Server Outage Notice: TheSeed.info is transfering to a new Server on Tuesday April 13th
| > Sermon Archive > Sermons by Author > Rev. Mark Chen > The Certainty of Kingdom Growth Despite Unbelief | Previous Next Print |
| Order Of Worship (Liturgy) Psalter 259 - The Universal King Psalter 96 - Contrasted Characters TH 715 - Come, Ye Thankful People, Come |
The Certainty of Kingdom Growth Despite Unbelief
Matthew 13:1-52
Why do some believe and some don’t? When Jesus went to Nazareth, his hometown, early in his ministry, they rejected him. His neighbors, friends, and people acquainted with his family hated his plain preaching so much they tried to stone him. They didn’t like the gospel. But before that, he preached the same plain message in Samaria; not to neighbors or friends - but to the historic enemies of the Jews. But they believed Christ and his message of salvation. So why do some believe and others don’t?
In this passage, Jesus explained why. And it was timely. He’d been rejected; not just from neighbors of an obscure town, but important religious leaders. In the previous chapter, they opposed him for healing on the Sabbath. They hated his gospel, and said he was in cahoots with Satan. Now one might say this rejection was disappointing. The religious leaders rejected him! But even more disappointing - his own family thought him mad. They didn’t get what he was doing. So here he explained why some believe and others don’t. He answered 2 questions - Firstly, why do some people believe and others disbelieve? Secondly, what is the certainty of the kingdom’s growth?
Firstly, why do some people believe and others disbelieve the gospel? Answer: Some have hearts to hear and others have hardened hearts that won’t hear. Verse 1 says Jesus left his house and sat by the sea side. There, he taught many people from a boat. The wind carried his voice to the shore, where they sat; the hills behind acted like an amphitheater. And this happened the same day after the opposition; so we may think - Wow! Great! How wonderful a multitude came to hear him! Really? But let’s not forget the Pharisees hated him and were plotting his death. They were always part of the multitude. The key phrase in verse 1 to understand this passage is “on the same day.” Meaning, the healing, opposition, and teaching happened in one day. This, then, helps us to understand the relation between Jesus’ teaching. Jesus taught them by parables - 7 in all. These are earthly stories - using day to day examples to teach a spiritual truth. And the purpose of this parable? To show what kind of heart is needed to receive heavenly truth.
And what we learn is just how hard the hearts of the multitude was toward the truth. Here’s a quick summary of the first parable. A farmer scattered seeds. They landed on 4 types of ground. First, the seeds fell on the road where people and animals walked. The seeds couldn’t penetrate the hard surface, so birds came and ate them up. Second, the seeds fell on stony ground. They germinated and saplings sprung up. But since there was insufficient soil, they were deprived of water and shriveled under the hot sun. Third, the seeds fell on thorny ground. The thorns sprouted and competed for water and sun, depriving the saplings of life. Fourth, the seeds fell on good ground. These saplings grew without deprivation or competition, bearing different amounts of fruit. We’re familiar with this parable!
But don’t miss what Christ said to the people when he concluded. Verse 9 - “who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” He commanded them - if you have ears - listen! respond! believe! They had a moral obligation to hear and understand it. But did they hear it? Did they even bother? The answer is “no.” How do we know? Because after he told the parable, only the disciples came to ask him - “why do you speak in parables?” In fact, the parallel in Mark 4:10 reads - “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.” So the vast majority weren’t affected. They didn’t feel obligated to learn heavenly truth. Only those around him bothered to ask. The rest had no ears to hear. Their hearts were hardened - like the wayside. But on the other hand, Christ commended these disciples. In verses 11-13, he said heavenly truth would be revealed to them. Why? They wanted to know. In fact, they’d receive it in abundance. But those who didn’t, like the multitude, wouldn’t know. They had no ears or desire to hear. And whatever they heard would be taken away.
Now some of us may find this quite strange. Didn’t Christ want everyone to hear? After all, he preached to the multitude! Why would he want to hide the truth to some? Please consider the make up of the multitude. Some wanted to be entertained. Others were curious and wanted to see for themselves. But the Pharisees were there. They were always in the multitude. And they were waiting to catch him at his words. They wanted to trap, not hear. So he used parables to prevent them from using his words to accuse him and to expose their character. They wouldn’t get the heavenly meaning because they didn’t have ears to hear, verse 13.
They wouldn’t understand. And Christ quoted Isaiah to show what was wrong with them - their lack of understanding was not an intellectual or comprehension problem. It was a moral problem. Verse 15 describes their hearts as being hardened, that’s why they can’t hear or see. Because if they could, they’d understand their sin and want to be converted and healed. But they didn’t want to acknowledge their sins. They were proud of their law keeping. Unwilling to see their weakness. And that’s the great irony. They needed to hear truth, but truth was hidden in parables, because they wouldn’t accept it anyway. He’d before spoken clearly - they rejected. So now he’d preach in a way they won’t understand. In fact, verse 34 says he’d only speak to them in parables from now on. “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.”
