The Greatest Stories Ever Told He spake many

The Greatest Stories Ever Told! “He spake many things unto them in parables…” Matthew 13: 3

The 8 parables of Mt. 13 provide insight into the Kingdom of God. The first (Sower and the Seed) involves an Introduction as to how people become part of the Kingdom of God. (Through receptive hearts) This parable reveals how Satan seeks to inhibit God’s truth from taking root (and producing fruit) by either deception or competition.

The next 3 parables reveal to us the subtilities of Satan’s “Opposition” to God’s Kingdom. They reveal how Satan seeks to infiltrate God’s work (once it’s begun) producing Contamination (1 Cor 5: 6; Gal 5: 9) and Confusion. (1 Cor 14: 33) The Wheat and Tares parable focuses on false “Christians”. (Mt. 13: 24 -30; 36 -43)

The parable of the Mustard seed is related to this and focuses on the danger of “False Growth” Growth because of the infiltration of the tares. Mt 13: 31 -32 “Another parable put he forth unto them: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds:

32 “but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. ”

The danger of “False Growth”. Jesus didn’t interpret this parable, so we must rely on His explanation of the 2 other parables. 1. In the st 1 parable we see the contrast and competition between the good seed (God’s Word) and the weeds (cares of this world. ) Mt 13: 22 A. Here the good seed is introduced into the field of weeds and rocks. (The world) B. The birds represent Satanic forces. (vs 19)

2. In the nd 2 parable we see that Satan infiltrates God’s field with his own counterfeits. A. The tares are “the children of the wicked one” 38 B. “The enemy that sowed them is the devil” 39 C. They’re allowed to “grow together until the harvest” Vs 30

3. In the 3 rd parable we see the inevitable results of confusing Satan’s Tares for God’s Wheat. A. God’s Kingdom (His Church) starts small. “like to a grain of mustard seed” vs 31 1) Jesus spent 3 years ministering to thousands, but focused on 12 men. 2) At the end of his ministry, only 120 disciples obeyed his last instructions to wait and pray. Acts 1: 15

3. In the 3 rd parable we see the inevitable results of confusing Satan’s Tares for God’s Wheat. B. God’s Church would grow. Acts 2: 41 -42, 47 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, in breaking of bread, and prayers 47 And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. ”

B. God’s Church would eventually grow in size and influence. 1) God’s focus would be on unity (Acts 4: 32) without compromising purity. a) After the death of Ananias & Sappira: Acts 5 11 “great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things… 13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: them but the people magnified them. 14 And believers were the more added to the Lord. ” Lord

B. God’s Church would eventually grow. 2) Selfishness began to assert itself (Acts 6: 1) “when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring …against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. ” but wisdom and Godliness prevailed. Vs 3 look ye out among you …men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. vs 7 “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; ”

B. God’s Church would eventually grow. 3) Satan tried to intimidate the church through persecution (Acts 7) a) Stephen (a deacon) vs 8 “full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. … 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. ” (1) They set up false witnesses against him (vs 13) and stoned him. (Acts 8: 54 -60)

3) Satan tried to intimidate through persecution b) But His plan backfired. (Acts 8: 1) “there was a great persecution against the church; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria. . . ” Acts 11: 19 “they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word”

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church” Tertullian 197 AD

3. In the 3 rd parable we see the inevitable results of confusing Satan’s Tares for God’s Wheat. C. Satan would eventually shift from persecution to infiltration Mt 13: 32 “but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds …come and lodge in the branches. “ If birds represent the “wicked one” in Vs 19 They represent him in Vs 32 as well. Jude 4 “certain men crept in unawares…”

C. Satan would eventually shift from persecution to infiltration 1) This began early in the church. Acts 15: 1; 2 Cor 11: 14 -15; 26 a) Some churches were vigilant. Rev. 2: 2 “thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: ” 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ”

C. Satan would eventually shift to infiltration b) Some Churches were careless. Carelessness leads to corruption! (Acts 20: 28 -30) “Take heed unto yourselves and the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers…” (1) Pergamos in Rev. 2: 14, 15 “thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, … So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, (conquerors of the people) which thing I hate. ”

C. Satan would eventually shift to infiltration b) Some Churches were careless. (2) Thyatira Rev 2: 18 -20, 24 “These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; …I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants… 24 “and unto the rest …as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, Satan as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. ”

C. Satan would eventually shift to infiltration 2) This accelerated when persecution ended with the conversion of Constantine (312 AD) Constantine vs Maxentius at the Milvian bridge. 312 AD and the Edict of Milan 313 AD. a) Christianity became both protected and promoted.

C. Satan would eventually shift to infiltration a) Christianity became protected and promoted. b) Pagan priests “converted” to remain in business. c) Pagan temples were converted to churches. d) Apostles (saints) replaced “demigods” Parthenon eventually became the church of the Theotokos (Mother of God). Pantheon

C. Satan would eventually shift to infiltration 2) This accelerated in 313 AD e) Pagan holidays became Christianized. Eostre (Ishtar) became Easter Lupercalia became St. Valentines Day. Samhain became “Hallowed Eve” (Eve of All Saints day) Saturnalia became Christmas f) Pagan practices (beliefs) eventually became church doctrines. (parable of the leaven)

These infiltrations into the church eventually led to the Dark ages where the “Church” forbad the Bible and persecuted those who tried to preach it. (Jn. 16: 2) When the Bible (God’s Seed) was received, it led to the Reformation movements of the 1500’s.

This Reformation eventually led the Pilgrims to America in search of Religious Purity and liberty. 1620

Within a few years, this purity and liberty were compromised. Solomon Stoddard Northampton, Mass. The Halfway Covenant of 1662 allowed non converted people voting rights in America’s congregational churches. Eventually Stoddard allowed them to take Communion.

“A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing. It is his great concern! As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian is to be like Christ!” Jonathan Edwards (Stoddard’s Grandson) became his assistant in 1727 and full Pastor in 1729. His preaching led to the 1 st Great Awakening of 1730’s.

When he tried to withhold communion from the “tares” that had infiltrated his church, (1750) He was fired by a vote of 230 to 23!

When the focus of the church becomes external numbers, (Bodies, Buildings, Bucks) instead of internal conversion and transformation Satan has succeeded in building his nest (home) in the church “mustard tree”, With predictable results! The church grows in numbers and “influence”, but God’s Spirit is grieved, (Eph. 4: 30) and we forfeit God’s blessing. Mt 5: 13; Lk 14: 34, 35

2 Tim 4: 1 -4 “I charge therefore before God … 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ears 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ” Mythos: myths

This helps explain the statistics shared last week. Ø 98% Christians don’t reflect Christlike attitudes Ø 63% don't believe that Jesus is the Son of the one true God. Ø 58% believe all faiths teach equally valid truths. Ø 51% don't believe Jesus rose from the dead. Ø 68% don't believe that the Holy Spirit is a real entity. Ø 65% don't believe Satan is real. David Earley and David Wheeler. Everyday Series: Evangelism. (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2016).

2 Tim 4: 5 -8 “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. ”