The Kingdom Parables #5
- Parables are lesson that use physical things and situations in the material world to explain or mirror principles and situations that exist in the spiritual or unseen world.
- Jesus spoke many parables and the theme of a great many of these was the kingdom of God or kingdom of Heaven.
- Some of the things we have learned about the kingdom from these parables.
1. The kingdom exists wherever God rules with His servants.
2. At the moment the kingdom exists in two dimensions:
A. - Heaven where He rules with the angels and saints.
B. - Earth where He rules within the church.
· And so we've also learned that the kingdom of God on earth is really the church.
3. At the end of the world both dimensions will be joined into one.
4. The parables of the kingdom actually describe the state of the kingdom on earth.
5. As far as the kingdom on earth is concerned, Jesus' parables have taught us that:
· It affects the rest of the world, like salt flavors food.
· It has both sincere and insincere people who claim to be in it, however Jesus will purify the kingdom before the one below is joined to the one above.
· The kingdom is open to all who enter in based on God's invitation and conditions.
· Those who are the genuine citizens of the kingdom are faithful to Jesus and bear the good fruit of holy lives and service to God and man.
v Tonight we will add a few more ideas to this mix as we study three parables concerning money. (Hidden treasure - Mt. 13: 44, Pearls - Mt.13: 45-46, Debt - Mt.18: 23)
I. Parables of Hidden Treasure and Pearl - Mt.13: 44 - 46
- Read Vs. 44 - 46
- Here again the stories are obvious and easy to understand.
1. In the parable of the treasure, the man working in a field is probably a hired worker or someone sub-contracting the land for farming, or someone assessing land for a purchase.
- He finds a treasure by accident.
· It is so precious that he sells all he has in order to buy the field and become the legal owner of the treasure.
2. In the parable of the pearl the person is a merchant who is deliberately seeking fine pearls.
· Like all precious jewelry it requires knowledge and training to spot and evaluate the true value of these items - especially pearls.
· In his search he finds not only a good pearl but one of such exceptional beauty and value that he sells all that he has in order to own it.
- These stories are basically the same except one person finds a treasure by accident and the other was actually looking for it.
- However both find treasures, both give up all they have in order to posses the treasure they have found.
- Simple stories with happy endings but for those who were listening with an ear to understand about the kingdom because Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like…"
- These people learned a few more facts concerning the kingdom:
1. It Is Not Obvious To Everyone.
- Sometimes you find it without expecting to.
- Someone shares the gospel with you.
- You visit a church service
- In a moment of difficulty you find the Lord.
· You read the Bible or some other book that leads you to Christ.
- Sometimes you go through a long period of searching.
- Go from one church to another
- Spend time praying for God to lead you.
· Read books and talk to people about religion or spiritual things looking for … truth, God, whatever.
v The kingdom is there but most people are oblivious to it. They see a field not the treasure, they see clams not pearls, they see religion and church buildings but not the living Christ.
2. It's Worth Everything You Have.
- Note that both persons had liquidated everything they had to posses the treasure, the pearl.
- However they did it in order to become wealthier than they already were.
- The kingdom is like that. In order to enter in you need to leave everything behind.
· Your former beliefs for exclusive faith in Christ,
· Your former goals and dreams for the goal of heaven and righteousness.
· Your sins and worldly pleasures in order to maintain fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
- However, whatever you leave behind (good or bad) the Lord will bless you one hundred times over in the kingdom.
· The kingdom provides peace, joy, confidence in salvation, freedom from death and condemnation and most importantly the sweet experience of knowing and serving the Lord.
v The kingdom is not obvious to everyone but if you find it, it is worth giving up your life to possess it.
II. The Parable Of The Debt.
- Don't Read Parable - Mt.18: 21 - 35
- This parable was spoken at a time when the Apostles were keenly interested in the life within the kingdom. They were grappling with Jesus' teaching about the kingdom and for the most part believed that the kingdom that Jesus spoke of was to be some kind of earthly domain.
- This matched the common hope that the Messiah would usher in a golden period of power and prosperity for the entire Jewish nation.
- Up to this point the Apostles saw themselves as co-rulers with Christ in an earthly kingdom that resembled the worldly kingdoms that existed at that time - they still didn't get it!
- This is why a little before this parable they ask Jesus who among them would be the greatest in His kingdom (they desired position and honor from men).
- Of course Jesus answers them by saying that the greatest in the kingdom are the least, those who are like Children.
