“The Way, The Truth The Life”

Scripture: Acts 2:1-12; Luke 14:16-24

Today is Pentecost – the day we celebrate the birth of the Church. The Living Jesus had already ascended to his heavenly home, and on this day, the Holy Spirit came into our lives.

Jesus’ time among us was intended to clarify what the faithful were to believe and how they were to live. But instead of embracing the Lord and his teaching, he was branded as a heretic – one who denied the prescribed set of religious beliefs that had lead Israel for centuries. But Jesus came, not as a fallible human being, not as one who could possibly get God’s way wrong, but as the Son of God and the Son of Man. He had many human traits – physical appearance, the emotions of love, fear and hatred, and the susceptibility for pain, disappointment, distress, birth and death. But he also had Godly qualities that can never be denied, like infinite wisdom, perfect understanding, and a total commitment to the plan that had been set in place for, and before creation.

So why did the Spirit have to come? In John 16:12-15, we read that the Spirit will “guide (us) into all truth.” – not to a new truth, but to the eternal truth of Almighty God. We read that he will “speak only what he hears” from God, just as Jesus did. But if Jesus already told us this, do we really need to “hear” it all over again? We do, and it is because of a generally ignored human trait – fallible memory! We remember some things, but as time goes on, truth begins to blur in our subconscious, and we need to be reminded of what has always been true. Hence, the vitally important work of the Holy Spirit.

Today, we celebrate remembrance of Godly truth through his great plan and Spirit.

The Lord’s great promise of eternal celebration rests with his words from his parable of “The Great Feast”, as well as from the story of Pentecost.

Read Acts 2:1-12

For Israel, Pentecost was a two-fold celebration – it was for God’s giving of the law to Moses, and a thanksgiving for the first harvest of the year. For the Church, though, it would be remembered for the violent wind that blew, for the tongues of spiritual fire that rested on each person in that upper room, and for the speaking in languages that were unknown to the one who was speaking. But more importantly, it would be the day when the power that existed through God’s Holy Spirit would not only be revealed, but revealed through the lives of the Lord’s faithful.

And that power would open the hearts of 3,000 people who would receive Jesus as Lord and Savior on that one day. Of course, there would be scoffers and doubters, but this, too, would become part of the Church. Many thousands would hear the gospel message that Peter offered that day, all would be invited to the way and life of Jesus Christ, and every one would have the chance for eternal life, but out of the entire crowd that gathered that day, only 3,000 would accept the divine invitation to eternal feasting with Almighty God in glory.

Read Luke 14:16-20

For Israel, one of the traditions that centered on the coming of Messiah was that the “chosen” would be God’s special guests at an eternal banquet. No one else would be invited, no one else would be allowed in the great hall, no one else would be admitted to the greatest celebration of all time. The feast was for family only!

As Jesus told his parable, his audience knew the protocols surrounding invitations to a banquet, whether it was one of earth or the one that Messiah would be hosting. The truth is that only those who received an invitation would be allowed to join the feast.

But for a local celebration, there was another issue at play. The date of the feast would be part of the initial invitation, which was given well in advance of the event, and when all was prepared, a second message was sent out – in essence saying that “since you have reserved this day to celebrate with me, the time has now come. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!” You see, once you accepted the offer, it would be a great insult if you failed to show up! You were expected to clear your calendar, and not let anything interfere with your attendance.

So let’s see what Jesus was telling the Pharisees. These three men who had been invited to the master’s celebration were symbolic of Israel and all of her leadership. The three had put business and pleasure ahead of their commitment to the host. They could easily have tested their new oxen at any time, but they were saying that now was the only time that was available. The man who purchased some new property had already completed the purchase, so he could have gone to visit it later without any problem whatsoever, but he decided that now was more important than honoring the host. The one who just got married had just hosted his own banquet celebration, and he knew how important it was to show respect to both the host and the invitation – for his party, certainly, but apparently not so much for his friend’s!

