Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 13: 47-50 The Parable of the Dragnet

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus is probably walking along the seashore as he is talking with his disciples. As the crowd watches, local fishermen are sorting out the fish they have caught during the night. While some fish are highly desirable, there are other fish that are simply trash fish and are considered inedible. The fishermen are gathering up the good fish to sell while they are throwing the trash fish into a pile to be discarded. Jesus is using the normal activities of these fishermen as a teaching moment.

Jesus tells us that at the end of the age, God will sort out the righteous from the unrighteous, condemning the wicked to eternal damnation. We might ask why a holy and just God would condemn the wicked, but think about it. If God is truly holy and just, how can He possibly tolerate wickedness? And can truly wicked people tolerate God in His righteousness and holiness?

God by His very nature requires people to be righteous; however, the entire universe tilts on the axis of free will. God does not condemn anybody to hell, but people condemn themselves by their bad choices. But what about good people? How good must we be to meet God’s standards? Ah, there’s the problem! No matter how good we are, we can never be good enough because none of us is perfect.

The Message version of Romans 3:9-20 tells us, “There’s nobody living right, not even one,
nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They’ve all taken the wrong turn;
they’ve all wandered down blind alleys. No one’s living right; I can’t find a single one.
Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Every word they speak is tinged with poison. They open their mouths and pollute the air. They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, don’t know the first thing about living with others. They never give God the time of day.”

But if this is the case for the entire human race, how will anyone ever be considered as righteous? This is where God has stepped in to deliver us from ourselves and from our sin. Again, The Message says, “But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.” Romans 3:21-26

Jesus Christ has become the ultimate blood sacrifice for the sins of the world; however, we must choose to believe in Jesus or turn away from him. When we turn away from Jesus, we are saying in effect that we think we are good enough to make it on our own. Such thinking is not only completely wrong but will damn us for eternity. Acts 4:12 tells us that ^“There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name (apart from the Name of Jesus) for men to call upon to save them.”

An old Gospel song says, “He paid a debt he did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away.” Christians call Jesus their Savior because he has sacrificed himself to save them from their sins and from eternal damnation.

The one thing that is different about our situation from that of the fish in the net is that if we believe in Jesus Christ, we are certain of being kept as “good fish.” If we trust in our own goodness, we are doomed.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to choose to follow Jesus and to accept him as Savior. In the mighty and preious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 13:44-46 The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Jesus is telling these parables to his disciples to encourage them. The disciples have walked away from thriving businesses, comfortable homes, families who love them and who don’t understand what they are doing. The longer Jesus’ ministry goes on, the more likely it is that the religious authorities are going to conspire with the Romans to wipe out Jesus and his disciples as well. What can Jesus say that will encourage these men to remain faithful? These two parables are the answer.

Many of those hearing these parables will eventually pay with their lives for their commitment, but not before the good news of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection has begun spreading throughout the known world.

Unless you are a student of mission literature, you may never have heard of William Borden, but you should. Borden was born into a very wealthy family in Chicago in which prayer and Bible reading were daily events. At age seven Borden committed his life to Christ. By the time Borden began college at Yale, he was a deeply committed Christian. At Yale, Borden started prayer groups that eventually involved 1,000 of the 1300 students then at Yale. Using his family’s fortune, Borden founded the Yale Hope Mission to minister to the drunkards, tramps, and vagabonds of New Haven, a port city.

During Borden’s first year at Yale, he attended the Student Volunteer Movement conference in Nashville and heard Dr. Samuel Zwemer beg for workers to reach the huge Muslim population in China. Zwemer warned that responding to this call might result in the death of the missionary. Borden immediately began preparing to minister to the Chinese Muslims, earning a master’s degree in Theology from Princeton. Borden left America for Egypt in December 1912 to study Arabic in Egypt. While in Egypt, Borden began adapting national dress and circulated throughout the city where he was living with a family and learning Arabic.

Tragically, Borden died from spinal meningitis on April 9, 1913, barely five months after his arrival; however, he bequeathed one million dollars to China Inland Mission and other groups. In addition, Borden wrote three phrases in his Bible that sparked an enormous response from others. “No reserve. No retreat. No regrets.”  

Since Borden’s death more than a century ago, his story has continued to inspire thousands, if not millions, to answer the call of Christ to take the Gospel to the world. Only in eternity will we know how many people have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because William Borden turned his back on family wealth and position to go to Egypt.

