We continue to look at Matthew 13. Specifically the parables found in Matthew 13 even more specifically the parable of the weeds being planted right next to the wheat.
These parables that Jesus spoke were designed to give all those who are listening an idea of what the "kingdom of God" was like.
One reason why they needed to understand what the kingdom of God was like was because they had a very different idea of what a kingdom was. Kingdome's went to those with great power, great armies, influence, riches,intended to take over geographic locations.
The illustrations that Jesus used constantly pointed to the Kingdom of God being a place of individual growth. This growing Kingdom seemed to depend on individuals being representations of the King, and producing characteristics of the King on this earth. The king whom the growing individuals represented would not necessarily be present on the earth during this growth period. So this concept was very hard for the people who heard Jesus to understand and I think it is a concept that even now is difficult for many Christians to live out.
When Jesus gives this illustration/parable the disciples listened intensely. We get the idea that later on that day after they could not come up with a satisfactory explanation they asked Jesus to please interpret the parable of the weeds and the wheat for them.
So Jesus makes it clear that he plants a good seed. The evil/Satan plants the bad seed right next to the seed Jesus planted.Both seeds are planted on the earth and represent individuals who are growing up as representatives of the one who planted them.
The workers of the farm are the angels. The angels tell Jesus what the evil one has done and want to pull all of the bad seed/weeds out of the field. Jesus as no let them both grow together. Jesus knows that to pull out the bad weeds will only destroy the growth of the good wheat. He tells the angels to wait until the harvest at that time the weeds can be thrown into the burn pile, and the wheat can be thrown into the barn .
a couple of the general concepts we can understand about the kingdom of God are these.
There is an enemy who wants to destroy a good crop of God. We are not to try and pull out the weeds ourselves. Our job is to grow up right next to the weeds and produce a crop that will benefit the one who pointed us. At the same time we are growing the evil one is growing his crop as well. Both crops will be harvested by the angels of God. One crop will be burned the other crop will be taken to where they belong.
In a general sense I think God is making it clear that those who grow the fruit of his kingdom do not seek to destroy the evil ones that are next to them but rather seek to produce aspects of the kingdom right along side of evil ones. The aspects of the kingdom involved love, joy, peace, patience, meekness, hospitality, miracles, prayer,the Gospel of salvation, and many other positive characteristics of the kingdom of God. In producing the fruit of the kingdom we trust that the farmer and his workers will harvest those who need to be harvested at the appropriate time. Constantly praying for God's judgment/harvest of the evil one must be balanced with a life that represents him while we're here on earth. We cannot spend our time on this planet looking forward to being harvested when we are producing no fruit to which the farmer is going to be pleased with.
So we encourage each other not to just hope for the harvest but to live a life in which we produced a fruit at the farmer will be pleased with.
We were also encouraged to realize that the fruit of the kingdom is far more than just handing out tracks and telling people that they're going to hell if they don't receive Christ. The kingdom involves every aspect of our life and will involve living right alongside of those who do not know our King.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
elevate review September 12
It has been awhile since I spoke at elevate. I missed it. It's very cool to be part of a group of people that so encourage each other and enjoy each other's presence.
We took a look at Matthew Chapter 13, the parable of the sower and the seed.
We saw that Jesus told a lot of stories like this one. But he was somebody who attracted large crowds not only because of the miracles he did it because he spoke in such a way that people could understand what and who God is.
This particular parable took a very familiar tone with a farmer/sower out planting seeds. Jesus described four places that the seeds would fall. One of the places no growth occurred. Two of the places showed growth, but ultimately died off before any fruit showed up. The final place showed growth and 30, 60, 100 times seed to fruit ratio.
After the story Jesus was questioned by his disciples.
The questions seemed to indicate that the disciples did not understand the meaning of these stories, and didn't quite understand why Jesus wouldn't want everyone to know the meaning of the stories.
Jesus responded by letting the disciples know that they did understand the meaning of the stories. They had the ability to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God I think the verses indicate the disciples did not seem that convinced.
Jesus then quoted the book of Isaiah and indicated that not everyone would understand the mysteries of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. That those who did not understand were not meant to understand. Jesus also indicated that the disciples were hearing things and seeing things that many prophets and followers of God in the Old Testament desperately wanted to see and hear but never had the opportunity.
Jesus ultimately had to interpret the parable for the disciples.
The seeds were the gospel of the kingdom of God. The ground was the hearts and minds of those who are given/received the seeds. The results of the seeds being planted were based on the soil on which they fell.
Jesus said some people are so hard of heart that they do not even here about the life of God's kingdom and the seeds never produce anything. The ideas of the Kingdom of God are actually stolen by the evil one.
Jesus said some people started out great grow up quickly and then do not allow their roots to go deep. Deep roots include worship, prayer, fellowship, community, and a host of other things that allow us to grow deeper in our knowledge of God. Without deep roots the heat of the day arrives and the plants whither before producing fruit.