The point? Israel had been “chosen”, or rather, had been invited, to the eternal banquet with their Lord God Jehovah, and by rejecting the divinity of his Son Jesus, they were refusing to come when the time was right. And an empty table at such a great feast just couldn’t be tolerated – others must be invited, even if at the last minute.

Read Luke 14:21-24

The second group to be called to the great feast were others from the town, but who hadn’t be invited the first time. And these weren’t members of polite society – not by a long shot! They were to be found in the “streets and alleys” of the town, and as we read the list of who these folks were, we discover that these are the sinners of the area, the very ones who the Pharisees and other elites knew without a doubt would never be welcomed by Messiah to celebrate at his banquet. So it was the Jewish intellectuals who were excluding “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.”, not God! Israel’s learned men would have been appalled at the very suggestion that these should be welcome at Messiah’s table!

This is the very group over which Jesus was condemned for his sitting down with for a meal at Matthew’s house. (Matthew 9:9-13) Their condition was seen as the consequence of sin, and therefore they were unworthy to be called the people of God. But from the Lord’s perspective, these were the very ones he came to save. In this same passage, when the Pharisees call him to account for this indiscretion, he replies “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The third group that Jesus speaks about is even “worse”! These are the foreigners, the outsiders, those who are just passing through town with no connection to Jewish society. We know them as Gentiles, the ones who are the worst of the worse. At least the sinners of Israel could be forgiven if they offered the proper sacrifices at temple, but gentiles – nothing could help them. And Jesus is welcoming them to his glorious banquet? Just one more bit of evidence that this Jesus could never be Messiah!

But what does this parable have to do with Pentecost? The people who heard Peter’s sermon on that day (Acts 2:14-41) were Jews who had come from many nations. They were the people who did not come home after the Exile ended. They were the ones who had limited access to the temple and the opportunity for sacrifice. They were part of the hundreds of thousands of worshippers, perhaps even more, who had come to celebrate the works of their Jehovah God.

These were the ones who were seen as being less than righteous, less than worthy, and were looked down on by the elitists of Israel. These were the ones who Peter was testifying to, that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is, indeed, Lord and Messiah. And that all they needed to do to be forgiven was to repent, to be baptized, and that they then would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And on this Pentecost, that same proclamation is offered to each and every one of us, if only we surrender our own desires and plans, and accept the Lordship, the authority of Jesus Christ and his word for our own life. If you have never given your life to Christ before, will you pray this prayer with me today?

Lord Jesus, I’m a sinner, and I am unworthy of your mercy. But Lord, you are my only hope. Forgive me, Lord, and help me to live the life that you have created for me, that I might rejoice with you in heaven. May I truly be yours today and always. In your holy and loving name, Lord. Amen.

“Perseverance in Prayer”

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Have any of us ever had problems with getting authorities to listen to our complaints? It could be with our supervisors and managers at work, it could be over a problem with a damaged purchase from a business owner, it could even be a personal issue that a local politician or even a state or federal representative could resolve, but none of them would even consider helping us? At best, it’s a frustrating experience for us, and at worse, it can be demoralizing and a source of anger.

What can we do about it? After all, aren’t we all at the mercy of the established culture? It’s enough to make you wonder where the justice is! The truth is that the normal response may, all too often, be to simply accept the status quo, and give up. That’s the easy way out though, and the only thing we’ll gain from the whole mess is a sense of cynicism and discouragement.

But what if we keep searching for what is right, for what is true? Are we willing to work until we find it, regardless of how long it may take? In Hebrews 12:1-3, we are told to “throw off everything that hinders …" and to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us”. To put it even simpler, “Never give up in the search for justice!” After all, that’s the example that Jesus laid down for us.

Today's parable is "The Persistent Widow".

Read Luke 18:1-3

The high and mighty, versus the lowly and meek. The judge, it seems, is used to getting his own way and serving his own desires. But in Jesus’ teaching, the judge was even worse than that! He held no respect or allegiance to the Lord God Jehovah. There was no love, no worship, no obedience to the Lord and his ways. And as for his compassion for the people? It didn’t exist. There’s an old saying, that “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” That is where this magistrate was.