John 12:24-26 tells us, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

Notice that when Jesus is telling these stories, he refuses to sugar coat things. Both the magnificent pearl and the field containing the treasure demand their buyers sell all they have first before they can gain the treasure. Jesus is warning all disciples-and would-be disciples-that being heralds of the Kingdom will cost them everything. But when disciples lay down their lives to follow Jesus, the reward will be eternal life.

 How did Jesus’ original disciples die? The writer of the Faith On Hill blog gives this answer: (https://www.faithonhill.com/blog/what-happened-to-the-12-disciples)

PETER-Peter was crucified around 66AD in Rome under the persecution of Emperor Nero. There are all kinds of unverified traditions about his death, most notably that he was crucified upside down because he didn’t consider himself worthy to die the same way Jesus did.

JAMES-James was the first of the 12 to be put to death. King Herod had him killed by the sword in Jerusalem (Acts 12).

JOHN-The writer of the Gospel of John, the book of the Revelation and three epistles bearing his name, John is the only one of the 12 that history says was not put to death for his faith, although he suffered greatly because of Jesus throughout his long life. Tradition says he ended his life ministering in the region around Ephesus in modern day Turkey and is buried there.

ANDREW-The brother of Peter, Andrew traveled north, bringing the good news to what is now Russia and the western regions of the former Soviet Union. He later traveled through modern day Turkey and Greece where he was martyred.

PHILIP-Philip ministered in North Africa and then Asia Minor. Traditions says that a Roman Proconsul was so enraged that his wife had converted to Christianity because of Philip’s preaching that he had Philip brutally put to death.

BARTHOLOMEW/NATHANIEL-Bartholomew was apparently someone who loved to travel. Some accounts have him going to India with Thomas, then Armenia before heading along the trade routes between Ethiopia and the southern Arabian regions. While we are not sure how he met his end, tradition agrees that he was martyred for his faith. In some places he is listed as “Nathaniel” which could have been a family name or a name he was known by in the church.

MATTHEW/LEVI-The gospel writer who had previously been a tax collector, Matthew traveled to modern day Iran and then down to Ethiopia, probably following established trade routes and preaching the gospel along the way. While some accounts do not include how he died, others say he was stabbed to death in Africa.

THOMAS-Although he doubted the resurrection at first, Thomas’ faith in the risen Jesus was strong enough to send him traveling east to Syria and Iraq to preach the gospel, eventually ending up in India were the Marthoma Christian tradition considers him to be their founder. The Marthoma tradition says that Thomas died by stabbing at the hands of four soldiers.

JAMES THE SON OF ALPHAEUS-Very possibly the brother of Matthew/Levi, James is believed to have preached in the regions north of Israel. A non-Christian historical account says that he was stoned and then clubbed to death

SIMON THE ZEALOT-Simon’s ultimate end is somewhat unclear. … there are non-biblical traditions regarding the apostles. In the 12th century, a Spanish bishop began to promote the idea that James had come to Spain, despite the account of James’ martyrdom in Acts 12. The same is true with Simon the Zealot with different groups and agendas making claim to Simon’s legacy. The majority view seems to be that Simon was sawn in half in Persia.

PHILIP-Little is known about Philip’s life after Acts 2…Tradition says that he preached in the Phrygia region of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and was martyred for his faith in Jesus in the town of Hierapolis.

JUDAS THADDEUS-The early church father Jerome called Jude “Trinomius” which means three names. Mark and Matthew list him by his family name “Thaddeus”, while Luke refers to him as Judas the brother of James. Some have tried to link him with Jude, the half-brother of Jesus who wrote the book of the same name but we reject this view. Tradition holds that he preached the gospel in the area we could think of as Northern Syria, Iraq and Turkey. He was said to have been killed with arrows in Turkey’s mountainous northern region.

MATTHIAS-Tradition says that Matthias traveled north, possibly as far as the Caspian Sea. He was martyred for his faith although the method of his death is unclear.

PAUL-Paul suffered for the Lord throughout his life. In addition to imprisonment and multiple threats to his life, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.” Paul was beheaded in Rome in 66 AD, possibly at the same time as Peter.

JUDAS-Judas committed suicide after betraying Jesus. I mention this because every one of Jesus’ followers died. 10 of them as martyrs. John died of old age. But Judas chose a cursed path. He was not the only one who betrayed Jesus; all of the other disciples abandoned Jesus, Peter directly denied knowing him. Paul persecuted Jesus’ followers. Yet all of them embraced the grace and forgiveness of God and that same grace was available to Judas.

