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Category Archives: Matthew

Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 19:16-30, 20:1-16)

07 Oct

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Matthew 20:1-16

Dear God, as I look to parables and try to determine what you are revealing to us (me) about who you are and your character through what you told us about you, this one is one that definitely fits that mold. Anything that starts with, “The Kingdom Heaven is like…,” is teeing that concept up.

I think I just saw something new here that I’ve never seen before. I don’t know that I’ve ever really sat in your place and read this story. I’ve always read it from the laborers’ perspective. But I’m trying to learn something about you here.

What I just saw is that your original plan was for us to work all day: “Adam and Eve. Here you go. You’re hired. Go work. Live. Live with me. Commune with me.” And some did. Some work. But for the rest who rebel, you are having to make accommodations. Sacrifices (literally).

I heard someone recently talk about the pain in the Old Testament and the sometimes questionable calls you made with the Israelites pre-Jesus earthly birth. They said that none of this was your ideal and that you are spending much of the Old Testament triaging the situation and finding a path forward for them.

That’s what you do. You have spent human history pivoting to try to accommodate our foolishness and mercifully “hire” us into your family. You would just as soon have hired us at the beginning of the day. But some of us weren’t there. Some of us weren’t ready. We didn’t set our alarm to get there on time. We decided to run a few selfish errands first.

Interestingly, this parable is actually a continuation of a story from chapter 19. It’s unfortunate there is a chapter break here because Matthew tells us this parable in conjunction with Matthew 19:16-30:

16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher,[f] what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep[g] the commandments.”

18 “Which ones?” the man asked.

And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’[h]”

20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new[i] and the Son of Man[j] sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.[

So the context of this parable isn’t that it’s easy to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. The context is the statement by Jesus that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” That seems to be the opposite except for how Jesus answers their question, “Then who in the world can be saved?” He says, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Then he goes into all of the throne stuff and judging the twelve tribes of Israel. He mentions the honoring of those who sacrifice even family for you, and then concludes with the “least important now will be the greatest then.” And then he starts the parable with, “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner…”

This describes you as being…well, incomprehensible. I almost said, “nuanced,” but that word seemed to simple. All I can really tell from this is that you are absolutely evaluating each person differently than I evaluate them. You are always waiting for that person who is ready to come to you and establish relationship with you. Even if I leave the field in the middle of the day, there is a pretty good chance you’ll hire me with the last shift.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I am so grateful for the mystery that is you. I’m so glad you don’t play by my rules. I’m glad you don’t have history unfold the way I would have it unfold. I’m sorry you are still having to triage our world. I’m sorry I didn’t hire on at the beginning of the day to serve you longer. I’m sorry that sometimes I wander off the job. Thank you for the grace you show me.

I pray all of this in the name of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 7, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)

01 Oct

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Matthew 18:23-35

Dear God, my temptation is to focus on the unforgiveness of the servant, but this is about learning more about what this parable tells me about you than about the person with unforgiveness in their heart. It’s more about what do I see in you than what do I see in me. So what decisions do I see you making in this story?

  • There will be a day when my account has to be settled with you.
  • You are willing to extend me mercy out of your pure compassion for me.
  • You care about my heart and what kind of compassion I am willing to show others.
  • It is possible for me to evoke your wrath against me.

One thing that becomes clear as I go through these parables is that you are not to be taken lightly (it seems like there’s a better phrase that I just can’t come up with right now). You are not to be mocked (that’s the phrase). You are not to be disrespected. Jesus makes it very clear that there is a limit to your mercy. You will throw the weeds in the fire. You will separate us from yourself. Frankly, I like to think that there is no limit to your grace and that Jesus’s sacrifice gives all of us a “Get out of Jail Free Card.” But that is not the picture Jesus paints at all. Is there some squishiness around the edges of your law? Probably. But anyone who openly mocks you is probably not in good shape eternally.

