Matthew 13:31-32, 44-46 “The Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Parables”

4:30In fact, you may remember Jesus when he spoke in his home synagogue, the very first really pronouncement he said in Mark chapter 1, he said, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. So again, Jesus is tying the kingdom to himself. So his words, what he did, what he says about the kingdom are of profound importance, and they can give us great insight into who God is and what he wants for us as his followers.

5:01The first parable that we read just a moment ago, in it, Jesus said this, the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and he planted or he sowed in the field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown large, it becomes like a garden plant or a large plant larger than anything in the garden, so that the birds of the air come and they make their nest there.

5:25This is one of the parables that Jesus taught. And there are many. In fact, if you've never studied the parables of the kingdom, I would encourage you to do that. They're so rich. We get different angles on what does God want and these different nuances. But what about this first one? The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Well, a mustard seed, as you've probably heard pastors say before, in the Middle East, it was the smallest of all seeds. It was a seed that you would have almost needed a microscope to see. It was so small, it would be easy to miss. And yet, Jesus said, but the kingdom, once it is planted, it begins to be. To grow and it becomes large, and it becomes like the smallest of seeds becomes something large and big. And what an intriguing statement that Jesus is talking about his kingdom. You know, what does he mean? And I think what he means is this: that in the same way as the mustard seed growing large, God's kingdom, his way of working in the world, it may start in a small way that people don't realize or recognize. It may seem insignificant, yet given time, God's work, his kingdom, and his purposes expand and ultimately will impact all parts of the world. What an amazing thought. What an amazing thought about this king that we follow. That his work may start, it may seem small, people may not notice it, yet God's work will grow and it will thrive. And we've become part of something that will impact everything, the greatest kingdom of all. And in fact, in the Old Testament, this whole imagery of a tree, the Old Testament has a picture of a tree representing a kingdom or an empire that birds would come and roost in. Some people would say that even as other nations. And that's the picture that we see: that this amazing picture, that God's kingdom will grow and expand and will literally touch all peoples. All peoples.

7:19I was reminded of this truth recently. During the fall semester, I met an Indian student at one of our lunches one day, and he came up to me and he started asking. Questions about church, and almost all the Indian students we work with are Hindus out of Hindu background. But this guy was very curious, and we started talking, and he said, He's asking questions about church, and he had had some contact with Christianity. I asked, I said, Would you like to read the Bible together? The primary source about Christianity. He goes, I'd love to. So we started reading the Bible together in the fall. Well, one day before we met, he called me and he said, Would it be okay if I brought a couple of my friends to read with us? I said, Sure. So the next Friday night we met to read, and there's one of our American students reading with me, and one of our interns that actually comes to church here. Well, we were reading, and my friend shows up with two friends, one from South Korea and one from North Africa, a nation there. Well, as we began to read, one of the questions my Indian friend had, he said, I've heard that Jesus will come back and that he came as a baby, but he's going to return, and I want to know about that. And so we were just answering his questions, and then we were reading, and we were reading about when Jesus comes back and what it will be like. And we took him to a passage in Revelation. In fact, they're going to put it on the screen, Revelation chapter 7, as John received the vision from the Lord about the future. And this is what he said. After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes of people. And languages were standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out in a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. And so, as we read those verses together, I looked up and I realized we had four different nations sitting around the table. And I looked and I looked at this Indian student who was seeking. I said, This is what he's talking about. This was the promise.

9:33And see, the two friends that my friend had met, they were believers. One from South Korea that came Christian in 1918, one from this North African nation where you wouldn't expect a believer, but he had come to know the Lord. And we looked around the room and I said, This is what Jesus' promise is, and it's coming to fulfillment now. And my friend's eyes from India got big. But isn't that amazing? It starts small and it grows large. And that's one of the promises that we see here. And what an amazing picture.

10:09The other thing about the kingdom, beginning as a mustard city and growing large, it reminds me of this truth, that sometimes the ways that God works will be surprising to us. Now, it wouldn't have been surprising to the Jews to know that the kingdom of God would be vast and be great. They would have believed that. That it would start in an insignificant way in the way that it did, that would have surprised them. And it's surprising even today because the Lord works sometimes in ways that we don't expect. In fact, I would say that the kingdom of God thrives in unlikely people and unlikely places sometimes. Think about it for a moment. Think about the Lord Himself. Think about the King Himself. Who would have expected Jesus to be the King? Who would have expected it in His day? He was born to peasants. I mean, we all know that. We've all heard the Christmas story. He was born in a stable. A stable? I was in the hospital last night and visiting a friend. You know, so much amazing health care we have. He was born in a stable. Who would expect God's own to be born in a stable? People in Mary and Joseph village, they would have considered the king to be born out of wedlock. They weren't married. And Mary has this child. It was shepherds that were invited to come and worship first. They were shepherds who were kind of the outcast. They were invited in. And not only that, later in Jesus' life, kings would come and worship him, but it wouldn't be kings or leaders from the Jewish people. It would be Gentile kings that probably came from Persia, the Magi. And they traveled.

