I'm going to read God's Word. We're going to start in verse 1 and go all the way through to verse 23.
If you need a Bible, there's one on the stand there. Please help yourself to them.
Matthew 13, verses 1 to 23.
Let's hear God's Word to us today.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying,
A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil.
It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
Still other seeds fell on a good soil, where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The disciples came to Jesus and asked,
Why do you speak to the people in parables?
Jesus replied,
Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what they have, will be taken from them.
This is why I speak to them in parables.
Though seeing, they do not see.
Though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.
You will be ever hearing, but never understanding.
You will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become callous.
They hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
For truly, I tell you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
Listen then to what the parable of the sower means.
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.
This is the seed sown along the path.
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
But since they have no root, they last only a short time.
When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word.
But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, choke the word, making it unfruitful.
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.
This is the one who produces a crop yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.
Well, please keep your Bibles open, and let's pray.
Father, our prayer is simple.
Open our ears that we would hear your truth.
Open our eyes that we might see you in your word.
Open our hearts and give us understanding so that we might have life.
And that we might live in a way that brings a fruitful crop, an abundance, a hundred, sixty, or thirty times more than what was sown in our life.
Be generous to us today.
Hear us.
Amen.
Well, I have a puzzling question.
And I wonder if you can help.
Matthew has been introducing us to the person of Jesus.
Jesus, we've learnt, is God's chosen king with absolute power and supreme authority.
He's come to establish his eternal kingdom.
A kingdom where the effects of sin, suffering, and Satan have been confronted and defeated.
And as people hear what Jesus says, and as they see what Jesus does,
there are some people who get up and follow Jesus,
while there are others who turn away from Jesus.
And the question is, why?
Why is that?
It's the same with this gathering here.
Some of you will hear the message from the text,
and your hearts are going to be absolutely captivated,
not because the skills of the preacher are just brilliant,
but simply because of what you hear.
You're going to leave the building thinking about the word of God deeply.
And as you reflect on it,
you will see your life being changed.
Others, perhaps, will hear the same message,
but will walk out that door without any impact whatsoever.
Not because of the boring tones of the preacher,
but because you simply cannot see.
Your life will go on exactly the same way as before,
as if you never heard anything different.
Why is that?
Well, I think Matthew chapter 13 gives us the answer.
And more than that, it will show us why we follow,
or why we don't.
So, three things that we're going to look at together.
Here's the first one.
A word to all.
Look at verse 1.
That same day,
so Jesus had just been visiting his own family,
he had been in their house.
That same day, Jesus went out of the house,
and he sat down by the lake.
Large crowds gathered round him,
that he got into a boat,
and sat on it,
while all the people stood on the shore.
Then he told them many things.
Now, picture the scene here.
Crowds and crowds of people have come.
That Jesus has to get into with a boat,
push off a little bit offshore.
No discrimination.
Everybody is welcomed.
Nobody is excluded.
All the crowd who are there,
they can all now see Jesus out on the boat,
and they can all hear what Jesus is teaching.
It's an audience of equals.
No one has an advantage or a disadvantage.
They're all seeing,
and they're all hearing,
the same things.
But as our text made clear,
as we read,
people don't all hear and see in the same way.
Look at verse 3.
Jesus told them many things in parables,
saying,
a farmer went out to sow his seed.
And he tells this short little story
about a farmer scattering his seed,
and what happens to the seed.
It's straightforward enough.
But what's not straightforward
is what it means.
What does this story mean?
Look at verse 10.
The disciples came to him and asked,
why do you speak to the people in parables?
You see, the parable, or a parable,
is a certain kind of teaching.
It's a practical story
which highlights a spiritual reality.
A practical story
which highlights a spiritual reality.
In other words,
it's a story
with a deeper meaning.
And we know what that meaning is
because, well,
it's been revealed to us.
It's been told to us
as we read in verse 18 following.
But we need to place ourselves
in the shoes of the disciples
because they don't know what it means.
So naturally,
the disciples are a bit confused.
Jesus,
why don't you just speak normally?
Why don't you just say what you mean?
Why not just get straight to the point
and stop playing games with our heads?
Why are you teaching in parables?
I mean, look at all the crowds that are here.
All these people you have before you.
And you're just confusing them with your stories.
Why are you making things difficult?
Verse 11.
Jesus replied,
because the knowledge of the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven
has been given to you,
but not to them.
You see, in these stories,
in these parables that I tell you,
there's truth to be known.
There is a message.
But not everyone hears it
or sees it.
Some will understand,
but some won't understand.
Verse 13.
This is why I speak to them in parables.
Though seeing,
they do not see.
Though hearing,
they do not hear
or understand.
