St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 49-50, The Kingdom of Heaven: The coming Separation of the Wicked and the Just

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the net) Part 2. 

The net will gather all.  The kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea and when it is full it is taken up and the fish are separated.  The good fish are kept and the bad fish are cast away.  All are captured in the net.  All are brought to shore.  All are separated.  This is the parable that Christ tells his disciples that they may understand the coming of the kingdom of heaven and the separation that will take place.  The wicked will be separated from the just.  The workers of iniquity will be separated from the those who do good.  The fruit will be separated from the weeds and all will be judged according to their works.

Christ tell his disciples that they may know and understand the truth of the kingdom.  He tells them stories and parables that they may have the wisdom of the kingdom.  He gives them knowledge that they may be able to past their knowledge upon those who will follow them.  For they will be the new shepherds.  They will be the new leaders.  They will be the messengers of Christ after his work is finished.  So, he wants them to have clear understanding and knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. 

He concludes his parable by telling the disciples of the end times.  He says, "So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.

The prophecy has been spoken.  Time will reveal the truth of its making.  The angels will come and separate but the net will capture all.  Will you be among the just or will you be among the wicked?  The furnace of fire awaits the separation.  Our God is a loving God.  He wants all to be separated into the just.  He wants no one to be put into the furnace of fire.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may understand.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may know.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may have the wisdom of the kingdom of heaven.  Will you heed the message?  Will you take action today to receive the kingdom?  Find your treasure.  Find your pearl of great value.  Be the good seed that Christ has planted in you.  They all await your search.  They all await your finding.  They all await you receiving that you may have joy and peace here and now, today, on this earth.  For the advodcate waits at your door.  Open and let him in.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 47 - 48, The Kingdom of Heaven: Like a Net.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the net) Part 1. 

Christ continues his comparisons of the kingdom of heaven.  He gives his disciples many examples that they may understand the truth of the kingdom.  For they will be the messengers.  They will be the teachers.  They will be the miracle workers, the healers, the ones who cast out demons.  So, he continues to give them truths of the kingdom of heaven.  He tells them stories.  He tells them parables.  He tells them of things that are hidden since the foundation of the world.  Some will understand.  Some will comprehend.  Some will be lost.  Let he who has ears, hear.

Christ tells them of another parable.  This time he talks of fishing, something that the disciples understand since they were already fishermen.  They came from a background of fishing, because this is how they made their living before he called them.  They cast their nets into the sea and caught fish.  Sometimes they caught great fish.  Sometimes they caught small fish.  Sometimes they caught fish that they did not want.  But their lives revolved around fishing. 

Christ says to them,  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea that gathered in fish of every kind.  When it was filled, they hauled it out, and sitting on the beach, they gathered the good fish into vessels, but threw away the bad."

All are gathered for the harvest, Christ tells his disciples.  All are taken in by the net, he wants them to know.  And the separation begins, where the just are separated from the unjust, the good from the evil, those who practice justice from those who practice iniquity.  The net will bring all to judgement.  The weeds will be gathered with the good seeds and the bundles will be set.  For the furnace of fire awaits the weeds and the barns of heaven await the good seed that produced fruit.  Where do you stand?  The net will gather all.  Be aware!  Live not for today!  Live not in this world!  For the net will bring all to judgement.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 45 - 46, The Kingdom of Heaven: The search of Fine Pearls.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the pearl of great price)  

The kingdom of heaven is like.  Christ continues to tell the disciples about the kingdom of heaven that they may understand truth.  He continues to educate his disciples that they may know the kingdom, that they may see the kingdom, that they may have the wisdom of heaven within themselves to teach others.  For one does not teach what one does not know and Christ wants his disciples to know.  Christ wants his disciples to believe.  Christ wants his disciples to see.  Christ wants his disciples to have wisdom.  For they will carry the message of the kingdom.  They will be the light to shine forth to men.  They will battle the evil in the world and spread the good news of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

The weeds have already been planted and are growing.  The weeds are growing among the good seeds of the kingdom.  The weeds are wrapping themselves around the fruit of the kingdom and choking the life from the fruit.  But Christ brings life to the seeds.  Christ brings nurturing to the good seeds.  Christ brings love to the good seed that they may know truth in the kingdom.  For the good seed searches for truth.  The good seed seeks to know.  The good seed desires to possess the kingdom that is buried deep within them.  Christ tells another parable about the kingdom.  He says, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.   When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." 