But on the other hand, we see the blessed hearts of the disciples toward the truth. In verses 11-12, he said to the disciples that secrets of the heavenly truth have been given to them to know. Why? They had ears to hear. How truly blessed were they! They’d hear the gospel clearly. Why? Because they came to him and wanted to know the heavenly meaning. They were truly blessed. He said in verse 17 that even the prophets and past saints hadn’t heard the truth so clearly before. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2 - “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him…” So Jesus explained the heavenly truth because they desired it. And we can see the meaning played out clearly in this very account. The hardened hearts of the multitude were the wayside. They weren’t interested in hearing. So the gospel was taken from them. They had no ears to hear, no eyes to see. They couldn’t be converted. On the other hand, the disciples were good ground. They heard, understood, would bear forth fruit, verse 23.
But it’s not so simple. Jesus warned that amidst those who hear, some seem to get it, but don’t actually get it. They seem to have ears and eyes - but don’t really understand and aren’t converted. This is the stony and thorny ground. They may receive the word gladly but it’s never said they understood. Examine the passage - verse 23. The good ground hears the word and understands it. But this phrase “understands it” is missing from the stony and thorny heart. They never truly understood. And to be clear, it’s not intellectual knowledge, it’s moral knowledge. Only moral understanding results in repentance and conversion. So when there’s no true conversion, persecution and worldly cares will lead to a falling away and unfruitfulness.
Beloved, how do we apply this? We must know that in the world, there are 2 kinds of people. The hardened heart and the hearing heart. In church, we’re not the multitude. We’re those who want to hear. The world will not hear. They’re hardened. But there will be those in the church who seem to be disciples (not the multitude because they seem to have ears to hear). But persecution and cares will out them. Judas was called a disciple, but wasn’t. Herod Antipas heard the word gladly, but wasn’t converted. As we’ll see in the Life of Christ, many disciples eventually left him when his teachings were too tough. And like the Pharisees, they hated it. Therefore, hear the Word. Understand your need for a savior. Hear and be converted. Hate your sins and pursue Christ. This Gospel is preached clearly to you.
Now, from this account, we may wonder, so how will the kingdom grow? There’s great opposition from hardened hearts! False believers! How? Secondly, Jesus answered the question - what is the certainty of the kingdom’s growth? The answer is this - the kingdom will grow in the midst of unbelief. Why? It’s precious to God. In verse 24 onwards, Jesus told another parable to the multitude. It says, “Another parable put he forth unto them.” We know it’s the multitude because verse 34 says, “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables.” In fact, he told them 3 more parables. But would they get the heavenly truth? No. But we do. The first continued the sower theme. Verses 24-30 speaks of a good farmer planting good seeds yielding good fruit. But the farmer’s evil enemy planted evil seeds, presumably bearing evil fruits. The farmhands asked why the farmer sowed weeds. And the farmer said - not me, but the enemy! But when asked if they should destroy the weeds, the farmer said wait for the harvest for the weeds be separated and burned.
But despite the presence of evils seeds and an evil farmer, the kingdom will still grow. Christ immediately told another two parables. Though it starts small, it grows large - like a mustard seed. At maturity, it’s bigger than all the weeds. The evil farmer doesn’t win! The other parable is similar. The kingdom grows like leaven, even in 3 large measure of flour. The leaven in the appointed time, will spread to the entire dough. The heavenly meaning was simple. God’s kingdom doesn’t always appear big or have big beginnings. It’s surrounded by the unbelieving world. But it’ll grow to be larger than the world one day. There may be false sons and daughters, but the kingdom will continue to grow. Many will hear and understand and converted. But yes, until that day, evil is always present. But the kingdom invades all areas. It’ll prevail one day. Yes, good seed and bad seed will grow side by side now. That’s the reality.
In the world, you’ve always had Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Saul and David, Elijah and Ahab, Haman and Mordecai, Jesus and the Pharisees, etc. Until judgment day, they’d co-exist. But on that day, wheat and tares, believers and unbelievers, will be separated. The hardened multitude who are lawbreakers and instigators of sin, verse 41 - will be gathered by angels. They’ll be cast into fire, wailing and gnashing their teeth. And while some may think this is so cruel - they’re wailing, they’re regretting - the very act of gnashing their teeth means they are still defiant! Don’t misinterpret this! The gnashing of teeth refers to rebellion against the truth.When Stephen preached, the Sanhedrin gnashed their teeth in anger at him. So the hardened heart never ever stops being hardened. They’ll continue being hardened for an eternity.
