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Take your Bibles once again go back to Matthew chapter 13. This is a big chapter to get through I'm going to do my best like that I can hear Matthew chapter 13 and let's start off by reading verse number 35 Matthew 13 verse 35 It says here that he might be fulfilled Which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world So Matthew chapter 13 is this big secret that's been kept secret since the foundation of the world and Jesus Christ Wants us to know this secret and notice in verse 35 It says that which was fulfilled by which was spoken by the prophet now if you want to know where that's being written You don't need to turn there or actually turn there turn there keep your finger there Keep your finger in Matthew 13 and go to Psalm 78. This is something that was written by our psalmist Okay, and notice that Jesus Christ calls the psalmist Prophets, okay They're not just songwriters But these psalms that you have in your Bible were written by prophets themselves look at Psalm 78 verse 2 Psalm 78 verse 2 this is where Jesus Christ was quoting from it says I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter Dark sayings of old dark sayings that which was held kept secret from the foundation of the world there And so the title of the sermon tonight guys is dark Sayings okay, so title some tonight dark sayings. Let's keep reading their verse number 3 Psalm 78 verse 3 It says which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us Hey, these were sayings that were known by by the Old Testament prophets These were sayings that were passed down from generation to generation Fathers to the children and then to their children verse number 4 it says we will not hide them from our children Showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works That he hath done Okay, now go back to Matthew chapter 13, please the title it once again was dark sayings I want you to see that these parables these mysteries were written in old time They were written in the Old Testament and yet it's in the New Testament times as Christ comes teaching his disciples He unravels these secrets He unravels these mysteries and so we have a great honor of knowing these parables by knowing these truths Now what I want you to notice about Matthew 13 here is that the whole chapter there are seven parables altogether This is the main chapter in the book of Matthew that goes into parables. Yes There are other chapters that have parables, but this is the main one This is the main one with Jesus Christ just focuses on a number of parables now one thing I want you to notice just just think about this if Jesus Christ calls these dark sayings if Jesus Christ calls them secrets Do you think they're gonna be a little challenging to understand? Of course, there'll be a little challenging to understand even the Old Testament prophets had a hard time understanding them Okay. Now think about this if they are challenging to understand if they're difficult to understand Do you think you should build your doctrines on parables? I? I Would say no In fact most pastors most preachers most teachers will tell you don't build your doctrines on parables Okay When you build your doctrines the things that you believe on the Word of God build it on things that are clear Build it on things that are easy to understand, you know the salvation message easy to understand right John 3 16 Ephesians 2 8 & 9 That it's by faith on Christ and it's without the deeds of the law Right when you understand something that's simple and then you read a parable and that parable you go Wow, that sounds like salvation by works Should you change your doctrine based on the parable? No, obviously if you've come to a conclusion about a parable that contradicts something that's clear in the scriptures Then you've got the parable wrong. Okay, you haven't understood the power properly Parables are there to help To help the doctrines that you already believe that the crystal clear doctrines are fundamental doctrines that you've already established With clear teaching on the Bible the parable should then come and help build on those things. You've already believed Okay So be careful just warning you be careful of those that build brand new doctrines or doctrines that are contrary to the fundamentals of the faith By using parables just be careful Okay, because I've seen people they know that salvation is eternal life they know till for all eternity They know it's once saved always saved They know you cannot lose your salvation But then they read some parable and go hold on this sounds like you can lose your salvation And then they change the doctrines to fit what they believe that parable is about Okay, but no parables are there to be aligned with doctrines. We already believe and understand so be careful with your parables All right. Now, let's go to Matthew 13 verse 10 Now as I teach for this chapter We are going to bounce around a lot in this chapter We're not going to go from from verse 1 all the way to the end We're going to be bouncing around a lot and I've done that on purpose just to help put it together Okay, let's start off with verse number 10, Matthew 13 verse 10 and the disciples came and said unto him Why speakest thou unto them in parables? I mean that's a good question if they're hard to understand if it requires a lot of study and thought and Teaching why did speak to people in parables? He tells Jesus verse 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 Now some people find this really hard to understand. Okay, but you see there is a doctrine Okay called the reprobate doctrine in the Bible where there are certain people that God does not Want for them to believe and be saved That's hard for us to grasp because we know John 3 16 for God to love the world The whole world that he gave his only begotten Son and of course I'm not saying to you that Jesus did not die for everybody against the teaching of Calvinism That's limited atonement teaching that Jesus Christ only died for some know the Bible says that Jesus Christ died for all men Okay, all men especially to them that believe but to all men Jesus Christ came to die But you see that can come a point in time when you reject the Lord Jesus Christ so many times you reject the gospel Okay Or we've seen the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost and we know the future people that take the mark of the beast These kinds of people they're still walking the earth But it's too late for them. They can no longer believe the gospel. They can no longer understand the truths of Scripture Okay And you'll see that these parables are there to hide the truth to these reprobates To hide the truth to those that will not understand and we'll see this as we keep reading If you find this hard to believe let's just keep reading. It says there in verse number 12 for whosoever hath to him shall be given and He shall have no more abundance But whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that Even that he hath So it's even even if someone does not have well Someone that does not have the Lord someone that is not saved Someone that gets to a point of