Denominated

Matthew 13: 49, “So shall it be at ^kthe end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and ^lsever the wicked from among the just,” ¹

I.   Together

     A. Sought

     B.  Caught

II. Sever

     A. Wrought

     B. Fought

III. Forever

     A. Taught

     B. Bought

Introduction:  It has been said that Christian denominations are a form of separatism and therefore are a type of evil that will not be tolerated  in heaven.  There are those who think that numbering things is not a good thing at all.

Surely there was that time that King David wasn’t sure that God was protecting his kingdom.  He told his key person Joab to have a census taken, which at that time was evil.  Here is the account from 1 Chronicles 21:1-2, “And ^aSatan stood up against Israel, and ^bprovoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.” [2]

Satan stood up…  God allowed this to happen because God knew the outcome as He always does.  Satan was allowed to tempt David and David jumped in with both feet. 

David knew that his reason for wanting to number the people was out of a lack of faith.  Look a little further to 1 Chronicles 21:7-8, “ ^†And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” [3]

David was afraid of his enemies, and he was not faithful to God’s protection.  He depended on the number of people who could be counted on to help fight off the enemy.  Looking back to the middle of the verses in this context, Joab gave the report to David broken down by number, which is to say, denomination.  There were ten thousand from Israel and another ten thousand from Judah that could be counted on as warriors.

God gave David three choices of defeat which could not be defended by whatever army David might assemble.  His armed might could not defend against God.

Does this mean that it is always wrong to denominate or categorize people or things my number?  As Soloman said, there is a time and a season for things and there is a time and a season to let things go.  What is the reason for lumping people by number?  Is it the right season or reason or is it because you don’t trust God?

Since we are going to examine this verse that Jesus spoke about a certain net and how a net is like heaven, let’s look at another time something was numbered.  The scene is after the resurrection of Jesus and prior to His ascension back to heaven.  You might say that this was the last, last supper.  Jesus was sitting on the beach watching as Peter and the others were fishing unaware of Jesus.  He called them and asked if they had any meat and they said no.  He said something familiar to them.  He told them to cast the net on the other side and they drew up a multitude.  John then recognized Jesus and told Peter who it was on the beach.  Peter jumped in naked and swam to Jesus.  There was a fire to cook the fish and Jesus told them to bring their fish, the multitude of fish.  John 21:10-11, “Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the ^sfish which ye have now caught. 11 Simon Peter ^twent up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.” [4]  153 fishes…  If counting things and people is always wrong, why were these fish counted?  Just something to ponder…

Scripture:  The scripture for this message is  Matthew 13:49.  Please Stand Under the reading of God’s word.

Prayer:  Please be seated.

Message:  Consider the text in context.  Matthew 13:47-50, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is ^hlike unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered ⁱof every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at ^kthe end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and ^lsever the wicked from among the just, 50 ^mAnd shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” [5]

So here is a riddle.  Be careful with your answer.  Is everybody going to heaven?  Not trying to be presumptuous here but it would not surprise me if most people answered “no” to that question.  The truth is found in verse forty-seven.  The kingdom of God is like a net that was cast and gathered of every kind.

For those who would say that there will be no denomination in Heaven, it is true according to this which Jesus said.  All will be there at the Great White Throne Judgement.  Yet that is where the denomination or dividing by number will happen.  Those who are not in the Lamb’s book of life will have to answer for themselves.  They will be there for a while to do just that.  Then those who are not spoken for by Jesus will be thrown into the furnace of fire.  Those who are chosen and are in The Lamb’s book of life will remain eternally.

There are two kinds of fishing mentioned in the Bible.  Peter was a fisherman.  That was his talent and he loved fishing.  He and his brother Andrew used nets to catch whatever they could get into their nets.  Once when Jesus and Peter had come back from a mission trip the temple tax collectors tripped Peter up.  Earlier when Jesus asked “who do people say I am”, He got several responses.  Then Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?”  Peter exclaimed that He was The Christ, The Son of the Most High God.  Now, a little while later, the temple tax collectors asked about Jesus paying rent for that which He was entitled as The Son of God.  Peter talked himself into a mess with those tax collectiors.  Jesus told Peter to use a hook and catch one fish with a coin in its mouth.  Not many, one!  That one fish was set aside, denominated for a distinct purpose.

Jesus said that heaven wasn’t like a fishing line.  Jesus said heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea.  There have been protestors who have called for the abolishment of net fishing.  Sea mammals like purposes and whales get caught in nets.  Nets catch everything.  That is what Jesus said the kingdom of Heaven is like.  There will be no distinction between who is in that net.  We will all be gathered there together.

