Harmony #70: You Cannot Serve God and Money (Luke 16:1-31)

In the past several weeks, we have been reading through a portion of Luke that’s been telling a story within a story: the Great Reversal in the Kingdom of God, where the Pharisees’ religious markers of importance and success gets flipped on their head. Specifically, this revolves around religious and social status: the poor, the sick, the outsider, the sinner, the lost are not only valued and loved by God, but they might be closer to the heart of the Father than those assumed to be tight with God. Let’s see how this theme has been building before tackling chapter 16.

·  Luke 10 -The Parable of the Good Samaritan (“Who was his neighbor? The one who had mercy.”)

·  Luke 11:1-13 - After teaching the Lord’s prayer and talking about the generous provision of earthly father, Jesus says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” So, our true wealth is spiritual resource.

·  Luke 11:37-53 – The ‘woes’ to the Pharisees: “You neglect justice and the love of God…you love the important seats…you don’t lift a finger to help burdened people…you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” They don’t take care of others physically or spiritually.

·  Luke 12: 13-21 – the Parable of the Rich Fool: “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

·  Luke 12:22-34 – “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

·  Luke 12:35-48 – two parables about faithful servants, concluding with, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

·  Luke 13: After the run in with the Pharisees for healing on the Sabbath, he tells the Parable of the Narrow Door, in which people who thought they were wonderfully religious are told by God, “I don’t recognize you/I never knew you.” He concludes the parable with, “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

·  Luke 14: When Jesus notices people choosing the places of honor at a meal, he rebukes them. He concludes with, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Then he tells the Parable of the Great Banquet, in which those assumed to be invited didn’t care to participate, and those assumed unworthy were eager to join.

·  Luke 15-  “He eats with sinners.” The three ‘lost’ parables: the sheep, the coin, the sons, focus on the incredible value of each individual person, with the Parable of the Two Sons echoes the Parable of the Great Banquet, in which those assumed to be invited didn’t care to participate, and those assumed unworthy were eager to join.

Today we are on Luke 16. Luke has not lost his stride. He is still on the Great Reversal: what we expect to happen by worldly standards gets upended by Kingdom standards.

·  The last will be first and the first will be last.

·  The societal/religious outcasts that are more eager to join God’s feast than are the religious insiders.

·   Those closest to the heart of God are not there simply because they keep religious rules (specifically those that impress other people); they are those who are merciful, generous, kind, and committed to justice.

And the measuring stick Luke keeps coming back to is money. What we do with our wealth, the provision God has given to us, reveals how close we are to the heart of God. The passage we are going to read today wraps up this focus with two parables about money, and Luke is going to be more blunt and sobering than ever.

Parable of the Clever Steward: Handling Money (Luke 16:1-13)

Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’

“Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg. I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

“So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ The man replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

 “The master commended the dishonest steward (steward of unrighteousness) because he acted with clever trickery.[1] For the people of this age are more shrewd in dealing with those of this age than the people of light (in living as those with their eyes set on the age to come).[2] And I tell you, make friends for yourselves (of God) by how you use worldly wealth,[3] so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal tents (of Abraham).

“The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.[4] If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own?

“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

This is jarring parable. At first glance, it sure looks like Jesus is commending a dishonest, conniving cheat for being smart enough to avoid the consequences of his cheating. It seemed to contrast with the challenge to faithful stewards of both a little and a lot. So, let’s chat.

I’ve been listening to and reading a dude named Marty Solomon a lot lately. He is really good at providing the cultural and Jewish context in which these parables (and Scripture in general) are written. I have found his explanation of the parable to make the most sense. He believes the parable is about learning to value people and relationships more than money. Let me explain (using his words).

The manager would have been taking a commission for administering the owner’s affairs: in this case, collecting debt. Much like complanies that help people pay off really high credit card debt, he would reduce the debt so it could be paid in a lump sum payment, then collect up to 20% or 25% of the debt collected. His boss gets money, he gets money, borrowers are happy. If he was really generous, he could wave his negotiating fee. That 25% can go toward the borrower, the boss, or a little of both.

Solomon thinks that is what is happening here. This manager has worked out if he sacrifices his commission for each of these debtors, then he can gain the payment of debts quicker for the owner. If that’s the case, this manager is not acting in some shady fashion to cover up his prior dishonesty. He is sacrificing his own commission to make things right, which is worthy of commendation. His rejection of the money he could collect does two very important things.

1. It builds the reputation of his boss. As far as the debtors know, this is the boss’s order. They would likely respond with gratitude and admiration, and the boss looks better than he ever has.

2. The manager will be popular with potential future employers. He wants to ingratiate himself into the townspeople’s homes so he can get a job in the town after this has blown over. Yes, he is a scoundrel, but he knows a clever way to set things right.

Basically (according to Solomon), he has figured out how to strengthen his relationships. He finally realized where the priorities ought to be: people, not things or money. Initially he was dishonest and greedy, but his solution is self-sacrificing in order to make things right. Now it makes sense for Jesus to commend him through this parable for finally seeing the light, so to speak.

To be sure, Jesus is clear that this is how “people of this age/generation” do things in contrast with the people of light. The manager’s life is not meant to provide is with a role model. However, even the pagan lover of money realized that, when push came to shove, it was his relational investment in people that mattered the most. The parable doesn’t say his heart changed in that he stopped loving money, but he eventually figured out how to use his access to money to strengthen his relationships rather than break them. Finally, right priorities.

