Godly Sorrow Worketh Repentance to Salvation To Be Repented Of, But the Sorrow of the World Worketh Death - Part 1655

Continuing form the last post, we see Jesus turn unto His disciples, and say privately to them, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see, for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them] and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them]." (Luke 10:23-24)

At this point, the disciples had been asking Jesus, "Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?" This is certainly a question worthy of further query, given that the multitudes that followed Jesus oft asked the same question. What did Jesus say?

"Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taketh away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not: and hearing, hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, "By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive; for this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

For verily I say unto you -- that many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them]." (Matthew 13:10-17)

Similar accounts of Jesus speaking about His use of parables in teaching are offered elsewhere in the gospels. In Mark, for example, when Jesus was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable.

And Jesus said unto them, "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them." And He said unto them specifically, "Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?" (Mark 4:10-13)

And Luke as well, when Jesus said privately, "Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them]." (Luke 10:23-24)

Again, when the disciples asked Jesus saying, "What might this parable be?" Jesus said, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and understand they might not understand." (Luke 8:9-10)

The good news for us who believe in Jesus by faith is that the apostles were not the only ones privy to the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but also the Gentiles will hear, and understand the mystery that was hid in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning -- His plan of salvation -- His righteousness revealed.

As Paul said, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is set unto the Gentiles ..." (Acts 28:28; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6)

Why is this? So that through their [the Israelites] fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." (Romans 11:11)

Thus, when they had appointed Paul a day, there came many to him into his lodging; "to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." (Acts 28:23-24)

Please note that for those who agreed not among themselves (and certainly there are those within today's religious culture), who later departed because they were not of the faith, Paul had spoken one word. That is:

"Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, "Go unto this people, and say, "Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their eyes are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." (Acts 28:25-31; Isaiah 6:9-10; Matthew 13:14-15; Romans 11:8)

But we are not of these because, as the scripture so clearly dictates, nothing will be hid from those who seek our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Those who hear and understand the first commandment both in the old and the new -- "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is ONE LORD!" (Mark 12:29-31; Deuteronomy 6:4; I Timothy 3:16)

This is why we are instructed to "bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, "It is truth." (Isiah 43:8-9)

What truth?

That we indeed -- "Ye are My witnesses," saith the Lord, "and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I AM HE: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I AM the Lord; and beside Me, there is no Saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you; "therefore, ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I AM GOD!" (Isaiah 43:10-15)

And He (in this current dispensation of grace wherein salvation was so wonderfully sent to the Gentiles) He has done a new thing. In this day and age, in which we live, "Now it shall spring forth."

But as the Lord God also asks, "Shall ye know it?" Will we take hold of the greatest love story ever shared, wherein our Creator willingly prepared for Himself a body, so that He could offer a perfect sacrifice, so that we -- whilst we were still His enemies, could know and understand that this same Jesus whom we/ye have crucified is "both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36)

He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. Yes, JESUS -- He is King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 1:8, 11)

Therefore, for the people that He has formed for Himself, "every one that is called by My Name, I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him." (Isaiah 43:7; James 2:7; Isaiah 43:21; Psalm 102:18; Jeremiah 13:11)

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation -- to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself ..." (II Corinthians 5:17-21)

His love and mercy for you and I, who by the Word of truth, by the power of God, became the ultimate sacrifice on a cross -- "made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:21)

Take hold of His love for you today. Ask the Lord Jesus to become the one and only King in your life and heart today, and understand His mysteries that were in His bosom from the beginning of the world. Stand in the offering plate.