reprobation It says that it's going to be taken away even even the things that I hear will be taken away from them Let's keep reading verse 13 therefore I speak therefore speak I to them in parables because they see not and Hearing they hear not neither. Do they understand and in them is Fulfill the prophecy of s is that's as our Isaiah which saith by hearing you shall hear and shall not understand and Seeing you shall see and shall not perceive now notice is verse 15 is so important for these people's hearts is wax gross And there is a dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed less 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 Say what is that about? He's saying look I'm speaking to them in parables because I do not want them now to hear I don't want them to see because if they did hear if they did believe they could be converted and I would heal them In other words what Jesus Christ is saying. I don't want to heal these people anymore They're beyond saving okay They've rejected me too many times They're not going to receive the truth and so I'm going to speak to them in parables so I can continue hiding The truth of the gospel from them. This is hard to understand. It's not preached in your average Church Okay, but this is what Jesus Christ. I'm going to read to you Maybe it's a bit clearer from Isaiah 6 9 you don't need to turn there Isaiah 6 9 which is the which is what Christ is quoting from it says here, and he said go and tell these people hear ye indeed, but understand not and see ye indeed, but perceive not Make the heart of these people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heal their ears and Understand with their heart and convert and be healed See no God saying to Isaiah here, and we know the double application is to Jesus Christ is that look? I want you to preach them, but their hearts are just going to wax worse Their their eyes are just going to be blinded on purpose look they were not here. They were not here They would not be healed. They will not understand. They will not be converted all right Difficult difficult doctrine for a lot of people to understand. Let's keep go. Are you back in you guys should be in Matthew 13, right? Let's keep reading verse number 16 verse number 16 Now this is the blessing for us guys This is the blessing verse 16, but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear now look at this for verily I sound to you that many prophets and Righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them and to hear those things which you hear And have not heard them Let me alleviate any fears you may have you might say oh, but pastor Kevin You know there are parables that I don't understand in the Bible does that mean I'm a reprobate You know cuz that's what we saw right Jesus Christ spoke in parables, so they would not hear does that mean I'm one of those You know you don't need to worry about that okay? If you believe the gospel you'll find first of all but secondly what did you say in verse 17 that even? Prophets even righteous men could not understand in the Old Testament days They wish they had the truth that you've got today They wish I have the understanding that you have today And so what I'm saying to you guys is that parables are difficult to understand it requires you to learn it requires you to hear Preaching on parables it requires you to align it With fundamental doctrines of the faith that are that you already know okay? So it's if you don't understand certain powers in the Bible rest easy You just need time to study it out Okay You need your eyes need to see your ears need to be open to hear these truths and when you do know them Do you says you're blessed? Okay? You have a blessing a special blessing that's been given to you now Let me say this just quickly here. So how do we understand parables? I'm going to read to you from Proverbs chapter 1 verse 5 I'll just read it to you. It says a wise man. Sorry a wise man Will hear okay, you want to be wise you want to know parables? You just need to hear listen and will increase learning and a man of understanding Shall attain unto wise counsels Hey, you need to have counsels that are wise you need to go and listen to preaching of wise men now I don't want to say that I'm a wise man But what I'm trying to say to you is going listen to preaching of men that are saved Okay, men that are saved people that are unsaved will not give you the knowledge of these parables In fact, they will use the parables and teach false doctrines but then it says this verse 6 to understand a proverb and the interpretations the words of the wise and their dark sayings Hey, what were the dark sayings when we compared it from Psalm to Matthew 13? It's the parables, right? The parables are called dark sayings. How do we understand it? You need to be wise you need to take on wise counsel And listen up. So what I'm asking you guys tonight is to listen up Let's get back to verse number one now Matthew 13 verse 1 Matthew 13 verse 1 the same day went Jesus out of the house and sat by the seaside 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 and he spake many things unto them in parables saying behold a soul went forth to Soul, so this is a parable of the soul a very very famous parable of Jesus Christ and this parable guys Will tell you usually like this is a parable that will you find out a thought a false prophet by Okay, because the first prophet will take this parable of the solar and teach a gospel by works Okay. Now if you know if you already say to me now I believe that the gospel Salvation is by faith on Christ alone without the works of the law without the deeds of the law Then this parable will make sense to you But to those that are unsaved to those that are false prophets they will take the same parable and start teaching a workspace gospel Okay, so let's understand this. Let's go through it Verse number four. So, you know what a soul is they sow seed right verse number four And when he sowed some seeds filled by the wayside and the fowls came and devoured them So the wayside Is the footpath if you want to consider consider it that way, you know If you keep treading the same ground the ground becomes compressed becomes hardened Okay, what do Americans call foots our footpaths? Stake on sidewalks. All right, they call them sidewalk. So it's kind of same thing the wayside the sidewalk the footpath Okay, and fowls came and devoured them up. Why is that because the ground is hardened the seed cannot sink into the ground It's a sitting there on the surface that the birds see a free meal They come in and eat that seed verse number five some fell upon stony places This is a place where it's rocky and the and thorns sprung up and choked them Sorry, I missed one didn't I verse number five sorry, let me just start again verse number five some fell upon stony places Where they had not much earth and forthwith they sprung up Because they had no deepness of earth and when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had no roots They withered away. You see this is sea that's falling to the stony places Okay, but it's a place that does not have much moisture They sprung up but when the Sun