For the next two weeks, there's a two-week gap between us ending John's Gospel, just chapter 6, and Advent.
So get excited for that. But in these two weeks, this week and next week, we'll be doing a parables miniseries.
So part one is me, that's this week, and next week is Alex Kohler doing part two.
And if you look at Matthew chapter 13 with me, you see it's the parable of the sower.
And so the parable of the sower, part one and part two. And Alex is going to actually take the first nine verses.
And then he's going to take the parable of the sower explained, which is after our text this morning, from verses 18 to 23.
But, so it's going to be a sandwich, and you get the meat of the sandwich today. You'll get the bread next week.
So our verses will be 10 through 17.
But before we jump into this, I want you, let's trace some of the points in this text back through scripture.
And so, as an intro, keep your finger here, but turn with me to Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 29.
Do that for me.
So here we're looking at Moses.
This is the law, the Torah.
And in here, there's a very significant verse here for our text today.
So if you're looking at Deuteronomy 29, verse 4, Moses writes to Israel,
But to this day, the Lord has not given you a heart to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear.
This is somewhat of a curse to Israel here.
And notice there's three organs.
You have the heart.
You have the eyes.
And then you have the ears.
So just keep that in mind as we spend our time this morning in Matthew 13.
Now, one more text, and then we'll jump into the Gospels.
Isaiah 6.
Turn with me there.
Isaiah chapter 6.
If you have heard a sermon on Isaiah 6, you probably have heard it from the first half of that chapter,
because it is the great Isaiah's vision of the Lord.
Remember, there's seraphim.
There's the angels flying around.
There's the throne of God.
And there's the holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
That text.
It's glorious.
It preaches.
But you probably have not heard a sermon on the last half of the chapter.
So from verse 8 on, it says, it's the call of Isaiah.
And I heard the voice of the Lord.
This is verse 8 of Isaiah 6.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?
Then I said, here am I.
Send me.
And he said, go and say to this people, keep on hearing, but do not understand.
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.
Make the heart of this people dull and their ears heavy and blind eyes.
Blind their eyes.
Lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn and be healed.
And he goes on.
Now, what's significant about this?
Keep this in mind too.
So you can flip back and you can stay.
Don't worry.
In Matthew chapter 13.
Notice the three organs show up again.
And with the New Testament writers, this text of Isaiah, the second portion of Isaiah 6 is quoted three times in the New Testament.
So for the New Testament authors, it was a very important text.
The call of Isaiah and what he is to, was Isaiah to say to Israel.
And if you look in your cross references, there's no quoted text in the first half of chapter 6 of Isaiah.
The one that's most famous.
But it is here in the parable of the sower explained.
The purpose of the parables in chapter 13 of Matthew and at the very end of Acts.
And throughout portions of that show up throughout the New Testament.
So it's very important, this message.
So we have seen Moses.
We have seen Isaiah.
And now we are to Jesus in what Jesus says.
So there's four parts to this message today.
And I say four parts to this text.
And one is a question.
The disciples ask a question.
And then Jesus answers it in three different parts.
So I'll read our text.
Verse 10 of chapter 13 of Matthew.
Then the disciples came and said to him,
Why do you speak to them in parables?
And he answered them,
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
But to them it has not been given.
For to the one who has, more will be given.
And he will have an abundance.
But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables.
Because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear.
Nor do they understand.
Indeed, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says,
You will indeed hear, but never understand.
And you will indeed see, but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull.
And with their eyes they can barely hear.
And with their eyes they have closed.
Lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears.
And understand with their heart.
And turn, and I would heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see.
And your ears, for they hear.
For truly I say to you,
Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see,
and did not see it.
And to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Pray with me as we begin to dig into this text.
Father, thank you for giving us this text for us this morning.
And I ask that you would help me to make the text clear.
Make that meaning clear to all those who hear.
And I ask that you would give us ears to hear,
eyes to see, and hearts to understand your message.
Amen.
So, why this text, I talked a little bit more about it,
it's important to the New Testament.
Hearts, eyes, ears.
You'll see even more.
It's an important theme throughout Scripture.
And it's pointing to faith, belief, wholehearted trust.
That's what this wholeheartedness, hearts, eyes, ears is pointing to.
You see it from Moses, we've seen, to Isaiah and the prophets,
to Jesus and the Gospels.
So, it's important for us to stop before we take a closer look
at one of Jesus' most famous parables,
the parable of the sower that you probably know,
and pause and take a closer look at what he does in the middle of that parable.