But on the opposite side of the coin is the widow. We read very little about her, except that her husband had died and she is now alone with no one to advocate on her behalf. But we can also surmise from her character traits that she had exceptional courage and perseverance. Women of that day were expected to be quiet and submissive. They were considered to be little better than property of their husbands, and if they had no family when he died, they were on their own – destitute and generally helpless.

This is who the two people in the parable are – completely opposite in nature, and not even close to being culturally equal. And yet, the judge was the woman’s only hope for relief. So she came to him, seeking “justice”, but apparently, every time she asked, the answer was no. Her “adversary” may have been a friend of the judge, or he may simply have thought that the woman and her complaint just weren’t worthy of his time.

Either way, Proverbs 28:14-16 would tell us that this is not the way of a righteous man. We read that “A tyrannical ruler practices extortion” while “Blessed is the one who always trembles before God.” The Lord is telling us that those who follow the ways of earth are bound to fail, and that the tyranny that they practice will, one day, bring them nothing but defeat.

Read Luke 18:4-5

The judge has no faith or compassion, and his only concern is for his own well-being. In Exodus 23:6-7, we are told “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits … for I will not acquit the guilty.” The judge finally gives in to the widow’s needs. Isn’t it interesting that the one who has the upper hand and all the power is the very one who throws up his hands! The woman gains justice simply by her stick-to-itiveness. James 1:2-8 tells us that “the testing of your faith produces perseverance”. This isn’t the kind of test where you can either succeed or fail – it’s a test that teaches you a valuable lesson – it’s a test that leads to victory.

For the widow, what did she have to lose? She had lost her husband, she apparently had no children to see her through this trying time, she had no resources to support her in life, and now she had come up against this uncaring judge, who should have been the very one to be her champion in this time of trial. The only things she had going for her was her trust in God and the will power to never give up striving for what is right.

She never accused, she never threatened, she never took her claim to a different judge who might be more willing to help her – she knew that she was right and that she needed a favorable resolution. And for her, at least in this moment, that was enough.

Our passage from James 1 goes on to say “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” The testing through perseverance lead the woman to receive a decision from the unjust judge who was unable to stand up against her persistence any longer. When it’s right, it’s right, and the Lord would have us know that he is the source of all righteous truth and power. When Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life”, this is what he was promising – that when we come under attack, we aren’t to give up, we aren’t to surrender to the lies and deceit of earth. If we give up too soon, if we quit in our striving for righteous victory, we are going to miss out on the blessings that God has prepared for us.

Read Luke 18:6-8

And Jesus turns the lesson of perseverance into a lesson about prayer. In Session 4 of the Bible study I put together on prayer (“Prayer as an Act of Discipleship”), I offered a discussion of the difference between God’s “Permissive” will, and God’s “Perfect” will (source: Rev. Dr. Bill Craver’s book “Finding Your Fit in Ministry”). Examples might be praying to God on a fairly regular basis – his “Permissive will” - while consistent and persistent prayer as described in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”) would be God’s (“Perfect will”).

Jesus says that his chosen – or in other words, his faithful – will never give up in their conversation with him, which is exactly what prayer is all about. A prayerful heart, a prayerful life, a life that trusts in all that Jesus taught, a life that puts all needs, all dependencies, all hope in Jesus Christ as Savior – that this attitude in faith will bring God’s justice to bear in all matters. Now, in our passage, Jesus says that it will come “quickly”, but this doesn’t actually mean immediate or even speedy! It means that it will come at the perfect time and in the perfect way, in satisfaction of both his will and our need.

The Lord also calls attention to the comment made by the judge, that he is only responding to the widow’s request because he is getting tired of her constant request for help, that which the judge describes as “bother”. He doesn’t make this judgment on behalf of the woman – he only makes it for his own benefit. Right or wrong had nothing to do with his decision – it was only because of his personal discomfort with the entire situation.

