Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 13

 

I wanted to spend as long as it takes in ch 13 of Matthew and the 7 parables, It is so important that you understand this chapter that I want to make sure you do.

The Bible plainly says in this chapter that 3 out of 4 people who profess to be saved are not and that to me is very important.

One of the reasons I’m preaching this sermon at this time is because as most of you know I started a new semester of school this week but I have to take some classes off the Baptist college campus.

In order to graduate I need several classes that are not offered there so I’m at PJC in Pensacola, in the afternoon.

The thing with afternoon classes is the oldest student in there in 18 or 19 some of them are still in High School.

I’m literally looking at the future of America and I want you to know I am saddened at what I see.

And I think it’s time we do something about it these kids need our help.

They need to understand the Bible and we need to understand the Bible.

So as I preach on ch 13 in the up coming weeks I challenge you to ask someone or bring someone or even make someone come to church with you because I know with God’s help and all of our prayers, God is about to change some lives.

Before we get started I need you to understand that Matthew chapter 13 is the 1st time Jesus ever told parables.

Now the word parable comes from the Greek which is 2 words (/para and ballo/) which together means “to throw alongside.”

A parable like an illustration makes a comparison between a known truth and an unknown truth: it throws them alongside each other.

In the 1st parable of 7 that we will cover in the coming up weeks, Jesus speaks about a farmer who sowed seed in his field.

I want all of you here to be aware that this story emphasis the results of the sowing, because the seeds fell on 4 kinds of ground, {please write this down if you are keeping notes}, in  1)v4 they fell along a path, in 2)v5 they fell on rocky places,3) v7 among thorns and in 4)v8 on good soil.

So the farmer had 4 kinds of results.

So please turn with me in you Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 13.

As we read 1-9

 /The Parable of the Sower/

*13*     That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

Pray

 

In v1 Matthew says “*/Jesus went out of the house/*” This is the house in which Jesus has been teaching out of, which can symbolize- the house of Israel as in

 ch 10v6-But Go rather to the Lost sheep of the house of Israel

      So by leaving the house Jesus was saying that He had left the nation and would now turn to the Gentiles.

“*/and sat by the sea” /* Look at this!!!  In scripture the sea stands for the Gentile nations of the world

Rev 17:15

 *15*     And he ~*said to me, “The awaters which you saw where the harlot sits, are bpeoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

(Also in Isa 60:5 speaks The gentiles as the sea.)

Christ now goes to the Gentiles and begins a new phase of His ministry.

The Bible says Jesus was preaching to a great multitude of people that gathered to hear Him.

Now notice we do not find any of the scribes or Pharisees there, they had no problem coming to hear Jesus in the synagogue or Temple, but it was beneath them to hear a sermon by the sea-side.

Probably the biggest question is why did Jesus speak in parables?

It was the */human reason/*--- The condition of people’s hearts made it necessary for Jesus to use parables.

*/(Simply put a parable is a story which something familiar explains something unfamiliar) /*Plus Christ quotes Isa 6:9-10 to explain why He is using parable: the hearts, ears and eyes of the people had become dull, hard and blind.

So by using parables, He was exciting the curiosity of the concerned, those who really wanted to know the truth, but also He was hiding the truth from the rebellious.

If we go back to

Matthew 7:6

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.

If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

So the parables did not keep people from learning the truth; rather, they excited their interest and encouraged them to learn which fulfills what Jesus said back in ch 11 v25 simply put is “the proud will not see, but the babes will learn the truth and be saved”.

As we read in v4 “ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up”

 The field was plowed before are and after the seed was planted so what does birds eating the seeds mean?

To understand turn with me We know the seed was thrown in all directions by hand, and most of us know who farm, the field to v19

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 his heart.

This is the seed sown along the path.

Jesus is talking about satan the prince of demons as a bird and his demons as birds swooping down to eat up or take away the seeds or people.

We must understand that all might hear the good news of Christ, not all will receive Him.

But it is our duty, or our job to plow the field before and after, (what does that mean?) we must be out in the field (outside these doors letting people know that Jesus loves them all).

And then help nourish them after they come to Christ.

So as a seed thrower our job is never done.

But what happens when we only do half of our job?

We spread the word or scatter the seed but do not follow up,  the birds or satans demons come along and snatch up the ones who have fallen by the wayside.

Churches today have a bad habit of going out and saving souls but not following up.

So what happens to a new believer with no support?

They are very gullible and crave knowledge, but when the church does not give them what they need, satan is right there to snatch them with false religions or fake doctrine that sound great but are straight from the pit of hell.

And these people walk around saying they are saved but have no idea what they believe.

We all know people who know the Bible but only those who have received Christ will understand it.

It is just a book until you form a relationship with the author, then it becomes a life manual.

So v4 is speaking of fast food religion people who hear but don’t understand.

People who have gone through the motions for whatever reason but never had a heart transplant if you know what I mean.

The bible says we need to be like a little child,

 

Mark 10:15  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

NIV AND NKJ AND THE KJ SAYS LITTLE CHILD.

How do we get a child’s attention?

Jingle some keys or wave something bright and flashy and the child will come right to you.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

So many churches and religions preach prosperity, healing and the golden path.

You give to us and God will make you rich beyond your wildest dreams, fancy cars, big houses and so on.

Who wouldn’t want to get saved, but when that does not happen they get discouraged that they did not do something right or they aren’t good enough and fall to the wayside.

( tell story of uncle Skip—healing knee) he fall to the wayside.)

Parable #2

Matthew 13: 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

Jesus knew His audience and He knew they would understand about farming since that was the primary source of income in that town at that time.

But seeds falling on rocky places would be understood since water was not so plentiful and the terrain was rocky and uneven with only thin layers of soil covering the rock.

So seed that landed on this soil could not put down deep roots to collect the water it needed to grow, so it would soon wither and die when the hot sun hit it.

In James 1:11 he speaks of this:

1 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.

Listen to what is being said hear “For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant” Jesus is no longer talking about a seed but a plant now, so some time has lapse between v5 and v6, now he is talking about a young plant or a young Christian In other words Jesus is saying that the same sun that made the seed grow will scorch and kill the plant if there is no water to feed the plant.

So as we said in the 1st parable when someone comes to Jesus they are on fire and starving for knowledge, but after awhile they meet other church members who are happy staying in there own little comfort zone and they end up leading the new Christian down to the same level as they are and pretty soon the new Christian either falls to the wayside because he is not being fed or just a happy church member that will never do anything for the Kingdom.

( which is worse?)

So as I close with the 1st 2 parables I hope you understand a lot more now than you did when you walked in, I want you to under stand that TRUE and FALSE will grow together until the end, and then God will separate them.

Our Job is not to “clean up” the world, although we should do all we can to make our world a better place.

Our job is to plant the word in hearts and let God “plant” us in places where we can bear fruit for His glory.

So I challenge you to stay awake!!!!!!!

Because while you sleep satan works.

A sleeping church is an opportunity for satan to plant false Christians

Roman 13:11-14

11 And do this, understanding the present time.

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.

So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.