I think it's important for us to do.
And we'll take a closer look at it with Alex next week.
But, also, there's a connection here I don't want you to miss out on.
We had a, I don't know when it was,
but we had a summer sermon series,
wow, three S's,
of the parable,
of parables,
and I chose the parable of the talents,
which is the last parable in Matthew.
And the parable of the talents,
at the very end of that parable,
if you flip there,
if you read it this afternoon,
I encourage you to do that after we take a closer look at this.
He repeats,
word by word,
what he says in this section we're taking,
we're taking a look at this morning.
So, the first parable,
the parable of the sower,
is connected to the last parable in Matthew.
So, there's a connection there.
And I always thought that was,
why is that?
And we'll get into it.
But what he repeats
is verse 12.
For to the one who has,
more will be given,
and he will have an abundance.
But from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And that's in the last parable of Matthew.
So, there's a connection there.
That's on purpose.
So, let's dig in.
And let's dig in in verse 10.
So, the first part,
there's a question.
Then the disciples came and said to him,
why do you speak to them in parables?
Genuine question from the disciples.
If you look up in the beginning of chapter 13,
he said,
many parables.
So, this is just the first one that Matthew records.
And then, after,
there's a question that the disciples ask.
Why do you speak to them in parables?
Parables.
So, parables is,
parables,
parable is a Greek word,
and it's parables.
That's where we get the word parables in English.
And it literally means comparison.
And so,
the meaning in the New Testament,
how parables is worked,
is a little elastic here.
It could be proverbial,
like a proverb,
a symbol,
symbolic,
comparison.
But in this text,
in this context we're in,
it's more of a story embodying some truth.
So, there's a story about the sower,
and there's some truth in that.
That's the context here.
And so,
they ask this question,
why this type of way of answering,
or speaking to these people?
He says,
he uses parables on purpose.
And the rest of the text
is Jesus' answer to their question.
So,
second part here,
verse 11.
And he answered them,
and Jesus answered them,
to you,
it has been given
to know
the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
But to them,
it has not been given.
I hope you see the contrast here.
There's lots of contrasts in this text.
It's you and them.
To you,
it has been given.
But to them,
it has not been given.
So,
what is it?
Well,
it's to know the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven.
You have a middle here.
You have,
on the one hand,
to you,
it has been given.
But to them,
it has not been given.
And in the middle,
the content is what the content is.
So,
let's take that to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven,
but let's work backwards.
So,
let's ask some questions about that line,
but backwards.
So,
first,
kingdom of heaven.
This kingdom of heaven,
close Bible readers,
I'm sure you know,
this is unique to Matthew.
You don't really see it anywhere else.
And kingdom of heaven,
we kind of can just breeze through that quickly,
but it's the heavenly kingdom.
It is from heaven,
it is also heavenly.
Meaning,
there's a kingdom,
and in a kingdom,
someone reigns
in every kingdom.
But,
heavenly kingdom,
kingdom of heaven,
who reigns?
And that is God.
God reigns
in the heavenly kingdom.
So,
we could say,
of the heavenly kingdom.
So,
working our way backwards here,
secrets.
Secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
Now,
it's interesting,
most translations have secrets,
but it's the word
where we get the word
mysteries.
So,
you could easily say,
mysteries.
So,
this idea of mystery
is here.
So,
you could say,
the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom.
But,
here's something you need to
have in mind always.
Our modern notion of mystery
is not what they
intended.
Not what Jesus intended here.
They meant something different.
So,
in our modern context,
just how it has
happened,
mystery has
evolved into
something
completely unknown.
It's something that
close to no one knows
the content of.
That's the modern use.
So,
we can't read that into
when we see mystery
in the New Testament,
especially.
But,
the ancient way,
the Greco-Roman
context,
it was more of,
it was once
concealed,
but is now
revealed.
That's,
that's more of the,
the mystery,
when you see the word
mystery,
here in the Bible,
think that.
Think,
once concealed,
but now has been
revealed.
Very important to
understand that.
So,
I'm going to keep the word
mysteries here,
but have that in mind.
So,
last bit here
is knowledge.
It's to know
the secrets of the
kingdom of heaven.
Knowledge of the
mysteries of the
king,
of the heavenly
kingdom,
is what separates
has been given
and has not been given
to you,
talking to the
disciples,
and to them,
others.
That's what
differentiates
those who have,
have,
and have not.
The next verse
makes clear.
But let's dwell on
the to know.