Jesus, of course, moves it closer to home for his audience: If we are concerned about our well being in this life, how much more should we be concerned about our well-being in the next life?

“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth,[5] so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal tents (of Abraham).”

Or,

“Put yourself in a good position through your use of money, which so easily leads you astray, so that when this age is over God will receive you into his eternal dwelling.”[6]

I don’t think Jesus is trying to say that the wise use of money somehow buys our way into heaven. Remember, “Where our treasure is, our heart will be also.” Being generous and not greedy with our money is a sign that we know that the things of God are true treasure – and that’s where our heart is. What we do with our money is a sign, not a bribe.

Between today’s two parables sit Luke 16:14–18, which show Jesus rebuking the Pharisees for loving money, exalting themselves in self-justification, and ignoring the Old Testament’s authority. All three themes are woven into the next parable,[7] that of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

The Rich Man & Lazarus (Luke 16:14-15, 19-31)

The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed him. But Jesus said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.

 “There was a certain rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen[8] and who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate[9] lay a poor man named Lazarus (“God helps”)[10] whose body was covered with sores, who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side [at the banquet feast of the righteous].[11]The rich man also died and was buried.

 In Hades, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus[12] to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’

“But Abraham said, ‘Child,[13] remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us,[14] so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so[15], and no one can cross from there to us.’

 “So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house (for I have five brothers)[16] to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’

“Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ “ [17]

This is another Great Reversal: it is the poor beggar who was ushered into the feast, not the rich man. That was NOT what his audience of Pharisees expected to hear. For any beggars within earshot, it would have been the most hopeful teaching they had ever heard.

Before we get to a couple key points, I should note that I don’t think this parable was meant to help people build a theology of Heaven and Hell (Paradise and Hades). A couple reasons.

·  First, it starts like previous parable Jesus has told (“There was a certain man….”

·  Second, Lazarus is nowhere said to be righteous; he’s a beggar, that’s all. That hardly qualifies one for Heaven.

·  Third, nowhere else does the Bible teach that those in Paradise will watch those in Hades suffer and be so bothered by it that they will wish to help them. That hardly sounds like a Paradise characterized by joy.

I think this parable is the finishing touch on the previous 5 chapters. It’s a framework that uses the Pharisee’s beliefs to tell a Great Reversal parable to the Pharisees “who loved money” [v.14) that brings home the seriousness of this issue. This is about the state of their souls both now and into the age to come.

So, what shall we take away from this?

First, Jesus portrays money as a competing master, a faux god, an idol that people worship. Messing with our wallets and bank accounts might say more about us than we know.

Is money a means to an end or the end itself? And if it’s only a means (good start!), what is the end goal? Accumulating wealth, or stewarding the wealth God gives us to help those around us?

Do we think wealth = importance and value? Because if we do, we will judge the importance and value of ourselves and others by this measure. Even worse, do we think money reflects something about our importance and value in the eyes of God, as if wealth or poverty are moral markers in people’s lives? Oof.

I suspect our view and use of money has something to do with a test of trust and value: do we trust God or money to take care of us, and do we value people more than our money? Over and over, Old Testament and New – and in the past few chapters in Luke - we hear that how we use our resources in the generous care and service of others is a window into our hearts. Are we serving God or money?

Second, the first words out of the Rich Man’s mouth ought to have been, “Please forgive me Lazarus, for the way I treated you.” The issue is not his money; the issue is his attitude and action toward his neighbor, the poor, the underprivileged, the sick and the lame. 

“The true test can never be a simple dollar amount. It must be our sensitivity to the poverty and pain we find around us. A heart unwilling to help others—because it might be risky, or they might not deserve it, or it might cost us too much—is a heart unwilling to recognize the desperate help we ourselves need from God.”

(“Is the Rich Man and Lazarus a Parable?” Peter Gurry)

“What this parable attacks is wealth that does not see poverty and suffering. It attacks the idea that possessions are…owned without responsibility to God and other people… The parable does not tell us how the wealthy are to help the poor, but it insists the poor are brothers and sisters of the wealthy and that the injustice of the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty cannot be tolerated… 

Lazarus is still at the gate. Parables like this one insist that Christians must not be like the rich man who cares only for his own kind and cannot see the poor until too late. We dare not have a gospel with an evangelistic emphasis and no concern for the poor Any gospel that is not good news to the poor is not the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Luke 4:18-22)… 

Kingdom-driven decisions regarding possessions…would lead to the reduction of hoarding and consumerism, change how we view and attain security, enable various ministries, and relieve the plight of the poor. Economic decisions are not easy, but the church should not only lead the way but demonstrate by its use of money the reality of its gospel…God forbid that we not see, not care, and not act to alleviate the plight of the poor.” (Stories With Intent)

I don’t think Jesus is just warning people here, though he is clearly doing that. I think he is offering life as well. How does one store up the kind of treasure that heaven values? By being generous, by actively looking out for the poor and needy, by using money/stuff to build relationships with people in a way that displays the heart of God and the values of the Kingdom.

God loves to give good things to us, even when it is at great cost to Himself (as seen through the death of Jesus). The more we begin to find pleasure and even joy in giving of our material things, the more our heart aligns with God’s heart, and the more we begin to understand why  it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the spiritual wealth of kingdom through Jesus.