So the question for each of us today is this – why do we go to the Lord in prayer? Is it generally when we are going through a particularly difficult time, when a loved one is ill, when we are afraid or lost, when we are unable to complete an accomplishment or obtain a particular desire?

Or are we prayer warriors who follow the words of 2 Thessalonians 5 through rejoicing in prayer, being constantly in prayer, giving thanks for all that God brings and not just for the things that we desire, having a prayerful heart as well as a prayerful mind. And above all, are we consistent and persistent in prayer, trusting that the Lord will always provide us with what we need, and not necessarily with what we see as a necessity?

The widow in Jesus’ parable sought and trusted in God’s provision, and never gave up until it came. Are we that trusting in Christ’s word for our lives?

"The Reward for Discipleship"

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

For many people today, their focus on this life is all about what they can get out of it. They join organizations that can increase their personal prestige, they attend the “right” university and enroll in the “best” degree program, they search out employment that will bring them wealth and position and authority and recognition, they join a church that will look good on their resume, and nearly every other decision that they make is all about how it will benefit them.

But as we know from scripture, coming to faith in Jesus Christ is not as much about what we get, as it is in what we are willing to give. That was Jesus’ way, and it must be ours. But our giving can never be in a worldly way. It’s about giving up control, it’s about giving our lives, it’s about letting the Lord lead us in this life and to set the standard that we should follow. And in that, the reward will also be incredibly unworldly.

Today’s parable, “Workers in the Harvest”, is about our labors, and God’s version of equality in the compensation that all will receive.

Read Matthew 20:1-2

In agricultural circles, employment can come in ways that are different from other businesses, especially in by-gone times. In Jesus’ day, manual labor prevailed, and as the need for labor varied, the slack was cared for through day laborers. This was especially true during harvest, and with some crops today, this is still true where manual, as opposed to mechanical harvesting, is beneficial.

In the parable, this would be the first group hired for the harvest. The pay that was offered was the standard wage for a 12 hour work day. An actual conversion of the Roman denarius to our monetary system is difficult, but it would be worth very little – a couple of dollars at best. Day laborers and their families lived deep in poverty, and were always teetering on the verge of disaster. So the opportunity for a day’s wages might keep them going for another day or two.

But if we think about it, our Lord is revealing a unique and poignant message for us. In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray “Give us this day our daily bread”, and it’s possible that we miss the intent of these few words, but the point was right on for the laborers in the parable - they knew exactly what “daily bread” was all about and how important is was for them and their family!

One step, one day, and one day’s meal at a time. Not much of a reward for your labors, but it would be sufficient!

Read Matthew 20:3-7

So now we read that as the day progressed, there were more opportunities for work. The initial offer would have been at about 6 in the morning, and now, more opportunities come every 3 hours. But the interesting thing is in the offers for compensation.

The first was fairly normal – “work for me today, and I’ll pay you a day’s wage” – routine work for a normal day’s pay. But after that, it was more a matter of trust on the part of the workers! Imagine having a job offer with the financial considerations being “whatever is right”, or even no mention of pay whatsoever?

None of these additional workers would be working for the entire day. So what should they expect to be paid? Not very much, that’s for certain! But we need to remember that this is one of Jesus’ parables, a teaching moment - not about working in a vineyard, but about God’s benevolence, about the ways of Christ, about the truth of God, not about the restrictive ways of earth. It began “the kingdom of heaven is like …”, so what is our image of the kingdom?

Does it have any relationship whatsoever to our earthly labors and the compensation we receive? Is heaven our payment for perfection in our worldly endeavors? Is our worth examined every day and based on our daily contribution to God’s plan? Is it how hard we work, how much success we have, how many others we bring into the kingdom, that earns us God’s pleasure?

What is “right” in God’s mind and heart? And what about that offer at 5 in the afternoon – come and work, for no guarantee of pay? No reward if our opportunity for work is minimal? What is Jesus telling us?