My wife played something for me yesterday with a priest talking about Catholic theology around loving you. During the talk, he used an example of a woman who had said (paraphrasing), “Even if I saw God Himself in the east, as high as Mount Everest, I would not serve him.” It made me think of Milton in Paradise Lost quoting Satan saying, “It is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.” Some people just feel that way. They are incapable of coming to the end of themselves. And when we come to the end of ourselves and start to climb the ladder of faith and getting refined by you, we find mercy for others, even in extreme circumstances, becomes easier because we become more like you. It doesn’t mean we don’t put boundaries on those relationships that are harmful, but it does mean we don’t have to carry around bitterness and our right to bitterness in our heart.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, walk with me this morning. Walk with me in mercy. Walk with me in joy. Walk with me in peace. I sang this song while I was in the shower this morning by Keith Green that I want to close with here: “Oh, Lord, you’re beautiful! Your face is all I seek. For when your eyes are on this child your grace abounds to me.”

I pray all of this under the grace of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 1, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:1-14)

27 Sep

18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:1-14

Dear God, I was once one of the little ones. I was once that humble child. Am I humble now? Am I making myself like that child now?

Once again, this includes some hard teaching from Jesus about being separated from you. It’s always a good reminder that you are not to be mocked. You are holy, righteous, just, and loving. You get frustrated with us and angry with us as well. A holy anger. But you also “go out and search” for us when we are lost. If I am going through these parables so that I can know you better, then I need to understand this about you. All of this about you.

I have to admit that I don’t like the idea of you being so harsh for those who don’t believe or become like a child because there are some people I love dearly who have not accepted your call to love you and build a relationship with you. That scares me. It also scares me that I am part of your plan A for searching for them. I am in the search party you are using to find those who are lost. Frankly, I don’t think I’m a very good searcher.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, open my eyes so I can see how to better search. Well, first, help me to humble myself into this childlike state Jesus is describing here. Help me to embrace it as your child. And then help me to take it and bring others into faith with you. Into discipleship. Into relationship. For their sake, and for your glory, oh Lord!

I pray this through the grace, life, blood, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 27, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Heart of Man (Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23)

24 Sep

15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Matthew 15:1-20

7 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Mark 7:1-23

Dear God, I was talking yesterday with an old friend and his wife (a very Godly couple who loves you so much, and whom I admire!) about the mistakes in our theology and biblical knowledge. In what we think we know about you. Our hearts justify errant thinking because we are often selfish and hypocritical. And sometimes we are just the victims of bad teaching that has been handed down generation to generation. There are just so many things about you that I do not know, and so many more that I think I know that are wrong. The example I used yesterday in our discussion was where Jesus was born. I don’t know when this tradition started to be taught, but I have always been taught he was born in a stable/barn/cave where they kept animals–some sort of a livestock area. I’ve also always been given the impression that Mary had Jesus as they rode into town (with her riding a donkey) and they couldn’t find a hotel room (this mistake is probably the reason it was so easy to come up with the “barn” part of the story. So why am I saying this is incorrect? Because in Luke 2:4-8 (NASB 1995 translation) it says, “4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she“ wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [d]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” [the footnote before “manger” says, “or feeding trough”] So it occurred to me one day that it doesn’t describe Mary riding a donkey or her coming into town fresh off the long journey and needing a quick hotel room to give birth. No, what it says is, “While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.” So how long had they been there? A week? A month? Three months? Did they get there, do their registration duty, and then decide they needed to stay because she was too far along to travel? The text doesn’t say, but what it does indicate is that they had been there for more than just a night or two. So if they were there for a certain period of time, where were they staying? In a tent in a field? Were there camps that had been set up for people like them? If so, maybe, just maybe, she had the baby in the tent, and then when they needed a makeshift crib, Joseph was able to go get a food trough from a local stable/barn/cave and use it for Jesus.

I really got off on a tangent there, but it goes with these passages from Matthew and Mark about the “heart of man” because everyone involved was a victim of errant teaching. And I don’t necessarily blame the Pharisees who were hassling Jesus. I honestly can’t say that I would have done any differently if I were them. They were taught how to be Pharisees by those that came before them, and they were passing it down. I’m sure I’ve done the same thing in my life. I’m sure I do it every day. There might even be part of what I’m doing right now that is doing the same thing.

