Parables of Matthew Thirteen: Removing Spiritual Adultery
As we say back home—Red Alert!
We have come to the most critical moment. A most sobering moment spiritually. Before Christ will come for His Bride, spiritual adultery must be harshly dealt with in the hearts of His people. To illustrate the gravity of what I’m about to say, let me ask you—would you consider marrying your town prostitute? As we say back home—marry the town whore? Please forgive me if I offend your sensibilities. I don’t mean to. It’s just, I cannot emphasize enough the significance, the importance, of removing spiritual adultery from our hearts if we’re to know Christ and follow on. Our hearts must become pure. We must stand before Him as virgins in the spirit.
Parables of Matthew 13: The Pearl of Great Price
The Prelude
The fast-growing Messianic movement is a prelude to Latter-day Israel recognizing their Messiah. By 2003, there were at least one hundred-fifty houses of worship in the United States and four hundred worldwide. By 2008, the movement was reported to have between 6,000 and 15,000 members in Israel (Wikipedia). The movement is rapidly increasing. The Israeli Messianic Community now consists of more than seventy Hebrew-speaking, twenty-five Russian-speaking, and five Ethiopian Amharic-speaking congregations.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen: The Hidden Treasure
You recall, the first four parables depict a progression of decline while the remaining four depict a progression of restoration. I call it the “Isaiah 60 principle:”
Darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you (verse two).
While conditions are getting worse for some, they’re getting better for others. It’s called God’s favor. His people end better than we start. It’s His style. Let’s track the progress of restoration in these last days—the restoration of Israel, restoration of the Church, His bride, restoration of ministry, and restoration of the new.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen Part 5: The Leavened Bread (verse 33)
The influence of the reformation is over. Spiritual decline has essentially run its course. The power and pull of traditional denominational sectarianism is declining, if not dead. The woman (sectarianism) has leavened the entire meal (Church). And the Church has transitioned into a post-reformation period. I’m referring to our present situation.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen Part 4: The Mustard Seed
The parables of Matthew thirteen reveal to us some of the grandest endtime truths Jesus ever uttered. Truths for our day. Our Lord chronicles for us certain events of the church age by using veiled language; i.e., a sower sowing seed, a mustard seed, leaven in a loaf, treasure hid in a field, pearl of great price, the dragnet, and a scribe.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen Part 3: Our Church Fathers
After the decease of the twelve apostles, “Church Fathers” began to surface, to take prominence within the Christian community. Most of these men came from philosophy backgrounds, and these men essentially wanted it both ways. They wanted to be philosophers and prophets. (Oil and water don’t mix; never have, never will. Neither will philosophers and prophets.) Men such as Origin, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, Ignatius, Augustine, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Arius, Aquinas and Athanasius—all Church Fathers.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen Part 2: The Church and the Kingdom
The parables of Matthew thirteen reveal to us some of the grandest endtime truths Jesus ever uttered. Truths for our day. Our Lord chronicles for us certain events of the church age by using veiled language; i.e., a sower sowing seed, a mustard seed, leaven in a loaf, treasure hid in a field, pearl of great price, the dragnet, and a scribe. Read part one on the Parables of Matthew Thirteen here.
Parables of Matthew Thirteen Part 1: An Overview
The parables of Matthew thirteen reveal to us some of the grandest endtime truths Jesus ever uttered. Truths for our day. Our Lord chronicles for us certain events of the church age by using veiled language; i.e., a sower sowing seed, a mustard seed, leaven in a loaf, treasure hid in a field, pearl of great price, the dragnet, and a scribe.
What’s our Lord getting at?