Scripture: Matthew 13: 24-30
Goal: exploring Jesus’ parables... seeds to grow God’s kingdom on earth
Title: God's Kingdom is like a man who sowed good seed
Issue
This summer we are engaging a tapestry of parables Jesus still uses to reveal the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. In last week’s parable, Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like man who plants a seed in a field... and goes to bed. The mystery in that parable is that once you and I plant our faith seeds, God takes responsibility for growing each seed, and each seed that grows to maturity increases God’s kingdom. So, we who follow Jesus are encouraged to plant seeds of faith among our friends, relatives, and neighbors... to grow God’s kingdom.
Scripture
This week Jesus expands on last week’s image of planting seeds and going to bed... adding that while mankind sleeps... and God tries to nurture good seeds to maturity... the devil and his angels disrupt the process by planting weeds among the good seed, and stunting its growth. Today, two additional mysteries concerning God’s Kingdom are introduced: co-mingling bad seed with good... and when weeds can be separated from the wheat?
From the cover photo tares and wheat are indistinguishable until they are ready for harvest. Pulling the tares before the harvest will destroy the wheat because their roots intertwine. And if tares and wheat are harvested and ground together before one can be distinguished from the other, the co-mingled grain will cause dizziness and nausea.
The first mystery in today’s parable reveals that because of their intertwined roots... God cannot separate evil from good until the harvest. Because good and evil must coexist, Jesus says: your Father in heaven has no choice, He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [Matt 5: 45] So, the first mystery reveals the only way to nurture good seed in God’s kingdom... is to simultaneously nourish evil seed... and separate good from evil at the harvest.
The second mystery reveals that good seed cannot be distinguished from bad until their fruit matures. Today’s parable says: Let the wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Because good and evil must coexist in God’s kingdom, they are both blessed with sun and rain... to live and grow together, which of course will jeopardize the coming harvest.
Twelve chapters later in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus interweaves His coming judgment into our tapestry, saying: The Son of Man will gather all nations together and separate one from the other, as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats. He will say to the goats, depart from Me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then He will say to the sheep, come inherit the kingdom My Father has prepared for you. [Matt 25] So, whether you prefer wheat and weeds, or sheep and goats... both scriptures reveal the mystery of mankind’s final judgment... and alternative destinations.
Applying Scripture
Do these two kingdom mysteries apply to our Munsonville lives? The first mystery of evil and good people coexisting in God’s kingdom... reveals that good things happen to bad people, because they must live and grow together until the final harvest. So, the next time you become troubled when something good blesses an evil person... take a moment to count your own blessings, and then remember that God’s sun rises on the evil and the good and His rain nourishes the just and the unjust... until Jesus separates good from evil at the harvest.
The second mystery is similar... why bad things happen to good people? God’s New Covenant transferred responsibility for judgment and punishment to Jesus, who then delays His judgment on all souls... until Jesus returns. So, the next time you imagine God’s wrath causes some unwanted predicament or tragedy... remember, neither God nor Jesus are punishing you, me, or anyone... NOT until Christ returns for His final judgment.
The harvest in today’s parable clearly refers to Christ’s final judgment. Until then, good or bad... human choices are responsible for nearly all tragedies on this planet. And while people can be killed by natural disasters, events like monsoons, earthquakes, and volcanoes are as much part of our creation... as you, me, mountains and trees... but the events that are often catastrophic to mankind... occur to regulate our planet’s core temperature and prevent an even more devastating explosion.
When Christ returns, we will all stand before the judgment seat with our friends, relatives, and neighbors... with every action and intention open to review. We who have been saved through baptism and a sincere belief in Jesus shall inherit God’s heavenly kingdom. Will you be sad when some friends, relatives, and neighbors, having been distracted by worldly concerns... inherit the everlasting fire? Will any of us regret not planting more faith seeds... in our attempt to save uncle Joe or our good friend Pat. And can you imagine all those unsaved souls crying out: O Lord, Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood!
So, today, when you leave this sanctuary and go back out into this world... please remember good and evil must coexist in God’s earthly kingdom... until Christ returns. Meanwhile... you and I are commissioned by Jesus to go and share our personal faith experiences... faith seeds... with friends, relatives and neighbors. Holding the image of the coming harvest fresh in our minds, share your faith seeds lavishly and thankfully... with your friends, relatives and neighbors.
