Turn back to Matthew 13. Matthew 13. To you, it is given. I started out, I started writing some of this
message out a week ago, and I had the parable of the sower. I sat down and kept reading over. I like to read the verses over
and over and over of what I'm going to preach from. And I thought, there's a lot
here. There's 17 verses before we ever
get to the explanation of that. There's a message here. There's
some groundwork to be laid before we get to that part of it. And
that word, that phrase, That sentence jumped out at me, to
you it is given. Do you understand how God saves
sinners? To you it is given. You ever
open the Word of God and read it and you say, I see it. And it speaks to you. To you
it is given. To a whole lot of people this
book is nothing but a history book. But to you who have been
born of God, feed out of it. You feed on Christ out of it,
because to you it is given. If verses 19 through 23 were
not written in here, I thought of this sitting at my study,
the explanation of the parable of the sower, if that were not
in here, and the Word of God is written to believers, Would
you have understood what he's saying? I read that part, and
I tried not to read the part I've read so many times, and
I thought I wouldn't have understood it any more than they. I would
not have understood this parable not one bit more than the people
that were standing on the shore listening to him. Thank God he wrote out the rest
of that. Why? Because to you it's given. Every time you open this book
and you read it and you have some understanding and you find
some joy out of it, that's because to you it's given. He said, to
you it's given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Now, our Lord leaves this house. And supposedly this is Peter's
house that he was in. And I believe he left that house
for probably a little more room, maybe a little more peaceful
setting because the scribes and the Pharisees don't seem to follow
with the multitude. And he goes and he goes up there
by the seaside and the multitude gather around him. They throng
him. See, right now he's popular.
He's performed some miracles and some people have witnessed
it. And he has said some things that are just astounding. And
he's popular and they're following him. So he goes out by the seaside
and he gets into a ship so he can get away from the throng,
the crowd, and he can speak to that crowd from the boat. And
there's this great multitude standing here on the shore. And
He's out in this boat. And I guarantee you, the ones
in the back of the multitude can hear Him just as clear and
just as plain as the ones in front. When He speaks, when He speaks,
He can be heard. He doesn't need a PA system.
I guarantee you, they heard Him just as clearly and just as plainly
because God's speaking. And he speaks many things to
them in parables. A parable is a earthly story
with a heavenly meaning. Simple story. And here he speaks
of the sower who went forth to sow, a farmer. He takes a simple
story, yet profound truth. Profound truth in this. Like
you talk about, just kept it so simple. If anyone had the
ability to just astound us or just confound us, the Lord could
have done it. He could speak a language that's
far above this earthly language. He spoke in very simple, elementary... He spoke in elementary language,
but profound truth. Profound truth. Even a child could hear what
he was saying. He spoke in such simple language.
And he speaks this parable to them. And the disciples come
and they ask him, why are you speaking to them in parables? Why are you speaking to them
in parables? Here's an opportunity. Here is an opportunity. of this
great multitude to speak to them and explain to them the Scriptures
and the Kingdom of Heaven and what a great following we can
have. Now is the time to strike. Now is the time to strike. We've
got them here. We've got them on our side. They're listening.
Now is the time to strike. And our Lord gives the answer. He said, I'll tell you why. Because
to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them, he says, it's not given. It's not given. It's given to you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Salvation comes by revelation.
Men have got to be shut up to the sovereign mercy of God. I don't care how intellectual
a person is, how educated he is or she is, how many degrees
they have, unless it's given, this cannot be understood. But
if God gives this, He can give this to the most uneducated persons
ever walked on this earth, and they can understand the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven if He gives it. If He gives it. Now, what is given? What is given? He says here, to know. It's an
understanding. It's knowledge. It's a spiritual
understanding of the mysteries of the gospel. Spiritual truth is a mystery
to lost men and women, but it's not a mystery to those whom God
saves. It's not a mystery. It's a revelation
of a mystery, but you understand how God saves sinners. You understand how God Almighty
can have anything to do with you, how He can justify you.
You understand that. That's a given. That's a mystery. But when God reveals it, it's
not a mystery anymore. Spiritual truth will always be
a mystery to lost men and women. They have no spiritual perception
of truth when they hear it. Nicodemus, look over here in
John chapter 3. Listen to this educated, this
seminary trained teacher of Israel. Listen to it. When the Lord speaks
simple truth, so simple, He talks about a birth. You understand
what a birth is. We all understand what a birth
is. We understand that. But here is an educated man.
