Mat 13:18-23: Where and When Are You?

Wednesday March 19, 2025

Intro / Review: God created and gave governments and nations (Gen 6-11).

It is vital to remember that governments and nations are divine institutions, given by God to preserve human history.

It is also vital to understand that at Babel, the people thought that the tower would unify them without God.

Gen 11:4

They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

Further revelation would show us that unity only happens through love.

God creates the kingdom of Israel by using Moses.

Gen 12 is the promise to Abraham concerning this kingdom, which is the key to the parable of the sower.

The prophets prophesied of a coming King (Son of David; Son of Man) and kingdom that would be pure, righteous, and fulfill mankind in perfect peace, which would be eternal.

Israel rejected the King and God stretches history, postponing the coming kingdom (mystery).

God stretches history (Mat 23:36-39; Luk 13:35).

These things will come upon “this generation.”

His own will see Him while He is away (Joh 16:16-22).

Mat 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” [now or eternity?]

Heb 12:14

Phi 3:9-10

1Jo 1:3

Mat 13:18-23, 4 kinds of hearts.

Hard heart;

Devil is real and can snatch what is without root.

Shallow heart (only for a season – tribulation and persecution reveal that roots were shallow). Bad habits can only be broken by practice.  

Occupied heart – unbels are full of these thorns. Unfortunately, believers can have them also. We cannot cut them, mow them, but they have to be uprooted and discarded.

Good heart – fruit bearing life.  

Application of the first three soils to unbelievers and believers.

If you can lose what does not take root, how important is it to understand the Word?

Only one way into God’s kingdom – Christ. Only received by grace. It comes by God’s sovereign will. These truths make you humble and gracious.

Whosever may come removes our pride and our prejudice.

The only way in is through the righteousness of Christ, 1Co 6:9; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5 (sinners will not inherit the kingdom of God). 

Receiving the kingdom by grace: 

God gives His kingdom: (Luk 12:32). 

Jesus Christ promises the confessing Peter: (Mat 16:19). 

The kingdom is taken from the obdurate Jews and given to believers: (Mat 21:43). 

Christ makes over the kingdom as the Father has made it over to Him: (Luk 22:29). 

God calls Christians into His kingdom and glory: (1Th 2:12). 

God has set us in the kingdom of the Son of His love: (Col 1:13). 

Believers are made worthy of the kingdom of God: (2Th 1:5). 

The Lord will deliver believers into His heavenly kingdom ... (2Ti 4:18). 

God has promised His kingdom: (Jam 2:5). 

God does not act like the Pharisees who presume to close the kingdom to men: (Mat 23:13; cf. Luk 11:52).

God has made us worthy of the kingdom means that we have to live holy (2Th 1:5).  

The kingdom is something more than this world (Rom 14:17), therefore, you cannot live for this world. It is not of this earth 1Co 15:24. 

It is a way of righteousness to be lived today (1Th 2:12)

Which will be persecuted by worldlings (2Th 1:5). 

There is only one King (Heb 1:8; Psa 22:28; Isa 9:6-7. 

Heirs are rich in faith and poor in the world (Jam 2:5). 

Application: Know where and when you are: interregnum.

Imminence

Care but do not worry (“seek first”) souls and community (people, marriage, family, nation - created and gifted by God).

Do not be surprised (1Pe 4:12) the devil is daily sowing (Mat 5:10-12).

Live as a kingdom priest, daily, in all you do (1Pe 2; Eph 4:1).