IF you are able, please stand and sing Come, Ye Thankful People Come UMH 694
Chapel by the Lake,
Rev. Bill Taylor
Goal: exploring Jesus’ parables... seeds to grow God’s kingdom on earth
Title: God's Kingdom is like a man who sowed good seed
Issue
This summer we are engaging a tapestry of parables Jesus still uses to reveal the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. In last week’s parable, Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like man who plants a seed in a field... and goes to bed. The mystery in that parable is that once you and I plant our faith seeds, God takes responsibility for growing each seed, and each seed that grows to maturity increases God’s kingdom. So, we who follow Jesus are encouraged to plant seeds of faith among our friends, relatives, and neighbors... to grow God’s kingdom.
Scripture
This week Jesus expands on last week’s image of planting seeds and going to bed... adding that while mankind sleeps... and God tries to nurture good seeds to maturity... the devil and his angels disrupt the process by planting weeds among the good seed, and stunting its growth. Today, two additional mysteries concerning God’s Kingdom are introduced: co-mingling bad seed with good... and when weeds can be separated from the wheat?
From the cover photo tares and wheat are indistinguishable until they are ready for harvest. Pulling the tares before the harvest will destroy the wheat because their roots intertwine. And if tares and wheat are harvested and ground together before one can be distinguished from the other, the co-mingled grain will cause dizziness and nausea.
The first mystery in today’s parable reveals that because of their intertwined roots... God cannot separate evil from good until the harvest. Because good and evil must coexist, Jesus says: your Father in heaven has no choice, He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [Matt 5: 45] So, the first mystery reveals the only way to nurture good seed in God’s kingdom... is to simultaneously nourish evil seed... and separate good from evil at the harvest.
The second mystery reveals that good seed cannot be distinguished from bad until their fruit matures. Today’s parable says: Let the wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Because good and evil must coexist in God’s kingdom, they are both blessed with sun and rain... to live and grow together, which of course will jeopardize the coming harvest.
Twelve chapters later in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus interweaves His coming judgment into our tapestry, saying: The Son of Man will gather all nations together and separate one from the other, as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats. He will say to the goats, depart from Me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then He will say to the sheep, come inherit the kingdom My Father has prepared for you. [Matt 25] So, whether you prefer wheat and weeds, or sheep and goats... both scriptures reveal the mystery of mankind’s final judgment... and alternative destinations.
Applying Scripture
Do these two kingdom mysteries apply to our Munsonville lives? The first mystery of evil and good people coexisting in God’s kingdom... reveals that good things happen to bad people, because they must live and grow together until the final harvest. So, the next time you become troubled when something good blesses an evil person... take a moment to count your own blessings, and then remember that God’s sun rises on the evil and the good and His rain nourishes the just and the unjust... until Jesus separates good from evil at the harvest.
The second mystery is similar... why bad things happen to good people? God’s New Covenant transferred responsibility for judgment and punishment to Jesus, who then delays His judgment on all souls... until Jesus returns. So, the next time you imagine God’s wrath causes some unwanted predicament or tragedy... remember, neither God nor Jesus are punishing you, me, or anyone... NOT until Christ returns for His final judgment.
The harvest in today’s parable clearly refers to Christ’s final judgment. Until then, good or bad... human choices are responsible for nearly all tragedies on this planet. And while people can be killed by natural disasters, events like monsoons, earthquakes, and volcanoes are as much part of our creation... as you, me, mountains and trees... but the events that are often catastrophic to mankind... occur to regulate our planet’s core temperature and prevent an even more devastating explosion.
When Christ returns, we will all stand before the judgment seat with our friends, relatives, and neighbors... with every action and intention open to review. We who have been saved through baptism and a sincere belief in Jesus shall inherit God’s heavenly kingdom. Will you be sad when some friends, relatives, and neighbors, having been distracted by worldly concerns... inherit the everlasting fire? Will any of us regret not planting more faith seeds... in our attempt to save uncle Joe or our good friend Pat. And can you imagine all those unsaved souls crying out: O Lord, Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood!
So, today, when you leave this sanctuary and go back out into this world... please remember good and evil must coexist in God’s earthly kingdom... until Christ returns. Meanwhile... you and I are commissioned by Jesus to go and share our personal faith experiences... faith seeds... with friends, relatives and neighbors. Holding the image of the coming harvest fresh in our minds, share your faith seeds lavishly and thankfully... with your friends, relatives and neighbors.
IF you are able, please stand and sing Come, Ye Thankful People Come UMH 694
Chapel by the Lake,
Rev. Bill Taylor