The Gospels record many miracles wrought by Jesus. In almost every case, Jesus responded to someone’s request for help. In other words, He rewarded faith. He also explicitly stated the necessity of faith for all who want some benefit from God: “Ask, and it will be given you” (7:7). “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” (8:13). “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well” (9:22). “Do you believe that I am able to do this?…According to your faith let it be to you.” (9:28, 29). “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23) On more than one occasion, He rebuked His disciples for their “little faith” (16:8). When they asked why they had not been able to cast out a certain a demon, He explained, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”(17:20). We must balance these statements with others which teach that God only answers prayers that are according to His will; that believing in Jesus solely for the sake of miracles is not enough; that we must seek Christ and His kingdom, not signs and wonders; that all who follow Christ must trace the steps of His suffering; and that even Satan and his messengers can work miracles. Nevertheless, the fact remains: Jesus promised that “These signs will follow those who believe…” (Mark 16:17). Christians in China have experienced God’s wonder-working power. Is unbelief keeping mighty works from “following” us?
Rejecting the Revealer
By calling Himself a prophet, Jesus consciously places Himself in the long line of God’s messengers who were rejected by their own people. Jesus referred several times to the suffering and death of previous prophets:” For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (5:12). “You [Scribes and Pharisees] are sons of those who murdered the prophets” (23:31). He acknowledge John the Baptist as a prophet, “And more than a prophet” (11:9) and rebuked the Jews for not honoring that great man of God (11:18). When He was warned that Herod sought to kill Him, he replied, “It cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33). Thus, while expressing His faith that He was invulnerable until His time had come, He also accurately predicted His final fate in the city of Israel’s kings. God’s messengers will be persecuted! And, as Jesus clearly announced at the outset of His ministry, all who would follow Him faithfully will also suffer persecution. Why? Because they, too, proclaim the word of God to a hostile world. But that is not the final fact, for Jesus also said, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad [when slandered] for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (5:12).
Rejected at Home
Rejection happens to all of us. Sometimes people disdain us for reasons over which we have no control – our sex, race, class, intelligence, nationality. Others don’t like us because of what we do. They find our behavior offensive. Usually, they have some basis for their disfavor, though we don’t want to admit that harsh fact. Rejection hurts. We all crave attention, affection, and approval, and cringe when these are withheld from us. We feel the most severe pain when people we love despise us. Worst of all, of course, is to be disliked, or even simply misunderstood, by our own family. Jesus had to endure that kind of suffering, too. Matthew had earlier recorded how Jesus’ mother and brothers sought to distract Him from teaching the crowds (12:46-47). Not only the Jewish leaders, to whom He posed a threat, but now His own family, friends, and neighbors could not accept Him. In short, they didn’t believe in Him (John 7:5). In one sense Jesus differed from us, of course. No one in Nazareth faulted his behavior, and certainly not his origin! They objected to His prophetic ministry and status. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Jesus had to face rejection of the most precious fact of His existence- His unique relationship with God and His mission as a man. Thus, when we have to listen to critical words, or see frowning faces, we can take immense comfort from the truth that Jesus knows.
Why No Miracles?
Notice that Jesus did some mighty works in His hometown of Nazareth. That is why His neighbors could say, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these might works?” when He spoke in their synagogue. But He did not do many miracles there. Why? Because of their lack of faith. They knew, and acknowledged, that Jesus had worked wonders in their midst, as we have seen. They believed that miracles could take place, and that Jesus had performed some in Nazareth. What, then, did they not believe? See how they describe Jesus: “The carpenter’s son.” The son of Mary and brother to several siblings. In other words, just an ordinary man. Jesus was not surprised, for He said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” The important word here is “prophet.” Ever since Moses, Elijah, and Elisha, Jews considered the ability to work wonders the mark of a true prophet. Jesus spoke with wisdom and demonstrated the power of God by healing and delivering diseased and demonized people, but his people did not consider Him to be a prophet. In other words, they failed to recognize who He was. They did not believe in Him as God’s unique messenger. Because they did not believe in Him, Jesus would not – indeed, could not (Mark 6:5) – manifest the might of God in their midst. The same is true today. Those who think Jesus is just an ordinary man will not experience the transforming power of His grace. They will see few, if any, miracles. But those who trust in Him as the Prophet of God, the Word of God, the eternal Son of God, will watch manifold wonders unfold before their very eyes, and in their own hearts.
Just an Ordinary Man?