The kingdom of heaven is like.  The good seed seeks the fine pearls.  The good seed seeks the treasure in the field.  The good seed seeks the truth.  The good seed seeks all that is Christ.  The good seed seeks love.  The good seed seeks peace.  The good seed seeks happiness.  The good seed seeks patience.  The good seed seeks humility.  The good seed seeks the wisdom of the kingdom of heaven.  The good seed seeks all that is Christ.  The good seed seeks faith.  The good seed seeks hope.  The good seed seeks justice.  The good seed seeks the riches of the kingdom of heaven.  What do you seek?

The kingdom of heaven is like.  Christ has given us parables to live by today.  He has given us comparisons.  He has given us a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven.  The kingdom is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.  We all seek something in this physical world.  Some seek wealth.  Some seek truth.  Some seek knowledge.  Some seek understanding.  Some seek peace.  Some seek love.  Some seek those things that would satisfy their inner needs and cravings. 

We think that if we just had the good things of life that we would be happy.  So, we seek those things that we think will bring us happiness, i.e., more money, fine clothes, beauty, physical prowess, marketable talents, a loving mate, the typical family, power, influence, etc.  All these things we seek to fulfill our inner needs that we believe will satisfy us.  So, in many ways we too are like merchants seeking fine pearls.  When we find our desired worldly pearls we sell everything to own it.  We sell ourselves to own that which we seek, be it a  well paid position, wealth, power, influence.  All the things that our hearts desire, we sell ourselves to them that we may own them. 

Yet these things are worldly and satisfy only temporarily.  They are like the mist that evaporates when the sun comes out.  Wealth and money buy things but do not buy permanence.  Power and influence are of this world and last as long as we are in it.  All these things are here today and gone tomorrow.  Yet these are the things that we seek to fill our inner needs.  The kingdom of heaven is like.  What pearls do you seek?  Do you seek the pearls of the kingdom or do you seek the pearls of the world?  Do you give all to own the pearls of the world or would you sell all to own the pearls of the kingdom?   Which do you value?

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 43, The Kingdom of Heaven: The Just will shine like the Sun.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds explained) Part 4. 

The prophecy has been made.  The disciples have heard.  The day of the harvest is forecast.  And the weeds will be gathered up and burned in the furnace of fire.  Christ has given the disciples his knowledge, his wisdom and his understanding of the parable of the weeds that they may understand.  He has opened their eyes and their minds so that they may see and perceive the kingdom of heaven.  He has given them a glimpse of the kingdom by his comparisons of things hear on earth that they may know.  They are the messengers.  They will be the tellers of the parables after Christ has finished.  They will be the ones who will carry the torch of new life to the ends of the earth.

Christ finishes the parable by telling them what happens at the very end of the harvest.  There will be rejoicing.  There will be happiness.  There will be great merriment at the coming of the Lord of the harvest.  For he will clean the fields.  He will burn the weeds.  And he will collect the wheat into the barns of his house that there may be a great feast.  For Christ tells them,  Then the just will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  

The just will shine at the end of the harvest.  The darkness will be removed at the end of the harvest.  The weeds will be burned at the end of the harvest.  All the just will rejoice at the end of the harvest for the time of the Lord of the harvest has come.  Christ tells his disciples that they may see.  Christ tells his disciples that they may know.  Christ tells his disciples that they may have the understanding of his wisdom and knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. 

The kingdom of heaven is like a field.  The field is the earth.  The good seeds that are sown are the sons of the kingdom of heaven.  Can you see the kingdom?  Do you understand the kingdom?  The kingdom of heaven is like a sower who goes out and plants good seed in his field.  The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which when planted grows to be the tallest plant in the garden.  The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which when placed in three parts all become leavened.  Do you hear the message?  Do you have the knowledge of the parable of the weeds?  Can you perceive the kingdom of heaven?  It is at hand.  It is near you.  It is in you.  It is part of you.  See the light that shines forth for at the harvest of the just will shine forth like the sun.  And there will be no darkness.  And Christ said,  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 36 - 39, The Kingdom of Heaven: The symbols of the weeds explained.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds explained) Part 1. 