If you’ve read this and have ever felt like Judas, thinking there is no hope, you need to know that each and every apostle was at some point in a place of “no hope,“ but un like Judas they turned their eyes to Jesus and embraced his grace. The same is available to you.”

The disciples were just ordinary men until they met Jesus. William Borden might have become a captain of industry, might have married a society beauty, and might have sired a large family and added to their wealth. But once Borden met Jesus at the age of seven, he turned his life over to Jesus completely and from then on, his course was determined. Listen to the words from another missionary, Jim Elliot, martyred at the hands of Auca Indians in 1956. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  

What will you give for the priceless treasure of eternal life? Say “yes” to God’s invitation! You will never regret it.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, we want to give You our lives, but we are afraid. We fear for ourselves and for our families. Lord, help all who read these words to realize that when we turn our lives over to You, You give us everything we can possibly need and more, including eternal life. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In Your mighty and precious Name, King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 13:33 The Parable of the Leaven

^“Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

I began this study thinking that leaven could be a positive thing… Many commentators have used this verse to encourage Christians to spread throughout their society, pointing people to the Kingdom of God. But then I read David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary on this verse. Here is what Guzik says: “a. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven: Jesus used a surprising picture here. Many, if not most, regard this as a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God working its way through the whole world. Yet leaven is consistently used as a picture of sin and corruption (especially in the Passover narrative of Exodus 12:8, 12:15-20). Again, both the content and the context point towards this being a description of corruption in the kingdom community.

i. “There would be a certain shock in hearing the Kingdom of God compared to leaven.” (Barclay)

b. Leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened: This was an unusually large amount of meal. It was much more than any normal woman would prepare, and again suggests the idea of massive or unnatural size.

i. “Three measures of meal would be about 40 liters, which would make enough bread for a meal for 100 people, a remarkable baking for an ordinary woman.” (France)

c. Hid in it: The idea of hiding leaven in three measures of meal would have offended any observant Jew. This certainly isn’t a picture of the church gradually influencing the whole world for good. Rather, in the context of increasing opposition to His work, Jesus announced that His kingdom community would also be threatened by corruption and impurity.

i. G. Campbell Morgan wrote that the leaven represents “paganizing influences” brought into the church.”

What’s so bad about leaven? In Egypt, leaven was used to brew beer. When the Israelites escaped from Egypt, they didn’t have time for bread to rise, so they had to carry unleavened dough in their mixing bowls on their shoulders. In those days, housewives saved a small amount of dough, allowing it to absorb wild yeasts, and then using that as starter to make the next batch of bread, in effect baking sour dough bread.

1 Corinthians 5:1-8 describes a terrible situation in which a Christian has married his father’s wife, an act so abhorrent that it’s something not even the Gentiles would do. Paul goes on to say,” And you are puffed up (arrogant), and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.” (Verse 2) Paul continues, “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (Verses 6-8)

A key question for would-be disciples is this: Are you changing the world around you, or is the world changing you? We have a close Ghanaian friend who is a Muslim, and we discuss all kinds of things with him. One area in which Christian young people, particularly young Christian women, are falling short is the manner in which they dress. These days, it’s quite common to see pretty girls wearing short tight skirts and low-cut dresses to church in Ghana. If you question these young ladies, they will undoubtedly assert their right to dress anyway they wish; yet, for us, many of these outfits resemble those worn by prostitutes in the big cities. 1 Corinthians 6:18-19 tells us, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Nobody is demanding that these young women don burkas; however, it is quite possible to look attractive without appearing to be soliciting sexual partners. These girls are distracting men who have come to church to worship, inciting a spirit of lust instead of the Holy Spirit. In addition, when these girls insist on dressing in a blatantly provocative fashion, it is an instant turn-off to any Muslims who might be considering the claims of Christ.

One former Nigerian witch who eventually became a Christian has described church services she attended while she was still in witchcraft. Due to this woman’s spiritual sensitivity, she could walk into a church and see the demons that had accompanied many of the church members. When the congregation was singing about victory over Satan, the demons were laughing hysterically, for they knew that songs without commitment were mere entertainment. It’s likely that if one of these scantily clad young women were to attempt to lead spiritual warfare prayers, the demons would be laughing at her as well.

The question for all Christians is simple: are you influencing the world around you, or is the world influencing you? When I was growing up, I would sometimes attempt to wheedle favors from my mother using the argument that “everyone is doing it.” The instant response would be, “I don’t care about everyone else; you’re my child and you are not doing it.”

