So from Matthew chapter 13, I'll begin reading at verse 24. 24 this morning. And Jesus put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to 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 went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? He said to them, An enemy has done this. So the servant said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, no, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. He put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. He told them another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened. All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables. Indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet. I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. He answered, the one who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. And just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, He who has ears. Let him hear. Please be seated. We saw last time that Jesus here speaks in parables for two reasons, really. First of all, it is quite plain from the text. Unavoidable, really. though many will certainly try to avoid it, but it is unavoidable, as it is plain from the text, that Jesus speaks in parables in order to conceal truth from some. For back in verse 10, the disciples came and said to Jesus, Why do you speak to them, referring to the crowd, in parables? And Jesus answered them, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Their hearts have grown dull, their eyes they have closed, and this is why I speak to them in parables, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them. And so this is an act of judgment, really, on those who would oppose Christ. Those who would persist in the hardness of their hearts, hardening even more their hearts towards Him, closing their eyes, refusing to hear and to perceive. This is why, to them, Jesus now speaks in parables as an act of judgment. However, that alone is too simplistic an answer to the question, why does Jesus here speak in parables? For while it is true that Jesus uses parables to conceal the truth for some as an act of judgment, it is also true that Jesus uses parables to reveal truth, to reveal truth to others. specifically to those who have ears to hear, to those whose eyes have been opened, to those who are eager to perceive and desiring to understand. For to them it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. To those who have at least a holy desire to want to understand, to those more is given, and it is given here by way of these parables. For parables can actually be a very effective teaching device for those who have ears to hear, for those with the spiritual eyes of understanding. In other words, for those with a regenerate heart, those born again of the Spirit. And just as it was made quite plain in the previous verses that Jesus speaks in parables in order to conceal truth from some as an act of judgment upon them, it is now made quite clear, quite plain, in today's text, that Jesus also speaks these parables to reveal truth. to reveal truth that has been long hidden, hidden even from the foundation of the world. And this brings us then, first this morning, to verses 34 and 35. Verses 34 and 35, where Matthew comments all these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables. Indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, I will open my mouth, In parables I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. I will now utter what has been previously hidden. And it cannot be that the purpose in uttering is to merely continue to keep hidden that which has been hidden even since the foundation of the world. That is nonsensical. It would make for an awkward sentence at the very least. And it would not be a good reading of this verse. Though it is often the interpretation given. And most of all, it would actually betray as well the meaning of the psalm, which is here quoted, and thus said to be fulfilled in Christ's use of parables here. The prophet that Matthew refers to here is actually the psalmist Asaph. And the psalm from which these words come is Psalm 78. Psalm 78, which begins, Give ear, O my people, to my teaching. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. What Asaph goes on to do in Psalm 78 is to simply recall aloud some of the events of the history of God's dealing with His covenant people, with Israel. It is a recalling of some of the events of redemptive history. First, events that show God's might and power in delivering and protecting and providing for His people, such as the exodus from Egypt. Events that bring to mind God's gracious hand in choosing the Jewish people and making them His people. And His kindness to them, making a covenant with them, giving them His law. And Asaph brings together those events then, with events that show the all too often unfortunate response of the people to the kindness of their God, namely their forgetfulness, their stubbornness, even their rebellion against Him. The psalmist presents these wondrous works of God, thus exalting His great power and might. But as well, they are wondrous works that have been done on behalf of His chosen people. He works with power and might for the sake of His people, thus exalting at the same time God's kindness and graciousness towards His people. And these truths, these known events of redemptive history, events that have been handed down from generation to generation, are presented by Asaph side by side with these other known events. Events which demonstrate the unfaithfulness of the people in response. And then again he adds the events which demonstrate the just anger and the righteous wrath of God in response to the rebellion of His people. And then again he adds God's relenting, His mercy. even in the face of their rebellion, His faithfulness in the face of their unfaithfulness, His grace in the face of their grumbling. He splits rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers. Yet, says Asaph, yet they sinned still more against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God. Therefore, when the Lord heard he was full of wrath, and fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger rose against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust His saving power, yet. Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them wrath, no, manna, to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of angels. He sent them food in abundance. And in this, then Asaph is speaking things that are known to the people. These are events of their own history that they have heard and known that their fathers had told them about. But Asaph is here in this psalm, putting them together in this parable in such a way as to reveal things. Things that were always there, yet not perceived. He is comparing these events throughout their history to reveal patterns, to reveal purpose, to reveal the power and might and kindness of their God, His righteousness, His mercy, His steadfast love and faithfulness, and to compare it to the weakness and depravity and wretchedness and unfaithfulness of the people, that the people might see their desperate need and also recognize God's all-sufficient provision. that they, in Asaph's own words, verse 7, should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God." That they would set their hope in God. Asaph utters to the people his parable that they would see their need and see that their God is great and powerful and performs these great wonders that he does in order to do them good. That they would see that their God is both able and willing and thus worthy of their hope and their trust. And then Matthew, Matthew looks at Christ and sees the ultimate fulfillment of this in Christ Jesus. Standing before the people, speaking in parables. And this Psalm 78 sees its fulfillment in Christ in a number of ways. For one, it is supremely in Jesus Christ that the steadfast love and faithfulness of our God is made known to us. In other words, the ultimate event of redemptive history, by which is made known the covenant love of our God, is the incarnation of His beloved Son, who was sent into this rotten world to save this rotten world. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Glories of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. and grace and truth there, as John uses them in his prologue, appear in the Old Testament as steadfast love and faithfulness. In the incarnate Son is seen the glory of God, that is His steadfast love and faithfulness, His covenant love towards His elect. In other words, embodied in the God-man Christ Jesus is the covenant love of our God to us. Isaiah 42, I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I will take you by the hand and keep you, I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light. for the Gentiles, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from their dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. The supreme event in all of redemptive history that could cause us, a rebellious people, to turn and to put our hope in God is the coming of the Son of God. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And secondly, this psalm of Asaph is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, in that Asaph ends his psalm with the coming of God's chosen servant, David, to be a shepherd over his people, to guide and to provide for his people. In Asaph's parable, the mercy and grace of God culminates with his choosing and sending King David to care for his people. And thus, in a sense, Asaph's psalm ends where Matthew's Gospel account begins, with the coming of the King. Matthew 1, 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations. And from David to the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations. And from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, the greater David, 14 generations. Matthew, you will remember, takes some liberties with the genealogy of Jesus in order to provide for these three 14s, culminating with the coming of Christ, who is the final 14, 14 being the number for David. Matthew begins by presenting Jesus Christ as the greater King David, bringing His Kingdom with Him, God's chosen servant, sent to provide and to guide His people. But thirdly, the words of Asaph find their fulfillment in Christ, and most pointedly here, I think, in that Jesus is the greater Asaph. Jesus is the greater Asaph, who comes to the people to speak to the people in parable, to open His mouth, and to utter that which was previously declared to them, but perhaps not in a way as to be perceived by them. He utters that which was previously declared. Some by this prophet and some by another. Some in the law, some in a proverb, some in a prophetic utterance. Things that weren't put together before. Things that might not even seem like they fit together. But now Christ comes and puts them together for us. And thus presents things that were there in the old, but not obvious. And He presents them in such a way as to reveal seemingly new truths. New truths about previously declared truths. Revealing how even seemingly contradictory things fit together in perfect harmony. Like He did for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. where beginning with Moses and all the prophets, the law and the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. These two disciples, if you remember, spoke to Jesus how they had hoped that this Jesus, this One who had come, was to redeem Israel. But then they say their own chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death and crucified Him. And these two disciples, along with the rest of the disciples, just could not put these two things together. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redemption by Him of Israel. Until the greater Asaph opens his mouth to teach them. And so it is here in this morning's text, where the people are unable to put together the paradox. If you are a king, then where is your kingdom? If you are Messiah, then why is Pilate still in the palace? If you are the One, then why does John yet rot in prison? If you are the Son of God, then why so much opposition, so much rejection to your coming? If the Kingdom of Heaven is really upon us, then why do the wicked yet remain? Why do the wicked yet even prosper and remain, even to trouble the people of God? Where is the power? Where is the might? Where is the recompense of our God? And where is the milk and honey, the rivers of wine cascading down from the mountains? Where is the inexpressible joy spoken of by the seers of old? Where is the peace promised by the prophets of old? For these things were spoken of and tied to the Messianic Kingdom, to the coming reign of the Son of David. However, there were other things spoken of as well, like Isaiah 53, where the servant of God was presented as the suffering servant. despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. One pierced, one crushed, pierced for our iniquities, crushed for our transgressions. The Scriptures speak of the coming of David, the servant of God, sent to shepherd his people. But they also foresee a shepherd stricken. and the sheep scattered. And if one is to ever be saved, if one is to ever put their hope in God and in His Christ, this Christ, Jesus Christ, the only Christ, the true Jesus as presented in the Gospels, then that one must be given ears to hear and eyes to see and a heart to perceive how these things come together. How they come together in the very person of Jesus Christ and in His Kingdom. That is under His saving reign and in His very person. And so that you and I might indeed put our hope in God and believe on the One whom He has sent, the greater Asaph opens his mouth and utters parables. Parables about the Kingdom that he has inaugurated. the kingdom yet to be consummated, the kingdom already and not yet. Saying, verse 24, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to 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 went away. The field here in this parable is not the church. It is not the church as so many, even early church fathers and reformers, would suggest. I do not understand the reluctance to see the field here as the world, when Christ has not left it up to interpretation, but very plainly states in verse 38 that the field is the world. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom, sown in the world by the Son of Man, and the weeds are the sons of the evil one, sown in the world by the devil. And so we learn that in this world, even under the saving reign of Jesus Christ, to whom belongs all power and authority, even under the saving reign of Jesus Christ, in the kingdom, Both the wheat and the tares are permitted to remain and to even flourish. And this, we are told, is for the sake of the elect. All things work together for the elect. Verse 29, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. As the Apostle Peter puts it, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And so the followers of Christ and the worshippers of the beast both remain in the world and grow right alongside one another, even though Christ's saving reign has dawned in the world. Even though peace and reconciliation with God has come to sinners through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, even though all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the risen Jesus Christ, there are yet souls in the world, sown of Satan, who oppose this Christ, who dare oppose this Christ, and rage against the saints of Christ, troubling them, tempting them, even torturing them. Our enmity with God has been brought to an end by the crosswork of Jesus Christ, praise Him. And peace with God has wrought for us enmity with the Christ-rejecting world, who is the beast of revelation. But, as Peter goes on to declare, the day of the Lord will come. The day of the Lord will come, and it will come like a thief. The harvest, verse 39, is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears, let him hear." The seed of Christ will not forever be tormented by Satan, nor troubled by scoffers, nor tempted by sinners, though for a time we are. And so Christ brings together here the reality of suffering persecution with the promise of the coming vengeance of our Lord. the costly call to discipleship with the free gift of unmerited grace, the Calvary road upon which we tread with the eternal joy set before us at the end of that road. And in so doing, He gives us, His people, such reason, even in the face of such trouble, to place our hope in our God. For this kingdom that has dawned, bringing deliverance from the penalty of sin, will soon and very soon be consummated, ushering in deliverance from the very presence of sin. The Son of Man will send His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers and throw them into the fiery furnace. And then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. no longer surrounded by sin, no longer tempted by sin, no longer able to sin. Oh, what a day awaits us in Christ's return. Amen. Oh, what bliss we will know in the full consummation of the saving reign of our King Jesus, where we will be made whole, wholly unable to offend the one who died for us and was raised. For in the end, it is not remaining sin in others that troubles the saint most and tempts him to despair, but the sin that remains in his own members. It is indeed a troubling fact to every true saint that the sin in this world still tempts. It still has some attraction, even though we know what it cost our Jesus to free us from it. But oh, there is coming a day, brothers and sisters, there is coming a day when we will at last and forever shine as the sun in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. Oh, come Lord Jesus. Amen. Do not despair, but hope in God. Do not forget the works of God, but bring to remembrance all that He has already done for you, and set your hope in Him. As did the Apostle Paul before us, from Romans 8, And not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He called. And those whom He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified. he also glorified to shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? In other words, do not forget the works of God, but bring to remembrance all that he has already done and set your hope. in Him who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered but know in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. So set your hope in Him." And the greater Asaph put another parable before them, verse 31, saying, the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. And he told them another parable, the kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened. Here Jesus, speaking in parables, brings together and unites in His kingdom, in His own very person, for that matter, a seemingly insignificant beginning with a glorious end. First, using the mustard seed, the smallest of seeds whose greatness grows beyond that of a mere perennial to become a tree, a tree in which birds can actually perch and make their nests. And second, using this tiny measure of leaven that has the transformative effect of leavening the whole three measures of this flour, comparatively this enormous amount of flour. So it is with the Kingdom of Heaven, though its beginnings are seemingly insignificant. the end of it is truly grand and glorious. In other words, the end and the effects of Christ's kingdom are way out of proportion to its seemingly insignificant beginning. If you are a king, then show us your kingdom. And he points to his disciples and says, here are my mother and my brothers and my sisters, these few ordinary men who will do greater things than I. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Let us not forget what our God has already done for us in Christ Jesus and let us never forget just who we are in Christ Jesus. We are not like our unsaved neighbors. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God and the beloved disciples of the King of glory who loved us and to whom has been given all power. and all authority in heaven and on earth. As Abraham Kuyper is well known for saying, there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, mine. And that does not mean that the church is now in the business of weed control in this world. But it does give us, who are yet in this world full of weeds, great reason to hope. Amen.