Matthew 13-15: Taking Inventory

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” - Matt. 13:18-23 NIV

It's impossible for me to read the Parable of the Sower without using it as a measuring stick for my own life and in doing so, I often come up short.  I understood the message of the kingdom and that message cannot be snatched away.  The message took root and has stood with me throughout my life.  The blessing however, the blessing that comes to those who understand and receive the message of the kingdom of God, that blessing has overwhelmed me.  When I contrast my life with that before I was truly committed to the Lord, I cannot measure the richness with which God has blessed me, but I have to confess at the same time, that I, like the parable, often let the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, choke me.  It chokes that seed that was planted with such promise.  Prosperity, the prosperity that came only from God, causes me to sometimes think I have done it all on my own.  It causes me to sometimes think that I have to protect that prosperity rather than protecting my heart.  It causes me to be wrapped up in worries of preservation of the status quo rather than pushing through that status quo to where the real treasure lies.  Most of all, it keeps me from producing that crop that could be if only.  That means that right now, there may be someone who will never accept the gospel, who will never become one in the kingdom of God, because I have become consumed by my own life and not the kingdom.

2010 Post - Matthew 13-15:  Parables and Miracles

Matthew 10-12: Where is the Love?

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
    “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matt. 11:25-30 NIV

Contrary to what you would hear on many sides today, Jesus' gospel was not an argumentative gospel.  It was primarily a gospel of peace.  As he told his disciples "As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. (Matt: 10:12-13 NIV)   I fear, we've forgotten how to let our peace rest on others and as a result, it leaves us as well.  Lightly, lightly, is how we were to go about our lives.  Lightly.  If someone wants something from us, give it to them.  Everything is only temporary, but we all have a tendency to get wrapped up in this life, in this body and we lose something in the process.  Don't worry about those who can kill the body, but worry about those who can kill the soul.  Where does that put a lot of Christians?  Are we soul-killers?  Most of the time, our actions are because we believe we are doing right  We're fighting for the cause, we're protecting the truth, God's truth.  In the end, all we become is weary and heavy laden.  That's not what Christ called us to do or be.  He called us to lay it all down:  all of our burdens, all of our efforts, all of our arguments.  Lay it all down and take his yoke.  His yoke of gentleness and humility and we will find rest.  Why is it so hard to take up a yoke that is so easy, a burden that is so light?

2010 Post - Matthew 10-12:  The Kingdom of Heaven is Near

Matthew 8-9: Down from the Mountain

When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” - Matt 8:1 NIV

It's one thing to deliver speeches to the multitudes who follow after you, it's a completely different experience to come down from the lofty heights to where people are and suddenly be confronted with their realities.  All of a sudden, Jesus found himself surrounded by the blind, the paralytic, the bleeding, the dying, and the demon possessed.  Now what? 

Jesus did what few of us have the faith to do.  He acted on his Father's authority and healed them.  He moved around through all of those who had been wounded by living and gave them hope, he gave them back their lives.  And to those who would question the people he hung around with, he gave the Father's response, "go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’" He didn't surround himself with the capable or the elite, but those who knew how needy they themselves were.  Then, he challenged those who had chosen to follow him to put into practice what they saw him do.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” - Matt. 9:35-38 NIV

There are times when I wish I could walk through a crowd and touch suffering and let the Father's healing flow through to the needy.  I've come close to experiencing that in third world countries, but now here.  Here we have our own healers.  Their healing leaves something to be desired.  We usually wind up with the side effects of any surgery or medication, our minds might be blasted by the treatment or our energy depleted, but it's medicine after all.  If I really open my eyes, I will see that nothing has changed.  The harvest field is still out there.  God's healing is still the miracle power kind, not a placebo.  We still have the answer for the harassed and helpless.  All we need is God's compassion.  We need to come down from the mountain and walk among the harves.