He's educated in Scriptures. He's not educated spiritually
because he's lost. But now listen. In verse 3, Jesus
answered and said unto him, Very, very, I say unto thee, except
a man be born again, just like he was the first time, except
the second time was spiritual birth. The first time was natural.
The second time was spiritual. It's of God. He cannot see. He cannot comprehend. He cannot
understand or grasp the kingdom of heaven. He cannot understand
the gospel, the message of the kingdom. He can't do it. It's a mystery to him. There was some of the math classes
I had going through school. I just couldn't get it. Some
of those things, it was like a mystery to me. How do you figure
that out? And here he says, unless you're born again, you can't
understand what I'm saying. You cannot understand it. You
can't see it. You can't comprehend it. And Nicodemus proves it. He said, well, how can a man
be born when he's old? The Lord wasn't talking about that. Can
he enter the second time in his mother's womb and be born? And
our Lord said, except a man be born of water and enter into
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit. And over in verse 12, if I have told you earthly
things and you believe not, you can't comprehend it, you can't
receive it, how are you going to believe if I tell you heavenly
things? You can't even comprehend the earthly. This earthly example
I've given you, you can't even begin to comprehend that. Except
you be born again. Man has to be born from above
to understand, to love and believe the gospel. Has to be. Has to be. Paul said, if our
gospel be hid, it's hid to them that are lost. If it's hid, if
they can't grasp it, it's hid to them that are lost. But to
you that believe, you that believe, it's given. Grace is given, which
was given to you in Christ before the world began. Faith is given
by the operation of God's Spirit. And a revelation of God, of Christ,
and of ourselves is given. And you understand it. You comprehend
it. But it's given. Our Lord said
it right. He put it in its proper place.
It's given to you to know it. I think that's very humbling.
Do you find that very humbling? That'll keep you from looking
down your nose at someone when you realize that if he had not
explained that parable, you wouldn't understand it any more than the
multitude would have understood it. Not at all. And here's what's
given, to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, who
God is. God is a mystery to lost people. Just listen to them talk. You talk about God and you think,
well, you couldn't be reading the Bible. God said, you thought,
we're in the Psalms, you thought I was altogether like yourselves.
You're confused. You think I'm like you. God is
a mystery to lost men and women. He's a mystery to the intellectual.
I have found this over the years. The more intellectual, A person
becomes the more complicated it is. The more complicated it
is. And the more confusing it is.
The more clouded it is. The more darkness it is. Who by searching can find out
God? You can search and search and
search and you'll never find out God until God is pleased
to reveal Himself. If he's pleased to reveal himself,
he goes, I see it. I see. I understand. You understand how he can be
just and justifier of the ungodly. You understand something about
God. Listen, God manifests in the flesh. You understand something
about that God-man. That God-man mediate toward the
Lord Jesus Christ. You understand. The whole of spiritual realm
is a mystery to the lost, but not to those whom God saves.
Not to them. Look over in 1 Corinthians 2. Listen to these words. But as it is written, in verse
9, 1 Corinthians 2, but as it is written, I have not seen nor
ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed
them to us." You know, when you talk about
the gospel to lost people, or even religious, especially religious
lost people, they get this confused look. It's a, where'd you come
up with that? You know. But God revealed it
to us. By His Spirit, for the Spirit
searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. But what
man knoweth the things of a man, save the Spirit of man which
is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the
Spirit of God. Now we have received not the
Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, which
searches the things of God. And He's revealed these things
to us, that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God. What's freely given to us? Life. forgiveness, pardon, justification,
wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, all that is freely given to us
through and in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that. We know that. Which things also
we speak, not in words which man's wisdom, philosophy and
intelligence teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
unto him. He can't comprehend them, so
he calls them foolish. Neither can he know them. He
has nothing to receive them in, because they are spiritually
discerned. The gospel of God, the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ is spiritually discerned. Now, you can explain
it to someone all day long, and they're not going to get it unless
God reveals it. and gives them spiritual discernment.