If we truly love God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus-if we truly love the Holy Trinity, we will refuse to do anything that might bring shame to their names or offend them. If we must argue that “everyone is doing it” and that we are merely going along with our society, then we are in trouble spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Years ago, the chief of our town invited a fetish priestess to come in and prophesy over people. For the three days that the woman was in town, the spiritual atmosphere was heavy with the presence of evil. Despite warnings from local pastors, many Christian young people flocked to the chief’s compound to watch this woman perform, and one pastor’s son attempted to rape a girl while he was under demonic influence. Blessedly, the young woman was able to resist and the rape did not happen; however, had the young woman remained at home, she would never have been in danger in the first place.

These days, there are all kinds of movies and videos full of violence, sex, and witchcraft. Frequently, Christian parents allow their children to watch such filth, little realizing the damage they are inflicting on those children’s spirits. Such movies are another form of leaven.

The question for would-be disciples is simple: Are we out to change the world for Jesus, or will we allow the world to change us?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, stop us when we begin compromising and trying to resemble the world around us. Help us to run away from corruption, not embrace it. Let Your light shine through us so that people will be drawn to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
 

Matthew 13:31-32 The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

There once was a cobbler in a small village in England named William Carey. As this small man was pursuing his village life, he began learning languages, teaching himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Dutch, and French. He would frequently read books in these languages while working on shoes. Carey was also quite active in his local church, becoming both a school master and a pastor. After reading Jonathan Edwards’ account of the life of David Brainerd and other Puritan missionaries in America, Carey realized that Christians were obligated to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Carey authored a book entitled An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens. This book is regarded as the manifesto for modern missions.

Not content with writing, teaching, and ministering in England, Carey eventually went to India as a missionary where his work flourished. Not only was Carey a skilled botanist who helped classify many of the plants in India, but he also was a minister, translator, social reformer and cultural anthropologist who founded the Serampore College and the Serampore University, the first degree-awarding university in India. Carey’s translations included the Hindu classic, the Ramayana, into English, and the Bible into Bengali, Punjabi, Oriya, Assamese, Marathi, Hindi, and Sanskrit. Truly, Carey was a mustard seed that grew into an enormous tree.

Mary Slessor was a small Scottish Presbyterian missionary who went to Nigeria in 1876. Within a few years, Slessor left the missionary compound to live with the local people whose languages she spoke fluently. Slessor eventually moved even further inland, working to bring peace among tribes and also working to halt the practice of killing twin infants who were believed to be witches. At one point, the British government had a choice: they could send in 4,000 crack troops to settle a disturbance or they could call for Mary Slessor. Mary settled the matter by calmly knitting and listening while all those involved in the dispute spoke at length. Finally, Mary uttered her decision, and the problem was solved.

Both Carey and Slessor were mustard seeds whose ministries became enormous blessings to those around them and to the world. Both of these people came from humble beginnings but allowed God to use them mightily. But God is no respecter of persons-He will use anybody who will make themselves available. When we first went to Ghana, veteran missionaries assured us that God was not nearly so concerned about our ABILITY as He was about our AVAILABILITY.

As long as you love God and are willing to serve Him wherever He sends you, He can make you a mustard seed that will become a tree to bless all those around you. Don’t look at yourself and despise whatever gifts you might have. One career missionary friend was happy when he was assigned to Ghana in the 1940’s because Ghana was English-speaking and he was certain that he could never learn tribal languages. Before this man left the mission field 30 years later, he spoke seven northern Ghanaian languages perfectly and also played some of the local instruments. God always is planning to use us in ways that we cannot imagine.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, here we are. We give you ourselves, our resources, and everything we have. Please use us as You wish. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Anyone wishing to be a disciple should study this parable very closely. Jesus is describing those who accept the message of the Kingdom of Heaven who are mixed in with those who do not. The problem is that many times, we have no idea which is which. We assume that because someone attends church and is active in church programs, that person must automatically be a strong Christian. But that might not be the case.

As a young man, a pastor friend of ours was a highly successful businessman, and a faithful church member, even serving on the church board; however, he had never actually made Jesus Lord of his life, nor did he realize that he needed to do so. Our friend’s life changed the Sunday that speakers for a Lay Witness Mission came to his church to give their testimonies. Standing at the back of the church listening, our friend suddenly realized that he was NOT a Christian, but only a church member. Our friend went forward, committing his life to Christ. Shortly after that conversion, our friend left the business world to attend seminary and become a pastor.

By the time we knew this man, he had been a successful pastor for several years; yet, before his conversion, he would have counted as a weed in this parable, even though he appeared to be a wheat plant. We also have a friend who loves motorcycles and looks very menacing; yet, he has gone to Sturgis, South Dakota several times to witness to those attending the annual bikers’ gathering. Our friend looks very much like a weed, but he is actually part of the wheat.

