THANKSGIVING #2 — BLESSED TO SEE & HEAR

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THANKSGIVING #2 — BLESSED TO SEE & HEAR
MATTHEW 13:10-17 (ESV)

A God-sized Goal: To glorify God through exponential discipleship.

“All the residents of heard the word of the Lord.”  Acts 19:10 

Live as a Citizen of Heaven who Loves your [actual] neighbor: 

BELIEVE   >>>>>>   This means every member of the Body of Christ, 

INFLUENCE   >>>>>>   being led by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, 

WIN   >>>>>>.  evangelizing 

EQUIP   >>>>>>.  and discipling our [actual] neighbors, 

MULTIPLY   >>>>>>.  and leading them to do the same.

Matthew 13:10-17 ESV

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Matthew 13:10 ESV

Receive the purpose of parables in three GIFTS:

Gift 1: AWARENESS

Parables graciously communicate the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”  Matthew 13:11 ESV

Some are given access to the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance.”  Matthew 13:12 ESV

Some have the secrets of the kingdom of heaven taken away.

“But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  Matthew 13:12 ESV

Gift 2: CONVICTION

Parables graciously confront with the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” Matthew 13:13 ESV

Prophecy: MISSING the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’” Matthew 13:14 ESV

Problem: REJECTING the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“‘For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed.’” Matthew 13:15 ESV

Possibility: TURNING toward the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“‘Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’”  Matthew 13:15 ESV

Gift 3: BLESSING

Parables graciously give the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”  Matthew 13:16 ESV

Receive the purpose of parables in three GIFTS:

Gift 1: AWARENESS of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

Gift 2: CONVICTION about the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

Gift 3: BLESSING by the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

“For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Matthew 13:17 ESV

The secrets of the kingdom of heaven graciously give us HOPE.

Christ Jesus our hope. 1 Timothy 1:1 ESV