When It Clicks
Matthew 13:10-17; Isaiah 6:8-10
Intro: Jesus was asked why he spoke in
parables. That is a fair question. That is a good question. So why did He?
He answered
them by quoting Isaiah 6:8-10
We battle: vs.
15
1. Dullness – “…the people’s heart is waxed
gross…”
2. Deafness – “…the ears are dull of hearing…”
3. Darkness – “…and their eyes have they closed…”
Jesus made
this statement to his disciples:
·
Matthew 7:6
“Give not that which is holy unto
the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them
under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
In other
words, Jesus commanded them not to waste their time preaching, teaching,
sharing Biblical truths and precepts to those that didn’t want it.
I know that
as saints we could never be called “dogs” or “swine”, but the principle remains
- God forbid that our lack of interest, our lack of desire, our lack of hunger
would ever justify God keeping that which is holy; the pearls from us.
·
Psalms 84:11 For
the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good
thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
There are
some examples of people in the Bible that we get to get a glimpse of what was
going on in their life the day that “It Clicked” for them.
Here are
some Biblical illustrations of some areas where we need for “it to click”.
I. When It Clicks concerning the Repentance
of Sin
The prodigal
son - This young man
was one of the most self-centered, most disrespectful, most wicked young men in
his day.
1. He was Inconsiderate
To go to a
living father and demand your inheritance was in essence telling the man that
you wish he were dead, wish he would die, wish he was no longer around so you
could get your hands on your inheritance; something that was given by the
father to his son – not demanded; not taken at will.
2. He was Immoral
He left the
safety of his father’s house to fulfil his wicked and lustful desires with
harlots
3. He was Irresponsible
He
squandered; wasted; lost everything that his dear father had worked so hard for
all those years.
He had no
respect for the value of what his father had provided for him.
But there came a day “WHEN IT CLICKED”!!!
·
Luke 15:15 And
he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into
his fields to feed swine.
·
16
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine
did eat: and no man gave unto him.
·
17
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to
spare, and I perish with hunger!
The soldier
at the cross -
·
Mark 15:39
And when the centurion, which
stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he
said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
This soldier
was just doing his job, doing what Roman soldiers in the crucifixion squad were
ordered to do. No doubt he had been there for the scourging, been there when
they placed the crown of thorns on Jesus’ head, been there when they covered
his head and beat him and mocked him. He
may have even been one of those that spat on him and wagged his head at Jesus.
He was tough;
he was hard; he was insensitive, he was cold-hearted; he was calloused.
But when he
saw the Temple veil rent and he heard Jesus say “It is finished, SOMETHING
CLICKED.”
II. When It Clicks concerning the Revelation
of the Savior
·
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
·
14
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
·
15
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
·
16
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God.
·
17
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven.
Mary in the Garden after the
Resurrection
·
John 20:14
And when she had thus said, she
turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
·
15
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She,
supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him
hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
·
16
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
The disciples on the Road to Emmaus
·
Luke 24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned,
Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
·
16
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
·
NOTE WHAT HAPPENS IN vs. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with
them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
·
31
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of
their sight.
·
32
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he
talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
There is no
doubt in my mind that God’s people need a new vision of Who Jesus is – we need
from time to time to have a Divine Revelation – we need God to open our eyes
and get a fresh glimpse of Jesus.
Paul said – “That
I may know Him…” Paul DID know Him – but
he wanted to know Him more; know Him better.
Paul wrote:
·
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of him:
·
18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what
is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints,
·
19
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power,
III. When It Clicks concerning the Reaching
of Souls
The
disciples were not concerned about the “meat of the Father”.
·
John 4:35 Say
not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto
you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to
harvest.
Jesus told
his disciples – “Quit telling yourself that now is not the time! Quit telling
yourselves that there’s plenty of time and that there is no urgency; no need to
make this a priority!”
Peter – about
preaching the gospel to the Gentiles
·
Acts 10:28
And he said unto them, Ye know how
that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come
unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any
man common or unclean.
In essence, Peter
said – “I’m doing enough! I don’t want to witness to THOSE people! I have all I can do preaching and praying
and performing miracles here!”
God had to
show him the same, unbelievable and unprecedented vision THREE TIMES before it
finally clicked!!
When Peter
got to the house of Cornelius, he found an entire household of people hungry;
eager; starving; craving; passionate about knowing who Jesus was.
Conclusion:
·
Matthew 13:16 But
blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