came up that was scorched because they didn't have enough moisture Okay, the roots had not dug in deep enough. They had no root there It says in verse number six verse number seven and some fell among thorns and the thorns Sprung up and choked them verse eight but other fell into good ground and Brought for fruits some in a hundred fold some sixty fold some thirty fold who have ears to hear Let him hear alright, so I've heard this parable taught in two ways. Okay, we have four examples of seed being sown All right, and those that want to teach you a workspace gospel will say this Those say that the first three seeds that were sown Those that fell on the wayside that that that which fell on stony places and that which was sown amongst thorns They were all unsaved people they'll say and the only one that got saved they'll say is that which was fruitful Okay, and what I'm saying to you is those that teach it that way are usually adding a workspace gospel to the message of Salvation and what I want to say to you guys is that only the first Seeds that were sown only that which had that was put on the wayside that represents the unsaved that represents the non-believer But all the other three seeds that were sown represent believers. Okay, that's what I'll say to you now I'm going to prove this to you as we go on if you have any doubts here Now what I'll get you to do is drop down to verse 18 So brother, we're in Matthew 13 and we'll go to verse 18 verse 18 So we are jumping around a little bit like I said, but you'll understand why? Because in verse the verse 18 Jesus says he therefore the parable of the sower So now Jesus Christ is going to explain to us this parable now look at this when anyone here if the word of the kingdom and Understand if it not then cometh the wicked one and catch the four way that which was sown in his heart This is he which received seed by the wayside Now for you people that are soul winners for you that go and knock doors when you go and knock on someone's door What are you trying to do? You're trying to win a soul, right? But how how does that person get saved they must first understand the gospel of the kingdom They must first understand the gospel right now. Let me ask you this if someone does not understand the gospel They're like, I don't know what you're talking about. Are you gonna go then? Well, let's just pray and you get saved You know, of course, we wouldn't you wouldn't do that. Okay, you need to make sure they understand the gospel So what is what is Jesus saying about this first seed that was sown in verse number 19? look at this when anyone here if the word of the kingdom and Understand if it not did this person understand the gospel? No, could this person be a believer? No, because they could not understand right now keep your finger there This is so important I want you to turn to Luke chapter 8 so important because Luke 8 gives us clarity here Luke chapter 8 That's the same parable. Okay, same parable, but it's taught a slightly different way Luke chapter 8 verse 12 Luke chapter 8 verse 12. Look at this Jesus same parable by Jesus Christ. Look what he says Those by the wayside are they that hear? Then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts Lest they should believe and be saved You see that so those that fell by the wayside did they believe? No The devil came and took the Word of God out of their heart before they could understand it before they could believe it and it says Hey, what's the condition of being saved? Lest they should believe and be saved. Okay, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ right believe in the gospel That's the condition of salvation now, I want you to keep keep your finger there still in the book of Luke Please Luke chapter 8 Luke chapter 8 and turn back to Matthew 13 verse 20 So we've confirmed that the first seed that was sown are non-believers. Haven't we we've confirmed that verse number 20 now verse number 20 Sorry, yeah, Matthew 18, sorry, Matthew 13 verse 20 But he that received the seed into stony places The same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it Now did this person receive the gospel? Did he receive the word? Yes. In fact, he receives it with joy Okay he's overjoyed to hear the words but look at verse 21 and Have yet have he not roots in himself but juror for a while for when tribulation or persecution Ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended. Yeah by and by he is offended. Okay now You say but did this guy get saved? Well, if you receive the word, what do you think? But as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God even to them that Believe on his name, right Receiving is another way of saying believing. Okay. Now you want proof of that. That's why we've got Luke chapter 8 Go back to Luke chapter 8. Sorry for this This is a bit of a Bible study, but such an important parable such an important doctrine Okay, Luke chapter 8 verse 13 Luke chapter 8 verse 15. It's the same group of people same parable We're just continuing on it says they on the rock are they which when they hear? Receive the word with joy a same grip, right? And these have no roots look this which for a while believe and in time of temptation Fall away. Hey, did these people believe? Yes, they believed right and what was the condition of being saved just in the past verse? It said lest they should believe and be saved So if this group of people believe they receive the word with joy, are they saved? Absolutely, they're saved. Okay. Now it says for a while believe Okay for a while. Okay. Let me let me say this to you Salvation as soon as you believe on Christ you are saved Okay, you don't need to persevere in faith forever. You don't need to keep the the path forever Okay, if you think salvation's by keeping the commandments by by walking faithfully all the days of your life Then you believe in its gospel by works Okay, because you believe it's by the perseverance of that person that will keep them saved or will make them safe No, the moment you believe on Christ you're born again and you're saved now you could be an unfaithful Christian That's a sad thing. I'm not encouraging you to be that way. But the truth is you'll be saved you'll be in heaven You just won't have many rewards. You won't have much to rejoice in in heaven. Hey, but you're saved. Okay. Praise God You're gonna be washing someone's, you know toilets in heaven. I know probably not. Okay, you'll be serving someone else in heaven Okay, that's fine. Just say it's praise God. It's still good thing So I just want to prove that to you from from the book of Luke go back to Matthew 13 verse 22 Matthew 13 verse 22 Let's look at the next group here Sorry, I shouldn't I should I should say the reason these people gave up on the faith But the reason that they said like they were no longer zealous for the Lord it told us there in verse 21 for when tribulation Or persecution persecution arises of because of the word by and by he is offended You see there are some believers that will get saved and they think man This is awesome. Praise God, but they're not mature. They haven't developed and temptations tribulations Trials persecutions, you