Sermon - Matthew 13.31-33, 44-52 (English)

Matthew 13.31-33 and 44-52

Today we are looking at five short parables from Matthew 13, each of which begins with the words “the kingdom of heaven is like…”

The kingdom of heaven, Matthew’s respectful way of saying the kingdom of God, is a key concept of the New Testament, especially in the teaching of Jesus. It was not in itself a new idea to the Jewish people either. It was well known from the Old Testament prophets and from writers between the Old and New Testament periods that the kingdom of God would be established at the end of time, in a dramatic act in which God would redeem his faithful people, judge and punish his enemies and make all things new. These were not new ideas. What was new was the claim by Jesus from the very start of his ministry, in word and action, in exorcisms, in healings, in conflicts with the religious authorities, that the kingdom had already come in his own person and mission.

The teachers of the law and the pharisees of course rejected Jesus and his claims and became more and more hostile towards him, all the way to the cross. Even for the ordinary people who were attracted by his message and his personality, Jesus was an enigma. His kingdom claims begged a number of questions. Yes, he had carried out healings. Yes, he spoke with authority. Yes, he had attracted a few followers. But all of this fel a long way short of the end time coming of the kingdom of God.

Why were the Jews still subject to Roman occupation? Why were they still paying unjust taxes? Why did the religious leaders find Jesus so uncouth and offensive? Why were people still dying of horrible diseases? How could this possibly be the glorious coming kingdom?

The Key

The answer to these questions and the key point of all five of the parables we are looking at, is the time gap between the fulfilment of the kingdom in Jesus and its consummation at the end of time. The kingdom is present but hidden to most people as it grows, saving people from the power of evil. It is only revealed to the eyes of faith, but its advance is inevitable, and it will triumph over all evil. This is the single meaning of our five parables, each of them emphasising a different aspect of it.

The Mustard Seed (v31-32)

The implied question here is “How can the glorious coming kingdom, forseen by the prophets as a tree under which all people will find shade, have anything to do with this dreamer and his ragged band of followers?”

The answer is “First the tiny seed, then the mighty tree.” Just because his ministry is relatively small and insignificant now does not mean that the kingdom of God is not present. The growth will come, under the surface to begin with, but soon out in the open and growing in influence until the prophecy is fulfilled and all things are under the rule of God.

The Yeast (33)

Again there is an impllied question: “What has this tiny, insignificant group of Jesus followers got to do with the transformation of the whole world order which we expect to see when God’s kingdom comes?”

The answer is given by comparison with yeast. When a small amount of yeast is mixed into a large quantity of dough, it is hidden and nothing appears to be happening. Yet eventually the whole batch of dough is leavened. Maybe there is a hint here, in the actions of the woman whho mixes the yeast into the dough, of our responsibility to prepare the environment in which God’s kingdom can grow. This is important for individuals and communities. But in either case it is God who makes the growth of his kingdom happen and nothing can stop it.

Hidden Treasure (v44)

Here it is the great value of the kingdom of God which is in view. Its value is so great that to sell all your posessions would be a small price to pay. I was thinking about how powerful the idea of finding hidden treasure must have been to Jesus’s audience made up mainly of poor people who had few posessions. It struck me that people living in rich countries today with all the posessions we have, firstly are less likely to even be looking for the hidden treasure of God’s kingdom and if we do find it, we have a lot more to give up, to let go of, in order to be part of that kingdom.

Then I noticed that the man who found the treasure was full of joy and it was with joy that he gave up his posessions for the kingdom. So maybe we need to be spending more time showing people the joy of knowing God’s kingdom – in a culture where real joy is a rare commodity, in spite of all our material comfort.

If people know the joy of being part of God’s kingdom, giving up material things becomes much easier.

The Pearl (v45-46)

The message here is basically the same, with the focus on the great value of the kingdom of God. Perhaps Jesus is also drawing attention to the fact that the Jewish teachers of the law and pharisees should, like this merchant, have been able to recognize the value of what was in front of them. In spite of appearances, becoming a follower of Jesus is equivalent to participating in the kingdom of heaven. Again, this can only be recognised by faith. It will always seem like nonsense to a cynic or unbeliever.

This parable and the previous one also go against our common wisdom that “you should not put all your eggs in one basket.” In the case of the kingdom of God, complete commitment is actually a very wise thing to do, because God will not fail or disappoint those who are committed to being his people.

The Fishing Net (47-50)

The Jewish expectation of the coming kingdom always expected a separation between good and evil and the creation of a perfect new society of peace and justice. So the implied question is “If the kingdom has come, why has this separation not taken place?”

Jesus’ reply shows that the kingdom can be expected to grow in a mixed society until a future day when judgement will take place. The responsibility of the disciples is not to decide who is a good fish or a bad fish, it is to keep on fishing! The judgement is God’s responsibility, not ours, and God can be trusted to eventually destroy all evil and to bring all things under his loving care and control.

Encouragement for the church

The crowds and critics of Jesus who first heard these parables were challenged to either reject him or to respond in faith. But what do the parables say to us? The church is not itself the kingdom, but it is a sign of the kingdom and the parables should be an encouragement to the church. Both the church Matthew wrote to and the church today.

Whether we live in a country where the church is suppressed ans persecuted, or in a country like ours where it is ignored or marginalised, we can draw strength for our journey from the knowledge that to follow Jesus is to participate in the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom which will prevail, despite present appearances. What is hidden from view will one day be revealed to everyone. Then every knee shall bow, every tongue confess. In verse 52 Jesus addresses his disciples as “teachers of the law”, even though they had none of the academic or institutional credentials to deserve such a title. What they had done was spend time with Jesus, with God in human form, learning all about his kingdom through parable and through practice. Their task was and ours is to live as citizens of that kingdom, to demonstrate its values and its power and to spread its influence…

As we stand around the Lord’s table today, however few and feeble we are, we anticipate the heavenly banquet, and participate in a foretaste of it. We stand here, not just as weak and flawed followers of a dead prophet, but as citizens of God’s kingdom, as adopted brothers and sisters of our risen Lord and Saviour.

This meal is a sign to us and to all others who have ears to hear and eyes to see.