1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:01,760 Speaker 1: Let us pray. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 2: Again. 3 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hidden in 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: and for joy therefore goeth and selleth all that he hath, 6 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: and buyeth that field. Matthew thirteen forty four. Dear God, 7 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: help me to realize that I have an enemy, Satan. 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: Help me to realize and recognize when he is planting 9 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: seeds of dissension, division, and chaos in the fields of 10 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: purpose in my life. As I acknowledge this truth, I 11 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: confess that I need your word to help illuminate and 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: decipher the weeds that Satan has planted, and the seeds 13 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: that You've called me to deposit into the soil of 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: my future. Like precious treasure. Your word will I keep 15 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: hidden in my heart because it is through these truths 16 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: that the key to eternal life and abundant life here 17 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: on earth is realized. I am committed to protecting your kingdom, 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: and nothing on this earth will make me compromise my 19 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: character to give up the treasure I found in You, Jesus. 20 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: In Jesus name, Amen, thanks for making prayer a priority 21 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: in your life. To hear the Bible Come to life. 22 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for the Bible in a Year brought to 23 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot com. 24 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 3: Many choices in life can be scary, but your health 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 3: care shouldn't be one of them. Did you know that 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 3: traditional insurance isn't your only option to take care of 27 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 3: your medical costs? Christian health Care Ministries is created for you. 28 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 3: Believers who expect more from their health care. Embrace a 29 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 3: faith based alternative that puts you in control, plus experience 30 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 3: flexibility to pick your provider of choice with programs as 31 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 3: lo as ninety two dollars per month. Enroll today at 32 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 3: Cchministries dot org. Slash Prey. 33 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 4: Stories of the Kingdom. In our last story, Jesus spoke 34 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 4: about the four Soils. He spoke of what happens to 35 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 4: many different hearts when they come in contact with the 36 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,119 Speaker 4: Word of God. Now we learn more from Jesus as 37 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 4: he proclaims truths about the greatness of God's kingdom inspired 38 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 4: by the Gospels. 39 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 40 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode, we 41 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,959 Speaker 2: heard the Parable of the Soul, an illustration of how 42 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: different hearts receive and respond to the word of God. 43 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: Jesus described four types of soil, from the hard, unreceptive 44 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: ground to the good, healthy soil that produces an abundant crop. 45 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: Today we'll hear more about the Kingdom of God as 46 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: Jesus continues to teach in parables to show his followers 47 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: the glories of his eternal kingdom. So let's listen now 48 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 2: to God's word. 49 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 4: Jesus was walking along the shores of the sea with 50 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 4: his disciples. A large crowd trailed behind him, waiting for 51 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 4: something miraculous to happen. Jesus, in the twelves spoke of 52 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 4: the Kingdom of Heaven. Ever since the parable of the 53 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 4: four soils, the disciples were curious for more examples on 54 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 4: the will and desires of God. So Jesus told more 55 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 4: stories filled with deep meaning. Jesus walked and spoke to 56 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,119 Speaker 4: the people. At the corner of his eye, he could 57 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 4: see the Pharisees trailing next to the crowd. They whispered 58 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 4: amongst themselves and to the people. Jesus looked back to 59 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 4: them and then turned to his disciples and spoke, I 60 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 4: have told you that the Kingdom of Heaven is like 61 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 4: a farmer sowing good seeds in his fields. Here is 62 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 4: another story of a farmer. A farmer goes into the 63 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 4: field with his men to sow seeds. They toil and 64 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 4: work all day, planting seeds in good, fertile soil. After 65 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 4: a good day's work, the farmer and his men return 66 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 4: home to their beds. However, when the men were sleeping, 67 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 4: a neighboring farmer snuck in through the cover of night. 68 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 4: Under the black cold evening, the competing farmer planted weeds 69 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 4: among the wheat seeds. Weeks later, the grains sprouted forth, 70 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 4: tall and mighty, yet the weeds circled them. The farmer 71 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 4: and his men looked upon their field. It was filled 72 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 4: with beautiful grain and blighted weeds. Both existed with one another. 73 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 4: He clenched his teeth and said, this is the work 74 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 4: of my enemy. His workers turned to him and said, Master, 75 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 4: do you want us to uproot the weeds? 76 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: Oh? 77 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 4: The farmer said, if you uproot the weeds, you risk 78 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 4: uprooting the wheat as well. Let both of them grow together. 79 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 4: Then when we harvest, we can separate the weeds from 80 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 4: the grain. Afterwards we can burn the weeds. What does 81 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 4: the story mean? The disciples asked Jesus, they were craving 82 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 4: more wisdom. It satisfied their souls. Jesus and his disciples 83 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 4: kept walking, and he explained to them its meaning, saying, 84 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 4: the farmer is the son of Man. The field is 85 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 4: the world. He loves and pours into the good seed 86 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 4: of the children of God and the goodness of the Kingdom. 87 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 4: The one who sowed the weeds is the devil, and 88 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 4: his weeds are those that would seek to choke out 89 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 4: the goodness of the Kingdom of God. The disciples grew 90 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 4: worried as they heard Jesus speak. They had not considered 91 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 4: that there was an enemy seeking to choke out the 92 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 4: good work of God. Jesus sensed their worry and said, 93 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 4: the weeds and the grain were allowed to grow side 94 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 4: by side. This is the mercy of God. However, at 95 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 4: the end of the age, the weeds will be burned. 