Things have been spoken.  Understanding has been lacking.  Knowledge is missing.  And the people do not know.  Christ has talked about the kingdom of heaven and given several examples of what the kingdom is like.  He talked about the good seed.  He talked about the mustard seed and how it grows and he talked about the leaven and how it spreads to all parts.  Do the people understand?  Do the disciples understand?  Is knowledge given to them that they may know the mysteries of the kingdom?  Christ has finished his preaching and retires to the house.

The disciples follow and inquire of him the meaning of the parable of the weeds.   And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."  So answering them he said, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world; the good seed, the sons of the kingdom; the weeds, the sons of the wicked one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil."  

The disciples wanted to know his words.  They wanted to understand clearly.  They wanted the knowledge of Christ.  There minds sought him.  Their hearts desired his fruit.  So they came and inquired of his wisdom.  And he fed them with rich fruit that they may be satisfied.  He fed them with riches that they may know within their hearts the truth of the kingdom and they were blessed.  Christ loved his disciples.  He was patient with them.  He was loving of them.  He was understanding of their needs.  And he gave bountifully of his heart that theirs would be full.

We live in a world that we know not.  We are consumed by its constant flow, by its constant drive, by its constant movement.  Nothing remains the same.  Everything is changing and we are caught up in the change.  And that is our dilemma, we must keep up or be swept away.  We must constantly know the latest news.  We must constantly see the latest shows.  We must constantly have the latest gadgets.  We must constantly be in a state of change at all times that we may be in the world.  To stop being in the world means to be left behind.  To stop being in the world means not knowing the latest.  To stop being in the world means to fall out of the crowd.  And Christ said, beware the wide path that leads to destruction.  Do not follow the crowd!  Follow the narrow path that leads to life.  Open your heart, open your mind and let Christ feed you, as he did the disciples.  His love is fulfilling.  His knowledge is all knowing.  His understanding is permanent.  And his truth is from the Father of all truth.  Fall out of the world and fall into Christ and he will keep you forever.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 34 - 35, The Kingdom of Heaven: Things Hidden

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the leaven) Part 2. 

The kingdom of heaven is like.  Christ has compared it to the good seed planted by the sower.  He has compared it to the mustard seed which, when planted, grows to be the tallest herb in the garden.  He has compared the kingdom of heaven to leaven, which, when placed with three parts flour, combines to mix with all parts until  all is leavened.  All speak of growth.  Growth of the seed, growth of the mustard seed, growth of the leaven.  The kingdom of heaven seeks growth.  It seeks to expand.  It seeks to become the tallest, highest, greatest thing in the garden, in God's garden.  

All parables.  All mysteries.  All unclear.  What do these parables mean?  What is Christ telling us about the place that we seek to live out eternity?  The disciples listen to the parables.  The people listen to the parables.  All are bewildered.  All do not understand why he speaks of these things in such a manner that does not allow for clear understanding.   And it was said,  All these
things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and without parables he did not speak to them; that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled,  "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world."  


Since the foundation of the world these things have been.  Since the foundation of the world these truths have been.  Since the foundation of the world this knowledge has been hidden from the wise and the prudent but only revealed to the little ones.  He who has ears let him hear.  He seeks knowledge let him know that through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit all things will be revealed.  He who desires understanding let him meditate on the things that are spoken of since the foundation of the world and more will be revealed.  For it is though the awakening of the spirit and the planting of the seeds of wisdom that one understands.  Human knowledge will not open the doors of understanding.  Human knowledge will not enlighten one to the message of the kingdom.  Through faith in Christ, one begins to know the truths of the Father of all truth.

Christ has given us today a taste of what lies before us.  He has given us in these parables a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven.  All reveal growth.  All parables speak of plantings.  We are planted in the world that we live in and so also are the weeds.  Do we grow in the spirit?  Or do we grow in the earth?  Spiritual growth produces fruit.  Spiritual growth affects others as does leaven.  Spiritual growth increases until it becomes the tallest plant in the garden.  And the angels come to dwell in its branches.  Do you have the life of Christ within you?  Or do you have the life of the world in you?  The life of Christ is inclined towards eternal life.  The life of the world is inclined towards death.  There is no middle ground.  Where do you stand?  Where are you planted?