Jesus said that some received the seed of God's and they grow up. Alongside this nice growth are weeds. These weeds are the cares of the world and the desire for money.over time to the cares of the world/weeds choke out the plant before any fruit could be produced.
Jesus shows the final place that the seeds land would be the good soil. These plants produce growth and also allow the farmer to reap a harvest many times that number of seeds that were planted.
The fruit that Jesus is talking about talking about would be aspects of the kingdom that he calls his people to produce in this world. Things like love, joy, patience, gentleness, weakness, and the like. Things like community, healing, prayer, service to others, and sharing the Gospel.
we all have the opportunity to produce fruit like this in the name of Jesus.
I do not believe that this is a one time offer from God. I don't think that this parable is talking purely/only about those who hear the gospel message. I think this passage is about those who already have the gospel and are given the opportunity by God to produce fruit for the kingdom. I don't think the farmer/God in this case only plants one seed in each person but instead seeks multiple harvests, and therefore plants and re-plants in the soil of people's lives.
I think we need to evaluate what our response is to the seeds that God is trying to plant in our lives.
Do we even hear what God is trying to say or do we let the seeds be stolen.
Have we grown quickly but tend to wilt when pressure come as it never actually produce anything of God's kingdom.
Have we grown in our walk with God but have been choked out because life has gotten complicated so we have decided that other things are more important right now then producing God's kingdom around us.
Have we taken in God's kingdom and begone to see the fruit of that kingdom all around us.
Regardless of where we are right now I believe God has more seeds to plant and we need to make sure that our heart is ready to receive and grow in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
We took a look at Matthew Chapter 13, the parable of the sower and the seed.
We saw that Jesus told a lot of stories like this one. But he was somebody who attracted large crowds not only because of the miracles he did it because he spoke in such a way that people could understand what and who God is.
This particular parable took a very familiar tone with a farmer/sower out planting seeds. Jesus described four places that the seeds would fall. One of the places no growth occurred. Two of the places showed growth, but ultimately died off before any fruit showed up. The final place showed growth and 30, 60, 100 times seed to fruit ratio.
After the story Jesus was questioned by his disciples.
The questions seemed to indicate that the disciples did not understand the meaning of these stories, and didn't quite understand why Jesus wouldn't want everyone to know the meaning of the stories.
Jesus responded by letting the disciples know that they did understand the meaning of the stories. They had the ability to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God I think the verses indicate the disciples did not seem that convinced.
Jesus then quoted the book of Isaiah and indicated that not everyone would understand the mysteries of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. That those who did not understand were not meant to understand. Jesus also indicated that the disciples were hearing things and seeing things that many prophets and followers of God in the Old Testament desperately wanted to see and hear but never had the opportunity.
Jesus ultimately had to interpret the parable for the disciples.
The seeds were the gospel of the kingdom of God. The ground was the hearts and minds of those who are given/received the seeds. The results of the seeds being planted were based on the soil on which they fell.
Jesus said some people are so hard of heart that they do not even here about the life of God's kingdom and the seeds never produce anything. The ideas of the Kingdom of God are actually stolen by the evil one.
Jesus said some people started out great grow up quickly and then do not allow their roots to go deep. Deep roots include worship, prayer, fellowship, community, and a host of other things that allow us to grow deeper in our knowledge of God. Without deep roots the heat of the day arrives and the plants whither before producing fruit.
Jesus said that some received the seed of God's and they grow up. Alongside this nice growth are weeds. These weeds are the cares of the world and the desire for money.over time to the cares of the world/weeds choke out the plant before any fruit could be produced.
Jesus shows the final place that the seeds land would be the good soil. These plants produce growth and also allow the farmer to reap a harvest many times that number of seeds that were planted.
The fruit that Jesus is talking about talking about would be aspects of the kingdom that he calls his people to produce in this world. Things like love, joy, patience, gentleness, weakness, and the like. Things like community, healing, prayer, service to others, and sharing the Gospel.
we all have the opportunity to produce fruit like this in the name of Jesus.
I do not believe that this is a one time offer from God. I don't think that this parable is talking purely/only about those who hear the gospel message. I think this passage is about those who already have the gospel and are given the opportunity by God to produce fruit for the kingdom. I don't think the farmer/God in this case only plants one seed in each person but instead seeks multiple harvests, and therefore plants and re-plants in the soil of people's lives.
I think we need to evaluate what our response is to the seeds that God is trying to plant in our lives.
Do we even hear what God is trying to say or do we let the seeds be stolen.
Have we grown quickly but tend to wilt when pressure come as it never actually produce anything of God's kingdom.
Have we grown in our walk with God but have been choked out because life has gotten complicated so we have decided that other things are more important right now then producing God's kingdom around us.
Have we taken in God's kingdom and begone to see the fruit of that kingdom all around us.
Regardless of where we are right now I believe God has more seeds to plant and we need to make sure that our heart is ready to receive and grow in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
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