Mysteries Of The Kingdom-3-The Dragnet

Tonight we continue our mid-week series that Pastor Brad has titled, "Revealing The Mysteries Of The Kingdom."  In This series he will be breaking down the parables the Jesus taught in regard to building the Kingdom of God.  Tonight's  parable is The Dragnet.
Pastor’s Notes:
Matthew 13:47-50 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, (48) which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. (49) So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, (50) and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
INTRODUCTION
Good evening, everybody!
I hope all of you are ready and excited to be with us this Friday at 7 pm. Once again, invite, invite, invite!
Tonight, I’ll continue in our series as we keep looking at the Kingdom of God and how Jesus teaches HIs disciples about what it’s like.
TEXT
1. THE PARABLE EXPLAINED
A. THE DETAILS OF THE PARABLE...1. A "dragnet" was cast into the sea.2. As defined by the Holman Bible Dictionary, a "dragnet" is...
a. "A large fishing net equipped with a weighted bottom edge for touching ("dragging") the river or lake bottom and a top with wooden floats allowing the net to be spread across the water (Isaiah 19:8)."
b. "Such nets were normally let down from a boat and then drawn to shore by a crew positioned on the beach. In the case of a large catch the net was hauled to shore by boat (John 21:6-8)."
3. Once the dragnet was drawn to shore, the fish were separated; those good for eating were saved in vessels, the inedible were discarded.
B. THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE...
1. As with "The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares", Jesus explains what this parable means - Mt 13:49-50
a. The kingdom of heaven, in its present state, will be a mixture of good and bad.
1) Just like a dragnet gathers in both good and bad fish
2) We see in "The Parable Of The Wheat And Tares" that this will be due to the influence of Satan, such that there will be those "that offend, and those who practice lawlessness" - Mt 13:41
3) Paul wrote that in "a great house" (i.e., the church) some vessels are "for honor and some for dishonor" - 2 Timothy 2:20-21
b. But in the future there will be a separation - Mt 13:491) It will occur "at the end of the age" - Mt 13:39-402) The agents of this separation will be the "angels" - Mt 13:41 3) The "wicked" will be separated from the "just" (i.e.,the righteous) - cf. Mt 13:41c. The punishment of the "wicked" is described - Mt 13:50
1) "cast...into the furnace of fire." - Mt 13:42a
2) "There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." - Mt 13:42b 2. In giving His explanation, we see the emphasis of Jesus in
this parable, and the fundamental difference between it and "The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares"
a. The emphasis is upon...1) The "future" separation of those in the kingdom 2) The punishment of the wicked
b. Unlike "The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares"...1) There is nothing in the explanation related to the "present"
mixture in the kingdom - contrast that with Mt 13:24-302) There is nothing depicting the blessedness of the righteous contrast that with Mt 13:43
["The Parable Of The Dragnet", then, reinforces the spiritual truths taught in "The Parable Of The Wheat And Tares", especially those relating to the coming judgment and condemnation of the wicked.
That Jesus would emphasize the judgment and condemnation of the wicked in this parable ought to impress upon us that the "good news" of the kingdom of heaven also contains "bad news" for those who reject it.
Since this parable focuses on the "destiny" of the wicked, this might be a good time to review what Jesus Himself taught on the subject...]
2. JESUS' TEACHINGS ON THE DESTINY OF THE WICKED
A. JESUS TAUGHT THE WICKED WILL BE JUDGED...1. We have seen this truth illustrated in the two parables we have been comparing2. He warned those cities that rejected Him of the coming judgment - Mt 11:20-243. He spoke of the condemnation that would come upon His generation - Mt 12:41-424. The wicked would be raised unto condemnation, unlike the righteous - Jn 5:24-30
B. JESUS TAUGHT THE WICKED WILL BE SEPARATED FROM GOD... 1. He spoke of this separation in His sermon on the mount - Mt 7:21-232. Again, when describing the judgment scene - Mt 25:41-46
C. JESUS TAUGHT THE WICKED WILL BE CAST INTO "HELL"...1. A term used most often by Jesus to describe the destiny of the wickeda. The Greek word is "gehenna" {gheh'-en-nah}, which in Hebrew is "Ge-Hinnom"b. B. W. Johnson comments: "The term Gehenna arose from the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the Canaanites burned human sacrifices to Moloch. After the return of the Jews from the Captivity they made it a place of defilement, where the refuse of the city was thrown and burned. The name was applied to the place of future punishment by the Jews. The word is often used in the New Testament, and always denotes a place of future punishment."
c. Found twelve (12) times in the New Testament, and it is used only by Jesus with one exception (Jm 3:6)
2. Jesus used the term to describe the final place of punishment...a. In His sermon on the mount - Mt 5:21-22,29-30b. When sending His apostles on the "limited" commission - Mt 10:28c. In warning against personal stumbling blocks - Mt 18:8-9d. Perhaps the most vivid use of this term is in Mk 9:43-48-- Jesus evidently used this word because it properly spoke to His contemporaries the horror and abomination of the eternal destiny awaiting the wicked!
3. This place called "hell" was originally prepared for the devil
and his angels (Mt 25:41), but will serve as the place of punishment for the wicked as well
D. JESUS TAUGHT THE WICKED WILL SUFFER TORMENT...
1. They will experience "the furnace of fire"
a. As described in "The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares", and "The Parable Of The Dragnet" - Mt 13:42,50
b. This "furnace of fire" is the same as...1) The "fire" of Gehenna - Mt 5:22; 18:8-9 2) The "lake of fire" - Re 20:12-15; 21:8
c. A fire that is never quenched - Mk 9:43-48d. Notice Jesus' description of Hades (the temporary dwelling of the wicked dead) - Lk 16:22-242. They will experience "wailing and gnashing of teeth"
a. As told in the two parables we have considered - Mt 13:42, 50
b. Jesus used the similar expression "weeping and gnashing of teeth" on other occasions - Mt 8:12 22:13; 24:51; 25:30
3. They will experience "outer darkness" a. As in the punishment of...
1) The "sons of the kingdom" (unbelieving Israelites) - Mt 8:12 2) The "unprepared wedding guest" (those who mistakenly
believe they are saved?) - Mt 22:133) The "unprofitable servant" (slothful Christians?) - Mt 25:30
b. And the punishment described by Peter and Jude for false teachers - 2Pe 2:17; Jude 13
4. They will experience "everlasting punishment"a. The punishment for the wicked is as "everlasting" as the life given the righteous - Mt 25:46b. The wicked will be "punished" with "everlasting destruction" from the presence of the Lord - cf. 2Th 1:9 CONCLUSION
1. As Jesus went about "preaching the gospel of the kingdom" (Mt 4:23), He did not hold back...
a. He called upon the people to repent - cf. Mt 4:17b. He warned them of the impending judgment and torment to come
1) As seen in "The Parable Of Dragnet"2) As seen in our survey of Jesus' teaching on the destiny of the
wicked
2. If we are to proclaim the "gospel of the kingdom" faithfully...a. We must not only preach the "good news" of the kingdom... b. We must also tell the "bad news" Christ revealed through His parables and other teachings!
Dear friend, are you living in view of the coming judgment? When "the great separation" is made, where will you be? Why not be "born again of the water and the Spirit", so you may enter that wonderful kingdom? - Jn 3:5; Mk 16:16; Ac 2:36-39
CONCLUSION