Read Matthew 20:8-12

Fairness, like beauty, is, apparently, in the eye of the beholder! And the truth is that we seldom agree with what others “behold”! Fairness has become a personal and relative issue, and from our point of view, it usually centers on what fairness brings to our own life! And not only in absolute terms, but more importantly, in comparison to what others receive.

So it should be no surprise to any of us that the workers in the parable consider the vineyard owner’s actions as completely unfair! As a matter of fact, they even equate his generosity to a complete breakdown in the normal meaning of “fairness”. They say that the owner has made the work that they have completed less valuable by making it “equal” to what others have done. After all, how could 1 hour of work be as valuable as that of 12 hours?
They were equating the value of their work in terms of the relative compensation that they received versus that of others.

But this is a Godly parable, not a story about the world’s truth! It’s about the Lord’s concept of what is fair and what isn’t, and his ways are anything but the same as ours! (Isaiah 55:8-11) Apparently, the Lord’s pleasure in us has nothing to do with how much we do, how long we do it, how marvelous we may think our ministry has been, or especially how well our Christian efforts meet the standards of earth! God’s only desire is that we give him our all, for as long as we have with him, in his way and by his leadership.

The Lord sees our lives and hearts and efforts in his perfect truth, not ours. He judges us by his standards, not by the norms of the world. He calls us to serve in ways that he knows and approves, not in those that make us comfortable.

Pray that his ways will reign over the world and guide us all!

Read Matthew 20:13-16

The lessons that the Lord is offering are many - given for the Jews, for the disciples and the fledgling Church, for Christians throughout the centuries, and even a special message for the people of today:

First, the Jews: For centuries, they had pinned their hopes in Messiah on the fact that they were “the chosen” of God. They had decided, on their own, that this meant that there were no conditions attached to their holy covenant. They strayed from the ways of their Jehovah God, they had worshipped contrived images as well as the gods of other nations, they had given their allegiance to other worldly powers, including that which Rome was exercising over them, they even followed the Law of Moses, instead of the ways of the Lord and worship was totally perverted. And they had the audacity to think that God’s promises were still exclusively theirs?

But Jesus was telling them that everything was about to change, that since they were incapable of following his word faithfully, others, gentiles, of all people, would be allowed in and that they would receive the same promises that Israel had been given years before. Not especially welcome news for Israel!

Second, for his disciples and the early Church: they were about to be given authority to carry on the ministry that Jesus had begun, and they were to grow the new found faith in him. However, even though they had been blessed with knowing him first, and even though they were being given divine authority and responsibility to carry on in his name, they were in no way to consider themselves as being higher and more loved and more important than anyone else. Their promise was no different than that for others who would come to faith in Jesus in the years to come, and it mattered not whether new converts came to faith by their witness, or that of others.

Third, for the future church: a similar message, but especially for those who would come to the Lord early in life. They were to know that just because someone was to have many more years serving the Lord than others, time held no importance for them. Whether we have 50 years in faith and service to Jesus, or only 50 minutes of faith in Christ, the promise of eternity holds true for both.

And fourth, for us in our current situation: labor in the Lord takes many forms. We have been involved in regular ministries for a number of years – some that we have initiated, and some that have come to us from others – regardless of what or how long, ministry must continue, even in our confinement and separation. The old ways may not apply any more, the old ways can no longer reach others like they used to, the old ways may even be broken, so maybe this is a new opportunity to begin fresh. This is a time to leave our comfort zones and step out in new ways and possibly for new people. Innovation is required; trust in the Lord must be absolute; eagerness to follow wherever God leads us is vital; seeking new ways to share our love of Christ and to witness to the grace we have received must be our only direction and goal.

God can do whatever he desires, whether we understand it or not. And his generosity? It is limitless!
And the final words of the parable – “So the last will be first, and the first shall be last.”? The humble, the lowly, the ones who submit to Godly ways, the ones who do not lord it over others, the ones give all glory to the Lord will be the ones who will be seen as first in the kingdom. And those who seek personal recognition, those who seek privilege and prestige and authority for themselves, those who strive to put themselves first in this life, will become last and least in the kingdom.