___________________________________________________________________

[1] “The tricky cleverness, by which the steward had endeavoured at once to escape detection, and to secure friends who would help him in his need, was exactly what an Oriental landlord would admire as clever, even though he saw through it.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)

 “Prudently. I would suggest shrewdly… recognizing in it a skillful adaptation of the means to the end - affirming nothing in the way of moral approbation or disapprobation, either of means or end, but leaving their worth to be determined by other considerations.’" (Vincent’s Word Studies)

[2] “They make better use of their earthly opportunities for their own lifetime than the sons of the light (John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) do for their lifetime; or even than the sons of light do of their heavenly opportunities for eternity.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)

[3] “Be good stewards even of the lowest talents wherewith God hath entrusted you, and particularly of your property. Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good with it, particularly to the children of God.” (Benson Commentary)

[4] “There are rabbinic parallels to this principle. One notes that God “does not give a big thing to a man until He has tested him in a small matter; and afterwards He promotes him to a great thing.” The illustration is then given of Moses and David, who were faithful with sheep and so were given leadership over the nation.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[5] “Be good stewards even of the lowest talents wherewith God hath entrusted you, and particularly of your property. Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good with it, particularly to the children of God.” (Benson Commentary)

[6] Stories With Intent, by Klyne Snodgrass

[7] There is a LOT of discussion about whether this is a parable or if Jesus is talking about an actual event. I think it’s a parable for a number of reasons. Ask me about it if you like J If it overlaps with real people, it’s probably still a parable that is stepping on the toes of some in his audience. See footnote #8 and #11.

[8] This is a description of the high priestly garments, according to Exodus 39.27-29.

[9] From Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange: “In Jesus' story, Lazarus was laid ‘at the rich man's gate’ (Luke 16.20). This could refer to the gate that guarded the temple. Perhaps not coincidentally, Luke mentions another beggar at the temple gate in Acts 3.2, 10.”

[10] Though Lazarus was a common name, the only other Lazarus listed in the NT is Lazarus, the brother of Mary Magdalene and Martha. (John 12:1–3; Matthew 26:6). See footnote #11 on the possibility of the Rich Man as Caiphus. Jesus may be giving them a hint that when he raises Lazarus from the dead, it won’t make a difference to Caiphus. See John 11.

[11] “The phrase probably alludes to a feast where guests reclined beside one another around a table. The place beside the host was the position of highest honor. Pious Jews expected to [be a part of this].” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[12] “When the Rich Man…sees Abraham, he recognizes Lazarus. ‘Send Lazarus…’ Lazarus could have be forgiven for yelling out, ‘Oh, so you know me now, do you? ‘Clearly, Dives has known exactly who Lazarus was, he just chose to ignore him.” (Marty Solomon)

[13] “ ‘Child/son’ is [teknon] the equivalent of “my dear boy”. It is the same term the father used in in Luke 15, when faced with the elder son who has still not repented and is petulantly still holding out against what he knows he should do.” (Marty Solomon)

[14] “That gulf is fixed…by the justice of God and the obstinacy of the ungraced human heart. The rich man… cannot see - because he will not see it - that he is the cause of it…In this profound sense we can speak of God’s divine judgment as self-imposed. (“Is the Rich Man and Lazarus a Parable?” by Peter Gurry)

[15] Kenneth Bailey sees in “those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able,  a hint that there is, in fact, someone willing; specifically, Lazarus. If this is true, it speaks volumes about Lazarus’ long suffering and his willingness to forgive. In other words, the deplorable nature of the Rich Man did not give Lazarus a reason to stop having a heart of compassion for him.

[16] “Jewish historian Flavius Josephus stated that Caiaphas’ father-in-law Anas had five priestly sons; Jesus might have been stepping on some real toes (Israel Bible Center, https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/rich-man-lazarus-based-real-life) 

Also, see this. https://theopolisinstitute.com/the-parable-of-lazarus-and-the-rich-man/

[17] “The Pharisees believed in a future life and judgment, but did not live in conformity with that belief in the pursuit of wealth.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

“When in Hades, the rich man begs that Lazarus be sent to his five living brothers to spare them the same fate. Abraham denies the request, pointing out that they already have the Scriptures. Even if someone were to rise from the dead they would not believe. The statement is a veiled reference to the religious leaders, who are presently rejecting the scriptural prophecies concerning Jesus the Messiah and who will continue to reject him even when he rises from the dead.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

Harmony #69: Parables of the Lost Son, Lost Sheep & Lost Coin (Luke 15:1-32)

Last week, we read in Luke that Jesus had just told the Pharisees that when they host an elaborate meal, they should be inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind: basically, those that polite religious society had written off for reasons we talked about last week. Then he told the parable of the Great Banquet, where he showed that even though all are invited to the spiritual feast at God’s table, those who look to be the most obvious guests aren’t that interested, and those who look to be the least likely guests are elated to join the feast. Cue 3 parables.

 Now all the tax collectors[1] and sinners were coming to hear him. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Sharing a meal was regarded as a sign of social acceptance in Eastern culture.[2] To the Pharisees, this kind of gesture appeared to validate the sin of those with whom Jesus was eating.[3] Jesus is having none of it. He is valuing people by giving them the dignity of treating them as image bearers of God, worth relational investment simply because they have an inherent value and dignity given to them by God.

