Matthew 13
Who’s who in the Church? Is Everyone Saved? No!
In Matthew 13
of our Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ explains what the church age
will be like. He explains to us what a professor of Christ is and
what a possessor of Christ is and shows us what they look like and
how they will act in our presence. Jesus tells us that everyone who
says they are, really aren’t. He tells us that some will be Wheat
and some will be Tares. He tells us who’s true and who’s false. But
why, why do some people never seem to get it? Why do some who you
thought got it fall away back into the world? Why do some
immediately understand and flourish, bringing forth fruit? And why
are some who are real always feel choked and stumble?
Let’s examine
our lords’ descriptions in Matthew
13 and let’s
call this lesson; Who do you think you are?
Our Bible Theme:
Not everyone who says to me “Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of
heaven, Matthew 7:21-23
There are six
parables in all and they can be broken down like this;
1.
The parable of the
Tares sown among the wheat indicates the danger of false profession
which will not be judged until the time of the harvest. Matt.
13:24-30 and Verse 36-43.
2.
The parable of the
mustard seed indicates the rapid growth of Christendom from a small
beginning to a large movement Verses 31 & 32.
3.
The parable of the
leaven speaks of evil intermingled with the good meal until the
whole is permeated, Verses 33-35.
4.
The hidden
treasure, Matt. 13:44, refers to Israel hidden as to its national
entity in this present age, but, also bought by Christ in His death.
5.
The pearl of great
price verses 45-46, speaks of the church as that for which Christ
died. This is a major feature of the present age during a period
when Israel’s national identity is somewhat hidden.
6.
The parable of the
dragnet illustrates the separation of the saved from the unsaved at
the end of the age.
In
general, Matthew 13 speaks of the entire period between the
first and second comings of Christ without reference to the Rapture
or the particulars of the church as the body of Christ. It describes
the whole realm of profession of faith and the mingled picture of
good and evil throughout the age, climaxing in judgment and
separation. This characterizes the complete period. There is no
justification for Postmillennialism, with its concept that the
Kingdom of God will finally triumph through preaching of the Gospel
and human effort. On the other hand, there is no ground for
pessimism, because God will fulfill His purpose. Some seed will fall
on good ground and bring forth fruit. There will be Wheat among the
Tares and good fish among the bad. The 2000 years that have passed
since Pentecost have demonstrated the accuracy of the great prophecy
of Matthew 13.
This is also
shown in Matt. 24 with the focus on the end of the age. Christ has
given nine (9) signs from verses 4-14 which will be evident at the
end of our age, and they are:
1.
False Christ
2.
Wars & Rumors of
Wars
3.
Famines
4.
Pestilence
5.
Earthquakes
6.
Martyrs
7.
False Prophets
8.
Abounding iniquity
and a falling away from Christ
9.
The Gospel preached
in all the world
The amazing
connection between Matt 13 & Matt 24 shows that the present age falls
deeper and deeper into apostasy, and this happening on the part of
the unsaved within the professing Church. 2 Peter Chapters 2-3
summarizes this progression in four (4) categories:
·
Denial of the
person and Deity of Christ (2:1)
·
Denial of the work
of Christ that He bought us when He died on the cross (2:1)
·
Moral apostasy; A
departure of moral standards (2:2-22)
·
Departure from the
doctrine of the second coming of Christ and the judgments related to
it. (3:1-13)
There are other
Bible passages that will help us see this apostasy such as 1 Tim
4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-9 and Jude 3-9. All these prophecies of growing
apostasy in the Church are being fulfilled from their time (the
first century) to our very day. The ultimate apostasy will take
place at the very end of the Church age and consume the world
immediately after the Rapture of the Church. Only the unsaved
portion of the professing Church will be left in the world. Those
who thought they were saved and were not. They even have some of us
fooled right now!
The purpose of
God in this present age is the calling out of his Church all those
who truly believe in what Jesus Christ has already done at the cross
and said, “It is finished”. All that is to be done from that point
of His work is to just simply believe the message of Christ. “For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten son, that who so ever would
believe in Him should not perish but will have ever lasting life
(John 3:16).
The Rapture
event will abruptly bring to a close the Church age. It is nowhere
dated in the prophecies of the Old Testament, described as the
dramatic removal of the Church from earth as the dead in Christ are
raised, and the living Christians are caught up to heaven without
dieing. You will find this taught in 1 Cor. 15:51-58 and 1 Thess.
