Month: July 2020

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:31-43.

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Jesus has more to tell the crowd. He tells us that even small things, like the mustard seed can have a large effect. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough” (v. 33). Jesus wants us to see that even our small efforts are important to God.

I’m not a baker, but a food website lists the ratio of yeast to dough for bread as 0.5% – that’s a pretty small number, 1 in 200 if you want to look at it that way. It only takes a few energetic yeast buds to cause the whole loaf to rise. Jesus tells us that our task will not be easy, but like the yeast in the dough, the Good News will spread throughout the world if we are faithful to share it.

Mustard seeds and yeast, plain and common things that teach us about the kingdom of God. Jesus knew these examples would cause people to think and talk about His teachings, and learn about God’s plan for us. Think about the small things you can do every day to help reach God’s children here.

Gracious God, we are small and weak, but with Your help we can tell people about Your wonderful love and our connection to You. May our sharing bring the whole world to you. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:31-43.

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Jesus tells the crowd how their faith can grow with a parable about a mustard seed. He says “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (v. 32). He doesn’t tell them they must understand all the mysteries of the universe to be able to share God’s love, just a faith the size of a mustard seed will do to start.

We’ve heard it said that faith is a journey, not a destination and that is His point with this lesson. We don’t “arrive” at a full knowledge of God and His plan for us all at once, we learn and grow as we live out our lives. Each new experience teaches us more about the way God made us and how He wants to be in relationship with us.

Many people seem to think they need more knowledge or better skills before they can effectively share their faith – not so says Jesus. We are all called to tell the world of God’s love right here, right now, using the gifts we have been given. Ask God to help you nurture the “mustard seed” of your faith that it may grow for all to see.

Loving Lord, we are humbled that You ask us to be part of Your plan for creation. Give us strength and courage to go into the world in Your name, that all may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:31-43.

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Jesus shares more parables with the crowd. He teaches the people in this way not to confuse or “hide” the truth but to engage their minds, to make them think and discuss the lesson. Can you imagine hearing the Master speak and then talking about the parable with your friends on the way back to the village?

That was exactly what Jesus wanted them to do, to dig deeper into the message He brought them. Later in this passage, He explains the meaning to His disciples when they ask. Jesus wants us to talk about the kingdom among ourselves and bring our questions to Him so that we too may share His truth.

Do you study the scriptures and ask yourself “what meaning does this have for my life today?” Jesus calls us to use the gift of reason and intellect we have been given to better understand God’s plan for us. There is a task waiting for each of us to further the kingdom.

Gracious God, we are grateful that You reach out to us through the lessons Jesus brought. Help us to use the guidance You give to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

In this parable Jesus teaches us about good and evil in the world. The example He gives shows how good and evil exist side by side, as do the wheat and weeds, and that removing evil from the world by force can often cause what we know as “collateral damage”. It isn’t easy to fight evil on its own terms.

We often ask why God doesn’t remove evil from our lives, and wonder why we must endure its effects. Yes, God could end evil – and it will end according to God’s plan – but we brought sin into the world through our choices and because God’s law is consistent, we bear the responsibility for that choice. Evil came as a result of our disobedience.

God has provided us a way back to the connection we were intended to have with Him through our repentance and His forgiveness. When we turn from the evil we have done and follow the path He made for us, we can resist evil. Let God into your life and you will see the eternal good He has planned for us.

Gracious God, thank You for forgiveness of our sins and teaching us how to live as Your children. May our faith and love spread the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

This parable speaks of the world as a field containing good and evil. If we are honest with each other, no one is completely good, and few are completely evil, as are the wheat and weeds in the lesson. However, Jesus wants us to see that when the harvest comes, we must be counted with one or the other.

We must be sure we are on the “good” side when the harvest comes, right? While that is true, the hope that Jesus has for us is that we would follow His teachings all our lives, loving God and each other, and telling the Good News to everyone. If we do this, we need not worry about when the harvest comes.

This is the problem that those who think only of jumping over to the “good side” when the time comes face is we do not know when that will be. Jesus told us in Acts 1:7 “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority”. The apostle Paul warns us all “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). We must always be ready!

Loving Lord, we know You plant us as good seed and want us to be the good crop You intend. Help us to grow in Your love and share it with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

Jesus wants us to understand that we come from good seed, not weeds. God made us in His image to be His children, but we have forgotten our heritage – or worse, chosen not to claim it. This parable calls us to wake up and remember who we were created to be.

God also calls us to care for the “field”, our own communities and the world. We must look after the crop, our brothers and sisters for whom we are responsible. While this is an awesome task, God promised us strength and the glad energy of those who work beside us.

The day will come when we will be judged as wholesome wheat to be stored for eternity with God or worthless weeds to be thrown on the burning pile. It is a hard lesson to hear, but there are no other options. When the harvest comes, may He find us ready!

Gracious God, we are thankful to be Your children, called to be part of Your work here and with You eternally. Help us to watch over each other in love, to become the people You intend us to be. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

Jesus tells us there will be evil among us. In spite of our best efforts, we will face trying times and difficult issues in our lives. He teaches that God does not send evil to punish us but that it is a result of sin. Sometimes our sin harms us, sometimes our sin harms others and sometimes we are harmed by the sin of others.

God is constant and consistent and has created a world that functions according to His plan. Nature shows us that this is true. Human beings have been made in God’s image, given the gift of free will, and thus are responsible to God and each other for our actions.

When we choose our own desires over the things God wants, we go against His plan. It is not God’s wish for us to be harmed but because His laws are constant and consistent, our disobedience has consequences in the world. He has promised to be with us through everything, and when we turn to Him we receive strength and pardon to overcome earthly failure.

Gracious God, we know that we are weak; we fail to follow Your laws and the path You intend for us. Help us to give up our selfish behavior and live together as Jesus taught. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

Are there weeds in your yard? The answer for most of us is “yes” and each summer it is a constant battle to keep them from overrunning the lawn. It seems these unintended plants grow better and faster than the ones we wish to grow. It can be a frustrating season, but every fall things go dormant and we don’t have to worry about them…until next summer!

If we are honest with ourselves there are weeds in our lives as well. We may have a carefully crafted front “lawn” we share with others but none of us are perfect, we all have something that needs to be uprooted and thrown away, and these weeds don’t die off over the winter. It is often hard for us to think about these because we want to concentrate on the good things.

Jesus doesn’t want us to dwell on our sins, but to give them to Him. If we let the Master Gardener in, He will help us cultivate a life that is free from the weeds we would fail to remove. While there will always be sin in the world, Jesus can help us deal with it and keep us growing in the right direction.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the guidance You offer us. Help us to accept the lessons You teach and make them part of our daily life. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this”, he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

Jesus tells us in verse 25 how evil comes in the world – “But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away”. He warns that while we are not paying attention, while we ignore the things for which God gave us responsibility, evil has its chance. We hear that once it has been sown, it cannot be torn out easily.

Jesus knows that we are susceptible to many earthly temptations and He teaches us to be aware of the danger. We are told plainly “if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:30). This is hard to hear, but Jesus wants us to understand how profound the threat of sin is in our world and our lives.

We are all tempted, and Jesus knows our human weakness. We must admit when we have done wrong, ask forgiveness and earnestly work to do better every day. When we repent and turn from sin, Jesus is there to give us strength and put our feet back on the path.

Loving Lord, help us to give up the things of earth and accept the grace You offer. Make us the disciples You want us to be. Amen.