By Paul Hammons
July 1, 2018
In Matthew 13, Jesus delivers a series of parables to his followers, with no explanation at all, until his core disciples come to him and ask for explanation. And as Jesus explains his teachings, you start to see a theme that’s specific to spreading the gospel of the kingdom of Heaven. While the Jews were looking for a physical, military kingdom, Jesus predicts something very different, and he predicts that not many will accept it!
Jesus delivers the following parables:
- The Sower
- The Weeds
- The Mustard Seed
- The Leaven
- The Hidden Treasure
- The Pearl of Great Price
- The Net
- New and Old Treasures
Jesus seems to be warning his apostles that as they go out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, they won’t always have a ready audience, and sometimes those who hear and embrace the word either will fall away under persecution, or they’ll grow inactive and unfruitful. Evil will continue in the world, and God’s kingdom will have to exist in a climate where men continue to rebel against God.
However, with patience and faithfulness, something small will turn into something great. They will find men and women who will see the value of the Gospel message, embrace it, and give up anything they have to in order to follow Jesus. And at the end, God will decide who has faithfully sought to enter the kingdom, accepting the righteous and rejecting the wicked.