Now, Jesus isn't a bad teacher.
It's not that Jesus is struggling
with his communication.
Jesus is deliberately
and intentionally
being secret
in what he says.
Contrary to what we may think,
the parables are not exposing
a flaw in Jesus' teaching.
The parables expose
the reality of our hearts.
are we those who desire
to see and hear?
Are we those who don't want to see
and don't want to hear?
You see,
as Jesus teaches,
he's drawing out from the crowd
those who will follow him
and those who will ultimately
ignore him.
So the question is,
do I really want to see?
Do I truly want to hear
what Jesus is saying?
So, his word
comes to all.
But secondly,
his word
brings division.
Because as Jesus teaches,
his words have
a double impact.
His word will either
reveal the kingdom
to you
or his word
will conceal the kingdom
from you.
First,
revealing the kingdom of Jesus.
Let's read verse 10.
The disciples came to him.
Why do you speak in parables?
Jesus replied,
because the knowledge
of the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven
has been given to you
but not to them.
Now, when Jesus talks about
the secrets of the kingdom,
he's talking about
something that's hidden
but is revealed.
Something hidden
but revealed.
Look back with me
just a page
perhaps to chapter 11
and verse 25.
Here Jesus has been
talking about who he is
and he's been
demonstrating who he is
by his miracles.
He's declaring
that I'm God's
promised king,
the long-for Messiah.
Let's pick it up
in verse 25.
At that time,
Jesus said,
I praise you,
Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have
hidden these things,
the things about Jesus
and his kingdom,
from the wise
and the learned
and revealed them
to little children.
Yes, Father,
for this is what
you are pleased to do.
Jesus came
proclaiming the good news
and healing the sick.
people could hear his words,
see his miracles,
but his kingdom remained hidden
until it was revealed.
That's why,
back in chapter 13,
verse 11,
Jesus said,
the secrets of the kingdom
have been given to you.
In other words,
I have revealed
the kingdom of heaven
to you.
Your spiritual ears
have been opened
so that you can hear me.
Your spiritual eyes
have been opened
so that you can see
who I truly am.
The disciples
only understand
who Jesus is
and his kingdom
because God
has given them
understanding.
Now, how does
this understanding come?
Well,
it all comes
by God's grace.
Look closely
at chapter 13,
verse 11.
He says,
it has been
given
to you.
In other words,
we can't make ourselves
understand or believe.
God must
open up
our spiritual
eyes and ears
if we are to know
and to follow him.
That's why Jesus
will say
in verse 16,
blessed are your eyes
because they see,
your ears
because they hear.
Let's think about
this for ourselves.
If you've heard
the good news
of the kingdom,
if you are here today
and you have repented
and you can say,
yes,
I follow Jesus,
the only reason
why you do
is because God
has revealed
it to you.
It's not because
you were especially
good
and God thought,
I really like them,
I'm going to reveal
the kingdom to them.
It's not because
you worked it out
and you studied
your Bible really well
and it was just like,
now I've got it.
Something from within
that made you understand.
And it's not because
you woke up one morning
and decided,
you know what,
I've decided
to follow Jesus.
No,
none of those things.
You believe,
you follow,
because God revealed
to you
that Jesus is King,
that you need
to repent
and you need
to follow him.
In fact,
if you have received
God's grace
in this way,
even more
is going to be
given to you.
Look at verse 12.
Whoever has
will be given
more
and they will have
an abundance.
As you understand
the kingdom,
so you will be given
greater understanding.
It's a little bit
like the dimmer switch
that you might have
in your house.
the more you turn
the switch,
the more light
you have.
And so as God
gives your heart
light,
so the dimmer switch,
so the trigger switch
in our heart
is turned up
even more.
And more light
is received.
And we begin
to see Jesus
and his kingdom
and our love
for Jesus
and his kingdom
increases and grows.
And your life
as a Christian
will blossom
and develop
and flourish
in ways
that you never
thought possible.
All by God's
grace.
More
will be given
to you.
So the word
of Jesus
reveals
the kingdom
of Jesus
to you.
but there's
also a second
side to it,
isn't there?
Concealing
Jesus
and his
kingdom.
For some
the word
will lead
to belief
and for others
as they hear
the word
it will lead
to rejection.
Again,
look at verse
11.
Jesus says,
the knowledge
of the secrets
of the kingdom
of heaven
has been given
to you
but not
to them.
Not
everyone
will be given
understanding.
Verse 12.
Look at the end
of verse 12.
Because whoever
does not have
even what
they have
will be taken
from them.
It's like
instead of the
dimmer switch
being turned
up,
it's being
turned down.