As I try to take the lesson from the passage, I think the core of it is the reference Jesus gave from Isaiah 29:13, which both Matthew and Mark (Peter?) recorded:

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I really do not want my heart to be far from you. That’s what this is about. I don’t want my worship to be a farce. I don’t want to just teach man-made ideas as commands from you. No, I want to be completely yours. I want to be able to hear your still small voice speak to me. I want to learn what you want me to learn, and then pass on what you are teaching me to others so that they might be drawn closer to you. make me your vessel, oh Lord. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me, and then disperse me to your people.

I pray all of this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

P.S. I couldn’t help but notice that both of these versions end with Jesus describing what Paul describe in Galatians 5 and what I referenced yesterday as the deeds of the heart/desires of sinful nature. And again, Jesus’s lead-off hitter is sexual immorality. Hmm. I probably should look into this more.

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Net (Matthew 13:47-52)

23 Sep

47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they said, “we do.”

52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Matthew 13:47-52

Dear God, this is such a hard word. Where is the line? What is the line? Is there an exact line? The line I’m referring to is the opportunity to be with you vs. apart from you in anguish.

Right now, there is this earthly world where your presence moves simultaneously with Satan. You are here moving among your people. Your Holy Spirit is here. But Satan roams this world too. He and his demons have one job–to hurt your beloved creation. To hurt you by hurting us. To separate us from you.

But then one day there will be a great divide. At the harvest, we will all go to places that you will not share with Satan, either he in your realm or you in his. His realm will be all evil. It will be all the opposite of the fruits of the Spirit Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23. It will be Galatians 5:19-21

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

I was telling someone just this week that it’s interesting that just about any time Paul has a list of things people are doing wrong, his leadoff hitter is “sexual immorality.” We like to think that this is a new phenomenon that has come upon us in the last 60 years (since the sexual revolution in the 1960s in the U.S.), but this is as old as Genesis. But that’s not the point.

The point is that it disturbs me that there will be this chunk of people separated from you–some of whom I know well and love very much. I honestly don’t know which ones they are. I don’t know if you make allowances for life circumstances and trauma experienced. I don’t know just how far Jesus’s blood extends to the world. Even the worst person I can think of and that all of us use as our example as the ultimate bad person, Adolf Hitler. Was there some trauma in his childhood that pushed him onto that trajectory? Is there any mercy from you for him?

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as Abraham asked you to save as many as you could by pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah, asking if there were just a few faithful to you would you save the cities, I am asking that, on an individual level, if there is good in their hearts, even thought they might now call you God, if there is any good in their hearts, will you count it as righteousness to them. And show me explicitly how you would have me reach out and love those who need you in their lives.

I pray all of this completely submitted to your authority and love,

Amen

P.S. I kept verse 52 with this because I really liked how Jesus described the teacher of the religious law who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven. I like the adding new gems of truth to the old. You have given us beautiful gems to live out. Help us to live it for you.

 
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Posted by on September 23, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Hidden Treasure & Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:44-46)

19 Sep

44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

Matthew 13:44-46

Dear God, I think one question to ask myself that I don’t think I’ve ever asked before is, “What have I not sold that is keeping me from having all of you?” What are the things in my life that I hold on to?

  • Possessions
  • Relationships
  • Grudges
  • Fears
  • Idols
  • Selfishness

All of those things, and more, come between you and me. I have a comfortable life. Is my protection of any of it coming between me and you? I have relationships that I hold on to tighter than I should. Do those keep me from knowing you? Grudges and unforgiveness. Fears. Selfishness. And all of the idols I look to to help assuage my discomfort. All of these things come between you and me. They keep me from owning the amazing treasure you offer me.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, if I am here to know you, then one thing to know about you is that you are not to be mocked. You are my God. Help me to gradually figure out what it means to turn loose of each of these things so that I am completely yours and will know you better and better. I love you, Lord. And I life my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul, rejoice! Take joy my King in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

I pray this through Jesus’s name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 19, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)