Knowledge
is also a tricky one
that if you could
just read through it
to know,
but let's,
there,
if you think about it,
there are
multiple ways of
thinking about
knowledge.
There,
and here,
I just want to
highlight two I
think is important
to this text.
It's,
one,
it's a cognitive
knowledge,
meaning you know
of something,
you know it exists.
Doesn't really have
anything bearing on
your life.
But then,
I want to highlight
volitional
knowledge here.
And in the context,
and especially if
scripture generally
and more specifically
here,
knowledge is just
not a flat
I know something,
like,
think cognitive.
But there's also
volitional.
And what I mean by that
is that there is a
desire there
to know,
to know something,
to want to know
someone.
one,
it's not merely
knowing of God,
cognitive,
but a desire
to commit
to God,
volitional.
And this,
we have to be careful
to think about
every word
of the text here.
and I think
there's a lot
here when you
think about
just knowing
about God,
but personally
knowing and
desiring him.
This reminds me
of a sermon
I read in college
by Jonathan Edwards.
And he was not
a Puritan,
but he was
influenced by Puritans.
So,
naturally,
this sermon
that I read
in college
was called,
True Grace
Distinguished
from the Experience
of Devils.
We need
more of those titles.
I don't have a title,
I'm sorry.
I should have thought
about something like that.
But his text,
I remember
where I was,
what time of day
it was,
when I read this sermon.
It affected me
so greatly.
And it's on this
idea of this
knowledge.
And his text
was James
chapter 2,
verse 19.
I'll read it
to you real quick.
His text was
the text that says
in James,
you believe
that God is one,
you do well.
Even the demons
believe
in Shudder.
So,
Jonathan Edwards,
he's living
right before
the revolution,
think First
Great Awakening
in New England,
and he asks
his congregation
a question.
what is the difference
between man
and demons?
What is the difference
between you
and a demon?
And I thought
to myself,
that's a good question.
Because if we're
talking about
one type of knowledge,
they might know
better than I.
knowing about God.
And he teases
this out a little bit,
and he finally
gets to the
end,
and he says,
what demons
have
is a knowledge
of God
that is
cognitive.
They know
things about
God.
But,
what demons
do not have,
he says,
this is what he says,
he says,
they do not have
a,
when looking
upon Christ,
they do not
have a sense
of divine
beauty
when they look
upon Christ.
There is no,
they do not see
beauty
when they look
at Christ.
they feel
dread,
guilt,
hopeless fear.
It's a point,
there are no
atheistic demons.
There's no
agnostic.
It is impossible
because they know
who God is.
But the difference
is,
this volitional
knowledge of God,
this looking
at Christ
and seeing beauty,
and knowing
Christ
and desiring
to submit
and to commit
fully to him
because we see
him as good.
And he goes on,
he says,
this is,
this sense
of divine
beauty
is the first
thing
in the actual
change
made in the
soul
in true
conversion
and is
the foundation
of everything
else belonging
to that
change.
He's saying,
he's talking
about what
is true
conversion?
The foundation
of this
is this
sense
of divine
beauty
when looking
to Christ.
So,
if we ask
ourselves
the same
question,
what do you
see
when looking
at Christ?
do you
have merely
cognitive
knowledge?
Think
cultural
Christianity.
That's what
I'm really
thinking about.
That is not
saving faith.
That is something
that the demons
even have.
But do you
desire
to see
him?
You desire,
when you look
at Christ,
do you see
divine
beauty
in the cross?
All good
questions,
I think,
from this.
And to
know the
secrets
of the
kingdom
of heaven
is at
the center
of this,
of those
who have
it and
those who
do not
have that.
And what
is it?
It's knowledge
of the
mysteries of
the heavenly
kingdom.
Remember,
once concealed,
now revealed
in Christ.
Next verse.
is verse
12.
It goes
further than
this here,
continues on
in the same.
So,
verse 11 and
12 are
connected.
And it
says,
for to the
one who
has,
more will
be given,
and he
will have
an abundance.
But from
the one
who has
not,
even what
he has
will be
taken away.
This is
more of a
proverbial,
like saying
here.
And this
is the
one that's
quoted in
Matthew 25,
29,
the parable
of the
talents.
If you
want to
write that
down and
look at
that later,
Matthew 25,
29.
And I
think he's
using this
the same
way he's
using it
later.
If you
remember,
the parable
of the
talents is
all about
the end
times,
eschatology.
It's an
eschatological
use of
this saying
in that
context.
And I
think he's
doing the
same thing,
actually.