It's a mystery to them, but it's not a mystery to us. I'm not saying that we understand
all things. I'm not saying that we understand
all things concerning God, but we do understand how God can
save us and be a just God in doing so through the blood, the
righteousness, the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. We understand
that. That's humbling. That ought to
be so humbling. We understand something of the
nature of God. That He's not like we think He
is. He's not like us. He's holy. He's just. He's merciful. He's gracious. God has revealed
himself in Christ. And we now know something of
the true nature of God. God. Talking to Cole yesterday. Went out and looked at a horse
that had chips and took Cole out to pet it. And coming back,
we got talking about God creating the trees. I'd mentioned to him
a week or two ago about God creating this and God creating that. And
he said, does God live up there? I said, yes. He said, does he
ever come down? What a mystery. And I thought, we understand
that. We understand where God is. God is in the heavens. We're
up on earth. The earth has it given to the
sons of men. And yes, he does come down. He
came down in the person of his son. And we understand it. And we
understand something because of that, because He has come
down, we understand something of His nature. Just think, if
God leaves you in the dark, we see it in religion. We see what
happens. And you're trying to think, well, God's like this.
God's like this. No, I tell you what, God is like
this book says He is. Just as He has revealed Himself,
He is who He is. Are you not who you are? Why
does someone come and try to explain Come to me and I said,
well, you know Chip Holbrook? He's five foot six. I mean, you're
going to say no. And then you meet Chip. He said,
no, he's not five foot six. He's about six foot two. See,
this book tells us who God is. Christ has revealed to us the
Father. No man knoweth the Father save
the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. And
when he reveals him, he reveals him as he is. And he's not a mystery anymore.
It's not such a mystery. And the reason why is because
it's been given to you to know, to understand who God is, who
Jesus Christ is, and how God saves sinners. Do you have been given life?
Look here in verse 12. Do you who have been given, it
says, for whosoever hath, that is, Those to whom He's given
light and understanding shall be given more. You'll be given
more light and you'll be given more understanding, more grace.
You see, whenever He explains the parable of the sower, some
brought forth a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty, it's
alive. If you are alive, you're going to grow. And you are going
to grow in grace and in knowledge of Him. You're going to grow
in understanding. Some of these scriptures I understand
better now than I did twenty years ago. Some of them you get more out
of now than you did twenty years ago. That's because more is given.
More is given. You have been given light, you're
going to receive more light. You're going to receive more
grace. You're going to receive more forgiveness. You're going
to receive more. But to those who pretend to see and to hear, and it's
just pretend, he said, that's going to be taken away from them.
It's not going to save them. They're going to be taken away.
A mere profession will not save. It is a possession of Christ,
not just a mere profession. And he says, this is why I speak
to them in parables. This is why. They profess to
hear and to see, and yet they reject me. A person confesses
that he's saved, the Lord has saved him, and then when you
preach the gospel, you preach that God chose a people and they
won't have it. They don't see. No, they don't
see. They say they see just like the
Jews. We are Abraham's seen. God is our father. He said, no,
the devil is your father. They read the Bible, but they
had the Old Testament. But he said, you're of your father
the devil. Seeing they see not, hearing
they hear not. If a person rejects the truth,
I'm talking about the gospel of God's grace, what we call
the doctrines of grace. A person rejects that, he's lost. It's not we have a different
opinion. We may have a different view
on the millennium. You can have what you want. I have what I want.
That has no effect on the salvation. But when it comes to God's redemptive
glory, it's not an opinion. It's a revelation. How God saves sinners. How God
can be a just God and a Savior. And he said, here is a prophecy
fulfilled, here in verse 14. And in them is fulfilled the
prophecy. You know, the Word of God has
always been fulfilled. God's will has always been done.
His purpose has always been fulfilled. And in them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing you shall hear, and
you'll not understand. And seeing you shall see, and
shall not perceive. You're not grasping. Why? Because they were judicially
blinded. They rejected the gospel. They despised Christ. And God
turned them over to blindness. God turned them over to blindness.
They professed to see and to hear, yet they rejected Him.