As these words from His astonished neighbors demonstrate, Jesus was an ordinary man. He had a legal father, Joseph, and a biological mother, Mary. As a child, He was obedient to them, and He must have known their parental love. Like other children, He grew up, both physically and mentally. But He was not an only child. After He was born, Mary gave birth to other sons and daughters. Jesus knew all about family life, and must have listened to his siblings argue with one another, for only He was without sin. Watching His little sisters grow up, He gained insight into the feminine psyche. No wonder He could treat women with such kindness and sensitivity! From His earliest years, He learned how to lead, for He was the oldest son. It seems that His father died before Jesus entered His ministry, so He must have acquired experience in ruling a household. As the son of a carpenter, He learned his fathers trade, so that He was known as the village carpenter (Mark 6:3). This required Him not only to make and repair wooden implements and furniture, but to run a small business. Yes, Jesus was a man just like us. That is why He can understand all that we go through. Except that He knew no sin, He can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) and enter into our joys. He knows.
Jesus the Teacher
From this short passage we learn a great deal about Jesus’ teaching ministry. Sometimes he taught people outside, as the earlier part of this chapter records He did by the seaside; remember that the Sermon on the Mount was given in the hill country. When speaking to such crowds, He used parables to tell them about the Kingdom of God. At other times, He was asked to teach in the synagogues. On this occasion, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah and applied the passage to His own life (Luke 4:16-22). His words were extraordinary. The first groups who heard Him “were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority…” (7:28-29). In Nazareth, the congregation commented upon the wisdom of His discourse and “marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth (Luke 4:22).Later, police sent to arrest Him returned empty-handed, saying, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”(John 7:46). He not only taught, but worked mighty miracles [‘powers’ in the original Greek]. Jesus Himself attributed this remarkable ministry to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in His life (Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:18). Does it not make sense for us (1) to listen to this unique Teacher and (2) to ask God for the same Spirit to work in and through us?
Only Two Kinds
In the parable of the net cast into the sea, Jesus says that it “gathered some of every kind” of fish. Yes, this world does contain all sorts of people! We come in different colors, shapes, and sizes. Some are brilliant, others not as smart. Beautiful and plain; energetic and lethargic; athletic and clumsy; educated and uneducated – the list of contrasts goes on and on. But, according to Jesus, at the end of the age, we shall all be divided into two kinds: wicked and just. The former will endure everlasting torment in a “hell of fire.” He had already said that the righteous will” shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (13:43). As we have seen already, Jesus does not mean that anyone is without sin or perfectly righteous. He refers, instead, to a tendency in life; an orientation towards God, oneself, and others; an inclination of the heart; a general pattern of attitudes and actions. Disciples of Christ trust in Him, not themselves; they seek God’s kingdom, not the riches of this world; they look for eternal happiness, not temporal pleasure. Knowing God’s mercy, they forgive others; knowing His love, they pass it on. Hearing His word, they respond in faith and obedience. Confessing their sins, they receive daily pardon. At the end of the age, they will enter everlasting blessedness. Everyone else will be cast into unending misery. There are only two kinds of people, and only two final destinies. Which kind are you? If you are not sure, now is the time to forsake all and follow Christ.
Supreme Wealth
We must ask why the kingdom of heaven is the most valuable thing in the world and worth forsaking all else in order to obtain it.In other words, why did the Wise Men travel so far to see the baby Jesus, and offer precious gifts to Him? Why did the disciples leave all and follow Him? Why did Jesus command us to seek first the kingdom of God? Jesus Himself tells us. In the Beatitudes, He pronounces those happy who receive the kingdom, and then describes that blessedness further: They “shall be comforted; inherit the earth ;be filled (satisfied);obtain mercy [from God]; see God; be called sons of God; receive a great reward in heaven (5:2-12). When we sin against God and come to Him asking forgiveness, He will pardon our offenses (6:12; 9:2). If we put His kingdom first, then our heavenly Father will also provide for us all the material things we need (6:33) When the inevitable storms of life batter us, we shall possess a firm foundation (7:24-25). Those who enter the kingdom avoid being cast into hell, where unbelievers in “outer darkness” suffer “the furnace of fire” and “wailing and gnashing of teeth” (8:12; 13:42). One of the most precious promises awaits those who come to Jesus, believing that He is God’s chosen King: “I will give you rest” (11:28). Perhaps best of all, we shall become members of the everlasting family of God: “Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (12:50). All this – and much more – awaits those who “seek first the kingdom of God” by “leaving all” to follow Jesus.