Let the world see us as last, for that is the way of Jesus, and it will also be the only way to gain access to glory and life in the kingdom of heaven. May it be so for each of us.

“A Mother’s Love Amidst the World’s Weeds”

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Today is Mothers’ Day – a day when we celebrate the gift that mothers bring to their families – the gift of compassion, love, and a servant’s heart. Admittedly, mothers are no more perfect than any other person, but I truly believe that they all have the very best at heart for the family members who are closest to them.

But as hard as anyone may try to raise their children in truth, and in love, and for success in life, there is always something hanging out, right around the corner, with the intent to disrupt our plans and to defeat the goodness that has been offered. And this is what our parable for today is all about – the way that God’s goodness can be delayed - not defeated, but delayed - by the evil that is so prevalent in this world.

The parable is known as “The Weeds”, and this weedy culprit is traditionally known as tares – a weed that looks very similar to wheat until it is harvested, when the difference in the grains becomes more obvious. Tares, also known as bearded, or poison darnel, is toxic, and at best, if eaten, will make a person nauseous, and in many instances, can cause death.

And this is where we begin today.

Read Matthew 13:24-26

None of us would intentionally sow “weeds” in our children’s lives, but evil knows no bounds. It loves to inject itself into the unsuspecting lives that never see it coming. In the parable, Jesus tells us that good seed was planted, with great anticipation for a marvelous harvest. But evil will always have an aversion for goodness, and will do all that it can to destroy it. We have to note two things in Jesus’ teaching.

First, - the sower of weeds is an “enemy”. Anything that goes against the goodness of God is not only the Lord’s enemy, but it must also be our enemy. And how do we know the difference? If a word contradicts scripture, or perverts it by changing it or taking a phrase out of context, the enemy has been revealed for the evil it is.

Second, we read that after sowing the bad seed, the enemy left. That’s the way evil works. It sets the stage, it makes its way appear to be legitimate, it begins its deceitful work, and then leaves the rest up to the natural flow of things. And evil will begin to grow, with the appearance that it is as good as anything else. So what do we do about it?

Read Matthew 13:27-28

The one who sowed the good seed still hadn’t recognized the weeds for what they are. It took the observance of others to identify the evil. So the question for us is this – why is it so hard for us to come to grips with the sin that creeps into our lives? The truth is that whether it is for evil or goodness, life can easily blend them together as they grow and becomes natural in life, and sometimes, it can become extremely difficult for us to tell the difference.

This is why Christian friends are so vital for our spiritual health. Others will be able to see us from the outside, from a slightly different perspective. And when their love for us outweighs their reluctance to tell us that we are walking a wayward path, and when they reveal the truth about our life, we have a choice to make – will we believe them, or will we decide that our truth is more important than theirs?

Sin is one of those insidious things that can so easily haunt us without our ever recognizing it. Down deep, we may know that it isn’t right, but until someone else points out the error of our ways, there will be little that we are willing to do about it.

Read Mathew 13:29-30

Appearances can be deceiving. The servants wanted to wade into the field and start weeding! A noble thought, but the tares and the wheat looked very similar, and as they grow together, their roots begin to intertwine, and by the time that the two plants begin to look different, we are unable to eliminate the poison without damaging the nourishment. The only way is to wait until the time of harvest has arrived. And then is the only appropriate time to separate the two – the weeds to be consigned to the fire, and the wheat brought into the kingdom. And when is that time? It may be the day we reject our life in the world, and give our life to Christ, but if we never do that, it will come to be when Christ returns, but that will be too late for us.

And the lessons?

First, we need to be aware that not only is the kingdom of God with us, but so is sin and evil. The problem, though, is that without a great deal of study and discernment and surrender to the truth of God, it is nearly impossible for us to tell the difference between the two, and we can easily be deceived. We need to be aware that both are calling for us to follow, and that only God’s way is true. Without Jesus in our lives, life becomes hopeless.

Second, we need to stay close to our Christian brothers and sisters, to trust their faith, to trust their vision, and to trust the word of God that they share with us. Without them, our blindness will prevail, and our vision may never be restored.