Instead of
getting lighter
and brighter,
it slowly
becomes
darker
so that
you are
no longer
able to
see
anything.
Jesus
and his
kingdom
become
concealed
to you.
Now,
I don't know
about you
but I read
that and
I was
thinking about
this.
I said,
this is
really
unfair.
For some
it's been
revealed
but to
others
it's
concealed.
That's
unfair.
Why
does God
do that?
Well,
Jesus
explains
verse 13.
This is
why I
speak to
them in
parables.
Those
seeing,
they do
not see.
Though
hearing,
they do
not hear
or understand.
It's
not that
the crowds
didn't
have
opportunity.
The crowds
had seen
Jesus'
miracles,
the healing
of the
sick,
the casting
out of
demons,
the raising
of the
dead.
The crowds
had heard
Jesus'
teaching,
repent for
the kingdom
of heaven
has come
near.
They have
seen,
but they
don't
see.
They've
heard,
but they
don't
hear.
Or more
accurately,
they don't
want to
see and
they don't
want to
hear.
Jesus gives
an example
for us,
doesn't he,
in verse
14 and
15.
Verse
14,
in them
is fulfilled
the prophecy
of Isaiah.
Matthew
quotes here,
and this
quote is
from Isaiah
chapter 6.
And obviously
before we get
to chapter 6,
there's five
chapters.
And you
read through
those five
chapters and
you will see
how Israel
persisted in
their rebellion
against God.
Warning
after warning
over hundreds
of years
and they
refused to
humble themselves
and repent.
So God's
judgment was
going to fall
and there
would be a
concealing,
a hardening
of their
hearts.
And so we
read verse
14,
you will be
ever hearing
but never
understanding.
You will be
ever seeing
but never
perceiving.
For this
people's heart
has become
calloused.
They hardly
hear with
their ears
and they
have closed
their eyes.
Otherwise
they might
see with
their eyes,
hear with
their ears,
understand with
their hearts
and turn
and I
would heal
them.
You see
God has
been
incredibly
fair.
Incredibly
fair.
God has
been gracious
towards Israel.
He had
rescued them
from slavery.
He had
brought them
into the
promised land.
He had
provided them
with judges
and kings.
He had
spoken to
them
through the
prophets.
And God
had sent
him his
ultimate
prophet.
Look down
at verse
17.
For truly
I tell you
many prophets
and righteous
people longed
to see what
you see but
didn't see it
and to hear
what you hear
but didn't
hear it.
They had
been given
every opportunity
but they
didn't believe.
God had
been gracious
to the
crowds.
God's
king had
been set
before them
in person.
They had
seen the
miracles,
heard the
words,
given every
opportunity
but like
Israel of
old,
verse 15,
the people's
hearts had
become
calloused.
They hardly
hear with
their ears
and they
have closed
their eyes.
hearts.
You see
as Jesus
taught,
he spoke
in parables
and the
truth
was concealed.
The
concealing
was God's
judgment.
It was
confirming
their very
own
rejection.
But it's
not just
Israel and
it's not
just the
crowds.
You and
I here
are very
privileged
people.
God has
been gracious
to us.
Every
week we
hear about
Jesus.
But be
warned.
Refusal
to accept
his word,
refusal to
learn from
him and
seek
sight and
hearing
will lead
to a
concealing
of Jesus.
It'll be
like that
dimmer
switch.
We won't
even notice.
But slowly
over time
the dimmer
switch will
go down
and down
and down.
We won't
even notice
the darkness
coming around
us.
And it
will become
so dark
we will
not be able
to see.
Be warned.
Be careful.
a word
to all.
A word
that divides
and a
word for
us.
You see
the parable
here
actually
exposes
the reality
of our
own hearts
this morning.
And the
question we
need to
deal with
is this.
How am I
responding to
the word
when I hear
it?
Every time
I hear
the word
how do
I respond
to it?
How do
I think
about it?
And to
help us
answer this
question
Jesus now
explains the
parable to
us.
He reveals
in words.
Verse 18
Listen then
to what the
parable of
the sower
means.
So the
farmer who
sows the
seed
is Jesus
who sows
his
word.
And the
different
soils
the
hard
path
the
rocky
ground
the
thorns
and
thistles
the
good
soil
all
reflect
the
condition
of
people's
hearts.
Now as we've
read it you may
think there are
four responses
but in fact there are
actually only two.
The first three
all reflect those
who have their
ears and eyes
closed.
it's only the
final one that
reflects the
person who truly
sees and hears
and understands.
So let's look at
this parable
and ask
ourselves
how do we
hear
God's word.
First
the hard
heart.