11:59God and his. Sovereignty brought them to worship the king. Again, who would have expected it? Who would have expected that this would be the king? You know, and it goes on. Think about Jesus' ministry, his very ministry. Remember what Nathaniel said when he was told that the Messiah had arrived? He said, What good thing? You know, can anything good? Can anything good come from Nazareth? I'm from Yulshu, Texas. That'd be like, can anything good come from Yuleshoe? It's the same kind of idea. Why would a king come from snook, Texas? You know what I'm saying? Who's expecting this? Who's looking for this?

12:43Jesus said it himself. He said, The Son of Man has no place to lay his head. What kind of king has no place to lay his head? His itinerant is traveling around. And what about Jesus' own family? Jesus' own family. They didn't understand. Mark chapter 3 gives us a glimpse into some of the tension that must have existed with his family's understanding of who he was. In Mark chapter 3, after one episode, Jesus' family apparently was called in, and here's what they said. Here's how Mark recorded it. He said, And when Jesus' family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, he is out of his mind. He's crazy. This king, this Messiah, really? He's crazy. His own family thinks he's crazy. And then what about what Jesus said about his own ministry? What did he predict? He said, I'm going to die on a cross. I'm going to lay down my life. And he did. He did.

13:48What kind of king dies in the most gruesome, despicable way? But he did. He said he would do it, and he did it. And so, what does it tell us? I think it tells us that God works in unlikely ways, unexpected ways. Think about his own disciples. I mean, okay, if you're tasked with, I want you to start a worldwide movement that's going to impact everyone and everything, and you go find 12 of the best, do you think he would have come back with the 12 that he did? I don't think so. I mean, we're talking blue collar. We're talking, you know, a traitor to his own name. I mean, you look at the whole list and you're going, oh my, oh, my. But that's exactly who he chose. And again, what an amazing thing, this thought that God, he worked even an unlikely Messiah, an unlikely king. But, you know, this really triggered my thinking. This idea of the kingdom of God now and how he's working. And it made me think, how's God working in our world today? And so I started thinking globally, and I think it's still really kind of the same way. I was doing some research, different missions, organizations and agencies, and I was simply asking the question, where is Christianity growing most rapidly? And let me note some of the places where it's growing most rapidly. And the list are a little bit different, but a lot of the places are the same. First of all, it's growing in Africa and Asia, on those continents primarily. But here are some of the nations. And we see examples of this even in college station. Nepal, it's one of the fastest growing in the world. Iran is probably over since 1980 the fastest growing church, evangelical church in the world, bar none. I was reading, in the last 20 years, more Iranians have become Christians than in the previous 13 centuries, dating back to Persia and before, since Islam came to Iran.

15:58There were one agency, one mission agency said in 1979 there were 500 believers in Iran. Now there are hundreds of thousands in house churches. Now, the ironic thing about this, if you know anything about Iran, you've seen the protests that are going on in that country even today. To become a follower of Christ very well will at least mean imprisonment and very possibly death. And yet the gospel is thriving. The church is exploding. Nation that's listed here that'll surprise you probably is Afghanistan. The church is growing dramatically in Afghanistan, primarily through the witness of Iranians.

16:41Who would expect it? Who would expect it? It's, you know, we look, China, we all know about China. China, the church has exploded there. And even though oppression is cracking down more and more, in fact, during COVID, we had three visiting scholars from China, professors from China that came to faith here at Texas AM. They were involved in BSM, and some that visited here at New Life at different points. The kingdom of God, He works in unexpected ways in unexpected people, just as He came as an unexpected Messiah. And what an amazing thought. What an amazing thought. As we contemplate our role and how God wants to use us and where He's working. Because sometimes we look around and we think, oh, our nation is lost, and it is lost. But God's kingdom is thriving and alive. But I was thinking domestically, too. I was thinking, what about domestically? Where is God at work maybe in ways that we sometimes miss?