Clearly, his presence changed people as his character and teaching introduced them to the Kingdom of God. #Zaccheus  However, the text doesn’t say everybody he ate with began to follow him. It doesn’t mean everyone we ‘share a meal’ with will want to follow Jesus. That didn’t stop Jesus from dining with all, and it shouldn’t stop us either.

To be sure, Scripture warns against too close of fellowship with those who revel in their sin (Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 1:15; 14:7) out of concern it might draw us into sinful, destructive behavior (as the parable of the Prodigal Son will make clear today). We need to know ourselves, our weaknesses, our boundaries. But in this instance, the influence is going the other direction.[4]  #salt #light

So Jesus told them this parable: “Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and he loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it? Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

 Returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent. [5]

“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them,[6] does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it? Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

These coins, by the way, were probably worn as a headdress or on a necklace. They represented her savings and perhaps formed part of her dowry. Losing it would be shameful as well as financially problematic (it’s 10% of her wealth).[7]

Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’[8] So he divided his assets between them. After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.

Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. [9]

“But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.[10] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers. So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring the fattened calf and kill it![11] Let us eat and celebrate, because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’

But the older son became angry and refused to go in.[12] His father came out and appealed to him, but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands.[13] Yet you never gave me even a goat[14] so that I could celebrate with my friends! But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

Then the father said to him, ‘My son,[15] you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’ “ [16]

There are so many things one can take away from this story.

1.  Note the different circumstances:

• the lost sheep wandered and gave up (lost sheep usually lie down and gives up on trying to find its way back)[17]

• the lost coin ‘fell away’ from a necklace or a headdress

• the lost son rebelled (both sons did, actually, but in very different ways).

 It’s a good reminder that there are different reasons why people are far from the Father or not in fellowship in the household of His Kingdom. Their reason for being where they are is not as important as the response of the God character in all the parables. God is portrayed as both seeking them out and waiting eagerly for their restoration.

2.  They are all precious.

“We should also recognize that our search is for something precious, costly and dear just like the coin the woman has lost…She does not argue that the loss of one is not a tragedy, because there are still nine left. It is not the quantity that counts, but the value of each coin as an individual piece. It does not matter whether it was a large or small coin…all are her coins!  

Likewise, as individuals we are each valued by God. Each of us is a unique being because of the dignity and value that God has conferred upon us. Nobody should regard herself or himself as low, useless, rotten and unproductive. And because each of us is unique, it matters deeply when one of us is lost. The loss of one is as serious as the loss of all…  Because each of us is so precious, we must also constantly be searching for ways to guarantee that no human life will be lost, degraded, exploited, abused or violated.” (Africa Bible Commentary)

3.  God is a seeking, caring God.

“What is revealed about the character of God is value he places on even the least deserving and the care he extends to such people. God is not passive, waiting for people to approach him after they get their lives in order. He is a seeking God who takes the initiative to bring people back, regardless of how ‘lost’ they are.”[18] 

And if we take our cues from God, that’s our position also. We are not called to be judgmental, dismissive, cold, or aloof toward those who are lost, wandering, fallen or rebellious. We are called to move closer to them, to seek them out, to run toward them and embrace them when we see them, and to rejoice in restoration.

4.  The lost things did not lose their status; they all remained within the claim of the owner:

• it was still the shepherd’s sheep, just lost in its wandering;

• it was still the woman’s coin, just lost in its hiding

• the boys were still their Father’s sons, just lost in their own unique rebellions

 God is not only searching for them, He is longing for their return into fellowship. This gives hope not only to the “tax collectors and sinners,” but to the very Pharisees who are bringing charges against Jesus. These are parables of hope, after all. God’s heart is restoration.

5.  The prodigal son had insulted his father. Asking for that which you would normally get when your father died was viewed as wishing he was dead. Then, he sold what his father gave him (including land!) and left the household (think ‘lived outside the parameters of the Kingdom’). He indulged himself on extravagant sin, thinking that was the path to the good life (#Solomon #Ecclesiastes), but it led him to pain, loss and shame. Even all the friends he had when he had money left him. He appears to experience regret because the consequences of his sin have left him destitute.[19] It wakes him up.

6.  His rehearsed speech was this:” “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.” The hired worker was a day laborer. He wasn't asking to live in the house. He’s just asking for provision from the Father that he earns and takes with him. However,

“The prodigal declares that he is not worthy of his own identity and wants something less, but he is no hired hand. Grace lets you be who are supposed to be even though you do not deserve to or may not want to.”[20]

7.  His father begins running toward him before he can say a word. In the context, it sure looks like the father has been faithfully watching the road. The father ran. That’s embarrassing already, be he would likely have lifted up his robe to run better, which is even more embarrassing. Kenneth Bailey, author of The Cross & the Prodigal, explains that if a Jewish son lost his inheritance among Gentiles, and then returned home, the community would perform a ceremony (kezazah) in which they would break a large pot in front of the prodigaland yell, “You are now cut off from your people!” So, why did the father run? He probably ran not only because he was glad to see the son returning, but also in order to get to his son before the son entered the village and was rejected by the people.[21] 

8. The son manages to say the first part of his planned speech (“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”) The Father cuts him off before he can make the request to be merely a servant and basically yells, “Son!” before giving him the clothes of a son.

