1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Let us pray again. The Kingdom of Heaven is like 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: unto treasure hidden in a field, the which when a 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: man hath found, he hideth, and for joy therefore goeth 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: Matthew thirteen forty four. Dear God, help me to realize 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: that I have an enemy, Satan. Help me to realize 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: and recognize when he is planting seeds of dissension, division, 8 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: and chaos in the fields of purpose in my life. 9 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: As I acknowledge this truth, I confess that I need 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: your word to help illuminate and decipher the weeds that 11 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: Satan has planted, and the seeds that You've called me 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: to deposit into the soil of my future. Like precious treasure. 13 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: Your word will I keep hidden in my heart because 14 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: it is through these truths that the key to eternal 15 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: life and abundant life here on earth is realized. I 16 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: am committed to protecting your kingdom, and nothing on this 17 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: earth will make me compromise my character to give up 18 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: the treasure I found in You, Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen, 19 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To 20 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: hear the Bible Come to Life. Stay tuned for the 21 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: Bible in a Year, brought to you by Bible in 22 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: a Year dot Com Stories of the Kingdom. 23 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 2: In our last story, Jesus spoke about the four soils. 24 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 2: He spoke of what happens to many different hearts when 25 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,919 Speaker 2: they come in contact with the Word of God. Now 26 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: we learn more from Jesus as he proclaims truths about 27 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 2: the greatness of God's kingdom inspired by the Gospels. 28 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 29 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode, we 30 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 3: heard the parable of the Sore, an illustration of how 31 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 3: different hearts receive and respond to the Word of God. 32 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 3: Jesus described four types of soil, from the hard, unreceptive 33 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 3: ground to the good, healthy soil that produces an abundant crop. 34 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 3: Today we'll hear more about the Kingdom of God as 35 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 3: Jesus continues to teach in parables to show his followers 36 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 3: the glories of his eternal kingdom. So let's listen now 37 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 3: to God's word. 38 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 2: Jesus was walking along the shores of the sea with 39 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: his disciples. A large crowd trailed behind him, waiting for 40 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: something miraculous to happen. Jesus in the twelve spoke of 41 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 2: the Kingdom of Heaven. Ever since the Parable of the 42 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: Four Soils, the disciples were curious for more examples on 43 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 2: the will and desires of God. So Jesus told more 44 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: stories filled with deep meaning. Jesus walked and spoke to 45 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 2: the people. At the corner of his eye, he could 46 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: see the Pharisees trailing next to the crowd. They whispered 47 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: amongst themselves and to the people. Jesus looked back to them, 48 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 2: and then turned to his disciples and spoke, I have 49 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: told you that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a 50 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: farmer sowing good seeds in his fields. Here is another 51 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: story of a farmer. A farmer goes into the field 52 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: with his men to sow seeds. They toil and work 53 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 2: all day, planting seeds in good fertile soil. After a 54 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 2: good day's work, the farmer and his men return home 55 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: to their beds. However, when the men were sleeping, a 56 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: neighboring farmer snuck in through the cover of night. Under 57 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: the black cold evening, the competing farmer planted weeds among 58 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: the wheat seeds. Weeks later, the grains sprouted for worth, 59 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: tall and mighty, yet the weeds circled them. The farmer 60 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: and his men looked upon their field. It was filled 61 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 2: with beautiful grain and blighted weeds. Both existed with one another. 62 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: He clenched his teeth and said, this is the work 63 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: of my enemy. His workers turned to him and said, Master, 64 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: do you want us to uproot the weeds. No, the 65 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: farmer said, if you uproot the weeds, you risk uprooting 66 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 2: the wheat as well. Let both of them grow together. 67 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: Then when we harvest, we can separate the weeds from 68 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: the grain. Afterwards we can burn the weeds. What does 69 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: the story mean, the disciples asked Jesus. They were craving 70 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: more wisdom. It satisfied their souls. Jesus and his disciples 71 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: kept walking, and he explained to them its meaning, saying, 72 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: the farmer is the son of man. The field is 73 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 2: the world. He loves and pours into the good seed 74 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: of the children of God and the goodness of the Kingdom. 75 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: The one who sowed the weeds is the devil, and 76 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: his weeds are those that would seek to choke out 77 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: the goodness of the Kingdom of God. The disciples grew 78 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 2: worried as they heard Jesus speak. They had not considered 79 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: that there was an enemy seeking to choke out the 80 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: good work of God. Jesus sensed their worry and said, 81 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: the weeds in the grain were allowed to grow side 82 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 2: by side. This is the mercy of God. However, at 83 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: the end of the age, the weeds will be burned. 84 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 2: The disciples considered the cost of a cause that had 85 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: an enemy. It worried them. Was it worth the battle 86 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: to follow Jesus, they thought. Jesus nodded to himself. He 87 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: wanted to remind everyone to count the cost of following him. 88 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 2: Most people gathered by the water to follow Jesus. He 89 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 2: stopped walking with his disciples and climbed a small hill 90 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: for the crowd to hear him. The Kingdom of Heaven 91 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: is like buried treasure hidden in an open field, Jesus proclaimed. 