faith!

They have come to their conclusion in this Chapter 12 in Matthew. They rejected the Messiah and then they sinned against the Holy Ghost.

To explain:

The sin against the Holy Spirit also involved a sin against Christ Jesus:

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

These Pharisees had witnessed all that Christ Jesus had done but they said He had done these things in the power of Satan. They did not reject the miracle but they rejected the source of those miracles, that of God.

It is this rejection that is the foundation of the sin against the Holy Spirit.

The scriptures are precise that Christ Jesus worked in the power and influence of the Holy Spirit:

Mat 12:18 [Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him], and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

The Pharisees rejected this scripture:

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

The Pharisees had observed first hand the the public ministry of Jesus Christ! They had seen His miracles with their own eyes! Yet they still said the works were that of Satan. This sin is final and unforgivable because they had personally witnessed the works of Christ Jesus. They could have been forgiven had they only rejected Christ Jesus.

Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him:

But they had rejected the final witness, the Testimony of the Holy Spirit. There is no further witness to be given and thus this sin is eternal:

"but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come"

There was no opportunity for repentance, it was unpardonable and would never be forgiven!

Can this sin be done today?

To commit the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit today would require the "physical" presence of Jesus Christ in which He would teach and perform miracles while hearers and onlookers would reject His ministry and claim His work was that of Satan.

The "sin" of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not the same as the "sin" of unbelief!

Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

This sin is the only one that will keep you out of Heaven. We must believe in the redeeming Power of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

There is no indication in scripture that if you refuse Holy Ghost conviction the first time that the Holy Ghost will not try again to convict you, though keeping in mind we can still grieve the Holy Spirit and His convicting power is not without number. Of course "unbelief" will not be forgiven if a person permanently persist in unbelief!

There are many who had lived in open sin and worldly lust and been saved by the "Grace" of God that almost despaired thinking they had committed this sin and could not be saved. It is still being taught in some so called churches. There are also those that fell into sin willfully after being saved that think they have lost their salvation. This also is not the unpardonable sin:

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Only in this time of "Grace" do we find such a merciful God!

The widespread doctrine of "falling from grace" in the sense of the believer's possibility to be lost DISHONORS CHRIST AND HIS WORK TO SAVE US!

Grace is Grace, there is no substitute for "Grace"

God's Riches At Christ Expense

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

These Pharisees, teachers of the law, knew full well that Christ Jesus was claiming to be the Heaven sent Messiah. They had seen the miracles and could not deny them. Now they gave a new challenge. They requested a sign.

Christ explained that this request did not come from faith [but from unbelief]. These were a wicked people. Jesus said there would be only "one" sign:

You know Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites. The fact the Jonah had been three days and three nights in the whales's belly, and from there he had been sent forth alive to preach in Nineveh was evidence to them that Jonah had been sent from God. The Ninevites had not known the whole story of Jonah but only what they had seen. Jonah came forth of a whale and began preaching the Salvation of God.

And so it would be again. After three days and three nights in the heart of the earth The risen Messiah, the resurrected One, Our Lord would go forth from the grave to eternity.

The Ninevites did not question the words of Jonah.

All the Queen of Sheba needed was a good report of Solomon and it was good enough to cause her to travel a great distance to find the truth, which she did.

The Ninevites needed redemption of sin. The Queen of Sheba sought after wisdom. Both found what they needed and Christ said, He is all we need!

Christ said:

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation".

In "Type" John the Baptist had come to find the House of Israel full of evil spirits. John's preaching had brought repentance. Multitudes were awaiting the coming kingdom but before the kingdom was established this nation had been turned again by it's religious leaders into a place more evil than when John had begun. The Nation of Israel would be under a greater judgment from this point forward. Israel which had abandoned idolatry was now in worse shape with the teachings of the Pharisees and her religious leaders.

*****Our Text:

Mat 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Mat 12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

Mat 12:48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

Mat 12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

What we can see here is that Jesus Christ rejected "blood " ties as constituting a true spiritual relationship. The only ones accepted into the family of Christ would be related by "Faith". No one will get into Heaven by physical birth. We all must be spiritually "Born Again".

The Nations that reject Christ are in a worse state because of that rejection than they were before they heard the Word of God.

God does not change:

Mal 3:6 [For I am the LORD, I change not]; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

We can see that because of this rejection by the Nation of Israel, then Christ Jesus would reject them at this time. We can see that God has set aside the Nation of Israel and He will prepare the way for the next form of God's program, the time of the Church Age and the time of "Grace"!

2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Let's Pray!