“He receives [him] cordially, affectionately - takes [him] to his bosom; for so the word implies. What mercy! Jesus receives sinners in the most loving, affectionate manner, and saves them unto eternal life! Reader, give glory to God for ever!” (Adam Clarke)

9. Note the elation/celebration for the 1 in all three stories. It wasn’t as if the other 99, or 9, or the older son didn’t matter. As the father tells the son, “You are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.” Sounds a lot like, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”

There is something here that calls out jealousy, pride and entitlement. When we have lost the ability to let the spotlight shine on someone else and to join in a celebration of the lost being found or the spiritually dead finding new spiritual life, we are really far from the heart of the Father. We have lost the heart of the Kingdom.

Those who are not lost wandering, fallen away or rebellions have been living with full access to all that belongs to the Father. They were living in a Kingdom full of the resources of the King. The idea that Older Son here can’t rejoice is a tragic commentary on his heart. In fact…he may be as prodigal as his brother. It’s just not as obvious.

10.  Note the way entitlement, pride and jealousy bring out the worst in the older brother.

He refuses to enter the home during a village-wide celebration, which shamed his father.

• He calls his own brother “your son” rather than “my brother” – which the Father corrects by calling the Prodigal “your brother.”

• He complains about not getting a goat; meanwhile, “All that I have is yours!” Like, he could have had a feast anytime.

• ·    He doesn’t address his Father properly when he speaks to him. He starts with, “Look!” which to Jesus audience was very disrespectful.

• Also, note that once the party started, no one went to get him. Everyone else seems very comfortable not having him around.

 The entitlement, pride and jealousy of the Older Brother are just as destructive as the kind of living the Prodigal embraced. The destructiveness just isn’t as easy to spot, because it exists behind a façade of good works. Yet in the end, who is rejoicing to be with the Father? The son who experienced forgiveness and grace.

11.  Note how the Father says to the older brother, “‘My son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’” He doesn’t reject him. He pulls him closer, reminds him of his status, and corrects him oh, so gently. Both sons were wrong. Both need correction that leads to repentance to redirect their hearts and hands into that which brings life, not death. Both sons remained loved by the Father. Don’t forget, it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4); we see it demonstrated here for both sons.

12.  The parable ends on a somber note. It’s not clear if the older son joins the banquet of celebration. He can – he is welcome and wanted. Will his injured pride and sense of entitlement stop him from rejoicing and feasting because his own younger brother, who was lost and dead, is now found and alive? Will he be able to see the miracle in front of him – the spiritually dead was brought back to life; that precious family member presumed lost is now back and ready to live fully in the Father’s house?

“While the ending is disappointing, the image people are left with at the end of this parable is an image of the waiting, running, embracing, kissing and partying One who has compassion for the lost who are still a long way off (15:20) and for those who have always been near (15:31).  

A banquet of great joy is provided by this waiting One, who is none other than the waiting, running, embracing, partying and kissing God. The parable describes God’s goodness, grace, boundless mercy and abundant love.” (Africa Bible Commentary)

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[1] “Tax collectors were regarded with special contempt as they were widely considered by the people to be agents of their oppressors.” (NKJV Evangelical Study Bible)

[2] NKJV Evangelical Study Bible

[3] Rabbi Ishmael wrote in Mekhilta Amalek, “Let a man never associate with a wicked person, not even for the purpose of bringing him near the Torah.” (Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables of Jesus, by Klyne Snodgrass)

[4] NIV Cultural Background Study Bible

[5] “Walking in his footsteps as he searches for the lost is not easy in a world burdened with lost sheep in the form of refugees and those affected by slavery, colonialism, dictatorship, the debt burden, HIV/AIDS, unemployment, homelessness, sexual abuse and gender inequality. (Africa Bible Commentary)

[7] NIV Women’s Study Bible

[8] “Demanding one’s share of the inheritance before the father died was tantamount to saying, “I wish you were dead”; an ancient audience might have expected the father to discipline the son, perhaps by beating him.” (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible)

[9] “Moralists commonly observed that those who were friends only for the sake of pleasure would abandon one when the money ran out. A normal ancient story might have ended here, with an obvious moral for listeners: don’t disrespect and abandon your father, or you might end up like this! Yet Jesus’ story continues.” (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible)

[10] A very different phrase from King David after his sin with Bathsheba and killing of her husband, when he wrote in the Psalms, “Against you only (God) have I sinned….”

[11] “Would feed the entire village. A person of means invited as many people as possible to a major celebration.” (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible)

[12] “Ancient hearers might have expected the father to discipline this son. The father…going outside to entreat him reinforces the humiliation.” (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible)

[13] “Failure to greet his father with a title (“Father” or “Sir”) was offensive.”  (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[14] “ ‘The one who seems to himself to be righteous, who does not see the beam in his own eye, becomes angry when forgiveness is granted to one who confesses his sin and begs for mercy.” (Ambrose, quoted in the Orthodox Study Bible)

[15] “The father reaffirms his love for the elder brother; the way is open for him — and for Jesus’ religious critics - if they are willing.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[16] Interesting take from Eastern Orthodoxy: “The [shepherd], the woman, and the father are seen as representing Christ, the Church, and God the Father. ‘Christ carries the sinner, the Church seeks and intercedes, and the Father receives.’” (Orthodox Study Bible)

[17] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables of Jesus, by Klyne Snodgrass

[18] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables of Jesus, by Klyne Snodgrass

[19] One of the forms of the “wrath of God” is reaping what we sow. See the Bible Project’s “Saved From God’s Wrath.” https://bibleproject.com/podcast/saved-from-gods-wrath/#:~:text=God%20demonstrates%20his%20wrath%20by,which%20ultimately%20leads%20to%20death

[20] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables of Jesus, by Klyne Snodgrass

[21] https://www.biola.edu/blogs/biola-magazine/2010/the-prodigal-sons-father-shouldnt-have-run

Harmony #68: The Feast Of The Kingdom (Luke 14:1, 7-24)

Imagine you are invited to a meal in 1st century Palestine. The fact that you are invited means several things:

1. You matter.

2. You are at least close to the same socio/economic class.

3. You are ‘okay’ in that the host doesn’t mind being seen with you.

But once you get there, it’s not just about the honor of being a guest. The game is afoot!