Why is this short parable so important? Many of us judge by appearances while God knows people’s hearts. In the parable, the land owner wisely refuses to allow his servants to try to uproot the weeds, fearing that the roots of the weeds are intertwined with those of the wheat. Tear up the weeds and you might also tear up the wheat before it’s ready to harvest.

How should disciples proceed? We must view everyone as “potential wheat; that is, as a potential citizen of God’s Kingdom.” Disciples should always exhibit the character of Jesus, who had no problems socializing with the dregs of society. But Jesus knew that those people were just as hungry for God as anyone else; they simply needed someone to show them the way.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As disciples, these are the characteristics that we are to exhibit to all those around us. May God help us so that we will continue to see people as He does-seekers after God who only need someone to point them in the right direction and to assist them to find God so that He can change them from weeds to wheat.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that all those around us are potential citizens of Your Kingdom and to treat them as such. Help us to continue to point people to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 13:1-23 The Parable of the Sower

“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Parable of the Sower Explained

Matthew 13:18-23 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Jesus is telling stories, and there are so many people that he sits in a boat moored just off shore so that the crowd won’t crush him. Now Jesus is describing a scene common to everyone who lives in a rural area with little arable land. In the area where Jesus is speaking, the fields are small with good soil mixed in with lots of rocks. All that farmers can do is to scatter seed throughout the fields and then wait to see what grows up.

There are paths through the fields, so some seed naturally falls on the paths, where the birds eagerly gobble it up. Some seed falls on rocks resulting in plants that spring up but that shrivel in the sun. Some seed falls among the thorns that are impossible to eradicate, and the thorns grow faster than the plants, choking the plants. If a farmer is lucky, most of the seed will fall on good soil, rewarding the farmer for his hard work.

When the disciples demand an explanation for this parable, Jesus explains that he is describing the manner in which various groups of people will respond to the Gospel, the word of the kingdom. What the disciples fail to realize at this point is that Jesus is advising them on the manner in which people will respond to news of his death and resurrection.

As modern disciples, we have the advantage of viewing the parable from the experiences of two millenia. There’s a warning label that is common on some products: “Results may vary.” Here Jesus is warning his disciples, present and future, about the variability of people’s responses to the Gospel.  

Why should we as disciples study this parable closely? First notice that the sower goes out and spreads the seed throughout the entire field, regardless of beaten paths, rocks, thorns, or poor soil. The sower works hopefully, for who knows which seed might germinate and produce? Sometimes seed sown in poor soil or among rocks or thorns proceeds to yield anyway.

Nicky Cruz came from a family in Puerto Rico that practiced spiritualism. Cruz’s mother used to call him “son of Satan.” The family sent Cruz to live in New York City with his brother when he was 15; however, Cruz soon began living on the streets and became a gang leader. When David Wilkerson, a gangling young pastor from a small town in Pennsylvania, suddenly turned up and began spreading the Gospel, Cruz told him, “You come near me and I’ll kill you!” David Wilkerson replied, “Yeah, you could do that. You could cut me up into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street, and every piece will still love you.” Despite everything, Cruz not only got saved himself, but led many other gang members to accept Jesus. Cruz went on to become a world-famous evangelist. Cruz has been described as “the Billy Graham of the streets.”

On the face of it, Cruz’s background was as stony and as thorny as possible; yet, God reached down and saved him. Stories such as this should cause disciples to remember that sometimes the most hopeless cases can turn into the biggest miracles.

One of our late pastor friends used to say that “We’re only in advertising while God’s in management.” Our business as disciples is to advertise Jesus whenever and wherever we go, regardless of the circumstances. We have no idea when a simple prayer or a loving touch will result in someone coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Simon Peter summed it up well when he said that “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Nothing we can do will earn our way into heaven because each one of us has a sin problem that we cannot overcome by ourselves. But Jesus Christ has died on a cross, shedding his blood for our sins so that those of us who believe in him can have eternal life.

No matter what the condition of your life is, you can become a disciple, a follower of Jesus, and the possessor of eternal life. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for login us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we do is good enough to make up for those sins. We beg you to forgive us. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die as a blood sacrifice in our place so that all of us who believe in him can have eternal life. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.   