know that you know, maybe even even their families turn against them, you know And it upsets them and they'll be like, you know what? It's not worth it. It's just not worth serving the Lord You know, I'm just gonna stay quiet, you know, I'm saved yet. Praise God But I'm just not gonna do anything for the Lord because I can't face this persecution. I can't stand up for the Word of God They're saved. Okay, but the reality is there are some people There might be even people within this church that when persecution comes they'll just hide and not stand up for the Lord It's possible. All right, let's keep reading verse number 22 Matthew 13 verse 22 he he also that received seed amongst the thorns is he that hear of the word and The care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he become of unfruitful Now we're going to understand what it means to be fruitful very soon. Okay What does it mean to be fruitful? Okay, so this person I'll say to you is also a believer also receives the word Okay, but instead of you know seeking the kingdom of God first instead of seeking to serve the Lord first What comes first in their life the care of this world? Okay, the care of this world the seedfulness of riches it chokes the word and they become unfruitful You see the only way you can be fruitful for the Lord The only way you can be a fruitful servant for God is when you give up on the riches of this world when you no longer You know pursue the riches the wealth You know that the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes a pride of life when you can put the world behind you That's the point when you can start becoming fruitful for God It's very difficult for a Christian to have one foot in the world and another foot in church and trying to serve the Lord You can't Jesus Christ he says you can't serve two masters you can't serve him and Mammon, you know You know riches at the same time, you know quite often What you'll find is those that have the greatest riches in heaven Are probably gonna be those that didn't have many riches on this earth because they weren't pursuing that on the earth You know, it wasn't it wasn't all about the riches, you know, but it was about, you know serving the Lord God So we'll soon see what it means to be fruitful. Let's keep reading there in verse 23 verse 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hear of the word and understand refer Which also bearer fruits and bring a fourth some and a hundred fold some 60 Some 30 say what is this fruit? What is this guy producing? What are these numbers? Look? What's this hundred for a hundred? 60 30 how is he being fruitful? Why is God giving us these numbers and some of you guys know this verse? Proverbs 11 verse 30. What is the fruit of the Christian? What is the fruit of the believer? What is it? A lot of people think it's the fruit of the Spirit. No. No, that's the fruit of the Spirit Okay, what's the fruit of the Christian? Proverbs 11 verse 30 says the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and here that win of souls is wise Hey, what's the fruit of a believer? the winning of souls Okay, that's your fruits You know my children are known as the you know The fruit of my loins the fruit of the womb if you want when you have natural born children That's the fruit of the natural man. You give birth to natural children. Hey, what's the fruit of the spiritual man? Spiritual children those that get saved those that believe on Christ That's how the spiritual man or the righteous man brings forth fruits. All right. So what are these numbers a hundred fold 60? 30 you know, I would say to you these are numbers that are achievable These are numbers that you can see saved. You can't see 30 people saved in your life You can't see 60 you can't see a hundred Maybe some of you have already won more than a hundred people to the Lord In fact, I know a lot of people that have won more than a hundred people to the Lord Okay, but these are real numbers some people think especially when you've never won someone to the Lord you're gonna think how 30 I mean that's never gonna happen in my life You know, I'll rejoice if I just get one person saved in my life And that's a good good goal to have that's where you start the one person But you know what you can and if you just go in if you just look we have 52 weeks in a year If you make it your goal to go so winning once a week You have a good chance of seeing one person save the week You have a good chance of that imagine you see someone gets saved every week That's 52 people's salvation's right there You've already met met the fit 30 and you're on your way to seeing the 60 the 60 fold So what we see here guys is that final sowing of the seed is a fruitful believer Someone that is saved but not just saved but actually going out there preaching the gospel and being fruitful for the Lord seen souls Saved. All right. Let's keep reading verse 24 Another parable he put forth unto them saying The kingdom of heaven is like and unto a man which sowed good seed in his field But while men slept his enemy came and so tears amongst the wheat and went his way Now I quickly did a Google search on the word tears and I found out that it's a type of grass that looks identical To wheat like in its early stages as it grows the tears look just like wheats Okay, but you only notice that it's not wheats once it's fully ripened once it's fully developed Okay, once the grain sort of comes up and in fact Jesus says in verse 26 He says but when the blade so that's like the grain when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruits Then appeared the tears also so the servants of the householder came and said unto him sir, it's It's not thou so good seed in thy field from whence then half a tears You see This is another heart teaching something else. It's hard for us to understand you see No, I don't really want to say this because I love this church. I do I love each one of you, you know But it's possible. Okay, it's possible that there are tears amongst the wheat. It's possible Okay, you say well, maybe not in this church. Okay, but in this world, okay There are going to be people that sound like believers they they look holy They look righteous and for and as far as you're concerned that person said that person's a believer But you know what tears look just like wheats, you know, the wolf in sheep's clothing if you will looks just like a like a sheep You know, but it's a wolf inside It's the same kind of teaching here is that there are tears amongst the wheats and it's going to become a surprise It's not obvious because they look just like the wheats. Okay, let's keep reading there Verse number 28. He said unto them an enemy have done this the servant said unto him wilt thou then go Sorry wilt thou then that we go and gather them up He said nay lest while he gather up the tears ye root up also the wheat with them So this is obviously a farming illustration so if you pull out the tears You know the the roots are going to be tangled with the wheats and by pulling out the tears you go also going to rip Up the wheats so don't do it. Okay, if you're going to damage the wheat, okay We'll see what the