17 Sep

3 “God blesses those who are poor [in spirit] and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice [righteousness],
    for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Matthew 5:3-12

Dear God, I’ve been doing this series on the parables Jesus told because a lot of them describe you and your character. They are your autobiography. But I was just at a meeting with other couples from our church group, and one of the women made this beautiful description of how the beatitudes from the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5 take everything we would strive for and turns them on their head. For example, she talked about someone she loves who is mourning the loss of her mother. My friend was thinking that she really should be over this by now. But then she said someone mentioned this concept of the beatitudes to her and she thought, “Yeah. It doesn’t say, ‘Blessed are those who grieve quickly and efficiently.'” She went on to describe other things and I was completely taken aback by it. So I decided to spend a little time with these things this afternoon and see if you have anything for me.

Here is the list of the things Jesus said you are wanting to help me with:

  • Being poor in spirit
  • Mourning
  • Hungering for justice/righteousness
  • Mercy
  • Pure heart
  • Working for peace
  • Experiencing persecution for doing what is right
  • Suffering for your sake

So what is the opposite of these things? If I am the opposite of these things, does it bring out your indifference towards me? If I am the opposite, can you not help me because I don’t have an opening in my heart for you? Here is a list of things that I think will put a barrier between you and me.

  • Having a spirit of completion in myself. I have it all together. I’ve got this.
  • Making myself numb to mourning because I don’t have time for something that will bring me down, and I don’t want to expose myself to pain.
  • Being arrogant about who I am and what the world and those around me owe me. I am never wrong. I’ve never found a need to ask you or anyone else for forgiveness.
  • Hiding injustice and unrighteousness for the times when it suits my agenda. If there is an injustice that will benefit me, then I will look the other way.
  • Withholding mercy because I have been wronged and that wrong must be punished.
  • Keeping parts of my heart away from you and just for me. Just to satisfy my selfishness.
  • Working to create disturbance between people so that I can have power in those relationships and manipulate them for my purposes.
  • Bowing to the path of least resistance, even if it compromises your values living through me in order to avoid persecution.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I do NOT want to be that second person. I don’t want to be any of those things, but I know my heart will sink into that very quickly if I allow it. I’ve done it before. I’ve done it today. But now, as I sit here, there is a song in my heart from Psalm 103: “Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Bless His holy name, all the earth. Bless the Lord, oh my soul. You are worthy, you are worthy.” So bless my heart, soul, mind, and body. Help me to be the type of person you are anxious to bless, comfort, strengthen, and hold close. Help me to absorb you so that the fruits of your Spirit might grow in my heart.

I pray all of this through the amazing mercy given to me through your son, my God, Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 17, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Yeast (Matthew 13:33)

15 Sep

33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Matthew 13:33

Dear God, this is one of those things that can be interpreted through multiple lenses. For example, I could read this and say, “Jesus is saying that the natural aspect of the yeast living out its life does amazing things, and the same is true for us. If we commit ourselves to discipleship, prayer, study, and worship then the fruit that grows out of us will do amazing things throughout the world.” Or I could say, “If we take our message of Jesus and God’s authority to the world then we can do great things.”

I was listening to a song this morning that I’ve journaled on before: “The Unmaking” by Nichole Nordeman. I think it’s worthwhile to put the lyrics here:

The Unmaking by Nichole Nordeman

This is where the walls gave way
This is demolition day
All the debris and all this dust
What is left of what once was
Sorting through what goes and what should stay
Every stone I laid for you
As if you had asked me to
Monument to holy things
Empty talk and circling
Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?
What happens now?
When all I’ve made is torn down
What happens next?
When all of you is all thats left

This is the unmaking
Beauty and the breaking
Had to lose myself to find out who you are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking
This is the unmaking

The longer and the tighter that we move
Only makes it harder to let go
Love will not stay locked inside
A steeple or a tower high
Only when we’re broken are we whole
What happens now?
When all I’ve made is torn down
What happens next?
When all of you is all thats left

This is the unmaking
Beauty and the breaking
Had to lose myself to find out who you are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking
This is the unmaking