Matthew 12:46-50  Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”

But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus’ family has shown up to speak with him. Is this the first time the family has shown up when Jesus is ministering and teaching? Are they coming to admire him as he does miracles or are they coming because they are embarrassed and hope to get him to stop confronting the Pharisees? Are Jesus’ relatives worried that he is attracting too much attention from the Romans and that the Romans may seek to annihilate him and every member of the family? Which of those watching has taken it upon himself to inform Jesus that his family has come? Perhaps it is one of the Pharisees, hoping to escape Jesus’ questions by diverting his attention. Perhaps it is a nosy onlooker who wants to observe Jesus’ reaction so he can go off and gossip about it. We really don’t know what Jesus’ mother and brothers are thinking, but here they are.

Jesus seldom does the expected thing and today is no exception. While the crowd is expecting Jesus to stop speaking and go greet his family, Jesus turns this small incident into another teaching moment. “But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”  By this point, everybody in the crowd is thinking, “HUH? Your family members are standing right there. Why ask such a question?”

“And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”  WOW! This means that each of the disciples has now joined the Family of God, since Jesus is the son of a Heavenly Father.

If we overlook this short story, we are overlooking a precious truth. Very few of us come from families that are trouble-free. Many adults bear the scars of verbal, physical, emotional, mental, or sexual abuse that has taken place during childhood. In many families, love is conditional, based totally on the child’s performance as a student or athlete or musician or artist. Sometimes parents play favorites while other times, each child thinks that some other child is the parents’ favorite when such is not the case. In one family with twins, each twin thought the other was the father’s favorite because the father was unable to praise his sons to their faces. “Look at your brother! See how well he is doing!” The process of settling estates frequently brings hidden family tensions into the open, sometimes with disastrous results.

What if you could have a brother who loved you unconditionally, no matter how much you failed or how poorly you behaved? What if you could have a brother who would always support and encourage you, regardless of circumstances? What if this brother knew more about you than you knew about yourself and still loved you anyway? And what if this same brother could protect you from evil? “Great!” you say. “So what?” So Jesus!

If you become a follower of Jesus Christ, Jesus automatically becomes your brother, loving you unconditionally, knowing everything about you, encouraging you, helping you, protecting you, and guiding you. And this relationship is an eternal one. Brothers from your family of origin eventually die, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No matter where you go, no matter what you are doing, Jesus is always there.

With some earthly relatives, you have to be careful when you talk to them or when you call them. Call too early in the morning or too late at night and you’re automatically on the bad list. But Jesus is available 24/7 because he runs on eternal time, not on earthly time. Jesus lives in the Eternal Now.

You cannot shock Jesus; he’s seen everything and has always been there. Jesus was there when the first Christians were being martyred by being torn apart by lions in the arena or used as human torches to light Nero’s gardens. Jesus was there when earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, blizzards, and other disasters struck. When the twin towers fell on September 11, 2001, Jesus was there, guiding fire fighters and police officers to save lives as they gave up their own.

Jesus is there when you are young and healthy and hopeful. Jesus is there when middle age begins to creep up on you and you realize that you aren’t going to achieve everything you have hoped to accomplish. Jesus is there as you become a senior citizen and cope with new health challenges for your spouse, your children, and yourself. At the end of your life, however long or short that life might be, Jesus will be there, waiting to receive you into his heavenly kingdom.

That day when Jesus first uttered these words, his disciples must have been thrilled. Many of the disciples had left thriving businesses and families who were still puzzled at their choices. At least some of the disciples already realized that things might not end well. But to be a disciple and to have Jesus call them brothers was a gift beyond all price.

Today Jesus is offering you the same gift he offered those disciples so long ago. You can become Jesus’ brother or sister. What will it cost you? You must choose to follow Jesus and to allow him to be the ruler of your life. What will you gain? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and when you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and as Brother, the Holy Spirit will come and live in your heart and help you become like Jesus. What will you lose? Fear, doubt, unbelief, misery, despair.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord Jesus, we give up our rights to ourselves and ask You to come into our hearts, to clean us up, and to make us like You. It’s in Your Name that we are asking this, Jesus. Amen.  

Matthew 12:38-45 The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign

”Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”

An Unclean Spirit Returns

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus has been moving throughout cities and towns healing people, delivering them from demons, and preaching the good news of the Kingdom. The Pharisees pride themselves on their knowledge of scripture, and yet they are ignoring the Messianic prophecies, particularly Isaiah 35, which tells us, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”

Jesus has just healed a man who was deaf, mute, and demon-possessed and this is only the latest of thousands of healings. The villages are full of stories about the miracles Jesus has performed; yet, the Pharisees are still demanding more signs. What do these men want anyway?  

