Matthew 13:47 “Once more, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net thrown into the lake, that caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen brought the net up onto the shore, sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad fish away. 49 So it will be at the close of the age — the angels will go forth and separate the evil people from among the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will wail and grind their teeth.
The net will be cast into the lake.
Right now, there are many fish in the sea. We were even told this the first time we got dumped. And every other time after.
But it is deeply true. There are many different types of fish under the surface of the water. So many, in fact, we probably can’t even catalog them all. As individuals, this is 100% true. You will never have enough exposure to know firsthand how different fish behave.
And since we don’t know, we naively cohabitate with these other fish and never give it another thought.
“But I have great discernment”, you say.
Not under water.
EVERYONE has limited vision under water. You can’t see all that far out from where you are so schools of other fish (or outright predators) can come upon you quickly and you never even know it.
Fish that eat what you eat so there is little provision, or even fish that will eat you so there is no life at all. We go from actually living to surviving.
Welcome to our present world.
But it isn’t the state of the fish we want to consider now. Instead, we want to look at what isn’t mentioned in this parable.
Up until now, the Kingdom of Heaven had a delayed time element and the opportunity to make a decision. It even seems as though these are combined for a period and you have a chance to repent.
Now, suddenly, this all comes to a close.
There you are minding your own business, surrounded by so many other fish, that you just assume this is how life is. Continually hunting for provision, watching for predators, and doing your best not to get separated from your own school.
Then it happens.
You are violently pulled from the water and thrown up on the shore. Gasping for “air”, flipping and flopping around wondering what on earth is happening.
At that time, I imagine you are instantly considering how useless all that striving really was. It seemed like a good idea at the time but now you have complete and clear understanding. And that terrifies you. You heard the stories, you read the words, and even taught them to others. But you never really got it, did you?
You had time to grow and produce a harvest, you had time to hunt for a treasure, you had time to unload everything you own in order to secure that pearl -- and now the time has come.
It’s upon you without you ever knowing what is happening.
The wisdom you gain in that moment is monumental. In that instant you realize it’s too late.
You will have first hand understanding of the Rich Man that died and saw the beggar with Abraham. Realizing that all of the stories you heard were absolutely true, you will beg for another fish to go out into the deep and warn those that were about to be captured next.
But the warning has already been issued. It is sitting before you right now.
Unfortunately, we are a bit busy and preoccupied to take the time to understand this for ourselves. We assume there will be plenty of time to make the corrections that must be made.
The warning we receive here, however, is that when you realize it’s time, it will be too late.
Too late.
Think deeply and thoroughly about this. There is a moment, an instant, where everything you know is utterly destroyed. And everything you know will come to pass.
Which knowledge will prevail?
Will you weep and turn the way Lot’s wife did? Or will you take your place on the shore and confidently wait for the sorting to begin.
We like to believe we will not turn back but how can you know for sure what you’ll do in that hour?
Is it possible to know how we’ll respond?
I think so.
And I don’t believe it’s as cryptic as we might assume. Let’s consider the previous parables in Matthew 13 regarding the Kingdom of Heaven and see if maybe our answer is perhaps woven within those. Here we go:
For most of us, we can probably argue confidently that #1 and #2 apply to our lives. We have received the Messiah into our lives and we’ve grown a decent amount to be able to provide some protection for others. Even if we aren’t fully grown, we are grown enough to say the right things, right?
At the other end of the spectrum, both #4 and #5 seem to require a HUGE change in lifestyle. We’ve got to give up everything in order to get here. How is that even possible?
The key to all of this is in #3.
#3…that one seems to be the pivot from natural growth to us actually doing something.
If you recall, this parable leans heavily into us getting healed. Removing the old leaven and replacing it with new. Until you get to this place, you will never see the value in selling all you have for a great treasure. It simply won’t make sense. You will live half in the world and half in the Kingdom.
But this doesn’t work. Ever.
If the thought of giving up your entire life in exchange for Kingdom living terrifies you, it’s probably rooted in you needing healing.
Of course, only you can honestly look at yourself and answer this question. No one else can do it for you. The miracle of your planting and growing has already occurred (hopefully) and we desperately want to live in #4 and #5 (hopefully).
Now a decision is set before you:
Hold onto that old person and let them keep coming and stealing your life.
Or go into the water and come out as a new creation.
Please think about this. Stop deceiving yourself into thinking you're ok. You're not.
Not many people reach #4 and #5 because of what it takes to get through #3. Humility, vulnerability, and a lot of hard work. We’re not good at that. Because it is embarrassing. Shockingly, we have to admit to everyone else that our life isn’t perfect. And we have to admit the areas of our weaknesses.
The good news is that we all know your life is a sham. Mine is too. Stop assuming you’ve fooled everyone. The only one fooled here is you.
Fast-forward to lying there on the shore. Out of the world you know to be absolutely true and into a world you hope to be true.
Put yourself into that position now so that when you are put into that position for real there will be no question where you land.
A fish in the basket or a fish in the fire, the choice is yours.