Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13 continues ministering to the same group as the previous chapter. He went out of the house He was staying at and sat down by the sea side - possibly hoping for a few minutes to pray with the Father in peace [Matthew 13:1-2]. Great multitudes followed Him, so He set out into a boat near shore and sat to teach while the multitudes stood on the shore.
For all of the pastors or future pastors wishing they had standing room only crowds, seek to be like Jesus. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Listen to the Father's guidance in where to go, what to say, and what to do. Let the Holy Spirit work through you at God's direction. Proclaim the name of Jesus. Give God the glory. God hasn't stopped wanting to work through His followers. He longs for more men like Paul and Peter, and women like Deborah, just to make sure nobody feels left out. You don't have to be a pastor or pastor candidate either. I've seen greater works done by a lay person who was filled with the Spirit than some pastors. God is not a respecter of persons.
Clearly, not everyone will be a Paul or a Peter or a Deborah. But don't use that as an excuse to never try to walk in that closeness with God and be used by Him. He picks the willing. David wasn't anyone even his own family considered important, but God chose David to replace Saul. Have faith in yourself and God. Start with what the Father tells you to do. He may start you off with something you consider small or big. The faith is the same - there is no big or small with God and it will be Him doing the work anyway, whether that be healing, miracle, or working on the hearts of listeners.
And speaking of listening, the chapter then continues with the parable of the sower [Matthew 13:3-9]. A sower scattered seeds on the ground. Some of the seeds fell on rocks, and even though the seed sprouted, it had no root being above rock and quickly withered away in the sun and died. Other seed fell where there were established thorns or weeds, and those ended up choking out the good seed. Finally, some fell on good ground where it sprouted and brought forth 30x, 60x, and 100x what was originally planted. Jesus then told those on the shore that if they were really listening, they should pay attention to what He just said.
There's then a discourse on the purpose of parables which I'll hit next. He explains the parable to the disciples later in Matthew 13:18-23. He explains that He was alluding to the kingdom of God, and warned that some who were taught the truths of the kingdom wouldn't understand it. Satan would then come along and fill their minds with other things (false ideas about the kingdom, false religion, or other sinful thoughts or deeds) and cause the truths of the kingdom to be forgotten.
The second group of seeds planted among thorns understood the truths of the kingdom, but became too involved with living life to take the time to nourish the new growth of truth and eventually the world's busyness choked out the truth.
We need to understand that this parable is just as real for the world now as then. If anything, I'd say that the second danger of thorns is much bigger today than in New Testament times, but I'd go on to say it's larger with the current generation than it even was in my generation. The Internet has been a great equalizer for knowledge, but it has also been a great sink for people's time and to a great extent has led to social isolation even though online "friends" may be more numerous. If a "friend" won't be there for you if you hurt yourself and need help, are they really a friend?
The thorns that keep us distracted from God have multiplied, as have reasons to not assemble together for church. Work, sport, unsaved family members that you want to spend time with all can work to choke out a relationship with God. Even with me, if family is in town, I'll come home after teaching Sunday school, knowing that I can watch the service later because it is available on the internet. Watch out for thorns.
But the good news is that when seed falls on prepared ground, it can bring forth a harvest that is just as plentiful today as it was then. While physical farming is easier today than in New Testament times (at least physically if not financially), preparing good ground to receive spiritual seed seems to be harder.
Before I was born, almost 70% of Americans attended weekly church services. Through the Vietnam War years, this started to decline. In the 90s to 00s, the decline accelerated. In the 10s and 20s, the number of people with no declared church affiliation has risen to 20% and weekly or near weekly attendance is now around 30% (less than half what it was before I was born).
At the same time, the Pentecostal movement has grown. After the New Testament start, it got another boost in the Azuza Street revivals in Los Angeles in the 1900s. The Assemblies of God was founded in 1914. Over the above time period, A/G has grown from around 500,000 members to over 3 million in the U.S (and 88 million worldwide). Today, the non-Pentecostal mainline denominations are shrinking and the evangelical and Pentecostal denominations are growing, both in the United States and worldwide (around 600 million worldwide).