lesson is there in a minute. Let's keep reading verse 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 tears and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheats into my barn Now just by looking at parable you you should have a rough idea of what this is about If the tears are going to be burnt, but the wheats gonna be gathered in God's barns What do you think that's about? It's obviously about the believers being the wheats being gathered in the barns and the non-believers the tears being burnt up Hell the lake of fire. Okay, I think that's for you that already know fundamentals of the faith You already know that truth. That's where these parables make sense. Okay, they make sense now drop down to verse 36 drop down to verse 36 Because Jesus Christ explains this parable later on in verse 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came up to him saying Declare unto us the parable of the tears of the field So you say even the disciples at this stage? They didn't really get it. It's parable. Can you explain it to us Jesus now? I think some of you guys already understood it. Okay, but they're asking Jesus. Can you explain it to us? Verse 37 he answered and said unto them hear that so if the good seed is the Son of Man who's the Son of Man? Jesus Christ, okay, the field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdom Now if you're safe brothers and sisters, you know who you are. You are the children of the kingdom Okay, you're in this parable. You're the other we are represented by the wheats here Verse number 39. Oh, sorry. I didn't finish verse 38 says but the tears are the children of the wicked one Now I really spoke to you a little bit about reprobates People that have lost their chance Okay. Now I haven't got the time to go through all this the Old Testament calls them children of Belial of Belial. Okay Here Belial is just another name for the devil here. They're known as children of the wicked one. Who's the wicked one? Satan, you know Satan's got his own children spiritually speaking, you know, these are reprobates These are people it's like when you're when you're saved you're born again. You're born into God's family Okay, you become a spiritual child of God and there are some people in this world I'm not saying every non-believer. I'm just saying certain people in this world that have become reprobate They have as it were become a spiritual child of the devil and you know We say when we're born again in God's family, you know, it doesn't like it doesn't matter if you're you're an unfaithful child It doesn't matter if you're a disobedient child, you know, you're still a child of God once you're born You can never be unborn don't we say that about the salvation of believers? Well, you know when someone becomes a child of the devil they cannot be unborn out of that family You know once saved always saved once damned always damned. That's that's the doctrine of reprobates You know, I know it's not popular but you see this play out throughout this chapter. Okay? Let's keep reading verse number Number 39 and Jesus makes it very clear here The enemy that sold them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels So let's understand this Jesus says look this is about the end of the world end times prophecy Okay. Now I know some people have taught this in relation to the rapture. I've heard preaching about the rapture I do think you can take certain illustrations certain applications here and apply it to the rapture I think so, but I think this is more to do with the end of the millennium and I'm gonna prove that to you in a Moment, okay But notice he Jesus says this is the end of the world of yeah of this of the of the world and the reapers are the angels This 40 as Therefore the tears are gathered and burned in the fire. So shall it be in the end of this world? Okay, so twice Christ saying look at the end of the world the end of this world Okay, so when does this take place the end of this world? All right, that's that's an easy question. All right in verse 41 The Son of Man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom All things that offend and then which do iniquity now I want you to notice there that Jesus said look out of his kingdom Now we know there's a future millennial kingdom of Christ to come Okay. Now that would make sense if they're being gathered at the end of that millennium because Christ's kingdom is established Okay. Now, like I said, I know we can apply principles today I know we can apply principles about the rapture But the primary application is to the end times the the end Okay, and I'll show it to you why this is about the end of the millennium in a moment And Then it says there in verse 42 and shall cast them into a furnace of fire There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Now, let's understand this keep your finger there. Go to Revelation chapter 20, please Revelation chapter 20. I hope you don't mind a bit of a Bible study today Revelation chapter 20 verse 7 Revelation chapter 20 verse 7 So we know these tears Will be cast into the lake of fire, right? A furnace of fire and shall be wailing and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Revelation chapter 20 verse 7 and when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea Now I don't fully understand this brethren But at the end of the thousand year millennial reign of Christ Satan is loosed and somehow is able to get a grand army to fight against Jesus Christ These are the tears that have grown amongst the wheat here. Let's keep reading verse number nine and They went out on the breadth of the earth and come past the camp of the Saints about and the beloved city look at this and fire came down from God out of heaven and Devoured them and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Where the beasts and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever Look don't fall into this teaching that says hell is Sort of this temporal they teach that it's um Annihilation where if someone's cast into hell, they're absolutely destroyed. They're not being tortured No, verse number 10 makes it very clear that when you're cast into the lake of fire that they shall be tormented day and night Forever and ever what a scary thing, you know, and we don't like reading these things But you know what, you know, what's going to get you out so winning, you know What's going to get you, you know worried about the souls in our community your unsaved family unsaved friends your unsafe co-workers You know What's going to get you to preach the gospel to them is when you finally realize that they're going to be tormented day and night Forever and ever it's a sad thing and that should drive you to get out there It shouldn't drive you to rejoice in your salvation and drive you to get out there to preach the gospel and be that fruitful Seed, you know that was sown be that fruitful person Now let's um, I'm gonna keep proving this to you a little bit So we see it You know thousand years that there are certain people the tears that are cast into the lake of fire and the devil along with them Okay, the children of the devil if you want to put it that way now Yeah, let me say