The Most Precious Pearl
We can see this merchant elsewhere in the New Testament. The Wise Men from the East sought Jesus and, when they found Him, offered their treasures at His feet (Matthew 2:11). When Jesus called them, Andrew and Peter left their fishing nets and their father and followed Him. Matthew, the author of this Gospel, deserted his lucrative tax-gathering business at Jesus’ command (Matthew 4:18-20; 9:9). Unlike her sister Martha, who was concerned with “many things,” Mary chose the one thing that was needful – listening to Jesus (Luke 10:41-42). Later, she expressed her single-hearted love for Him by pouring out precious perfume (probably her dowry) upon His body (John 12:3). The Apostle Paul gave up everything he had previously valued, considering it “garbage,” and made knowing Christ the “one thing” he pursued in life (Philippians 3:4-12). Jesus warned against the worship of Mammon, the god of this world. He told His disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). He Himself sought only to do the will of His Father, even to the point of laying down His life. Shall we follow in the steps of those who forsook many “precious” things for the one pearl of great price?
Hidden Treasure
When we remember that “the kingdom of heaven” is another term for eternal life, and that eternal life is to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ His Son (John 17:3), we see why Jesus calls it a hidden treasure. It is hidden, because you can’t easily see the coming of God’s kingdom in this present age. People of Jesus’ day could discern its effects – healings, liberation from demons, transforming truth taught in public, and Jesus’ own spotless life. But few could forget their previous notion that the kingdom of God would come as political liberation and deliverance from poverty and oppression. Jesus told parables to teach that this kingdom was already at work, changing individuals who would then influence society (Matthew 13:31-33). With their minds set on the things that are seen, however, most folk were blind to the presence of the kingdom. The same is true today. We seek a job, a house, a car, better health, an attractive mate, a happy marriage, pleasures of all sorts, and political freedom. Deep inside, we really believe these things will make us happy. When God doesn’t provide what we want, we complain, as if He had not kept His promises. But Jesus’ parables were meant to direct our attention to the hidden presence of God in our time. In fact, having Jesus, we possess “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). Yes, the life of the believer is “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Only the eye of faith penetrates the fog of this world to perceive the value of knowing God and joyfully forsakes all to gain a relationship with Him through faith in Christ.
Priceless Treasure
From this brief parable come several precious truths about God’s kingdom, which Jesus elsewhere equates with eternal life (19:16, 23): It is like a treasure. Untold spiritual wealth awaits those who trust in Jesus Christ. They will find in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), as well as the riches of God’s mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:4, 7). It is hidden from view. Most people, blinded by the attractions of this age, do not value Christ or His kingdom. Matthew points out this fact repeatedly, even in this very chapter (13:1-23, 53-58). It brings great joy to those who find it. The three Wise Men rejoiced merely to see the star leading them to the infant Jesus (2:10). How much more do those who trust in Christ experience “joy inexpressible and full of glory,” even if they undergo suffering (1 Peter 1:8; 4:12-13). Gaining eternal life God through faith in Christ is worth all that we have. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” – if they are rich in faith (Matthew 5:3; James 2:5)! That is why Jesus urged the rich young ruler to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him (Matthew 19:21). Sadly, he refused. Will we be like that misguided youth, or like the wise man in this parable?
The End of this Age
This age is coming to an end. We don’t know when it will happen, but Jesus tells us what will happen: “The Son of Man [that is, Jesus] will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” In other words, judgment! The Apostle Peter, who heard Jesus make this statement, writes about “the day of judgment and perdition [destruction] of ungodly men… The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent hear; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:7, 10). This world will someday be destroyed. All that we see – houses, cars, buildings, planes, gardens, fields, factories, forests – everything will suddenly disappear in a huge conflagration. At the same time, those who have set their hope on this world, who have “loved” this world more than God, who have followed the “course of this world” and have allowed themselves to be “conformed to this world” – these people will be judged by God and then consigned to what Jesus calls “everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46). What does that say about our priorities in life?