Third, since we normally have such a difficult time in committing to the Lord’s truth and way, and rejecting the evil of this world, we should never be too quick to condemn others for their lives. After all, we are just as guilty of sin as others are.

Fourth, we need to leave judgment up to the Eternal Judge who alone is able to know the truth of all things. We need to trust that the “Day of the Lord’s Harvest” is on its way, but since all have sinned, and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:22-26), who can possibly be found worthy? Our only hope is to believe in the Divine Judge, Jesus Christ, trusting in him as our Truth, our Redeemer, and our Savior. (Zechariah 3:1-10)

The point is that we are incapable of judging others fully, but we must strive to be discerning of who God would have us be and what he would have us do, and to follow him as faithfully as we can. And what is his way? To know that all that Jesus has taught, and all that he has done has been given for you and me and all who will just believe. And in that, we are called to follow as well as we can, for that is our only hope for eternal life.

We shouldn’t try to tear the “weeds” out of the lives of others, and instead, to simply introduce them to the way and life that only resides in Christ Jesus, and in those who believe in him. Jesus has already destroyed the power that evil can have over us, but we will be freed only if we trust in him. May it be so for each of us today.

“Good Harvest, or Poor?”

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-9

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was, without a doubt, a radical pastor and a highly effective teacher and preacher. And that should be seen as quite a compliment, as it also perfectly describes Jesus! John would be barred from all the Anglican Churches in England, and Jesus would be banned from synagogues throughout Judea and the Galilee. They both found new opportunities beyond the walls of structure, and within the freedom of the fields and roads and lakeshore. John was constantly under attack from the Anglican hierarchy, as well as by the British gentry, while Jesus would be threatened by the Jewish clergy and Pharisees, and arrested, tried, and convicted by the Sanhedrin, the highest court of Israel.

Followers and congregations of both would primarily consist of the common people, and they would be shunned by the upper society of their respective days. And the message they brought to this world? For both of these men, the message was unconventional, and initially rejected by the world.

And the truth that each proclaimed? That salvation was no longer based in the things that we give to the world, but rather in the life and faith we give to Jesus Christ. It has never been, and never will be, about works, and it has always been, and always will be, about surrender of this world and putting all of our hope in God.

The difference between John Wesley and Jesus Christ, other than Jesus being God and Wesley just one of his preachers (!), is that Wesley spoke in terms that were as clear and blunt as he possibly could, while Jesus chose parables for much of his teaching. Parables, as we have seen before, were plainly about worldly responsibilities and tasks, because God wants us, initially, to understand the concepts of true life, and as we begin to grow and trust in Jesus, we then begin to put a divine understanding into the story.

Today’s parable, and Christ’s divine lesson, is found in “The Parable of the Soils”.

Read Matthew 13:3

One of the drawbacks of Jesus’ parables is that they were, of course, based on the cultural and economic norms of that day, which are significantly different than what we are typically used to. Agriculture was the dominate business in 1st century Israel, but not so much today. Israel was under occupation by an oppressive Rome, and even though there are regions of our world where this level of hatred still reigns, most of us haven’t got a clue as to what the fullness of persecution can do to human lives. So our first task is to understand what Israel already knew.

In today’s lesson, we discover that planting a field in those days was also a little different than what we know as farming. No tractors, no plows, no planters, no machines whatsoever – just a bag of seed, carried by a man, spreading the seed by hand, letting it fall wherever it landed. Not especially efficient, but it was all they had. But what does this have to do with God and his ways?

The farmer sows seed to produce a crop of grain, while the follower of Christ sows the seed of faith, that a harvest of souls may be gained for the Lord. The ancient farmer spread the seed throughout the field, never choosing where it landed, and neither should we. In our Christian witness, we must never choose between who we share Jesus with, and who we don’t. After all, we never know who might be open to the gospel, and who isn’t – some will open their hearts and minds to the word, while others will remain closed to the truth of God, but we have no idea as to which is which!