4:13-18. This event brings to a close the purpose of God in terms of
the Church as a separate company of saints, and the departure of the
Church will set the stage for the major events leading up to the
second coming of Christ to earth to set up His Kingdom. This will
also set up the final three (3) periods between the Rapture and the
second coming;
1.
The Period of
Preparation
2.
The Period of Peace
3.
The Period of
Persecution
The Rapture
will remove every saved person from the earth. It will be very
dramatic as God intervenes in human history. The removal of all
Christians from the earth will permit the demonstration of evil in
the world and the fulfillment of the satanic purpose in a way never
before possible.
Phase One:
The professing Church will remain
on earth after the Rapture. This is why now is the time
that you are to know for certain you are truly saved and understand
the events that will come upon the face of the whole world. The
Rapture event will leave only the professing Church, composed
entirely of unsaved individuals on the earth to fulfill prophecies
related to Christendom. The professing Church after the Rapture is
symbolized by the worship of any god you please, the “Harlot” of
Revelation 17 which is pictured riding on the back of the Beast is
the political power of our time. Her domination is over the whole
world symbolized by the many waters, Rev. 17:1-15. It seems clear
from Scripture that the world Church is in the stage of complete and
total apostasy with every true Christian removed. It will be a
movement toward a world Church and a world religion encompassing all
the false religions of the world. It will be devoid of the redeeming
features of true Christian doctrine.
Phase Two:
The revival of the Jewish nation
Israel. The blindness mentioned in Romans 11:25 will be removed and
many will have their eyes opened to the fact that Jesus Christ is
indeed their Messiah and Savior. In the days following the Rapture
of the Church many Jews will probably turn to Christ and availing
themselves of scripture and books on Christian doctrine which
Christians leave behind. They will undoubtedly have an insatiable
curiosity to answer the questions as to what happened to the
Christians who disappeared. Their search will be rewarded and many
will be converted. The Jews will immediately become the ambassadors
for the Gospel winning both their own people and gentiles to Christ.
This is perfect, Jews are already scattered all over the world and
know many of the world’s languages. They will be perfect
missionaries; however, not all Jews will turn to Christ as salvation
is only for those who believe.
Phase Three:
The gentiles politically turn to the
final world empire, Mystery Babylon and Rome revived in the ten toes
of Daniel 7:7 which are the 10 horns, or 10 Kings of Rev 17:12, the
Common Market of Europe. When these 10 nations/Kings are joined
together as they are today, a ruler will arise which will be the
King of Mystery Babylon. He is described as the “Little Horn” of
Daniel 7:8 who gains control first of three Kings, then all 10
nations. He will be a strong political and Military King in the
Middle East and will work with the world religious system to gain
world power. Once he is firmly established, the stage is set for the
period of the covenant of peace.
Conclusion: Because of all
these things which are coming upon the whole world we need to be
sure we are not merely professing Christ. We must make sure we
possess Christ. Make sure the seed of salvation in your life did not
fall on the side of the road because the evil one, Satan and his
demons will come and snatch away what was sown in your heart, like
the birds of the air come and eat it, taking it from you. Also, we
must be sure the seeds of salvation have not fallen on the rocky
places where it does not have enough soil to grow. It will spring up
with joy and look saved at first, but because it has no depth of
soil, when affliction and persecution comes like when the sun comes
out on it, they will be
scorched and fall because they have no root and will wither away. If
you do take root, be sure not to keep yourself among the thorns, the
evil ones, it will be
like the troubles and worries of life and the deceitfulness of
wealth, the thorns will weigh on you and choke you, keeping you
from producing your fruit. We all must be sure the seeds of
salvation have fallen on the good soil of our hearts, where there is
depth of soil, and sunshine, clear ground to breathe and flourish so
we all can produce good fruit, 100 fold, some sixtyfold and some
thirtyfold. He that has ears let him hear.
Who then are the
Tares, and who are the Wheat? You will know them by their fruit.
"You will know them
by their
fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs
from thistles, are they?
(Mat 7:16 NASB)
"Even
so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad
fruit. (Mat 7:17
NASB)
"A
good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good
fruit. (Mat 7:18
NASB)
"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire.
(Mat 7:19 NASB)
"So
then, you will know them by their fruits.
(Mat 7:20 NASB)
"Not
everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
(Mat 7:21 NASB)
"Many
will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your
name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform
many miracles?'
(Mat 7:22 NASB)
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