Small, but Potent
With these two parables, Jesus illustrates a central fact of God’s present kingdom on earth: It seems insignificant, but possesses vast potential. Like a tiny seed, or a little bit of yeast, God’s kingdom in this age hardly appears to the untrained eye. In almost any community, only tiny proportions of people really trust in Christ and seek to follow Him. Oh, there may be a large and prominent church building on the corner, or even a flourishing congregation of worshippers. But those whose lives really reflect the presence and power of God are small. As a result, we see corruption and even chaos in the world. Violence, theft, lying, oppression, and moral degradation fill the news, and rightly so. Evil men rule much of the world, apparently unrestricted by God. Meanwhile, however, a potent force quietly gathers its strength. The Spirit of God implants faith in His Word among more and more people. Around the globe, the number of believers grows daily. At certain times and in some places, Christians – acting like salt and light in the community – exercise influence beyond their numbers, as moral standards begin to change in the general population. Indeed, some countries, and even whole cultures, have been radically improved as a result of the spread of God’s Word among the masses. Jesus predicts that someday this process will come to full fruition. Not only partially and temporarily, but fully and permanently, the entire globe will be decisively transformed by the kingdom of God. Until that time, believers go about their daily tasks, asking God to cause His name to be glorified, His kingdom come, and His will be done, first in their own lives, and then throughout the whole earth.
Fruitful Faith
After describing three sorts of people who do not respond to the Gospel with saving faith, Jesus finally speaks of those who not only hear the Word of God, but understand it, and then go on to produce a bountiful crop. We learn several vital lessons from the entire parable with its explanation: - Most people who hear the Good News of Christ will not be saved. Either they will not understand, or they will receive the word with joy, but then fall away. - Some, however, will receive the message with true faith, and demonstrate their trust by their changed lives. - From the context, we know that bearing fruit includes perseverance under troubles and even persecution (21; see also 5:11-12; 10:32-39). If someone who claims to believe in Christ turns away from Him in the face of danger, then he is not yet born again. - The true believer will also refuse to become embroiled in “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.” Instead, he will “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (6:33). When he is tempted to “lay up treasures on earth” or to “worry about tomorrow,” he will instead pray, “Your kingdom come; Your will be done; give us this day our daily bread…” (6:10-11). Jesus said of false prophets, “You will know them by their fruits” (7:16). Here He extends that principle to all those who profess to follow Christ: Fruitfulness, which consists in both trust and obedience, will prove the genuineness of faith. How do we measure up to this standard? Is our faith fruitful?
Choked by Thorns
Trouble and persecution cause some professing Christians to fall away. Others fail to grow, not because of what has happened, but of what might happen! “The cares of this world” can be translated as “concern for this age.” Those who set their hopes on this life will be filled with anxiety. “What shall we eat? What shall we wear? Where shall we live?” They fret and worry, and spend all their time trying to ensure their safety and material security. God’s Word loses its previous urgency in their lives. They neglect to read the Bible, have no time for church, and eventually drift away. “The deceitfulness of riches” causes others to stumble. After all, money seems to promise pleasure, prestige, power, and prominence to those who get enough of it. But what is “enough”? One very wealthy man answered that question quite simply: “Just a little bit more than I have now...” In other words, those who seek to be rich will never have “enough.” In their search for more, they will be trapped by an endless pursuit of possessions. Once you have money, you have to figure out how to save it, spend it, increase it, protect it. Your mind becomes distracted by a multitude of tasks that demand your total attention. Instead of seeking to know and serve God, those who worship Mammon fall into a bondage that separates them from the Lord and the life and joy He offers. They will not evince love for God or for those around them, but will manifest a growing obsession with things. Make no mistake: Anyone who says he is a Christian, but whose life revolves around a concern for this world, is a hypocrite. “You will know them by their fruits.”
Rootless “Faith”
The parable of the sower describes not only Jesus’ ministry, but that of all those who seek to share the Word of God with others. Some hearers will receive the Christian message “with joy.” Perhaps they are attracted by the idea of one true God who combines both justice and love in perfect harmony. Maybe the portrait of Jesus as the sinless Son of God and suffering servant moves them, or the offer of eternal bliss, or the beauty of the life of early Christians. Or it may simply be the sublime moral code of the Bible that draws them to “receive” the Word. But, sadly, they “have no root in them.” The truth does not penetrate their hearts. They do not see their sin in all its awful horror, or tremble before the judgment of a holy God. They like the promises in the Bible, but do not understand that these refer primarily to spiritual blessings. Thus, when some kind of trouble comes, they buckle. Sickness, failure, financial difficulties, unfulfilled desires – all these make them question the goodness of God, or His mighty power. Likewise, when they are rejected for being identified with Christ, they can’t take it. “This wasn’t part of the original bargain!” they complain. “Why isn’t God answering my prayers? I thought that faith in Him would bring happiness, health, and prosperity. God has broken His promises to me. I can’t believe in Him any more.” Of course, this response merely indicates their misunderstanding of the Gospel message and reveals their motives. They sought earthly comfort, not spiritual life. They looked for good things, not for God Himself. In other words, they never really believed in Christ.
