Jesus and the Future of the Kingdom 2 (Mat 13.24-43)

This is part 2 of a two-part series on Jesus’ parables of Mat 13.24-43.

Jesus said, “To you it has been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 13.11.) Judging by 2000 years of Church history, one would think He had said, “To you it has been given to be in mystery about the kingdom of heaven.” False ideas about the kingdom abounded in the first century and still today. Ironically, they tend to be the same. Most popular then and now was a vision of a Jewish political hegemony imposed on an unwilling world. The problem with that kind of kingdom is that it isn’t powerful enough. The real kingdom of heaven brings an unwilling world to willingness. That, and nothing less, is total victory. But meanwhile, a harvest had been appointed for Israel. It was time to separate the tares from the wheat. I hope you enjoy the sermon. Thanks for listening. -Alan Burrow

Questions to answer while listening to the sermon.

*What is the structure of this passage, and why is it important?

*What OT passage does Matthew say Jesus is fulfilling (vs 34-35)?

*What is that OT passage about?

*Why did John prepare the way for Jesus by preaching and baptizing at the Jordan?

*What was the heart of the problem of Israel’s captivity?

*God in the OT spoke of the coming of the kingdom as a new what?

*A new exodus also means a new what?

*The harvest connected with the first exodus occurred when?

*When Jesus spoke of judgment in Matthew 10, what judgment was He talking about?

*What does “end of this age” in vs 40 refer to?

*What does “angel” mean?

*How did God use the word “saints” in Isaiah 13?

*What are tares?

*Who is the real battle between?

*What is the battle over?

*Who are removed?

*What is the kingdom of the Father?

*What is the fruit of the wheat and the fruit of the tares?

*What shall we do to bear kingdom fruit?