God wants us all.  When Jesus came here that first Christmas morning, He sought to save us all.  One day whether we want to be there or not, we will be caught up into heaven.  Many will not want to be there, but they will be there to hear what will happen to them for their eternity.

We will all be drawn to that shore as the song says.  That is what the kingdom of Heaven is like.  God will be sitting on His Great White Throne.  The good will be gathered into vessels and the bad will be cast away.  The angels will sever the wicked from the just.

Who are the wicked?  There are so many who have wrought or worked so hard against what God left for us to do.  We see them now out in the streets marching and tearing down instead of building up.  One day they will give account for what they are doing now unless they repent.  Many will not!  If they don’t then they won’t have an advocate.  There will be no Jesus on their side to represent them.  There are so many who have fought against all that God holds dear.  Many have devoted themselves to be adversaries against God’s will.  They will be severed from those who have been named righteous by the blood of Jesus and they will fall on their own.

There is a forever for us all.  Many would like to believe that when this is over there will be nothingness.  There is no such thing as nothingness.  There was nothing but God before God created but there is no such thing as nothing.  God has always been.  He is the Great I AM.  Everything we do has a ripple effect.  Every decision that we make has an everlasting consequence.

We who are Christians are referred here as the “just.”  We are only justified because of what Jesus did for us.  Apart from Jesus there is no justice, yet we feel the need to tell teach others what is just and not just.  God sent Jesus here so that we might see justice.  Jesus is our Rabbi, our eternal teacher.  Paul said that not many should be teachers, or masters as translated by the KJV, because they will be held to a much higher standard with much more scrutiny and eternal consequences.  James warned of this.   James 3:1, “My brethren, ^abe not many ^bmasters, knowing that we shall receive the greater ||condemnation.” [6]  So did Jesus in Matthew 23:8, “^kBut be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your ^lMaster, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." [7]

Jesus did teach those who would be taught by Him.  We did not and cannot pay for the instruction we received from Jesus.  God denominated us for that privilege.  God set us apart in that number whom Jesus redeemed.  In fact, Jesus Himself paid the cost for our instruction when He bought us on Calvary.  Now we are called “the just” by Jesus here in this verse.  Jesus is Rabbi.  Now we are hearing from Jesus what the kingdom of Heaven is like.  One day we will see it for ourselves forever because of what Jesus has done for us.

Prayer:

Invitation:  We are soon approaching Christmas when we who are denominated in His number are reminded of what Jesus came through to get here.  We are faced with so many distractions of wonder and elation.  The sounds of the season ring out and we certainly should be celebrating.  But there is much more that we should remember.

We should stop and remember a baby who came to save us all and take us to such a wonderful place that even Jesus could not describe how magnificent Heaven is in several parables. We should stop and remember a little baby who was in a cold animal stable.  We should stop and think about what He went through that first night.  No crib for Mary’s Son.  The king of the world in a manger.  He was placed in a trough for feeding animals and from there Jesus fed us all with God’s mercy and grace.  We should stop.  We should think.  We should remember especially during this period of Advent.  What is the most precious thing in God’s field?  His name is Jesus.  Have you truly found Him.  What is the most perfect of all?  His name is Jesus.  Have you truly found Him?  When you do all else will fall along the wayside in insignificance.  Come to Jesus today.  He came for you.

k See ver. 39.

l ch. 25:32.

[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 13:49). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

 
a So Job 1:6–9, 12. & 2:1–4, 6, 7. Zech. 3:1, 2. Matth. 4:10. Luke 10:18. 1 Cor. 7:5, &c. To ver. 28, 2 Sam. 24:1–25.
b See 1 Kin. 21:25 marg. So Job 2:3 (Heb.).
[2] Ibid., 1 Ch 21:1–2). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
† Heb. Andit was evil in the eyes of the LORD concerning this thing. See 1 Sam. 8:6.
[3] Ibid., 1 Ch 21:7–8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
s See ch. 6:9.
t Gk. as ver. 3.
[4] Ibid., Jn 21:10–11). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
h So ch. 4:19.
i Comp. ver. 38. ch. 22:10. & 25:2.
k See ver. 39.
l ch. 25:32.
m See ver. 42.
[5] Ibid., Mt 13:47–50). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a So Matt. 23:8. Rom. 2:20, 21. 1 Tim. 1:7.
b See 2 Macc. 1:10 (Gk. & Engl.). & Acts 13:1 (Gk.).
|| Or, judgment. 1 Cor. 11:34.
[6] Ibid., Jas 3:1). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
k James 3:1.
l ver. 10. So John 13:13.
[7] Ibid., Mt 23:8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.