Secrets of the Kingdom: What King Jesus Taught about his Rule & Reign

A Chapter a Day

• Sunday, September 20, Matthew 14
• Monday, September 21, Matthew 15            
• Tuesday, September 22, Matthew 16
• Wednesday, September 23, Matthew 17
• Thursday, September 24, Matthew 18
• Friday, September 25, Matthew 19
• Saturday, September 26, Matthew 20

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¹⁰ Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. (Matthew 13:10-11, ESV) 

“parable”    =    para (alongside) + ballo (to throw) an earthly story with a spiritual truth thrown alongside “a likeness story;” “a story that teaches” 

“kingdom”   =    “God’s kingdom in this age refers to the reign of Christ in the hearts and lives of believers, and to the reigning presence of Christ in his body, the church—so that they increasingly reflect his love, obey his laws, honor him, do good for all people, and proclaim the good news of the kingdom. (ESV Study Bible, pp. 1831-1832)

The kingdom exists wherever King Jesus is on the .

A “Kingdom” Framework in the Gospel of Matthew

1. Jesus’ was called “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 3:23).
2. Jesus taught us to , “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10).
3. Jesus taught us to “ the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33).
4. Jesus taught us that the kingdom has been inaugurated in his coming, but will not be consummated until his second coming – the kingdom is “already, but not yet.” 

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17, ESV)

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. (Matthew 25:31, ESV)

The Seven Parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13

1. The Parable of the Sower
2. The Parable of the Weeds
3. The Parable of the Mustard Seed
4. The Parable of the Leaven
5. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
6. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
7. The Parable of the Net

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³¹ He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (ESV)

The Takeaway:  Don’t expect the kingdom to come all at once; it will start , but will grow as many come into the kingdom.

The Parable of the Leaven

³³ He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (ESV)

The Takeaway:  Kingdom influence may seem small and is not always , but ultimately it will be pervasive and victorious.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (ESV)

The Takeaway:  Allegiance to King Jesus, devotion to his priorities, and participation in his kingdom is worth any we may be required to make.

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Takeaway:  At the end of the age, there will be a great between those who have trusted and followed King Jesus and those who have not.