Read Matthew 13:4-7

Jesus continues, not with why we shouldn’t be selective, but why some don’t receive the Lord. And we have to wonder - why this is so important? While we aren’t actually told why, it’s possible that Jesus may have wanted to prepare his disciples for rejection. They had already seen some signs that the Jewish leadership was going to oppose everything that Jesus said and did, and as his ministry continued, the conflict would also continue to grow. And the Lord wanted them to understand that persecution and personal attacks would soon be their lot, too, and that avoidance of the oppression was not to be an option.

The first problem that the faithful would experience is that some of the “seed” they shared would fall on hardened hearts, and would never be able to even begin to grow and work within them. There are several reasons for this failure to accept the word, with the first being prejudice. This could be as simple as bigotry against Christians, and certainly could be based in other aspects of spiritual blindness.

A second reason may be pride and contentment in a personal lifestyle or belief. No one likes to be told that they’re wrong, and that God wants them to make a change in their life. “I’ve known that this is the truth all my life, and it’s become an important part of who I am! Who are you to tell me that I’m wrong?” The problem today is that truth has become relative, that our truth is just as right as anyone else’s, and that no one has the right to say otherwise.

The second problem that keeps a seed from bringing in a great harvest, is when the seed falls on shallow soil, where there is inadequate nourishment to sustain growth, and the young and fragile seedling soon dies.
The spiritual equivalent is seen in the lack of commitment that defines the shallow faith of many in the church today. They come into the church, attend worship, and little else. And as soon as something is said or happens that they disagree with, they leave to find a different church, and only stay there until the next conflict arises.

The problem is that in our striving to learn from Jesus, we need to remain at his feet, and commit to discovering, and accepting, the truth of his ways, regardless of what we have to give up in favor of him. It requires both personal and corporate study, it demands a deep desire to bring honor and joy to the Lord, it needs to deepen us, and grow us, in the ways of God himself.

The third issue that Jesus points out is a little different than the first two. It’s about what others do to “choke” the faith out of us. In the parable, it is thorns that choke the stalks of grain. In our faith, it is the doubt and cynicism and lies that the forces of worldly darkness sow within our soul. And it is only if we are stronger than the world’s thorns that our faith will remain true to the word of God.

Read Matthew 13:8-9

But when the seed falls on “good soil”, the possibilities exceed all expectations. But Jesus’ teaching wasn’t just for his disciples in the 1st century – it is for all who have ever preached or witnessed or taught or served or proclaimed the power and majesty and love of Almighty God that lives and reigns by faith in Christ Jesus.

Jesus reached out to countless thousands of people throughout the region. He preached to the common people of the Galilee, he challenged the aristocracy of Jerusalem, he comforted the sinners, both Jewish and gentile alike, and he loved them all deeply, he sided with women and Samaritans, he healed the sick and lame, and he even did it on Sabbath, much to the dismay of the Pharisees! He loved, and nourished, and corrected, and brought the truth of God to this world, and in the world’s way, he was hated and condemned for it.

And wouldn’t you know it, he calls each one of us to walk the same road that he traveled. We are to share the grace and glory of Jesus with those who want to hear and learn, as well as with those who will denounce and berate us for our faith. We are to introduce the worthy and the unworthy to Christ, in spite of whether we are comfortable with them or not, and whether we think they will accept him or not. We are to be a witness to the hope and promise that a life in him will bring, whether others will claim his truth or not.

Earlier, we saw how closely the ministry of John Wesley followed that of the Lord Jesus. I leave you with one quotation from Wesley: he said “You have one business on earth – to save souls.”
I hope that John would forgive me if I make a slight change to his words – We have one business on earth – to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ throughout the world, so that, by faith, HE can save the souls of all men and women.

Will the harvest of souls be great or small? That’s up to each one of us! So cast the seeds of faith as widely, as deeply, as faithfully, as truthfully, in as many places, in as many ways, and as often as you possibly can, and on the Day of Jesus’ return, the harvest will be incredible!

May it be so for all of us.