1. The closer you are seated to the host, the more important you are. You might get an almost entirely different meal consisting of much better food, or you might even be in a separate room with the host while everyone else is in a different room. If you are seated at the end – sure, it was good to be there, but stay in your last place lane if you know what’s good for you, and good luck with the Ramen noodles. A Roman poet named Martial who loved him some satire criticizes the different quality of food served to guests: “Since I am asked to dinner ... why is not the same dinner served to me as to you? You take oysters fattened in the Lucrine lake, I suck a mussel through a hole in the shell; you get mushrooms, I take hog funguses…Golden with fat, a turtle-dove gorges you… there is set before me a magpie that has died in its cage. Why do I dine without you, although Ponticus, I am dining with you?”

2. The closer you were, the later you arrived, just so everyone could see you get ushered to the front. If you assumed you would be last, you could get there early and try to claim a place close to the front, but you ran the risk that when the really important people got there later, they would move you to the bottom in front of everyone. Rabbi Akiba said, “Go two or three seats lower than the place that belongs to thee, and sit there till they say unto thee, ‘Go up higher’; but do not take the uppermost seat, lest they say unto thee, ‘Come down’: for it is better that they should say unto thee, ‘Go up, go up’; than that they should say, ‘Come down, come down.’” (Adam Clarke)

It turns out meals – especially feasts on special occasions – were a lesson in merit and distinction that revealed your social, economic and maybe even religious status in the eyes of others.[1] This brings us to today’s text.

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee…and noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host. So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed, you will begin to move to the least important place.

“But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” [2]

But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed/blissful, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous/just.”[3]

I don’t think Jesus was saying that we shouldn’t invite our friends over for meals.[4] Luke’s story is about more than social circles or proper etiquette with guests. 

 In Jesus’ time, there were serious economic, political and religious problems wrapped normal-looking moments. What should have been a time of fellowship became a time of pride and competition. What should have brought people together pushed people apart. What should have added value to people’s lives actually judged their value.[5] Paul talks about this in his advice to the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 11: 17-33).

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 

So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 

Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter...So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.

Paul goes on to say that people are sick and some have even died because of this problem. There are a number of ways that passage has been interpreted; I lean toward a very practical application. People were having sometimes fatal health issues because they lacked proper nourishment – or had too much. Paul called this “despising the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing.” It is vitally important that church communities have a keen eye for those in need, while avoiding the kind of self-indulgence we see in this passage.

This leads to what is called The Parable of the Great Banquet.

When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!” But Jesus said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests.[6] 

At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ 

Okay, these are all terrible excuses.

First, there would have been an RSVP sent out far ahead of time for a date to which these folks committed. (Say, Tuesday, the 25th of June.) The servant went out on the day of the event to tell them it was time. This wasn’t a surprise. It’s just that the food was hot and it was time to eat on the previously agreed upon date.

Second, the quality of the excuses are terrible.

• “No one buys a field in the Middle East without knowing every square foot of it like the palm of his hand.” (Kenneth Bailey). This dude had certainly seen that land already.

• Same with the oxen. Five yokes was…a lot. Bro was rich. He did not get rich by not knowing what he was buying.

• No way was the marriage happening at the same time, because no one would schedule a major banquet at the same time as a wedding. Meanwhile, men were exempt from military service for their first year of marriage (Deut. 20:7; 24:5), but this is not a war.

 Bottom line: they didn’t want to go. They were fascinated by the things right in front of them and didn’t want to be distracted, so they made excuses. Jesus had just lamented this in Luke 13:34-35, reminding them “how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.” 

“So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ Then the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’  

So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge[7] people to come in, so that my house will be filled.  For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’ “[8]

I think we have to be careful with this parable and not make it bear more weight than is intended. It doesn’t fit cleanly with “Jesus is throwing the party” because that would imply that Jesus first invited his friends and important people, and then when they couldn’t come, he went with his back-up plan of the marginalized and outcast. He had JUST WARNED against this kind of favoritism, so I am confident we should not read the parable in a way that supports a favoritism reading.

Some dude at the meal  - so, someone who is part of the “in” crowd - had just said, ““Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!” Then the text says, “But Jesus said,” as if he is going to contradict him. He doesn’t contradict his statement; he contradicts his expectations by clarifying who will be at that feast.

The audience expected it to be the deserving –specifically, them. But Jesus’ responded, “Everybody is invited to the great banquet.” It is the Father’s good pleasure to give the Kingdom to all who respond to the invitation of Jesus.  

But you have to accept the invitation to enter in. Your title, your family background, your standing in the synagogue, your reputation, your past good works, the fact that you are at that meal with all the prestigious folks – none of those things mean you are or will be at the feast of the Kingdom.