What Is God’s Will?
If doing God’s will is the mark of the true “relative” of Jesus Christ, then what is that “will”? Matthew’s Gospel provides ample information for us to know the will of God. A quick review of the Sermon on the Mount will elucidate this concept. Doing the Father’s will means obedience to His revealed commands, as recorded in the Bible (5:17-42). More than that, fulfilling God’s will involves nothing less than full conformity to the character of God, who loves the unlovely (5:48). It includes helping others (6:1-4); prayer (6:5-15); fasting (6:16-18); and seeking first His kingdom, not wealth or financial security (6:19-34). At the end of this Gospel, Jesus commands His disciples to “make disciples of all nations” (28:18-20). Worldwide evangelism of unbelievers and edification of believers is a central part of God’s will for us. Paul tells the Thessalonian Christians that the will of God is “your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). In the next chapter, he goes even deeper: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). A daily, diligent searching of the Scriptures will leave us in little doubt about God’s will for us. Knowing is not enough, however. We need God’s strength to perform what He requires. That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven…Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Amen.
The Forever Family
Jesus called not His blood relatives, but His disciples, His true family. Why? Those who seek to do God’s will have more in common with each other than they do even with their own family of origin. Consider:
- They have a common purpose in life: To know and serve God.
- They have a common loyalty to their Father in heaven and to His Son, Jesus.
- They have a common source of life, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in them.
- They share the same experience of salvation through the forgiveness of sin, and of God’s constant unmerited kindness towards them.
- This life, unlike the body which they inherit from their parents, will never perish.
- They share a common destiny: To live with God and His people forever.
- They have a common standard of truth, the Word of God contained in the Scriptures. The Bible surpasses even family tradition and cultural norms as a source for guidance and a standard of values.
- They are bound together by ties which cannot be broken, because they are united to Christ, who is the Head of this trans-national, trans-cultural body of believers.
Jesus and His disciples belong to a “forever family” – the household of God.
Who Is Mary?
Christians have fallen into two errors in their views of Mary, the mother of Jesus. By and large, Protestants have ignored her. They seem to forget that she was God’s chosen vessel, through whom the Son of God was brought into this world as the God-Man, Jesus. Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel sets the standard for all who hear the word of God: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). On the other hand, Roman Catholic teaching about Mary goes far beyond what the Bible records. For example, they deny that she gave birth to any children after Jesus was born, claiming that “brother” and “sister” means “cousin” in the passages which refer to Jesus’ siblings. But if that were true, then “mother” should not mean that Jesus came from Mary! In the early centuries of the Church, pagans were notorious for degenerate sexual mores. Some Christian leaders sought to counter this by stressing the value of virginity, and held up Mary as an exemplar of perpetual abstinence from sex. Later, the Pope declared that Mary had no sin of any kind; that she herself was conceived apart from sin; and that she ascended directly to heaven. Finally, Rome decreed that Mary is Co-Redemptrix with Christ, and that all grace flows to us from her. It is best to restrict ourselves to what the Bible says: Mary was Jesus’ mother. Though she did not always understand Her Son and His mission, she remained loyal to Him and eventually, along with His brothers, became one of His disciples (Acts 1:14), and thus a member of His “forever family.”
Our Only Help and Only Hope
No matter what difficulties we face, God – and God alone – is our help and hope. Are you mistreated? “He executes justice for the oppressed.” (7) Are you in financial need? “He gives food to the hungry.” (7) Are you enslaved to addictions? “The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.” (7) Do you need wisdom and guidance? “The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.” (8) Do you need encouragement? “The LORD raises those who are bowed down.” (8) Do you lack friends? “The LORD watches over the strangers.” (9) Is there no one to take care of you? “He relieves the fatherless and widow.” (9) In light of all this, we should - Place our hope in God, and in God alone. No man, even a prince, can give us help, even if he wants to. (3-4) - Praise the LORD at all times for His greatness and His goodness to us: “Praise the LORD, O my soul! While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being… Praise the LORD!” (1-2, 10).