What do I know with Isaac Carroll
What do I know with Isaac Carroll
Growing the Kingdom: Small Beginnings and Big Impacts finishing Chapter 13
In this enlightening episode, we unpack the powerful parables of Matthew 13 that reveal deep truths about faith, growth, and the coexistence of good and evil in our lives. Starting with the parable of the weeds among the wheat, we explore the key themes of patience and discernment as we navigate a world full of both light and darkness. The conversation unfolds further as we delve into the parable of the mustard seed—showcasing how what seems insignificant can lead to monumental growth both in the Kingdom of Heaven and in our personal faith journeys.
We then reflect on two parables representing salvation: the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value. These stories challenge listeners to examine the true worth of their faith compared to worldly possessions, showcasing the lengths one might go to seize the value of salvation. Additionally, the dragnet parable provides a sobering reminder about accountability and the ultimate separation of the righteous from the wicked.
Join us as we draw connections between these stories and modern life, encouraging a commitment to recognizing and nurturing our faith amidst daily complexities. With relatable insights and a conversational tone, this episode offers rich content for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of biblical teachings. Don't miss out—subscribe, share, and leave us a review to help spread the message!
May God bless you and lead you always.
Welcome to the podcast. I'm Isaac Carroll, and this is what Do I Know? Alright, in today's Bible study we are going to be picking back up in chapter 13, in verse 24. If you're ready, kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and he left. And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does this have weeds? And he said to them An enemy has done this. The slaves said to him Do you want us to go and gather them up? But he said no, while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to come up together until the harvest. At the same time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers First, gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
Speaker 1:He presented another parable of them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a person took and sowed in the field, and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches. He spoke another parable to them. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three sotah of flour until it was all leavened. All these things Jesus spoke to crowds in parables. He did not speak anything to them without parables. This was so that what was spoken to the prophet would be fulfilled. I will open my mouth in parables. I will proclaim things hidden since the foundation of the world. They left the crowds and went into his house and his disciples came to him and said Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. And he said the one who sows the good seed is the son of man and the field is the world. And as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom and the weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is at the end of the age and the reapers are angels. So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age, the Son of man will send forth his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all the stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire. In that, let's stop here.
Speaker 1:In verse 43, real quick, jesus goes on to explain one of the parables, which is the parable of the sower, and I don't see how anyone can get that one confused. It's pretty straightforward. But he did speak of two different parables that he didn't explain, and one was the mustard seed and one was the leavened. Alright, so both these parables are interchangeable and there's two different ways you can look at them. The first way is kind of the general way which most people will perceive these two parables. All right, so the mustard seed is small and the ministry of Jesus was small. In the grand scheme of the world, jesus' ministry was only three years, three and a half years, but it has grown into one of the largest religions in the world. Same thing with Levin. Levin was added to three sattva, a flower. This is a big quantity of flowers to the world and it has worked its way through the world. That's kind of the general way you can look at this. There's also another way, and both are right, but it's on an individual basis. The kingdom starts in us as a message of salvation, as what Jesus has done for us to save our souls, and it starts out small but it grows, and as it grows in our life it manifests in something very large. The small beginning doesn't represent the large effect it's going to have on our life, so there's another way you can look at these two parables.
Speaker 1:All right, let's continue in verse 44. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field which a man found and hid it again. All right, let's continue in verse 44. Let's stop here at verse 46 real quick. All right, both these parables are again alike and to me I like these parables very much. They represent true Christianity. All right, the hidden treasure and the pearl both represent salvation, and the individual who finds them is willing to get rid of or sell everything in his life to purchase or to have that treasure. And this represents Christians who truly value salvation over everything. The world has everything in their life that they've held dear up until this point. They gladly get rid of it to have salvation. It's a great way to look at Christianity the hearts that truly desire salvation, it shows All right.
Speaker 1:Moving on to verse 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind and when it was filled they pulled it up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good fish into the containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth and remove the wicked from among the righteous and they will be thrown into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things? They said to him, yes, and Jesus said to them.
Speaker 1:Therefore, every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household who brings out of his treasure new things and old. All right, let's stop here real quick. At the end of this, jesus says that every scribe becomes the head of a household who is a disciple, a follower of Christ. Now, the scribes were people who were experts on the law, and these will represent leaders among us, our pastors or teachers. And it says that they will bring out old things and new. Now we can gather that we're talking about the Old Testament, the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and this goes to show you that we can't cast aside the Old Testament. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3 and 16, it says all scripture is God breathed. It is useful, and we can't just cast aside something because it says some things that might offend us. Okay, let's finish up chapter 13.
Speaker 1:When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there and he came to his hometown and began teaching them in their synagogues, with the result that they were astonished. They said where did this man acquire the wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is his mother not called Mary, and his brothers, james and Joseph, simon and Judas and his sisters, are they not with us? Where, then, did this man acquire all these things? They took offense at him, but Jesus said to them a prophet is not dishonored except in his own hometown and his own household. And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Isn't it a shame? Because they thought they knew him. They didn't see what he was doing. I mean, actually they did see it, but then they didn't want to believe.
Speaker 1:It feels the same way when you know someone. It should be a greater testimony to you when you know someone who you grew up with and suddenly they've changed and you say, well, I know that person from before. Well, what does that matter? If the signs are there and you see it, the witness is true. Why can't we believe for what we see? Why can't we take the testimony that is given at the value that it has? No one should be judged by their beginnings. It is where they're at now, and their testimony that they have now should be what matters, because God gives us second chances and we, too, should be giving second chances. All right, I'm going to stop this one here and we'll start chapter 14 in our next podcast. Until then, god bless you, goodbye.