96 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 4: The disciples considered the cost of a cause that had 97 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 4: an enemy. It worried them. Was it worth the battle 98 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 4: to follow Jesus, they thought. Jesus nodded to himself. He 99 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 4: wanted to remind everyone to count the cost of following him. 100 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 4: Most people gathered by the water to follow Jesus. He 101 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 4: stopped walking with his disciples and climbed a small hill 102 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 4: for the crowd to hear him. The Kingdom of Heaven 103 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 4: is like buried treasure hidden in a vast and open field, 104 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 4: Jesus proclaimed. A man found the treasure, then covered it up. 105 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 4: He sold all he had to buy the field so 106 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 4: he could have the treasure for himself. It was nothing 107 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 4: for him to give up his belongings, since what he 108 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 4: gained was far greater than what he lost. The crowd 109 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 4: nodded an understanding. Jesus continued, saying, the Kingdom of Heaven 110 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 4: is like a merchant who was searching for fine pearls. 111 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 4: When he finally found the perfect pearl, it was nothing 112 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 4: for him to sell all he had so he could 113 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 4: have the pearl of great price. Jesus looked upon the 114 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 4: sea of faces below and smiled. He raised his hand 115 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 4: to the boats on the shore and said, the Kingdom 116 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 4: of Heaven is like a net that was thrown into 117 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 4: the sea to gather fish. When it was full, men 118 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 4: drew it in and counted the fish. Some of the 119 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 4: fish were good and others were rotten. So the men 120 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 4: preserved the good fish and throw away the rotten ones, 121 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 4: so it will be at the end of the age 122 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 4: the righteous will be preserved and the wicked will be 123 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 4: thrown away into the fiery furnace. 124 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: In today's passage, the disciples are listening intently as Jesus 125 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: continues to teach them the secrets of the Kingdom of God. 126 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: The Kingdom of God is the reign and rule of 127 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 2: Christ in us. So he speaks in parables so that 128 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: those who know him can receive this truth and have 129 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: real understanding. Jesus told stories that his audience could relate to, 130 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 2: using terms and settings that were very familiar to them. 131 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: Though Jesus knows the most profound and complex mysteries of 132 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: the universe, Jesus met them as he meets us, right 133 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 2: where we are, speaking to us in words that we 134 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: can comprehend, often simple, but very clear. The next parable 135 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,559 Speaker 2: he told them was about a farmer who planted seed 136 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 2: in good soil. This is the soil that should produce 137 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: a good crop. But while he wasn't looking, another farmer 138 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: scattered weeds among the seed and the good soil, and 139 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 2: so when the wheat sprang up, it grew among the weeds. 140 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: The servants asked the farmer if they could pull up 141 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 2: the weeds, but the farmer told them to let the 142 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 2: good and the bad grow together. At harvest time, the 143 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 2: weeds would be gathered up first and burned. Then the 144 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 2: good crop, the wheat, would be gathered and brought into 145 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 2: the barn. Jesus was telling us that there would be 146 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 2: among us agents of the enemy, the devil, that weeds 147 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: would crop up and choke out the word of God. 148 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: It was a warning to all disciples who need to 149 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 2: listen as we face opposition, and those who tried to 150 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: cancel out the message of the Gospel. This is all 151 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: a vision of a future reality when God's angels would 152 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: come to tear out the weeds destined for destruction. This 153 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: was judgment, but in the meantime there would be struggles 154 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 2: for those who accepted the word and sought to produce fruit. 155 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 2: Jesus was reminding them that there would be a cost 156 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 2: to following him, and that they should count the cost. 157 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 2: But then, as if to demonstrate that a proper accounting 158 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: of the costs would always prove worth the hardship for 159 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: the sake of God's kingdom, Jesus told two more parables, 160 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: one about a treasure buried in a field. The man 161 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 2: who found the treasure would gladly sell everything that he 162 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: had to buy the field and claim the true treasure. 163 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 2: In the same way, he compared the Kingdom of God 164 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 2: to a pearl of great value. When a man found 165 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: the pearl, he also gave up everything to get this 166 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 2: precious pearl. The lesson was clear. No cost could ever 167 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 2: equal the greatness of God's kingdom. Any suffering or hardship 168 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 2: pails in comparison to the wonders and the glories of 169 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: the Kingdom of God. Counting the cost isn't a matter 170 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: of deciding if it's worth it to follow Jesus. It's 171 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 2: about realizing that when we have even a basic understanding 172 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: of the riches of the Gospel, we will willingly give 173 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: up anything and everything to follow Jesus. No reserve, no retreats, 174 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 2: no regrets. Finally, Jesus drove home his point by telling 175 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: a parable about fishermen who pulled in their nets full 176 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 2: of fish, some good and some rotten. The good fish 177 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 2: were kept, while the rotten fish were tossed into a fire. 178 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 2: When we think about it and understand the meaning of 179 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: the words of Jesus, it's it's clear that the cost 180 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 2: of not following him is infinitely greater than any monetary 181 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: cost of following Jesus. Dear God, we thank you for 182 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 2: today's scripture and the stories that Jesus told in order 183 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 2: that we might understand who he is and why he came, 184 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: and how we can know him. Thank you for calling 185 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 2: us into your kingdom. May you rule and rain in 186 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 2: our hearts. May we be willing to pay any price, 187 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: count every cost, that we might follow you, because we 188 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: know it is worth it in Jesus' name. Amen, thank 189 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 2: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 190 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. You can download the 191 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 2: Prey dot com app and make prayer a priority in 192 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 2: your life, just like over twenty million people have done 193 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: to this date. If you enjoy this podcast, share it 194 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 2: with someone you know and love, because by sharing this 195 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 2: message of the Word of God, you can make an 196 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 2: eternal difference in someone's life. And I want to encourage 197 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 2: you to go to Jack Graham dot org. That's me 198 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 2: at Jack Graham dot org. God bless you and we 199 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,839 Speaker 2: look forward to joining you again the next time.