17:43It's been about a year ago, I was invited to preach at a little church in Caldwell. And this church, I'm not sure the church is even there anymore. The guy, the pastor, got sick and called me like the night before, and he didn't know me, but I was like, yeah, I'll help you, you know. I went out and this church, it had two services, and they had about 35 people. I don't know why they had two services, but they did. But they had two services, and so we preached. But he had called me the night before, and so I'd cobbled something together. But one of the illustrations that I shared in the story was something that I'd read in the Southwestern Journal. My master's degree is from Southwestern Seminary, and this article talked about how the seminaries were doing seminary work in prisons in Texas, Louisiana, some of the different schools are doing it. And it's really cool, a cool article about how they're going in, and people that are coming to Christ are being trained, and they're becoming ministers in the prisons. And it's a beautiful picture of the gospel. Again, thriving in a place that you wouldn't expect. Very thing we're talking about. Well, it's interesting, when we finished the first sermon or the first worship service, this man comes to the front immediately. And he found me, which wasn't hard to do with 20 people. And he said, he goes, you know that story? That story? I said, what story? He goes, the one about the prisons. I said, yeah, he goes, that's me. He goes, I was there. I was there. He goes, I came to Christ, and I took those classes. And he goes, I got out about six months ago, and I'm trying to live for the Lord, and I got connected here. And I was like, man, praise God. That was an amazing story. And so I was so excited. Well, we go and we do the next service. Again, another 20 or so people. Well, when that was over, some people were talking to you at the front. About 10 minutes later, a lady came up to me and she said, Joel, there's a guy that wants to meet you, a guy, and that he said that he was in prison and was involved in that. I said, Oh, yeah, I said, I met Danny. She goes, No, it's not Danny, it's another guy. And there was another guy that had just gotten out of prison a week and a half before, and he was in church that morning. God works in unexpected places and unexpected people. And what an amazing thing. What an amazing thing. And so, my thought is, knowing that the kingdom can start in seemingly insignificant ways and grow large, and God works in insignificant ways, or works in ways that would surprise us, how do we respond to this? How do I respond? And how do you respond? One thing that I think we should do to join God in His kingdom work is simply to pray and to say, Lord, help me see what you're doing. Help me be aware. Help me not walk past opportunities. I remember that the Indian student that I met that day, we were in the middle of setting up tables and chairs. It was so busy, and yet the Lord allowed me to pause long enough to recognize that this Indian student, one of not many, was truly interested spiritually. And there are others. That are interested spiritually. So I think we need to pray and say, Lord, let us see with your eyes and let us be aware of those opportunities and those people around us. And I think that's a really important application point. I think another important application point is this, that it's good for us to remember that God uses difficult circumstances to create spiritual openness in people that we're around. He does that. We see that in the United States right now with refugees. I was watching the news just the other night from El Paso. There are tremendous, there are tremendous needs on the border. There are great opportunities. And there are many others, people that are sick. There are many things. But that is something that as believers, I think we should be aware of. Because people in difficult times and places, that is the point many times where God, they will have open hearts and God will engage with them. And we can be part of that. So the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. That's exciting, isn't it? It's an exciting thought that grows into something big. Well, the second parable, and I'll reread it again, it's in Matthew 13, verses 44 through 46. And again, these are amazing, amazing words from the Lord. These are really complimentary parables. They have the same message. Jesus, he does this. In fact, he did this earlier with the mustard seed as well. But he said this, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found. And covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and he buys the field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of pearls who, finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and he bought it. And so, these amazing parables. Now, the first parable, there's a man out working in a field and digging, and he finds a treasure. Now, for us in the United States, that would seem a bit that doesn't happen a lot. That would seem a bit odd. And yet, for Jesus' listeners, the people he's teaching to, they would have resonated with this. They would have said, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that could be me, that could be my family. You see, Israel is a very small nation that was right on a trade route. And whenever different world empires came to power, Israel very often fell victim to that, and they were dominated by different world powers, whether it be the Babylonians or the Romans. And so, if you lived in Israel, in a small nation that was in danger of being overtaken, the things that are most valuable to you, you probably wouldn't have kept in a bank because they could have been taken away. So, you very well might have gone in a field and planted it and buried it in a secret spot. In fact, it's really interesting. I've been studying this parable a few years ago, and I actually read a story of a laborer that's out working in a field, and he dug up a family treasure. And just like Jesus was talking about, he dug it up. Mistake he was, he told the Israeli government about it, and they kept it. So he didn't get to keep it. The Department of Antiquities did. But this could have happened, and it would have made sense to the people. And so Jesus said, in fact, this reminds me: we were gutting houses after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, a number of years ago. And one week after we left, there was a student group that came us, a church group, and they were ripping out the walls, and big bags of $100 bills fell out of the wall that were stuffed in Ziploc bags. You know, same kind of idea, you know. But so Jesus tells this story, you know, and so there's this man, he's digging in the field, and he finds this treasure, maybe someone's lifetime savings, and he was thrilled. He covers it up, he goes home, he says, Honey, we're selling everything to buy this field, and that's what he did. He bought the field. And then the second parable is very much the same. This man, the first man stumbles on it, the second man's searching for pearls, and he finds a pearl of great price. In the ancient world, pearls were almost as valuable as gold. They would trade with them, and to have a valuable pearl, you had something big. And what an amazing picture. And so, you know, so what is Jesus saying? I think he's saying this, whether it be the treasure or the pearl. His point is that becoming part of the kingdom of God, being part of the kingdom of God, knowing God in a real way isn't the most valuable thing in life. There's nothing more valuable than being part of his kingdom, being a kingdom citizen, being his child. And it changes, and that changes everything. What an amazing thing. And I don't know about you, but I was just thinking, I was thinking over the holidays about the blessings of being part of God's kingdom, of knowing him. And I just started jotting some of them down. I mean, what a blessing to have a clear conscience, forgiveness of sin. What a blessing. What a blessing to have the presence of God living in us by the Holy Spirit. What a blessing.