Jesus describes these men as “an evil and adulterous generation” because they are more absorbed in religious rituals than they are in seeking God. These men have been seduced by the belief that they are operating on a different spiritual plane than those around them and they are now serving a god of religion rather than the One True Living God. (Not all the religious leaders are this deceived. Throughout the Gospels, there are mentions of religious leaders who secretly follow Jesus but refuse to come out openly for fear of ostracism.)

In Matthew 11:16-17 Jesus has already derided these men for their ridiculous lack of logic.“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

Jesus knows that there is no sign that these men will accept; however, he foretells his death and resurrection by mentioning the story of Jonah. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” 

Jesus goes on to rebuke the Pharisees for their spiritual blindness. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”  Nowhere in the Book of Jonah does it indicate that Jonah performed any miracles; all Jonah did was to walk through Nineveh crying out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”  Such a simple message, and yet the entire city of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes and fasting. King Solomon never performed a single miracle; yet, the Queen of Sheba traveled long distances to hear his wisdom.

Spiritual blindness can lead to far worse consequences. “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus has come and has ministered. Those who truly continue in the Holy Spirit will be safe; however, those who have witnessed the miracles simply as entertainment and who have not undergone a spiritual awakening will become progressively more spiritually confused.

What about us? Sometimes people demand that God should prove Himself by saying, “Oh if God really exists, why doesn’t He______________?” God has already given us Jesus, but as with the Pharisees, there are those who have already seen signs and still demand more anyway. And then those who have begun as atheists and wound up as Christians upon closely studying Jesus.

Years ago, Josh McDowell published a book entitled Evidence that Demands a Verdict. This book was later updated in 2017. One reviewer says: “It is the stated goal of the book to offer such an abundance of evidence in favor of the claims of Christ that people will see that they must come to a verdict – they must decide what they will do with Jesus.”  Lee Strobel was a tough-minded journalist when he began investigating claims about Jesus. Strobel came to faith and wrote The Case for Christ. Decades earlier, Chuck Colson was a top Washington lawyer who was imprisoned for his part in the Watergate coverups. While in prison, Colson read C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. The logical arguments put forth by Lewis so convinced Colson that he became a Christian and founded Prison Fellowship.

Why not try Jesus? You can pray and ask Jesus to make himself real to you and he will do so.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, many of us are confused and not sure which way to go. We want to believe in you, but we really aren’t sure you exist or that you work today as you did two thousand years ago. Will you please make yourself real to us and show us that you really are there and you really do hear our prayers? Amen

Matthew 12: 31-37
The Unpardonable Sin
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

A Tree Known by Its Fruit
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood (offspring) of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus is continuing his confrontation with the Pharisees after they have accused him of casting out demons by employing Satanic power. Blinded by prejudice, the Pharisees refuse to recognize that the Holy Spirit exists, let alone that Jesus is working by the power of the Holy Spirit. As far as the Pharisees are concerned, there is only one God; for them, the Holy Spirit is a complete unknown factor. When Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit, he might as well be speaking a foreign language. After all, Jesus is the Messiah that the Pharisees have supposedly been anticipating, and they have failed to recognize him because he has not met their expectations. If the Pharisees cannot recognize Jesus as Messiah when he stands before them, they certainly will not understand that the Holy Spirit exists.

Why is speaking against the Holy Spirit the unpardonable sin? It is by the Holy Spirit that God works in the hearts of men. When Jesus sends out disciples to minister, he lays hands on them, imparting the Holy Spirit to them, so that their ministry will be effective. Later, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends on 120 believers in an upper room in Jerusalem and subsequently comes to thousands of new believers as they are prayed for. Up to today, those ministering must work in the power of the Holy Spirit or their ministry is in vain. Speaking against the Holy Spirit is in effect rejecting God.

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” Jesus has just healed a demon-possessed man who is blind and mute. Now Jesus is effectively asking the Pharisees, “Is what I have just done a good thing or a bad thing?” What can the Pharisees possibly say? Obviously, the man is now healed, whole, and free from demons, a result to be duly desired. On the other hand, the Pharisees are furious that Jesus is getting such wonderful results while they have nothing to show for centuries of relentless pursuit of rules and regulations. Can it possibly be-gasp!-that the Pharisees have been wrong and that there’s more to God than they have been willing to believe?

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Now the Pharisees are really angry! While they have been muttering curses and imprecations, Jesus has continued to heal people. Does this mean that they are evil? But the Pharisees have done everything correctly! Surely that must count for something….or does it?