But the righteous, the disciples, the good seed, shall shine forth with glory like the sun. Why? They’ve seen the preciousness of the kingdom. At the end of that one day, the Sabbath Day, Jesus concluded 3 parables, but this time only to his disciples. He already taught hard truths - why some convert and others don’t is because not everyone wants to hear. But we’re told another reason why people don’t believe. Because they don’t find the kingdom precious. From verse 44, 2 parables describe the kingdom as a hidden treasure and a pearl. People sold all they had to get it. The meaning is the same - this truth of the kingdom is precious. Yes, there are differences. The treasure in the field was stumbled upon; while the pearl was sought after. But after finding both, the seekers reacted the same way. They sold everything to obtain the field and pearl. They thought the hidden treasure will amply repay them - far more than all they gave up. They were convinced the pearl was immensely valuable - and would fetch a good price. Both were satisfied they were worth a great sacrifice now for future returns. These two parables are meant to teach us, that if men are really convinced of the importance of salvation, then they’ll give up everything to win Christ and eternal life.
This is the picture of the Christian. He hears and he chases Christ down. Even when everyone has left, he remains behind to ask Jesus. Matthew himself left his table behind to follow. James and John left their nets and lucrative family business to follow. Paul counted all things but loss to follow. They were all convinced that Christ would return to them thirty, sixty, a hundred fold of what they gave up. This is a true hearing.
And just as they find Christ precious, Christ also finds them precious. In the last parable - the one on the net, a whole lot of fish were caught. Now, Jesus doesn’t explain this parable, but asks his disciples at the end - have you understood all things? Not have you heard, but have you understood? And they said yes. We who are Christ’s people - who have sought him as for hidden treasure; we’d understand too! In this parable, after catching sea creatures, the fishermen chose what was good, and removed the bad. God keeps the precious catch. This tells us that all who hear, who understand unto conversion, who aren’t part of the unbelieving multitude, but part of the growing kingdom of God, who give up all to follow him because they see his preciousness - are precious to him!! But those who won’t hear, don’t want to hear, and won’t understand, but who find their sins, the world, and lives to be more precious than the kingdom, will be cast away and burned.
Beloved, we’re used to zooming into the parables, but there’s value in seeing them all at once. Remember - it was all on the same day - the Sabbath Day - when the Pharisees rejected him. Christ probably pondered all of these things. And these words were as much a teaching to his disciples as it was an assurance to him. One day, Christ will have an inheritance, a kingdom of people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation. It would be large. It would be growing. And it would be filled with precious people who think he’s precious beyond anything. So how can we apply this?
Firstly, we must be converted. Are our hearts good ground? Do we understand the preciousness of salvation? Let us always search for Christ as for hidden treasure. Let’s hear to believe - to be morally obligated to give up every sin and sinful pleasure, every earthly treasure, to seek after him; to confess our sins.
Secondly, we must be assured that the kingdom will grow. False Calvinists will leave kingdom building to God. Church growth enthusiasts will build God’s kingdom on their fleshly terms. But if we’ve read and understood these parables, then we must sow the seed - biblically. The preciousness and growth of the kingdom, propel us who hear to love souls and kingdom growth. But if you don’t see the preciousness of the kingdom, or desire its growth, have you really heard and understood?
Thirdly, we must be convinced how much Christ truly loves us. We were no treasure, living in sin, enemies of God. But Christ gave all that he had, emptied himself of that visible glory, suffered the agonies of hell all his life, and especially at the cross, when he gave up his life. Why? So that we might be saved from the fires of hell. Let us hear, see, and understand this.
- Why Do Some People Believe and Others Disbelieve? (1-23)
- The hardened hearts of the multitude toward the truth (1-15)
- Jesus’ parable on receiving the truth (1-8)
- Jesus guarded the truth in the parable (9-15, 34)
- The blessed hearts of the disciples toward the truth (16-23)
- The disciples wanted to know the parable (10-11,16-18)
- Jesus revealed the truth of the parable (19-23)
- The hardened hearts of the multitude toward the truth (1-15)
- What Is the Certainty of the Kingdom’s Growth? (24-52)
- The kingdom will grow in the midst of unbelief (24-43)
- Jesus’ parables on kingdom growth (24-35)
- The fate of kingdom possessors and kingdom rejecters (36-43)
- The kingdom is precious because God’s people are precious (44-52)
- The preciousness of God’s kingdom (44-46)
- The preciousness of God’s people (47-52)
- The kingdom will grow in the midst of unbelief (24-43)
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2025, Rev. Mark Chen
Please direct any comments to the Webmaster