what do I keep your finger in Revelation we're gonna go back there and go back to Matthew 13 Please Matthew 13 verse 43 Matthew 13 verse 43 There's a bit of scriptures that we need to compare here, but it all comes together I love the Bible because it's all perfect it all aligns perfectly when you look at multiple scriptures verse 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father Who have ears to hear let him hear Notice that here once at the end of a thousand years once the tears are cast into hell Notice here. It says that we will shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father Now I want you to think about this the millennial reign of Christ or just I just gave it away I was gonna say who's in charge during that millennium. It's Jesus Christ, isn't it? Okay, but notice here in verse 43 it says the kingdom of their father, okay, who's got the father It's the father God the father God the son Jesus Christ the Trinity. No one going to all that right now Okay, so there is a time when the kingdom becomes the kingdom of the father Say when does that take place? You don't need to turn there. You've already got your fingers in too many places I'm gonna reach you from first Corinthians 15 verse 24 first Corinthians 15 verse 24 says this This is the end of the millennium by the way It says this then cometh the end notice when Jesus is at the end of the world then cometh the end When he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God Even the father when he have sorry when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power You see at the end of the millennium once everything has put been put under the authority of Jesus Christ Then Jesus Christ takes that kingdom and gives it to God the Father and that's what we see in Matthew 13 Now it's been referred to as the king of the father and we're going to be shining brightly as a son in That kingdom now you guys are still in Revelation go to Revelation 21 verse 1 Revelation 21 verse 1 now what we had read earlier in Revelation was Revelation 20 Okay, so we're now in the next chapter Revelation chapter 21 verse 1 Just very quickly. What is this kingdom of the Father? What is be what he's been talking about you remember at the end of this world? Jesus Christ was talking about now revelation 21 verse 1 and I saw a new heaven and a new earth For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Does that all come together for you when Jesus Christ says the end of this world? Why is it the end of this world is because God the Father once the kingdom is given to him? He creates a new heaven and a new New heaven and a new earth Okay, and it's only going to be populated by the wheat those that have the brightness of the Sun those that are saved those that Are believers the tears at this point in time have been completely done away with they've been all cast into the lake of fire Alright, that's the explanation of that parable guys go back to Matthew 13 Matthew 13 and we're going to backtrack a little bit because I missed some verses here for it all to come together Matthew 13 verse 31 Matthew 13 verse 31 I get to preach to you a meaty meaty sermon tonight because I didn't get to preach to you last week. So That's all good verse 31. Let's look at verse 31 It says here another parable and I haven't got time to go into great depth here But I'll give you the principle and then you guys can study it out when you have time Okay And another parable put here 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 which indeed is the least of all seeds But when it is grown it is the greatest amongst herbs and become if a tree So that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof Now wait to notice something about this parable, especially and the next one Okay It starts off with the mustard seed right the mustard seed then is sown it becomes a what becomes a tree Right and then is that the end of the parable no and then the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches of that tree This parable has a free fold process the seed the tree the birds in the branches Okay, I want you to notice that let's keep reading verse number 33 Matthew 13 verse 33 Another parable spake he unto them the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven you guys know what leaven is It's like a yeast. Okay used to leaven bread and it says which a woman took look at this and hid in three Measures of meal till the whole was leavened. You see this woman here is making bread She takes three measures of meal now. I don't believe God puts in numbers for no reason Okay, this this lines up perfectly with the previous chap with the previous parable of the free fold process Okay. Now it's three measures or three Wow, it's like saying three kilograms of meal something like that. Okay, and she puts leaven it, you know So the whole will be leavened All right. Now, let's look at this verse number verse number 34 I'll make I'll make this all to make sense to you soon Let's say for all these things Jesus spake unto the multitude in parables and without a parable spake him not unto them so let's explain these parables these two parables this threefold process and It's referred to both times as the kingdom of heaven And I haven't got time to go through all this it requires its own sermon all by itself, but just it's very it It was very hard for me to understand until I got it. Okay, but the kingdom of heaven Operates in the same way. There is a threefold process in the kingdom of God in the kingdom of heaven Okay, let me explain this to you The kingdom of God is available here today. It is not physical. It is not visible Okay, but how do we enter into the kingdom of God by being born again? Jesus said that a man cannot enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again You cannot see the kingdom of God unless you are born again You see if you are saved the new man the spiritual man in you has entered into that kingdom already And when you go out and you preach the gospel and people are getting saved these people are being brought into the kingdom You see the kingdom of God is here today, but it's here in the spiritual sense In a not a physical sense in a spiritual sense That's why Jesus Christ if you guys remember said the kingdom of God is within you it is In a sense because that new man is already in that kingdom Does that mean there's no physical kingdom to come? No, of course there is and we know what that next stage is don't we we know what that next process is That's when Christ comes back and establishes his millennial reign here on this earth. It's going to be physical It's going to be literal and you're you know Not just spiritually enter in but you'll be able to physically enter into that kingdom That's like the kingdom has now been leavened a little more Okay But is that the is that it no because that's why we call the millennial reign of Christ because we only we know it It's not forever. We know it's it's temple It's only 1,000 years long and at the end of the thousand years what happens the kind that gets given to the Father Who creates the new heavens and the new earth now? This is the third stage of the kingdom and now the whole kingdom