Now we step out of the scene between Jesus and the Pharisees to examine ourselves. First, a question: How careful are we about our speech? Do we take God’s name in vain each time we say, “Oh my God!” or text OMG to someone? When we speak, are we speaking blessings on people, or are we complaining and criticizing? Lately, God has been convicting me that anytime I begin to criticize someone, I should immediately pray for their salvation and for God’s blessings on them instead. If we truly believe that only God knows the human heart, how can we pass judgement on others?

What kind of fruit are we bearing? Are people glad and happy to be with us, or are they relieved when they escape us? In an earlier age, there were those described as being men and women of good will. We can recognize such people, for we feel better whenever we are with them. Are we people of good will? Are we exhibiting the love of Jesus? Are we concerned about those around us, or are we only concerned about their opinion of us?

Nels Carlson was one of my great grandfathers who came from a poor area of southern Sweden and eventually succeeded in owning his own small farm. Nels also taught Sunday School at a local Lutheran church, and when I was small, some of Nels’ former Sunday School students were still living in the community. Remarkably, as soon as I would mention Nels’ name to these people, they would get a dreamy look in their eyes. “Oh, Nels!” these people would say. “What a wonderful man! How much he loved us!” Decades after Nels’ death, those who had been his Sunday School students still remembered him and loved him for the love he had given them. Those people might not have remembered the particulars of the Sunday School lessons, but the love still shone through.

As disciples, what does our fruit look like? An old hymn speaks of “Sowing seeds of kindness.” Are we sowing seeds of kindness that bless people and point them toward Jesus? If not, why not?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to bear good fruit and to work under the anointing of Your Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 12: A House Divided Cannot Stand

“Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Well, Jesus is at it again! Now he is healing a man who is demon-possessed, blind, and mute. Predictably, the Pharisees are infuriated. How dare this man do all these miracles? Unable to recognize that Jesus is the Messiah and carrying out the Messiah’s tasks, these critics conclude that Jesus must be a tool of the devil. But why should anybody working for the devil cast demons out of someone? Surely it would make more sense if such a person would increase the number of demons, rendering the man completely paralyzed as well as being blind and mute. And there’s another thing: even at this time, there are itinerant healers who go about attempting to cast out demons and sometimes succeeding. Where is the power coming from for these exorcisms?

Such thinking on the part of the Pharisees clearly demonstrates that once someone puts on prejudicial glasses, truth becomes irrelevant. Despite such short-sighted thinking, Jesus persists in attempting to teach everyone including the Pharisees. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges… Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ”

Jesus fully recognizes that Satan rules over an extensive kingdom, one inhabited by untold numbers of demons. Satan will never oppose himself. How are these itinerant exorcists succeeding? Surely these men must be operating under the power and the anointing of God; otherwise, they will not succeed and they themselves might wind up demon-possessed. No mere mortal has power in himself to cast out demons.

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. …He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Here Jesus is clearly affirming that he is ministering by the Spirit of God, graphically demonstrating that the kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus is also warning that now that he has come, from now on exorcisms and healings are to be done through the same Holy Spirit that is giving him power over the devil.

We work in Africa, where demon possession is common. Some pastors have very effective ministries involving healing and exorcism. It seems that the closer the pastor is to the Lord and the humbler the pastor is, the more effective his healing and deliverance ministry will be. One of the pitfalls of such ministries is that the one doing the praying may become confused and think that he/she has power in and of himself/herself. Such an attitude is very dangerous, for if such a person prays for someone, they may find themselves in a worse situation rather than a better one. Such people begin to believe their own publicity and move progressively farther away from the Lord.

Satan is simply waiting for these people to cross the line and believe that the power is in them rather than coming from the Holy Spirit. Once over the line, one is no longer ministering by the power of the Holy Spirit but by Satan. Satan may give some small success to encourage the individual to continue to trust in themselves rather than in God. But Satan has to be careful, for if someone repents, confessing self-trust as sin, and turning their lives and ministry over to the Holy Spirit, that ministry can still be redeemed.

What about people who come in faith to be prayed for? Many times, God honors the faith of believers asking for prayer and uses whoever is available to pray for them, even if the person doing the praying is not in fellowship with God.

What happens to disciples who are not ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit? At the very least, such people become frustrated, discouraged, and disappointed. If the person swiftly realizes he/she is moving away from the Holy Spirit and repents quickly, little harm occurs. But if the person persists in attempting to operate alone, their ministry will grind to a halt. May God keep us humble and close to Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always realize that You are the source of power and not us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.