26:14He's our comforter. He's our guide. He transforms us. He points out our sin to help mold us and shape us. What a blessing. What a blessing. What a blessing to have brothers and sisters in Christ, people in your church. In our lowest times of life, those people are huge, and you know that. You know that being part of the kingdom. But what a blessing. What a blessing to live with eternal purpose every day. Not to just get up and go to work and make a dollar and keep moving forward, but to live with purpose, that our jobs can be calling, that our life can be calling. It's a blessing. What a blessing to know that God will always help us even in times of suffering. And he'll redeem those times. And what a blessing to have a secure hope of the future. That's being in the kingdom. That's being part of the kingdom. And that's why this parable says, just like the man that found the treasure, the man that found the pearl, they recognized this is the most valuable thing of all. And they grabbed it and they held to it with great gratitude, no doubt. You know, I was thinking, my wife and I were watching a show just the other night, and it was picturing Mary Magdalene and her encounter with Jesus and showing the deep brokenness in Mary's life being possessed by demons and the hopelessness. And then her encounter with Jesus, it changed everything for her. It changed everything for her. And so then, you know, is it any wonder that Mary would still be there with Jesus at his crucifixion? That she would be faithful all the way through? No, because she had experienced the king, the true king. And I think that tells us the other part about this parable that I think is so profound. He said, you know, the man with the treasure, he sold everything to buy the land. The man with the pearls did the same. So there's not only this sense that the kingdom of God is the most valuable thing, but because of its value for the true follower of Christ, No sacrifice is too great to follow the king. There's no sacrifice that's too great. We're willing to lay down everything.

28:39It's two sides of the same coin. We come to God by his grace and his mercy. But as we come to him, then we're willing to lay everything down to follow him. It's this picture of really radical discipleship and what it means. And it comes not as we're trying to earn his love, but as a response to his love, a response to all that he is. And that's just what a wonderful thing. So as we think about the kingdom of God, as we think about this new year, there are two questions that I ask myself, and I'll pose them to you as well. The first question is this: who is the real king of my life? Is Jesus truly my king?

29:26And if so, am I embracing his way of life? Am I embracing his teaching wholeheartedly? And do I bow to him as the Lord? You know, the scriptures tell us that someday all people will bow to him as Lord. But am I doing that now? Do I follow him? And then, secondly, I think the other question I have to ask myself: am I investing my life in the very best things? Am I investing my life in kingdom things, in the things that matter to the Lord? Maybe not to denomination or whatever, but to the Lord. Am I really investing my life in kingdom matters, the things that care? And the way we know what matters to him is to read his word and to allow his spirit to shape us because he will. If we open our lives to him fully and completely, he will do those very things. And he will help us.

30:22And he'll help us to know that knowing and serving him is worth any sacrifice that he may ask. Any sacrifice. Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you, Lord, that you came in a way that only God would come. And you did things that only God could do and the ways that only you could do them. And we're grateful for that. Father, we pray as we do begin a new year that, Lord, we would take time to truly focus on who you are and to celebrate that, God, and to honor you with our thoughts, with our time, with everything that we are. God, thank you for all that you've done to redeem us. Thank you for the great hope that we have because of you. And we're so humbled by that. And God, we just ask you to use our lives for your glory, Lord, that we would reflect you well. And Lord, that we'd help others to find you and your kingdom. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen.

31:34Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.