THINGS KEPT SECRET FROM “ANTIQUITY”--MATTHEW 13:34-35

THINGS KEPT SECRET FROM “ANTIQUITY”

MATTHEW 13:34-35

Introduction:

The Lord was teaching the multitudes, Matthew 13:2, “And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.” He was speaking in parables fulfilling David’s prophecy. Luke declares that David was a prophet, Acts 2:30, “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.”

These were things alluded to by David and others in the Old Testament which the Lord was bringing to their understanding, Psalms 78:2-3, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.”

Since these things have been kept secret or as David called them, “dark sayings,” what were they?

I. A SAVIOR THAT WAS PROMISED

1 Peter 1:20, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

A. Salvation is not by corruptible things, 1 Peter 1:18, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;”

B. Salvation is by the blood of the Lamb, 1 Peter 1:19-21, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

II. A CHURCH THAT JESUS HIMSELF BUILT

Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

A. It is the Church of the Firstborn, Hebrews 12:23, “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

1. This is the Church for which Jesus shed His blood, Acts 20:28, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

2. This is the church that will continue because He will continue, Matthew 16:21, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

3. This is the church that He protects from extinction until He returns, Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

III. A KINGDOM PREPARED BY GOD

Matthew 25:34, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

A. A Place prepared for God’s people, John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

B. A Place where we will witness and share the Lord’s glory, John 17:24, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

C. A Place of rest where we will know all of His works from the foundation of the world, Hebrews 4:3, “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

1. Where we will understand fully the great doctrines of His Word, Ephesians 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

2. Where we will learn to appreciate just what the Lord has done for us, Hebrews 9:26, “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

1) A place where there is not death nor sorrow or any such thing, Revelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

2) A place where we will ever be with the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

CONCLUSION

Many of these things were alluded to in the Old Testament, but were not fully understood until the Lord Jesus came and began to unveil them. Oh, how we have been blessed by the Lord to be a part of these great blessings.

Regrettably many people have rejected all of this and will die without Christ and spend eternity in hell simply because they would not believe the truth.