2010 Post - Matthew 8-9:  A Ministry of Healing

Matthew 4-5: A New Powerful Kingdom

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matt.5:43-47 NIV

After all the prophets then silence for 400 years, along comes another man, and what he says is in stark contrast to even the words they heard from the prophets.  He does not proclaim gloom and doom, he claims another kingdom and calls anyone who would listen to be perfect as God is perfect.  What is this?  How can we be perfect like God in heaven is perfect?  If we are truly aware of his might and power, the power that led to the destruction of the great kingdoms of Israel, Babylon and Persia?  How do we appropriate that kind of power?

By loving your enemy as God does.  By turning the other check, by doing good to those who persecute us, by giving our coat to those who would take our jacket, by going the extra mile.   And thus, our image of God is changed, from one who would destroy his enemies, to one who loves all of his creation and calls us to do so.  Have we been in the Old Testament too long to see the good news of the Messiah?  Can we really believe that we are blessed to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be merciful,  pure in heart,  peacemakers, and persecuted because of righteousness,  Is that what it means to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  Does that sound like power to you?

2010 Post - Matthew 4-5:  The Kingdom of Heaven is Near

Matthew 1-3: An Everlasting King

Ruins of Herod's palace at Caesarea

Herod was a megalomaniac.  He built incredible palaces at Masada and Herodium, he rebuilt the temple on a grand scale, and partnered with the rich and powerful such as Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. He seemed to have it all, but he was not inclined to share his wealth and power.  Nothing stood in his way, he had several members of his own family killed, including his wife, so when he heard from the Magi that a new king had been born, he did not hesitate to try to kill him as well. Herod's plans never came to fruition, not only did he not kill the object of his jealousy as the child had been taken to Egypt, but he died shortly thereafter and was never to witness the power of the coming King, one who, as John the Baptist described it, would clear the threshing floor, gather his wheat into the barn and burn up any chaff.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” - Matt .3:11-12 NIV

Herod didn't realize that all of his efforts, all of his great monuments were nothing but wood hay and stubble; that they would disappear, fade into the dust of memory, become just another ruin.  His rule and the rule of any before or after him, was being replaced by an everlasting king and an everlasting kingdom, one that would withstand the ravages of time.

2010 Post - Matthew 1-3:  Prophecy Fulfilled

Malachi 1-4: Return to Me and I Will Return to You

“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.  But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty. “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”  - Malachi 2:7-9 NIV

These words from Malachi, one whose name means 'my messenger' were written as he heard the word of the Lord in aniticipation of the one who would come.  A new high priest was coming, one who could not be corrupted, one who would not offer an unacceptable sacrifice.  Then as now, many of those who should have been the servants of God, served their own purposes.  "You have robbed me", God told them.  "You have wearied me with your words."  "You flood the Lord's altar with tears because your petitions are not answered."

"All of this is in vain", God told the priests.  "You have turned from what I called you to do and instead have caused many to stumble.  But, I have seen through you, and even the people of the world see through you. They despise you because you do not live out what you profess, but, you are not without hope."

 “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.
  “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. - Malachi 3:5-7 NIV

"Return to me", God says.  "Return to me and I will return to you.  Don't turn to any others, turn, return to me."

2010 Post - Malachi 1-4:  You Cannot Rob God

Zechariah 10-14: They Will Mourn and Grieve Bitterly

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. - Zech. 12:10 NIV

For all the times I have read through the Old Testament, I don't think I have ever noticed this verse.  There are many other verses in Zechariah that point to the Savior, to Jesus such as these two references:

I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter. - Zech. 11:12-13 NIV

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. - Zechariah 13:1 NIV


Never, though, have I read the above verse and realized what lies ahead for the people of Israel, for the remnant that remains.  Someday, they will receive a spirit of grace and supplication.  The scales will fall from their eyes and they will see Jesus for who he really is.  They will realize he was their Messiah after all.  They will realize what he did for them and for the whole earth.  They will mourn and grieve, not just for the way he died, but for all the lost years, for all the years that were wasted because they could not acknowledge that he was their king.

2010 Post - Zechariah 10-14:  The Coming Day of the Lord