And note the condition of these people He's speaking of. For
this people's heart is waxed gross. Not pure and clean. He that hath
clean hands and a pure heart? No. They have waxed gross. Their
ears are dull of hearing. And listen, and their eyes, they
have shut. They don't want to see it. He's
telling them the truth, but they don't want the truth. You want
the truth? Well, to you it's given. If you
want it, it's given to you. It was given to you. But He said
their eyes, Their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they
should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal
them." There is the sovereignty of God right there. He saves whom He will, and passes
by whom He will, and we make no apologies for it. God saves
whom He will. But He says their hearts are
gross, their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes, they
shut. They don't want to see it. They
don't want it. Vicki was trying to give Cole
some medicine here a few weeks ago. He was sick. And she told
him it tastes like bubble gum. And he shut his lips as tight
as he could shut them. It tastes like bubble gum. I
mean, he kept her shut tight. Your eyes, he said, their eyes,
they have closed. They don't want it. They don't want it. Gadarene said, get out of our
country. Here was a man that was terrorizing the community.
He was full of demons. His name was Legion because there
were so many of them. Terrorizing that whole community. And the Lord comes along, casts
the demons out, and the whole city comes out and tells him
to leave. You can tell a man the gospel
all day long. Tell him the good news that God
saves sinners. And unless it's given, unless
it's by the sovereign grace of God given, that man will never
believe it. Never. Salvation, Jonah said,
when he came out of that whale or great fish, when he came out
of its belly, what's the first thing he said? He said, salvation
is of the Lord. If I'm going to come out of this,
God's going to have to do it. God's going to have to save me
if I'm going to come out of this mess. And if we come out, go
out, when we die, we leave this world, we come out of this, the
Lord will have to do it. He'll have to do it. Salvation
is all of God. God does not owe men salvation.
That's the message. That's pretty much the theme
of religionism. God's given everybody a chance. Everybody gets at least
one chance. Right here's a multitude. And
the disciples said, why are you speaking in parables? Just make it plain. And I'll
tell you why I'm speaking in parables. To you it's given,
to them it's not given. I'll tell you what, if he'd have
spoken plainly, they still wouldn't have believed it. Still would
not have believed it. It doesn't matter if you spoke
in a parable or if you spoke in plain language. Just plain,
simple terms, just like he did here. They still won't believe
it. But to you it's given. Who was
it that revealed the meaning to his disciples? Just like here. Who is it that
will understand the gospel? His disciples. That's who will understand it.
He doesn't owe men salvation, it's all of grace. He may save,
He may not. Is that too hard? That's God. He delights to show mercy. He may save, like that king did,
who can tell? He may or may not. He may let
a person harden up like clay under the sun, or He may moisten
and soften a person by His grace. It's his royal prerogative to
do whichever he will do. But blessed, speaking to his
disciples and to everyone who believes the gospel, blessed
are your eyes. Oh, do you realize what you see? I think from my
own experience, sometimes we get complacent. Sometimes you look at something
so long, you kind of lose sometimes the beauty of it. And then a
trial has to come along. A trial, a heartache comes along
that makes you realize the sweetness and the beauty of God's grace
once again. But blessed are your eyes. They see. And your ears, they hear. And I thought about this. When He
called those disciples, they weren't looking for Him. You
weren't either. You weren't looking for Him no
more than anybody else was looking for Him. But He was looking for
you. And it was given to you. It was
given to you in Christ before the world was to be saved, to
be His, and to enter into His glory, and to be with Him forever
and ever as trophies of His grace. It's given to you. Well, that
ought to make us sing with a little more heart, shouldn't I? It's
given to you. You see, this is what grace does.
This is God's work. This is God's work. He said many
prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which
you see, and they've not seen them. Look at the light that's been
given to us. We have the whole Word of God.
I'm not standing here this morning with pictures and shadows and
types. Like a flash card. What do you
see? We have plainly before us the
Word of God. Paul said to those Galatians,
he says, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set
forth. The Son of God, the Savior, the
Messiah has evidently been set forth among you. You see it.
You see it. And to you, it's given. It's given. Now let's give thanks. Let's give thanks and praise
and honor unto Him. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto Thy Name. Give glory and honor. It's given
to you to repent. It's given to you to believe.
It's given to you to love. It's given to you to come to
Christ. It's given to you to receive Christ. Oh, I say let's lift up our voices
together in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for giving it to
us. What do you have that you did
not receive? Okay, Mike.