The Mysteries of the Kingdom
Read: Mark 4:10-13; Matthew 13:10-17
Key Verse: Matthew 10:11 – He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

A mystery is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.  However, something is only a mystery to those who don’t know it.  Once the answer is revealed it is no longer a mystery to you.  Jesus often preached to the multitudes in parables but the explanation was given to the disciples.  Jesus had just preached the parable of the sower to the crowd and afterwards, the disciples wanted to know why Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.  His response was because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom.

The word parable comes from the idea of “to set along-side.” As Jesus used parables, it means to set a spiritual truth along-side a daily truth of living.  He preached to the crowd about seeds and soil because it was an agricultural society and they could relate to the message.  However, there are deeper spiritual truths hidden behind the parables. The explanations of the parable, the answers to the mysteries are only given to the disciples and to those who hung around with them seeking understanding.  Mysteries are explained to the disciples and those who want to know more.

God will only feed you up to your level of hunger and thirst.  Matthew 5:6 – blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. Your level of hunger and thirst determines the degree that you are filled.  The multitudes just wanted to get a free meal or to see a miracle, they were not interested in following Jesus and developing a relationship with Him.  The message of the Kingdom of God is all throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation but it is only revealed to those who want to know more and are willing to follow Jesus, even after the crowd is gone.

Thought for the day:
The Kingdom of God has a supply for whatever I need.  How can I seek to understand the mysteries of the kingdom that Jesus taught?