of God has been fully leavened It's been fully raised up, you know, so it's a process a spiritual kingdom available today a physical kingdom in the future But it's only temporal thousand years and then an eternal kingdom, which is then given to God the Father That's the threefold process that we see here. It's like the mustard seed and actually let's get we'll keep going. All right, let's uh, Actually, that's Jesus Christ explain. I can't remember right now. Sorry. It's like the mustard seed. It's small It starts off small, you know, if I were to throw a mustard seed on the ground right now Before I started church, you probably even know there's a mustard seed on the ground. Okay, and that's a spiritual sense of it Okay, but then it becomes that tree It's like that millennial kingdom and then the birds lodging the nest is like that final You know when we all have the new heavens and new earth and we all lodge and live there. All right Let's uh, if that doesn't make sense to you guys. I don't have time to go through it all But please ask me after the service. Let's go to Matthew 13 verse 44 now verse 44 verse 44 Now If you understand the kingdom you're going to understand these parables so you can answer the next ones Okay, verse 44 again, which is again. This is another parable Okay, again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hide us and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and Buyeth that field now this reminds me of the gold rush in Australia. Okay? We don't haven't got we haven't got that much gold now Like you kind of have to be lucky to find gold but you know, there were areas where where people would find gold Okay, and they wouldn't tell anyone they would start then mining and started to mine trying to get all the gold from the cells and the Whole reason why I was called the gold rush is because news traveled Hey, there's gold in this area and people would leave their jobs People would leave their families and go and mine for gold why because they knew they could become rich They knew if they dug in enough they would become rich the same kind of idea here This man found a treasure in a field and he goes man. I'm not gonna tell anyone gonna hide this I'm gonna go sell all that I have buy the whole field so I can uncover all the treasure to be found Let's keep reading verse number 45 same kind of parable Again, the king of another parable here again The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls who when he had found one pearl of great price Went and sold all that he had and bought so this man sees this beautiful pearl says I want that pearl He sells all that he has and goes and buys that pearl. What's the teaching here guys? What's the teaching? It's very simple Once you understand the kingdom of God Once you understand that there are rewards to be had Once you understand that you need to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness once you understand Hey, I want to be rich in the kingdom of heaven. I want to have treasures in heaven You know, I want to be I want to meet Christ and for Christ to say they are good and faithful servants Once that's made sense to you then you're going to now desire to invest heavily Into into the kingdom of God, you know No longer you're gonna have the desires the cares of this world and to see how much money can I make and what reputation? What name can I make for myself? No, once the spirit of man understands, man I want to be rich in the kingdom of heaven I want to have those rewards then as it were you would sell all that you have and seek that kingdom first Okay, that's what we should be like we should be desiring to lay up treasures in heaven not treasures on this earth I'm not saying you quit your jobs because God says work hard God says get married have kids and provide for your family you do what you need to do But hey, you don't need to waste your time seeking treasures and wealth beyond what you need I use that time to serve the Lord use that time to invest in heavenly things Verse number 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto our nets that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind Which when it was full they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away So it's like fishermen. They just let out a net they get fish they get maybe they get other things in there That aren't worth anything and they start casting out that which is bad. Okay verse 49 So shall it be at the end of the world the angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from amongst the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth So this is the same thing that we learned about about the the tears and the weeds Okay, the tears being cast in the fire same thing The illustration is that a net will go out they'll gather the good but the bad will be burnt into like fire at the end Of the world. I won't rehash all of that, but it's the same teaching there and Then up verse 51 Jesus safe unto them to who his disciples right? Have you understood all these things? They said unto him. Yea Lord They see the disciples now have finally understood these parables And what I want you guys to do is for you to finally understand these parables I want you to finally understand the kingdom of God and to finally understand just how important how valuable it is For you to invest into God's kingdom to invest into God's work I want Jesus Christ to say to you. Have you understood these things and for you to say yea Lord I get it You know, I get it. I need to serve you I need to seek the kingdom first in my life verse 52 verse 52 then said he unto them therefore every scribe Which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is an householder which bringer forth out of his treasure things new and old and I'll just be honest with you. I don't really get this verse. I don't fully understand it If you've got some ideas, you know Let me know I'll give you my first thoughts as I read this is Remember the prophets of old could not understand the dark sayings and blessed are we today that can it's been revealed unto us Well, I think what's what's being said here is that the scribe is like an Old Testament scribe right in the Old Testament That the things that he wrote about Brings forth things that are out of his treasure things that are new and old and I think what's being said here is The truth of this teaching what we're hearing today is not a new teaching. In fact, it's an old teaching It's an old teaching. We know it because we saw in the Old Testament We saw that father's passed down this teaching generation to generation But what's new is the understanding when Christ came he's come and enlighten our understanding. That's new now We're blessed because we now fully understand what the kingdom of God is. We understand the Trinity We understand being born again in the Holy Ghost. We understand the millennial reign of Christ we understand God the Father the Trinity was something that was taught by Jesus Christ and Understanding how that all fits into the kingdom of God the threefold process of the kingdom I think that's what's being said there. But you've got some more ideas. Let me know. I'm all ears. Okay