DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 | Lesson 25 || Sundry Parable of the Kingdom
Adult DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
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LESSON 25
SUNDRY PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM
MEMORY VERSE: “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 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” (Matthew 13: 10,11).
TEXT: Matthew 13:1-58
DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25 || MESSAGE
The ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ has been characterized by unwavering passion for sinners’ salvation and edification of saints. He did not waste any moment or opportunity to declare the word of God and teach His followers the truth. During His lifetime, many people followed Him for different reasons which included healing, deliverance and material provision.
However, there were sincere seekers who wanted to know more about the Kingdom. Following Christ should be for enduring purpose of the Kingdom and not for mundane things of this world which will perish with time. Therefore, as we eagerly follow Him, we should place priority on obedience to the word of God, not miracles.
Also, like Christ, we are not only expected to meet the physical needs of those around us but also attend to their spiritual welfare. When Jesus saw great multitudes, He repositioned Himself in a place where He could teach effectively. “And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore” (Matthew 13:2). He employed parables in teaching them.
Parables are earthly narratives or events which illustrate deep spiritual truth. Jesus taught with many parables in the course of His earthly ministry, most of which we shall examine in this study.
DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
REVELATION THROUGH CHRIST’S PARABLES (Matthew 13:1-9,18-33,36-50; Luke 13:6-9; John 4:34,35; Revelation 20: 11-15; 21:8)
Jesus taught with many parables based on the background and experiences of His audience. The parables were packed with eternal truths bordering on different aspects of believers’ life. The parables associate into four categories namely, parables bordering on fruitfulness, parables bordering on preciousness of the gospel, parables bordering on the growth of the Kingdom and parables bordering on final separation in the Kingdom.
Parables bordering on fruitfulness include; the parables of the sower (Matthew 13:3-23) and that of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9). The parable of the sower is plain. The farmer sows the seed which fell upon four different types of soil producing different results. The road side, rocky ground, thorny and the good soils represent different hearts of men in response to the seed which is the word of God. The road side soil represents those who hear the message, but do not understand it, thus allowing Satan to steal it from them.
The rocky soil represents those who have no deep conviction and thus drop out upon encountering persecution or trouble. The thorny soil represents those who allow the cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches and lust to choke the word. The good soil represents those who sincerely accept God’s word and bring forth abundant fruits in their lives. God anticipates the fruit of repentance – fruit of the Spirit – in the lives of believers, as well as fruits of righteousness and soul-winning (Matthew 3:8; Galatians 5:22,23; Romans 6:22; Proverbs 11:30).
- DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
The parable of the hidden treasure and that of the merchant seeking goodly pearls emphasize the preciousness of the things of the kingdom of God. The hidden treasure illustrates the fact that the kingdom of God should be sought after at every cost. In other words’ no sacrifice should be too great for us to make in order to be a partaker of the Kingdom. Although salvation and other Christian experiences are free and by grace, we must consecrate and pay the necessary price before we can obtain and retain them.
The parables of mustard seed and the leaven illustrate the inherent power in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Though Christ started the Church in a small way with few disciples, the influence and the effect of the gospel is currently global. This is in consonance with His word that: “…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16: 18).
The lesson from this is that the kingdom of God will grow and expand when believers evangelize. As believers, we are expected to influence the world for Christ through the power of the gospel and indwelling Spirit. The last set of parables focuses on the final separation in the Kingdom at the end of the world. The parable of the wheat and tares explains a farmer who planted good seeds in his field, but later learnt that his enemy secretly sowed tares among the wheat. He knew that if he attempted to pull out the tares, he would also destroy the wheat.
Consequently, he had to wait until harvest time when the wheat will be sorted out from the midst of the tares. The tares will then be gathered and burnt. Jesus gave a clear interpretation of this parable. The sower is Christ while the enemy is the devil. The field is the world and the good seeds are believers. The tares are unbelievers. While the harvest is the end of the world, the reapers are the angels.
The parable of the net that was cast into the sea which gathered all kinds of creatures is similar in meaning to that of the tares. Christ presents the world as the sea and men like the mixture of the good and bad. The net represents the gospel which has the power to catch different men. As the fishermen sorted the good from the bad, so shall it be at the end of the world.
- DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
True believers will be separated from sinners, backsliders and hypocrites. They will reign eternally with Christ in heaven while evil doers will be cast into hell where they shall suffer forever.
A song writer captures it thus:
There’s a great day coming, a great day coming,
There’s a great day coming by and by;
When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left;
Are you ready for day to come?
Are you ready? Are you ready?
Are you ready for the judgment day?
Are you ready? Are you ready?
For the judgment day?
- DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
REASONS FOR CHRIST’S PARABLES (Matthew 13:10-17,34,35; 11:25,26; Mark 4:33,34; Luke 8:10; Psalm 25:8,9,14; Isaiah 6:9,10)
“And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?” The response of our Lord Jesus Christ to this question reveals why He taught in parables. For the disciples, He spoke to them in parables because thereby, the truth of the Kingdom was made plain. Jesus knows sincere seekers, and would spare no effort at making bare to them the mysteries of the gospel. Receptivity and adherence to the revealed word of God open doors for more revelation and understanding.
The gift of God’s word bestows on the hearers the responsibility to live thereby. However, speaking in parables which was meant to be a blessing for sincere seekers, became an instrument of obscurity of the truth to the hypocrites and rebellious. Jesus identified three reasons people do not benefit from the teachings of God’s word: “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” (Matthew 13: 15).
- DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
The three reasons include: hardened hearts, dull ears and closed eyes. Believers must therefore, consider it a privilege to have the word of God taught and exposed to them. Christ said, “…blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 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” (Matthew 13:16, 17).
RESPONSE TO CHRIST’S PARABLES (Matthew 13:51-58; 15:15; Luke 8:9)
“Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.” Jesus asked a pertinent question at the end of His parable, showing that He is concerned not only about our hearing the word but more importantly, our understanding of it. Believers should spare no effort to read and understand God’s word.
This is because obedience is impossible without understanding. Preachers of the Word should take a cue from Christ. They should endeavour to help their listeners understand the word of God and be ready to answer their questions. That Christ asked them if they understood these things shows He was still willing to teach them again, if necessary. The disciples’ response in the affirmative to Christ’s question shows that they had a perfect understanding of the teaching.
Likewise, believers should enhance their understanding of the Scripture by asking questions and seeking counsel when necessary from God-approved leaders who believe in the totality of His word. The disciples demonstrated the desire to know more by asking Christ to declare plainly the meaning of His parables. This depicts healthy appetite and hunger for God’s word. This is the response that God expects from sincere seekers today.
The Bible says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Meanwhile, Jesus said, …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.” Here, Christ presents a skilful, faithful minister of the gospel as a scribe who is well versed in the things of the gospel and able to teach the followers. The Lord compares him to a good householder.
Our place is at Christ’s feet, and we must daily review lessons on the journey and learn new ones. Also, we should make proper use of what we learn from the Scripture and faithful ministers of the gospel. Those who neglect Christ’s message or that of His faithful servants because of familiarity or unbelief will miss His blessings; and they will not escape God’s judgment except they repent.
- DCLM Search The Scripture 26 June 2022 || Lesson 25
Questions for review:
1. Why should believers value hearing the truth of the word of God more than seeking after miracles?
2. What are the causes of unfruitfulness in the hearers of God’s word?
3. What can one do to obtain the hidden treasure of the kingdom of God?
4. What is a parable?
5. Explain the parable of the tares.
6. As hearers and teachers of the Word, what is the place of clear understanding of God’s word?
7. What will be the end of sinners and those who fail to heed Christ’s warning?
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