Norwich Reformed Church

CHRIST PRECIOUS TO HIS PEOPLE

Four Parables of the Kingdom

(Matthew 13: 33, 44-52)

The thirteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel contains seven 'Parables of the Kingdom'. In each parable, our Lord Jesus Christ is describing some aspect of the power of God's saving grace in the lives of men and women. The common theme is that of 'the kingdom'. We are thus reminded that the preaching of the Gospel in the world is not a risky and uncertain activity. While opposition to God and the Gospel is evident in every age, history also reveals the triumph of Christ in 'bringing many sons to glory' (Heb. 2: 10) - the gathering of His Church - 'a great multitude which no one could number' (Rev. 7: 9).

While Christ was seemingly weak in His birth, life and death, His resurrection, ascension and certain return proclaim the power He always possessed. Despite appearances, He was never less than the 'King of glory' He'd always been (see Psalms 2: 6; 24: 7 and John 18: 37). Even on the cross, the suffering servant was the suffering Yahweh (LORD), God incarnate (see Zechariah 12: 10; John 19: 37; 1 Timothy 3: 16). Thus the parables of the kingdom reveal the glorious conquest of 'King Jesus', providing assurance for Christians in every age that our 'labour is not in vain in the Lord' (1 Cor. 15: 58). The Church's prayer 'Your kingdom come' (Matt. 6: 10) should be no faint-hearted hope but a confident expectation. The four parables before us explain why. They may be grouped together and seen as a quartet of questions, each one viewed personally.

"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven (or yeast), which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened" (v. 33). Here the Lord Jesus uses the common fact of bread making to illustrate the power of the Gospel. Military, political and commercial chiefs - and some doubtful evangelists too - like to use bold and dramatic gestures to get quick results. Without denying that God can suddenly and powerfully bring many people to faith and repentance (see Acts 2), He generally works by slow and silent methods, just like the yeast in the three lumps of dough. Why three? At the risk of seeing too much in the detail, might not Christ be hinting at the Holy Spirit's work in a person's mind, heart and will? After all, He speaks of our love for God in such tripartite terms (see Matthew 22: 37) as does the Apostle Paul (see 2 Timothy 1: 7). In short, if the workings of God's grace seem slow and silent, they leave no part of our personalities untouched.

There is a totality about spirituality as gradually 'all things become new' (2 Cor. 5: 17). In time, the whole direction of our lives emerges from even small beginnings, as J. C. Ryle reminds us: 'A single sentence of a sermon, or a single verse of Holy Scripture, - a word of rebuke from a friend, or a casual religious remark overheard, - a tract given by a stranger, or a trifling act of kindness received from a Christian, - some one of these things is often the starting-point in the life of a soul' (Expository Thoughts).

Like the yeast in the dough, so prickings of conscience, curiosity about the Bible, a distaste for sinful habits and company, a desire for fellowship and worship and other unseen spiritual symptoms indicate real life and conversion. While immaturity must lead to progress, let us never 'despise the day of small things' (Zech. 4: 10). As in natural human development, so in spiritual: we must crawl before we walk, and walk before we run.

According to this parable, God completes the work He commences (see Philippians 1: 6), however slowly it grows. This must not become a recipe for laid back, easy-going or casual Christianity. To be practical, let us miss no opportunity of study, worship and fellowship with others. Let us build slowly but surely, depending on the spiritual yeast of God's grace. Whatever stage we are at, let us encourage every sign in one another. For those who doubt this interpretation of the parable on the assumption that 'leaven' is used in an evil sense (as in Matthew 16: 6), the concept is as neutral as 'serpent'. Even Christians are told to be 'as wise as serpents' (Matt. 10: 16)!

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (v. 44). Sad to say, many people get the impression that life is fun and religion is not. This is often true on a superficial level, and certainly where some religions are concerned. But those in whom God's yeast is at work make a two-fold discovery. First, that God-less fun is not so funny after all, and second, that no joy really compares with having the treasure of God's love in Christ. When the light of God's saving truth enters the mind, the sweetness of Christ's love warms the heart and the energy of the Holy Spirit grips our wills, a real and wonderful change occurs, as the hymnwriter George Wade Robinson knew by experience:

Heaven above is softer blue,

Earth around is sweeter green;

Something lives in every hue

Christless eyes have never seen:

Birds with gladder songs o'erflow,

Flowers with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know,

I am His and he is mine.

While the previous parable speaks of 'joy', the parable of the sower reminds us that joy by itself might be spurious (v. 20). However, those who are persuaded by God's Word of the superior excellence of Christ possess a sure and solid joy. As Jesus says: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (vs. 45-6).

Unlike the previous parable which describes an 'accidental' find, this one describes someone who knows the value of what he's looking for. Comparing one pearl with others, the rest are of no real value beside the 'pearl of great price'. The earlier parable speaks of Christ's inherent worth. This one speaks of Christ's comparative worth. By every standard, He really has no competition in the hearts of those who value him. The hymn writer John Mason says it all:

I've found the pearl of greatest price,

My heart doth sing for joy;

And sing I must, for Christ is mine,

Christ shall my song employ.

This surely explains the convictions and enthusiasm of the Apostles. They were persuaded of the truth of Jesus Christ. They were filled with the joy of Jesus Christ (see Ephesians 3: 17-19; 1 Peter 1: 7-8; 1 John 1: 4). This has been true for all real believers in every century. In a multi-faith age, when all the facts are considered, Muhammad, Buddha and every other religious guru cannot rival our Lord Jesus Christ. Comparing their respective claims, it is doubtful whether they even qualify as 'pearls'. Indeed, they are all imposters.

The glory and grace of Jesus Christ makes Him entirely unique (see John 1: 1-14; Hebrews 1: 1-3). Those who know their spiritual need also know that only Christ can satisfy it! While the virtues of prophets, apostles, martyrs and even the mother of our Lord are recognised, none of them can compare with the all-sufficient and incomparable Christ of God! May our hearts love and worship only Him - the pearl of great price!

The final parable completes the quartet very appropriately. In the dragnet are gathered fish of 'every kind'. The fishermen gathered 'the good into vessels, but threw the bad away' (vs. 47-8). Here the Lord Jesus reminds us that in every age the Church will be a mixed company.

Jean Daillé (1594-1670), a pastor of the Reformed Church at Charenton, Paris surely describes a real Christian, one for whom Christ is truly a precious Saviour: 'May the Lord Jesus be magnified in your bodies both in life and death. During life, clothe them with the ornaments of the Lord, with chastity, purity, honesty, modesty and humility. May your tongue ever speak His praises, may your eyes ever contemplate His wonders, and your ears ever listen to His teaching; may your feet ever run in His paths, your hands labour in His works; may your persons only be found in those places where [His] great name … is not ill spoken of' (Sermons on Philippians).

Not all who profess Christ really belong to Christ. Only God knows the true from the false (see 2 Timothy 2: 19). Baptism, church attendance and religious behaviour are not guarantees of sound conversion in themselves. May we depend on the real Christ rather than religion, ritual and respectability. May Christ be our constant and incomparable treasure in time and eternity. Amen!