92 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 2: A man found the treasure, then covered it up. He 93 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 2: sold all he had to buy the field so he 94 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: could have the treasure for himself. It was nothing for 95 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 2: him to give up his belongings, since what he gained 96 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 2: was far greater than what he lost. The crowd nodded 97 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 2: an understanding Jesus continued, saying, the Kingdom of Heaven is 98 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 2: like a merchant who was searching for fine pearls. When 99 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: he finally found the perfect pearl, it was nothing for 100 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 2: him to sell all he had so he could have 101 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 2: the pearl of great price. Jesus looked upon the sea 102 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 2: of faces below and smiled. He raised his hand to 103 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: the boats on the shore and said, the Kingdom of 104 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: Heaven is like a net that was thrown into the 105 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 2: sea to gather fish. When it was full, men drew 106 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 2: it in and counted the fish. Some of the fish 107 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: were good and others were rotten. So the men preserved 108 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: the good fish and throw away the rotten ones. So 109 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 2: it will be at the end of the age, will 110 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 2: be preserved and the wicked will be thrown away into 111 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: the fiery furnace. 112 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 3: In today's passage, the disciples are listening intently as Jesus 113 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,119 Speaker 3: continues to teach them the secrets of the Kingdom of God. 114 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 3: The Kingdom of God is the reign and rule of 115 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 3: Christ in us. So he speaks in parables so that 116 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 3: those who know him can receive this truth and have 117 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 3: real understanding. Jesus told stories that his audience could relate 118 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 3: to using terms and settings that were very familiar to them, 119 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 3: though Jesus knows the most profound and complex mysteries of 120 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 3: the universe. Jesus met them as he meets us, right 121 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 3: where we are, speaking to us in words that we 122 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 3: can comprehend, often simple, but very clear. The next parable 123 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 3: he told them was about a farmer who planted seed 124 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: in good soil. This is the soil that should produce 125 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 3: a good crop. But while he wasn't looking, another farmer 126 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: scattered weeds among the seed and the good soil, and 127 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 3: so when the wheat sprang up, it grew among the weeds. 128 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 3: The servants asked the farmer if they could pull up 129 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: the weeds, but the farmer told them to let the 130 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 3: good and the bad grow together. At harvest time, the 131 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: weeds would be gathered up first and burned. Then the 132 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 3: good crop, the wheat, would be gathered and brought into 133 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: the barn. Jesus was telling us that there would be 134 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 3: among us agents of the enemy, the Devil, that weeds 135 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 3: would crop up and choke out the word of God. 136 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: It was a warning to all disciples who need to 137 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 3: listen as we face opposition, and those who tried to 138 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 3: cancel out the message of the Gospel. This is all 139 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 3: a vision of a future reality when God's angels would 140 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 3: come to tear out the weeds destined for destruction. This 141 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 3: was judgment, but in the meantime there would be struggles 142 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: for those who accepted the word and sought to produce fruit. 143 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 3: Jesus was reminding them that there would be a cost 144 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 3: to following him, and that they should count the cost. 145 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,359 Speaker 3: But then, as if to demonstrate that a proper accounting 146 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 3: of the cost would always prove worth the hardship for 147 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 3: the sake of God's kingdom, Jesus told two more parables, 148 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 3: one about a treasure buried in a field. The man 149 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 3: who found the treasure would gladly sell everything that he 150 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 3: had to buy the field and claim the treasure. In 151 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 3: the same way, he compared the kingdom of God to 152 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 3: a pearl of great value. When a man found the pearl, 153 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 3: he also gave up everything to get this precious pearl. 154 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 3: The lesson was clear, No cost could ever equal the 155 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 3: greatness of God's kingdom. Any suffering or hardship pails in 156 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 3: comparison to the wonders and the glories of the Kingdom 157 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 3: of God. Counting The cost isn't a matter of deciding 158 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,959 Speaker 3: if it's worth it to follow Jesus. It's about realizing that, 159 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 3: when we have even a basic understanding of the riches 160 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 3: of the Gospel, we will willingly give up anything and 161 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 3: everything to follow Jesus. No reserve, no retreats, no regrets. Finally, 162 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 3: Jesus drove home his point by telling a parable about 163 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 3: fishermen who pulled in their nets full of fish, some 164 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 3: good and some rotten. The good fish were kept, while 165 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 3: the rotten fish were tossed into a fire. When we 166 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 3: think about it and understand the meaning of the words 167 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 3: of Jesus, it's clear that the cost of not following 168 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: him is infinitely greater than any monetary cost of following Jesus. 169 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 3: Dear God, we thank you for today's scripture and the 170 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 3: stories that Jesus told in order that we might understand 171 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 3: who he is and why he came, and how we 172 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 3: can know him. Thank you for calling us into your kingdom. 173 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 3: May you rule and rain in our hearts. May we 174 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: be willing to pay any price, count every cost, that 175 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 3: we might follow you, because we know it is worth it. 176 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, Amen, thank you for listening to Today's 177 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. 178 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 3: You can download the Prey dot com app and make 179 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 3: prayer a priority in your life, just like over twenty 180 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: million people have done to this date. If you enjoy 181 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 3: this podcast, share it with someone you know and love, 182 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 3: because by sharing this message of the Word of God, 183 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 3: you can make an eternal difference in someone's life. And 184 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 3: I want to encourage you to go to Jack Graham 185 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 3: dot org. That's me at Jack Graham dot org. God 186 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 3: bless you and we look forward to joining you again 187 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 3: the next time.