The point isn’t that the “poor and crippled and blind and lame” (v. 21) and those who live in the “highways and country roads” (v. 23) were a back-up plan. What was scandalous to his proud audience was that are just as welcome. They probably didn’t expect these people to even respond to the message when they heard it (like the “tax collectors and sinners” Jesus had been eating with recently). Twice already, we have read where the people assumed it was sinners who were sick (John 9) or on whom calamity fell (Luke 13).

The Pharisees were those who assumed they were invited to the feast of the Kingdom. They were put together, healthy, religious, prosperous. They sat at the top of the table. Of course they would be invited. God was lucky to have such amazing followers. Jesus is about to tell the parable of the Prodigal Son (The Two Brothers). This is the older brother in that parable, the one who lived on the father’s land and missed the feast.

Then there are the Prodigal sons, those who assume they would not be invited: poor, crippled, blind, lame, living on the margins of society where unwanted people lived. This invitation was too good to be true.

When the parable says they were urged (‘compelled’ in many translations), they weren’t forced; a better translation is that they were lovingly persuaded to join the feast. There was a place already prepared for them. They were wanted. They mattered.[9]  It was the Father’s good pleasure to give them the Kingdom.

Side note: we might be shocked to know who is ready to respond to the invitation of the Kingdom. Our culture is a spiritual battlefield, no doubt, but it’s also a relational mission field that’s ripe for harvest. I love how Jesus embodied how to do both when he ate with tax collectors and sinners. Surely, the Kingdom of God was storming the gates of hell in that moment.

“The witness of the church should be characterized by the joy of inviting people to the banquet God has prepared…both present and future.”[10]

We see in this parable that the law-keepers who knew the most in their heads about the kingdom were the most calloused and non-committed to the invitation to actually “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)  It was those they assumed who knew the least and lived the worst who turned out to be hungry for the goodness of the feast that is Christ and his kingdom.

I wonder how much the church would grow in the United States if we were characterized by going out of our way to befriend those who look to be the furthest from Christ, who appear to be the least likely to follow Jesus, and joyfully inviting them to the feast that Jesus is hosting?

• What if we worked with and cared for mothers considering abortion and offered them physical, emotional and spiritual hope rather than putting a sign in their face and yelling at them? Which approach matches the approach of Jesus?

• What if we brought a loving, engaged presence full of truth and grace to schools whose curriculum or philosophy concerns us – mentoring kids, helping in the library, being a teacher’s aide, helping with a campus ministry – rather than angrily disrupting school board meetings?

• I wonder how Jesus would be present with people wrestling with gender identity? I just can’t picture him as a keyboard warrior posting snarky memes. I can picture him inviting them to a meal, validating their worth as an image bearer of God, and introducing a righteous presence full of grace to walk with them through their confusion and into the freedom of truth.

Surely, in those moments, the servants of the king are going into the highways and country roads and offering a compelling reason for others to join the feast Jesus offers in the Kingdom.

Let’s talk about that feast and the Kingdom. In the Kingdom, God gives us a feast of salvation and sanctification, the guidance of His Word and His Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the beauty of living in communion with God and righteous community with others.

“Whatsoever things are true, honest (honorable), just, pure, lovely (acceptable and prized), and of good report (repute)…think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

“Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)

That’s the kind of thing that characterizes the Kingdom.  That’s a compelling list. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us these things when we follow Jesus into the Kingdom of God in response to the Spirit and the Word of God.

It doesn't’ mean that life will be easy or perfect. It’s just that the more we experience the work and presence of Christ in our life, the more these things will begin to characterize our life in Christ and with others. And when entire communities begin to increasingly be characterized by these things, we start to see what it means that “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

We are going to share communion today. From 1 Corinthians 11:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The early church combined communion with fellowship meals. The wealthy brought more or all of the food in that setting; I suspect those struggling to eat well got to take the leftovers home. It’s a practical image of how God gives provision in His Kingdom. It’s a reminder that God’s plan for provision through Jesus’ sacrificial death was meant to be embodied by the generous, loving, sacrificial presence of His people: financially, emotionally, relationally, practically.

We are a body, together. As we take communion today, let’s remember that that the sacrifice of Jesus has made us onewithChristwhile drawing us into a Kingdom that makes us onewith each otherthroughChrist. And in righteous church community, we will see why God is so pleased to give us the Kingdom as we experience God’s provision.

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[1] “The early church struggled against traditional and societal pressures to maintain such social distinctions (see 1 Cor. 11:17–34.)” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Of The New Testament) Keep in mind that the Gospels were written after the letters of the New Testament. I suspect certain episodes from the life of Jesus were highlighted for a reason.