- After this the Lord explains to them another characteristic of those who are in His Kingdom, the ability to forgive and the need to maintain unity by being reconciled to brothers we offend or who offend us.
- At this point, Peter, wishing to show that he is leadership material for the kingdom asks his question about forgiveness which sets the stage for this parable - Read 18:21 - 22
· In Jewish culture the maximum times you needed to forgive if asked was 3 times.
· Peter, wanting to show he was good material to be a leader in the kingdom says that he's prepared to forgive 7 times.
· Jesus responds that forgiving a limited or set number of times is forgiveness according to rules and law; in the kingdom forgiveness is a natural characteristic (70x7 = infinity).
· As many times as required, as much forgiveness as a needed, this is how much you offer.
· He then gives this parable to demonstrate the magnitude of forgiveness available in the kingdom and the attitude each needs to have to be considered a citizen of the kingdom.
Vs.23-24 - A slave in a high stewardship position has made bad investments or lost his master's money in some way.
- The amount is staggering (10 - 20 million today)
Vs.25-27 - The Lord had complete power over him and the judgement was fair since he had been entrusted with a fortune and lost it.
- He pleads to have a chance to repay (which was impossible) in order to avoid punishment.
- The master, feeling compassion, goes one great stop further.
· He forgives him the debt. What forgives means - to pay off the debt.
· He also returns the slave to his former position of responsibility.
Vs.28-30 - The same scenario repeats itself but this time another slave who owes 100 denarii (20.00) asks the former slave for mercy in repaying the debt.
- His pleas fall on deaf ears and the slave is cast into prison by the former slave.
Vs.31-34 - This conduct is reported to the master who rebukes his unforgiving servant for being so hard hearted -- especially after receiving such mercy from his master for a debt that he was incapable of paying.
- This time he is put in prison and tortured until all is repaid (a life sentence in the hole).
Vs.35 - Jesus now speaks directly to His disciples in summarizing the parable by warning them that if their forgiveness is not sincere for their brethren - they also (who have been forgiven by God) will receive the punishment they originally escaped.
- There are several things we learn about the kingdom in this parable:
1. Offense Are Possible In The Kingdom.
· The kingdom as it exists here an earth in the form of the church has not yet been perfected in glory and so there is still the problems caused by sin.
· People offend and hurt each other intentionally or by mistake.
· Some hurts are huge and others are small but either way someone is hurt and someone has to make it right.
· People who are offended and discouraged or criticize the church because it is imperfect and because there is sin need to understand that there will always be sin and hurt in the church because it is filled with sinners who are in the process of becoming saintly.
v Jesus acknowledges that from time to time we will be in debt to each other for various things.
2. Mercy Is The Answer.
· In the world we look for justice, fairness, compensation to take care of offenses and mistakes.
· In the kingdom, mercy is the solution and response to offenses and mistakes.
· The reason for this is because it was God's mercy that allowed us entry into the kingdom in the first place - not justice, fairness or compensation.
v God so loved us that He gave up His Son Jesus on the cross so He could offer us forgiveness for every sin great and small and welcome us into His kingdom.
3. Mercy Is Our Guarantee.
· God's mercy guaranteed us a place in the kingdom.
· God's mercy guarantees us that we will keep our place in His kingdom.
- However, if we don't show mercy to our brethren for their offenses against us then our lack of mercy will guarantee that we will lose our place in the kingdom.
v God's mercy and our mercy gets us in and keep us in; lack of mercy towards others will get us out and keep us out.
Summary / Invitation
- The Lord adds more pieces to this puzzle about the "kingdom".
· The kingdom is not easy to find but once you have found it is worth all you have to possess it.
· Those in the kingdom are rich in spiritual treasure.
· There are growing pains in the kingdom and the basic virtue that guarantees your place and your growth is mercy because it reflects perfectly God's nature and involvement in your own life.
- We have a building here in _______ that is functional, comfortable and pleasing to the eye.
- If however people who come here do not find the church pleasing to their hearts as well as their eyes, they will not stay.
- A church that is pleasing to the heart is a church full of mercy and kindness for those who have made big mistakes in life and those who even offend us but receive our mercy.
- Let's not forget to build this up as well so that God will be glorified not only with the building but by the love and mercy that exists within the building as well.
- If anyone here needs the mercy of the Lord for their sinful life please come now:
· To be buried with Christ in baptism in order to wash away sin
- To receive prayer for restoration
- To place membership here
v Whatever your need, please come now.