It's not
anything
different.
And notice
there's a
contrast here.
The one
who has
and the
one who
has not.
So,
has or
lacks
what,
we ask.
What is
it that
some have
or have
not?
So,
if we
look above,
we just,
in verse
11,
we saw
that it
was
knowledge.
Verse 13,
it is
understanding.
But,
not quite
there yet.
Let's
take a look
closer at
this verse.
For after,
he says,
for to the
one who
has,
more will
be given.
And he
says,
even further
than that,
and he
will have
an abundance.
And then,
but from
the one
who has
not,
even what
he has
will be
taken
away.
You see,
there's a
parallel for
the one
who has,
but from
the one
who has
not.
And there's
comments on
both.
So,
we could
summarize this
by saying,
knowledge
will beget,
or begotten,
if we're going
to use that
word.
Knowledge
will beget
more knowledge,
understanding,
and end
in blessing.
And that's
why he
goes on.
More will
be given,
and he
will have
an abundance.
Knowledge
will beget
more knowledge.
Conversely,
ignorance
will beget
more
ignorance.
Folly
will beget
more
folly,
and it
will end
in cursings.
And we
can see
this
looking back
to Deuteronomy
chapter 29.
If you read
that and you
remember,
at the end
of the Torah,
there's
if you
do this,
this will
happen.
If you
don't do
this,
this will
happen.
And he
predicts
everything else.
Moses
writes at
the very
end of
the Torah,
and word
for word,
it is
fulfilled
through
the coming
of Christ.
So,
the question
we have to
ask here,
you're probably
wondering
if I'm
going to
tackle
this.
Why are
there some
who have
and others
that do
not have?
Why is
that the
case?
Why have
and have
not?
It seems
not fair.
And here's
a theological
tension
here,
and let's
call it
divine
sovereignty
and human
responsibility.
Divine
sovereignty
and human
responsibility.
I think
this text
actually
addresses
that very
tension,
if we're
going to
use that
word.
So,
if you
look up
verses
11 and
12,
address
divine
sovereignty.
Verses
13 and
14,
notice that
they are
together,
and notice
that they
are both
acknowledged
and
affirmed.
They are
both
acknowledged
and
affirmed.
And for
Jesus,
we can say
this,
for Jesus,
it is
without
contradiction
that divine
sovereignty
and human
responsibility
can coexist
together
in this,
if we're
going to
say it,
mysterious
way.
And so,
more on
this below.
So,
verse 13
says,
this is
why,
Jesus
speaking
here,
as you
remember,
this is
why I
speak to
them in
parables,
because
seeing
they do
not see
and hearing
they do
not hear,
nor do
they
understand.
Notice
we have
seen
Deuteronomy,
Isaiah,
seeing,
hearing,
understanding.
but this
begins the
section on
human
responsibility,
as you
remember,
and it's
on this
little word,
because.
This is why
I speak to
them in
parables,
because.
This is a
little word
that we can
just read
and glance
through,
but let's
camp out
here.
Let's
think about
this.
The word
because
points to
human
responsibility.
We've seen
divine sovereignty
now we see
human
responsibility.
And it's
because.
But because
seeing they
do not see
and hearing
they do
not hear,
nor do
they understand.
Think about
what's not
there.
It isn't
for,
it's not
since,
it's not
the word
therefore,
nor is it
the word
so that,
but is
specifically
Matthew
through the
Holy Spirit
specifically
chose the
word
because.
And this
word because
places fault
on man's
response.
Not on
God,
but on
man's
response.
One
commentator
I found
this week
says,
unbelief
is rooted
not in
Jesus'
words,
but in
hardened
hearts.
And here's
a challenge
that stuck
with me
when I
read it.
If few
are chosen,
it is not
because many
have not
been called.
And this
points us
to the
missionary
call that
Jesus is
pointing to.
So,
verses 14
and 15,
they read,
indeed,
in their
case,
the prophecy
of Isaiah
is fulfilled,
or we could
say completely
fulfilled,
that says,
and this is
Isaiah 6,
9,
and 10,
it's word
for word
from the
Greek
translation,
if you're
wondering why
there's
differences,
it says,
you will
indeed hear,
but never
understand,
and you
will indeed
see,
but never
perceive.
For this
people's
heart has
grown dull,
and with
their ears
they can
barely hear,
and their
eyes they
have closed,
lest they
should see
with their
eyes,
and hear
with their
ears,
and understand
with their
heart,
and turn,
and I
would heal
them.