Verse 19
when anyone
hears the
message about
the kingdom
and does
not understand
it
the evil
one comes
and snatches
away what
was sown
in their
heart.
Is that a
picture of you?
You hear
like everybody
else
but it never
actually travels
to your
heart.
as soon
as the
words are
heard
it's
rejected
it goes
not for
me
I don't
really like
it.
Just as
the birds
ate up
the seed
on the
hard
path
so the
devil
comes
and takes
the word
from your
hard
heart.
If you
do not
want the
word in
your life
if you
do not
desire
the word
God
will let
that word
be taken
from you.
A hard
heart.
Then there's
a shallow
heart.
Verse 20
The seed
falling on
rocky ground
refers to
someone who
hears the
word and
at once
receives it
with joy.
And maybe
that's the
picture of
your heart
today.
You think
yes following
Jesus is
great.
that's
what I
want to
do.
But
verse 21
since they
have no
root
they last
only a
short time
when trouble
or persecution
comes because
of the
word
they quickly
fall away.
You see
sooner or
later we
realise that
you know
following
Jesus as
king
is hard.
And as
we follow
him we
realise that
family and
friends push
against us
and it's
not easy
and I'm
not up for
this and
we fall
away.
But why
do they
fall away?
Verse 21
Because it
did not
take root
in your
heart.
Rather than
taking in
the word
you kept
the word
out of your
life and
you ignored
it.
You see
if we
don't
continue to
grow in
the word
if we
don't
nurture
our
hearts
with the
word
if we
don't
water
the
seed
with
the
word
we'll
fall
away.
And then
third there
is the
destructive
heart.
Verse 22
the seed
falling among
the thorns
refers to
someone who
hears the
word but
the worries
of this
life and
the deceitfulness
of wealth
choke the
word making
it unfruitful.
Is that
what describes
your heart?
You've made
a good start
in the
Christian life
you want
to follow
you hear
it
but then
things begin
to distract
you.
You become
anxious and
worried about
your future
and health
becomes more
important and
work becomes
more important
and in a
desperate attempt
to alleviate
all your
concerns
you seek
security in
accumulating
wealth.
As long as
I have
money, as
long as
I have
job security
everything is
going to be
alright.
Instead of
devotion to
God and
his word
we get
distracted
and financial
security slowly
and subtly
takes priority
over the
word.
And instead
of being
fruitful we
become
unfruitful.
Hard
heart,
shallow
heart,
distracted
heart.
Do any
of these
resonate with
you?
all of
them
describe
in one
way or
another
the person
who
ultimately
rejects
God's
word.
Their
hearts have
become
calloused.
They
hardly hear.
They've
closed
their eyes.
But we
have a
humble
heart.
verse 23
The seed
falling on
good soil
refers to
someone who
hears the
word and
understand it.
It's a
beautiful picture
of what
happens when
we come
humbly
before God.
We recognise
that without
God's
intervention we
will never
understand.
Without
his grace
and a
dependence on
his grace
we'll never
see,
we'll never
hear.
But when
we come
in that
humble
dependence
God
softens
our
hard
hearts.
When we
cry out
to him
and see
our need
he opens
our
closed
ears and
he opens
our blind
eyes.
And look
what happens.
Look at the
end of
verse 23.
this is the
one who
produces a
crop
yielding
a hundred
sixty
or thirty
times what
was sown.
The word
that was
sown
expands
and grows
and you
have a
fruitful
life.
The word
takes effect
and we
begin to
seek the
priorities of
the kingdom.
we become
consumed with
proclaiming the
good news of
the kingdom.
We become
more beautiful
people as we
display the
glory of the
kingdom.
The message is
crystal clear
isn't it?
As we hear
the word
we are
either
accepting it
or rejecting
it.
The dimmer
switch is
either going
up and it
becomes brighter
and more
fruitful
or the
dimmer switch
is turning
down and
it's getting
darker and
unfruitful.
How do you,
how do I
hear the
word?
It's a
matter of
life and
death.
Let me
pray for us.
Lord,
soften my
calloused
hard heart
so that I
might love
your word
and accept
your word.
Open up
my blocked
ears that I
might have
understanding.
Open my
closed eyes
so that I
might see you
as I
ought.
Take my
hard,
shallow,
distracted
heart
and give
me a
humble
heart
that I
might live
a fruitful
life
for your
glory.
Pour out
your
grace.
Pour out
your grace
so that
we might
have all
we need
and more
than we
could ever
imagine
for we
need it.
Thank you,
Father,
that you are
generous
and you
are good.
Amen.
So we're
going to
sing
and I
hope this
song can be
sung in a
way that
show you
varii
on
the
scale
and
sure.