I share those statistics to point out that the harvest field is still huge, even if most of it is still very rocky and thorny ground. There is still great growth that should be seen. I pray for all denominations that are truly Christ and Bible based to seek a fresh pouring out of the Holy Spirit. God still wants to see the 30x, 60x, and 100x growth. To be clear, that is from each Christian.
The biggest obstacle to growth we have today is that people have looked at all the bad in the world and don't believe there could possibly be a God or at least a God that cares due to what is happening. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many others have been turned off by non-Christians posing as Christian leaders who have done wrong, combined with a perceived lack of discipline in the church of those individuals.
Seek the same baptism in the Holy Spirit that was given to the New Testament church and refreshed from time to time from that time on, but particularly in the Azuza Street revivals, and then be used of the Spirit to show that God is still the same loving God He has always been. Have faith for a 100x increase just due to what God does through you. Pray for the inconvenience of multiple services each Sunday. The fields are still white to harvest and God is still looking for workers. Step up.
Reason for Parables
The disciples wondered why Christ wasn't speaking plainly. After all, they all remembered His sermon on the mount that was both radical and direct. In Matthew 13:10-17, Jesus goes over some of the reasons. The foremost reason was in this chapter at least, He was shifting to talking about higher level matters - the kingdom of heaven. The sermon on the mount had been more practical, giving direction for how He expected His followers to live. This section was to concentrate on the work they would be expected to do, which was frequently in direct opposition to the established Jewish church, and also by asserting a "kingdom" of heaven was in direct opposition to the Roman empire.
Jesus wanted His disciples to be informed, but didn't want to give too much away so that He wouldn't be in trouble with the Roman government. He knew the Jewish leadership were already unhappy with His work. His followers were among those who had truth of the kingdom already in their experience, and it was Jesus desire to increase that. The Jewish leaders who were already plotting against Him weren't receiving His truth, and He warned here that He was going to take away even what they had.
Sometimes this is taken in weird ways, making the future look hopeless if you reject Christ, but Christ was simply giving a real warning, which He would repeat later, that the Jewish way of life wasn't going to last. He is more direct later in Matthew, but He knew that the Jewish temple was going to be destroyed. The Jewish people who rejected Christ would soon see their second temple destroyed [70 CE] by the Roman Army. They were going to literally lose what they had.
They would perhaps be able to look back at what Christ had said and eventually realize He was prophesying against them, but for now Jesus was declaring that they were seeing the miracles and healing He was doing, but not seeing the power of God in their midst, they were hearing what He was saying along with the works, but not really listening with an understanding ear. They were indeed fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about them [Isaiah 6:9-10].
He goes on to judge many who had listened to Him and saw His miracles and healing. Many came solely for the spectacle or to receive something from Him. They weren't interested in changing their Jewish faith (which probably wasn't very strong in the first place). They wanted to be entertained or to see something spectacular. This was in contrast to His disciples who were fully invested in understanding them. Many in the Old Testament longed for the coming Messiah. Many contemporaries of Christ did likewise. But many people were thinking only of themselves and what the Messiah could do to change their immediate circumstances. They didn't have a true conversion experience - just look at the difference from the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem to His crucifixion around a week later.
Today, we face the same risks of the Jewish people of Jesus' day. People hear of miracles, but scoff of personal testimony wanting to see medical proof, or ignoring medical proof that is presented. They see something miraculous, but figure the body just did something that we didn't know it could do and ignore the hand of God. Hearts are waxed gross, caring about temporal instead of spiritual. They close out any possible chance of learning about God, shunning Pentecostal churches or meetings where something could happen that would shake their worldview.