Notice,
this is,
we could break
this quote,
this direct
quote from
Isaiah into
three parts.
There's a
promise,
there's the
organs we've
seen in
Deuteronomy,
and then
there's another
promise.
The last
corresponds with
the first.
So,
first,
the promise.
Notice,
you will
indeed hear,
but never
understand.
You will
indeed see,
but never
perceive.
This is a
promise of
curse,
a promise
of curse.
He repeats
it twice.
Here,
you will,
but never.
You will,
but never.
Second part
of this,
three parts
in this
quote,
the seeing,
the hearing,
the understanding,
going back to
Deuteronomy,
what Moses
says to
Israel,
ends with
another promise,
but a
different promise,
if you
caught it.
Turn,
and I
would heal
them.
this is a
promise of
hope,
a promise
of hope.
I
would
heal them.
Turn,
and I
would heal
them.
The tense
is future,
and that
points to a
promise,
and that
points to
hope.
Let's
land this
plane.
last part,
verses 16
and 17
here.
Turn,
after
calling
his
heroes to
turn,
that he
would heal
them.
Blessed,
we could say
happy,
or flourishing
even,
going back
to the
beginning of
the Sermon on
the Mount,
or the
Beatitudes,
but blessed
are your
eyes,
for they
see,
and your
ears,
for they
hear.
Notice how
hope-filled
this is.
For truly,
I say to
you,
many prophets
and righteous
people longed
to see what
you see,
and did not
see it,
and to hear
what you
hear,
and did not
hear it.
notice
again,
there is
the seeing
and there's
the hearing.
There's no
heart,
but it
goes back
and connects
this to
verse 9
of chapter
13.
He who
has ears,
let him
hear.
Going back,
connecting
that.
So,
if we're
going to
ask a
question,
what is
it?
You did
not,
to see what
you see,
and did
not see
it,
and to
hear what
you hear,
and did
not hear
it.
What is
the it?
This is
the answer
that Jesus
provides to
his disciples
about why
parables.
They point,
the parables
point,
to the
eschatological
revelation
of God
through Christ
himself.
Remember that
word mystery
or secret.
It was
concealed.
but has
been now
revealed.
And I'm
ripping off
an Augustine
quote that
he said,
the Old
Testament was
Christ
concealed,
the New
Testament
is Christ
revealed.
And that's
what the
focus here
that Jesus
is pointing
to is
God's
gracious
gift
of this
knowledge.
It's not
only a
gift,
but it
is a
call to
action.
So,
if we
say,
why
secret?
Why
speak in
parables?
The
mission of
the
disciples,
those who
have,
and indeed,
if you can
say that you
are in
Christ,
you are
in this
category,
the mission
of those
who have
is to
share
through
proclamation.
We are
to
proclaim
this
knowledge,
true
knowledge,
cognitive
and
volitional
knowledge
of Christ.
and this
is connected
if we
turn
later in
Matthew
17,
verse 9,
I'll read
it to
you.
This is,
they're
coming down
from the
mountain
from the
transfiguration.
This is
what
Jesus said,
and as
they were
coming down
the
mountain,
Jesus
commanded
them,
tell no
one the
vision of
the
transfiguration,
revealing
himself,
until the
Son of
Man is
raised from
the dead.
Tell no
one the
negative.
But,
remember,
how does
Matthew
end?
before I
read that,
Jesus uses
Isaiah's
call to
call the
nations.
Don't miss
that.
Jesus uses
Isaiah's
call to
Israel to
call the
nations.
Now,
no longer
only Israel,
but now to
the ends
of the
earth.
Think
Acts chapter
1.
And,
thinking about
tell no
one the
vision,
until the
Son of
Man is
raised from
the dead.
Until the
Son of
Man is
raised from
the dead.
I'll end
how Matthew
ends his
gospel.
The Great
Commission.
Now,
the eleven
disciples went
to Galilee,
to the
mountain to
which Jesus
had directed
them.
And,
when they
saw him,
they worshipped
him.
But,
some doubted.
And,
Jesus came
and said
to them,
All authority
in heaven,
heavenly kingdom,
and on earth
has been given
to me.
Go,
therefore,
and make
disciples of
all nations,
baptizing them
in the name
of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy
Spirit,
teaching them
to observe
all that I
have commanded
you.
and behold,
I am with
you always
to the end
of the age.
Let us go
with joy
and thankfulness
and do
likewise
for the glory
of God
and for the glory
of God
alone.
Pray with me.
as