now, let's uh, Let's read from verse number 53 we're up to that now and it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence and When he was coming to his own country, he taught them that in their synagogue So we're over the parables now. We're just we're just wrapping up this chapter now So he's gone into a synagogue to teach in so much that they were astonished and said Whence have this man this wisdom and these mighty works is not this the carpenters son So who was Jesus Christ the carpenters son as far as they were concerned, right? Who's who they referring to Joseph Joseph as the stepfather of Jesus Christ you see that Joseph he was a carpenter Okay, and it says is not his mother could marry Hey, we know Joseph We know Mary and it says and his brethren James and Joseph and Simon just and we know the family We know we know Jesus and his family and his parents. We know them And just before I go into all of that I just want you to keep your finger there go to Mark chapter 6 Mark chapter 6 verse 3 Mark chapter 6 verse 3 So We saw in the book of Matthew that Jesus Christ is called the carpenters son, right So Joseph was a carpenter by trade now. Look at Mark chapter 6 verse 3 It's the same same people asking the same questions, but now it's captured in a different way Mark chapter 6 not a contradiction It's just another truth. Okay, Mark chapter 6 verse 3 is not this the carpenter Who's the carpenter Jesus Christ. All right, who is this? Not the carpenter? The son of Mary the brother of James and Joseph and of Judah and Simon and I'm not his sisters here with us And they were offended at him so you can go back to Matthew 23 now 13 sorry Matthew 13 and I just wanted to show you that Joseph his stepfather Jesus stepfather was a carpenter, right? But then notice that in Mark he confirms that Jesus Christ was also a carpenter Okay, and how old was Jesus Christ when he started his full-time ministry? Is that 30 years old? So what do you think he was doing till he was 30 years old? He was working the carpentry trade He was working the family business, right? He was working with Joseph his father who was a carpenter. He learned the family trade He was a carpenter. I say what he's saying that I'm just trying to say to you guys Is that we know we need to set the kingdom of God first But I don't want you to fall into the trap of thinking. You know what? I'm just gonna quit my job I'm just gonna leave my family and I'm just gonna go and serve God with the rest of my life That's not what you're called to do Men, you're called to work. You're called to provide Even Jesus set us the example you think he needed to become a carpenter really, right? But he waited till he was 30 years old before he started the ministry. Hey, he got himself a trade He got himself work. He worked hard. He provided for his family for his household I don't know. It's possible some people think that make Joseph passed away at an early age and here we may have Jesus Christ As being the oldest son of the family working hard and providing for the family because the father had passed on that's a possibility But notice that Jesus Christ made sure that he was working hard. He had a job He had a trade and then he went into the ministry once everything was said and done then he went into the ministry Okay, and I don't want you guys and I'm not even for Bible College, but I don't want young people to think man I'm just going to go into full-time ministry look you need to live a life first you need to work hard for us a lot of things that you learn as a Preacher as a pastor as a full-time servant for God other things that you you the things that you apply things You've learned on the workforce the things you've learned is in the family You know a lot of the way I run church and talk to people are things I learned as a dad Speaking to my kids, you know or being a manager having employees under me, you know That's how the things that you learn in the workplace. You're going to be able to apply in your full-time job Okay, so and by the way when you work you are working for the kingdom of God So long as you set Jesus Christ as your master so long as in your mindset you have hey I'm serving the Lord Jesus Christ Regardless of who your employer is you put Christ first and you can serve him and you'll still be Serving in the kingdom of God because you're serving your Lord and master, aren't you? Okay now let's keep reading verse 56 and His sisters are they not with us all? Whence then hath this man all these things? How does he know so much? Why is it got so much knowledge, right? We know this fan We've seen Jesus Christ from a young man. He never went to Bible College You know, he was a carpenter. How can he have so much knowledge? That's what they're saying about him verse 57 and They were offended in him But Jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor saving his own country and is in his own house And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. So what Jesus saying is look If you strike if you seek to serve God you become a pastor you become a preacher You become a prophet as you were in that sense, okay Those that are gonna reject you the most Those are going to be the most disloyal to you most dishonorable dishonor into you. I own Kins folk like your own neighbors your own family your own friends people that have known you I'm more likely to reject and go like how can you be a pastor? How can you be I know you, you know I know what you got up to in your learning your own life How can you know and that's why Jesus Christ says here they prophet is not without honor So every prophet has honor every prophet has honor when they preach Save or accept in his own country and is in his own house Okay, so Jesus recognized that you know if he was away from from his family away from his house away from his country as it Were there were going to be people that would listen to him that would honor his teaching and that's why it says in verse 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief Hey, if you want Christ to do mighty works in your life, what are you gonna need? You're going to need belief You're going to need faith, you know You want prayers answered you need to be able to ask the Lord in faith that that prayer can be answered In accordance to his will but it's when you lack faith that God will not do mighty works in your life And I'll just wrap it up by saying this this verse here in verse 57 It is sort of one of the main reasons when I went to start a church. I Wanted to get out of Sydney because I was like well a prophet is not without on us saving his own country All right in his own house So surely if I go elsewhere Then people are gonna hear me if you're gonna honor some reason God's brought me back to Sydney anyway to start this church So, I don't know maybe that maybe I was misapplying that verse somehow But that was that that was the verse that kind of got me thinking I need to get out of Sydney Anyway, guys, I hope you now understand all these parables if I haven't explained had to go from pretty quickly It was a lot there. If there's something you haven't understood, please ask me after the service. Let's pray