All we can do is keep on pressing on and doing the work of the Father. We can't force someone to listen, or see, or worry about spiritual things. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to prick their hearts as long as they permit Him to do so. It is our job to keep doing what God wants. You can't force someone to be a Christian. It is a free gift, but also a free choice. Choose wisely. Be among the blessed and have eyes that see and ears that hear. Don't be like the scribes and Pharisees, to say nothing of the common people and gentiles who toyed around or ignored everything they were seeing with their own eyes or hearing first hand accounts of the work of God in their midst.
The Kingdom of Heaven
The majority of the remainder of chapter 13 is dedicated to descriptions of the kingdom of heaven and what should be expected in it [Matthew 13:24-52].
Like a Man who Sows Good Seed
The first example of the kingdom of heaven Jesus gives is the longest. A man plants good seed in his field, but once the men had returned home from planting the seed and were sleeping, an enemy plants tares and leaves. Once the plants sprouted and the fruit was seen, it was clear that there was both good food and tares side by side.
The servants asked if the owner had planted good seed, and the owner knew that he had. He realized that the tares had been planted by the enemy, but he also knew that if he ordered the servants to remove the tares, he would also end up uprooting many good plants. So he ordered them to leave the tares alone until it was time for harvest. At that point, the reapers would gather and burn the tares first, and then gather the good wheat.
While the disciples understood some of the parables Jesus gave, they didn't understand His point with the wheat and the tares. So in Matthew 13:34-43, Jesus explains it to them after declaring again the reason for speaking in parables at this juncture, to fulfill the prophecy in Psalm 78:2 .
He declares that the field is the world, and that He, Jesus, was sowing good seed. The good seed are the children of the kingdom and the tares are the children of the wicked one, sowed by the devil. The harvest was the end of the world, when the reaping angels would gather from the world all that offended and which did iniquity and cast them into a furnace of fire to be tormented with wailing and gnashing of teeth forever. The righteous who are left will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom to come.
A takeaway to consider for today is that it isn't the job of God's people to try to rip sin out of the world by its roots. God will handle the judgment in a time of His choosing, and there will be no escape. It is the job of Christians to identify that which is wrong in God's sight. We can show by our example what is right in God's sight. But ultimately, it is the listener or reader's choice as to what to do about what that person has seen, read, or heard. God's judgment will be sure and final. Unlike the tares, we all have the opportunity to be changed to wheat before that happens. Read the Gospel Message to find out how.
Like a Mustard Seed
A second illustration of the kingdom of heaven is that of a tiny mustard seed. It is a tiny seed, but the plant that grows from it grows large enough for birds to lodge in its branches (3 to 9 feet tall in a growing season). Some wild varieties may be woody, but generally still plant like.
The comparison is that looks can deceive. No matter how small a thing God asks you to do, do it to the best of your ability. God will nourish whatever seed about God you plant. The small thing you start might not seem significant when you do it, but God can cause big results, even from the smallest thing.
Like Leaven
A similar comparison is made with leaven that a woman used with three measures of meal to create a fully leavened loaf. When the bread is done, you don't see the original ingredients like the leaven (or yeast), but the effects of that ingredient turn the resulting loaf of bread into something different than a hard small unleavened loaf.
Both can be great to eat, but they are very different in resulting texture. Again, something that isn't obvious - the salvation experience for example - will yield massive differences in the life you live, and your ultimate destination. Anyone examining your life might not have been present when you accepted Christ as your Savior, but they should be able to see the results of that event in your life, at the very least in the fruit of the Spirit. If your life looks the same since you were saved, start trying to model your life against Christ instead of the people around you.
Like a Hidden Treasure
The kingdom of heaven is next likened to a treasure that is hidden in a field. A man discovers the treasure, which presumably the original owner of the field didn't know was there, and sells everything that he has to buy the field. This can be likened to Christ Himself in that time. He wasn't hidden, although He also tried not to draw attention to Himself. The Jewish leaders certainly knew who He was, even if most didn't understand His true position as the Messiah.