I’ll gather the same stones where
Everything came crashing down
I’ll build you an altar there
On the same ground
Because what stood before
Was never yours

This is the unmaking
Beauty and the breaking
Had to lose myself to find out who you are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking
This is the unmaking
Oh this is the unmaking
Had to lose myself
To find out who you are

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: David Hodges / Nichole Nordeman

This song is all about doing whatever I want to do in your name. Yes, I am guilty of this sometimes. Even now, I have some things happening that are really frustrating me. My temptation is to take control, go monster mode, and force some solutions. But that would be a huge mistake. I want to do it because I’ve made some things idols. Whether it’s relationships with coworkers or family, accomplishments, or whatever, I think my temptation is to try to get some of my security/peace needs met by trying to please people as opposed to just letting your Spirit work and leaning into your Spirit for my peace.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, help me to be yeasty today. Help me to lean into you for my peace. Help me to let go of the idols that I accidentally establish to make me feel better about myself. I’m sorry for all of it. I really am. Right now, in this moment, I just want to be with you.

I pray all of this submitted to your authority,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 15, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32)

13 Sep

31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Matthew 13:31-32

Dear God, I’ve never thought of this before, but what if it were the opposite? What if the Kingdom of Heaven is like an elephant. It is the largest of the animals and it sits wherever it wants? Sometimes it feels like that’s what the American church today wants. And you’re God. You could make it work that way. You could be the 800-lb. gorilla that sits wherever you want to sit. You could subdue us and make us do whatever you want. You could override our free will. In fact, I wonder how much the Israelites listening the Jesus at the time were disappointed by this parable.

But if I’m doing this series to get a feel for who you are then I need to really think about this. You work in such a loving, growing, organic way. A gentle way. You start with something small and infuse it with your presence. From there is grows from the bottom up until it grows into something that is a blessing to others.

I work in a place like that. You took a woman 31 years ago and inspired her to do one thing: start a one-night-a-week free clinic. She knew people needed help and you planted the seed of an idea within her and it found fertile soil. It grew. Now, 31 years later, we are a medical home for thousands. The come to us from miles around to find hope and help. Volunteers come to us to find a source of joy and serving. Donors join us to be part of your community. What a joy!

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I pray that I will be mindful of how you work. I pray that I will be patient as I see things that I want done, but want to take the elephant approach and not the mustard seed approach. You work through mustard seeds, not elephants. You work organically, not autocratically. Help me to remember that. Help me to remember the joy you have for all of us as we worship you and then till the soils in our own hearts so that the seeds you plant in them will have space to grow.

I pray all of this by your Holy Name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 13, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

11 Sep

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

…

36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Dear God, I have a couple of thoughts about this morning I don’t think I’ve ever had before. First, I think a lot of people who do not understand why there is suffering in the world would question why you let the devil plant the weeds in the first place. Is there a bigger purpose in that? Do we need this struggle between you and him to develop into your children? Would it be possible to be your child without this struggle?

Second, I wondered if I am here this morning because you didn’t pull out the weeds with the wheat generations before. My entire existence (birth) is dependent upon a very specific set of events happening. Essentially the right people had to conceive at the precisely the right time for me to be here. For any of us to be here. How much do I really owe my own life to your mercy?

So as I sit here this morning, I think about my life. Am I wheat or am I a weed? Does the way you see my life change at any given moment? And, for the sake of argument, let’s say I’m a wheat. How would you have me to live among the weeds? It feels like you want me, within my sphere of influence, to love on the weeds as much as possible to see if I can get them to be wheat. You also want me to do everything I can to support the other wheat around me. And finally, you want me to stay wheat and grow strong by tapping my roots into you. Into your living water. Into your Holy Spirit.

Father, I give all of this to you. I don’t understand your ways. I don’t understand why you have given Satan the leeway you’ve given him, but mine is not to ask why. I think of Job 38 when you ask him, “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” (Job 38:2) I don’t dare question you. So my other choice is to simply submit to you. So Holy Spirit, Jesus, Father, “break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.”

I pray this in your Holy Name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 11, 2023 in Matthew

 

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