The disciples, and other followers, though saw the real treasure that was there. The disciples, at least, gave up everything they had to follow Him. Jobs were quit, possessions were either sold or given to someone else to manage, and they pursued Christ with a singleness of eye. That all did not stay true through the life of Christ wasn't the fault of Christ. Judas got His eyes off of the true treasure, and thought temporary monetary gain was more important.
God might not ask you to give up everything you have to do His will. Perhaps He will find a spot for you where you can work in your home community. But wherever He leads you to go, Go! Treasures in heaven are worth far more than treasures on earth which will pass on to someone else when you die. An eternity with God has no comparison to eternal punishment.
Like a Seeker of Pearls
The kingdom of heaven is also likened to a pearl merchant seeking good pearls who found on spectacular pearl and sold everything he had to purchase it.
To be part of the kingdom of heaven is to put God's needs before our own. Are we willing to give up everything for the kingdom? Few have ever been that willing but it is what we are called to do. Will we be like the rich young ruler that Jesus informed was too wrapped up in worldly possessions? Will we go away sorrowful?
Help us to realize that material possessions are not as important as where we will live out eternity. There is nothing in this world that we should hold on to instead of choosing the kingdom. Musk's riches? Not important. Nothing Gates or Buffett have are more important than where they will live out eternity either. As time goes by, you can substitute any other person of influence in politics, sports, finance, or entertainment in place of those names. For any who are not Christian (or who started Christian and renounced that position), on judgment day, they would all give all they had for an eternity with God instead of judgment. But by then, it will be too late. Help us all to choose wisely, while we still can.
Like a Net
In the last kingdom example in this chapter, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a net that was cast into the sea and drug in all kinds of sea life. When it was brought to shore, the fishermen sat down and separated the good edible fish into one group of containers but cast the bad away.
Jesus declares again that at the end of the world, the angels would do likewise, severing the just from the wicked and casting the wicked into a furnace of fire. No matter what the world tells you, there will be a reckoning that is coming. The only criteria for salvation will be whether or not you have accepted the Jesus Christ of the Bible as Savior. To treat Him as Lord is even better. God isn't going to look at baptism records or church attendance or denominational preference. He has that one simple criterion. You need to make the decision while you're alive. You won't get any second chances after you're dead. There is no purgatory that you can be prayed or bought out of.
Final Thoughts
When done, Christ asks them if they have truly understood what He was telling them. They tell Him yes, just like any junior position in corporate America would tell the CEO today.
He then tells them that everyone who has seen something of the kingdom of heaven is like a person who owns a house who must bring things, both new and old, out of his treasure to share as needed. This page is my effort to do that. Only God will judge whether I've done a good job or not.
Return to His Hometown
In Matthew 13:53-58, Jesus returns to His hometown and continued trying to teach in their synagogue. They were astonished at His teaching, and wondered where He had gotten His wisdom and the ability to do the might works that He was doing. They only knew him as the boy and young man who had grown up around them, and knew of His familial relationships.
They were offended that He was doing great things for God. Jesus reply was that prophets had no honour in their own country. Their unbelief caused there to be few works done there by Christ.
To be clear, it wasn't that unbelief prevented His operation. God can operate in any place at any time. But their unbelief kept them from approaching Him to do anything for them.
How often today does our unbelief in either God or in our worthiness to receive anything from God keep something great from being done that would be potentially life changing for us or for those around us. All too often, I suspect. God hasn't changed [Malachi 3:6]. Neither has Jesus [Hebrews 13:8]. Sadly, people don't often change either.
If people don't respect your work for God in your hometown, don't stop doing the work. The world needs working Christians. Pray for your town, just as I'm sure Christ prayed for His town as He observed the unbelief at work. You know that He knew all the things that God wanted to do. But free will is a real thing, and it's just still just as able to keep great movements of God from happening as it was in Christ's day. Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.