[2] His words echo the prophecy of Ezekiel, who predicted that there would be a day when, “the lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.” (Ezekiel 21:26) Similar guidance appears in a popular Jewish book at that time. “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.” (Sirach 3:18)

[3] The first clear reference to the resurrection of the righteous appears at Daniel 12:2

[4] “What he [inspires] here is charity to the poor and what he condemns is those entertainments which are given to the rich, either to flatter them or to procure a similar return; because the money that is thus criminally laid out properly belongs to the poor.” (Adam Clarke)

[5] “Experience has shown that seeking the chief seats leads to corruption, with exploitation of the poor and oppressed.” (Africa Bible Commentary)

[6] “On this mountain [Zion] the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples ...” (Isa. 25:6) Isaiah makes it clear that the messianic banquet is for “all peoples,” there was a tendency in Judaism to reject the notion that Gentiles would be included. The first-century b.c. Psalms of Solomon offers a prayer that the Messiah will “purge Jerusalem from gentiles” and “will destroy the unlawful nations with the word of his mouth. At his warning the nations will flee from his presence.” Jesus is about to radically alter this exclusive view of messianic salvation. (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[7] “By prayers, counsels, entreaties. No other kind of constraint is ever recommended in the Gospel of Christ every other kind of compulsion is antichristian, can only be submitted to by cowards and knaves, and can produce nothing but hypocrites.” (Adam Clarke)

[8] An interesting parallel to this story appears in the Jerusalem Talmud. When a village tax collector named Bar Ma’jan dies, the whole town comes out to mourn. Why? He had invited the city officials to a banquet, and when they failed to come, he gave orders that the poor should be invited so that the food would not be wasted. (Adam Clarke)

[9] Believer’s Bible Commentary

[10] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables of Jesus, by Klyne Snodgrass

Harmony #66: Bearing Fruit (Luke 13:1-9)

Once again, I am finding that Jesus often teaches in a classic rabbinic way that invites the hearers to really dig. Is it this? Maybe this? We are supposed to search for the hidden gold of truth. I found today’s passage to be no exception. I have been digging. I offer what I found, while noting that others have found different things here. I look forward to discussion afterward.

Once again, context is crucial for today’s passage. In Luke 12(the previous chapter)…

• Jesus warns about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (v. 1-3) Look for the word “hypocrites” to show up later today.

• Don’t be afraid of those who merely kill the body (v. 4-5); have a more eternal perspective.

• He encourages his disciples, whose physical comfort was sparse: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (v. 13-21). This, too, becomes important later.

• He tells a couple parables (v.35-48) about the importance of being faithful servants who understand the master, know what to do, and then do it faithfully. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Watch for what he has to say about those who has been entrusted with the “much” of being spiritual leaders of His people with access to the valuable revelation God has given them in the Old Testament and the person of Jesus.

• Then he says, “I have come to bring fire,” (v. 49) the purification of the Word and the testing God allows or brings into our lives. He’s establishing the need for serious change. It’s probably going to have something to do with forming faithful servants who understand the master, know what to do with what they have been given, and then do it faithfully.

The next two paragraphs have something to say about understanding the master, knowing what to do, and actually doing it. (v. 54-59).

He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west (Mediterranean Sea), immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind (desert) blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time (‘season’)? 

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

In other words, you hypocritical leaders of the people (“to whom much has been entrusted”), you understand the importance of being reconciled with an earthly judge when you have done wrong; why are you not concerned about the wrongs for which you will have to answer when you answer to God for what you with what’s been entrusted to you?

Now there were some present at that time (‘season’) who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. He answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things?[1] No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish in like manner!  

Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem?[2] No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish in like manner!”[3]

They seem to be smarting at Jesus’ implication that they have something for which to repent. They wanted Jesus to affirm that people who were killed by the sword or the collapse of the tower must have been sinful. Those standing in front of him were still alive; ergo, they don’t have sin to answer for! Case closed!  (Once again, they are thinking about this life rather than having an eternal perspective).

Jesus is about to say, “Oh, you have missed the point!” through a parable about the sin for which they need to repent. 

Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the vineyard keeper, ‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’

”But the vineyard keeper answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.’ “

So, let’s talk about the variety of ways this has been interpreted. If it is unsettling to not have a clear consensus, just remember that the rabbis were in their element debating passages that could be understood and applied several ways. Some ambiguity – and the freedom to interpret – was deeply ingrained in Jewish religious life.

First, who are the fig tree and the vineyard? Old Testament writers use the image of the fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1) and the vineyard (Isaiah 1:8; 3:14; Jeremiah 12:10; Isa 5:1- 7) to describe God’s people. Jesus will talk about us being part of a vineyard (He’s the vine; we the branches[5]). 

Second, Some commentaries suggest that this is a reference to Jerusalem’s upcoming destruction of the Temple in 70 AD as a result of Jewish sin. After all, the city collapsed and tens of thousands of Jewish people died from Roman swords. I don’t think that’s the point of the parable. After all, Jesus just made that point that they shouldn’t automatically conclude that people who get killed did something wrong. If anything, Jesus is pointing away from trying to put an = sign between bad things and bad people. The Romans destroyed the temple in response to a violent Jewish revolt, not in response to the kind of things Jesus is talking about here.[4]

Third,, some commentaries see God the Father as the owner and the vineyard keeper as Jesus. This seems to pit God the Father and Jesus the Son against each other. They are not on the same page about what to do with this seemingly lifeless fig tree. This feels like a mean Old Testament God being constrained by a nice New Testament Jesus so God doesn’t destroy a sinner. This kind of fracturing of the Trinitarian unity of God creates problems for me.

So this parable seems to be about God’s people and two other characters: one who impatiently wants to destroy a seemingly useless tree,[6] and one who wants to save it and nurture it.

Fourth, what happened to the fig tree after the story ended? Is there an ending the audience assumed? It turns out there is. Let’s talk about that first, because it set’s the table for everything that follows.

* * * * * *

According to my #commentarycrush Adam Clarke, there is a very similar story in an ancient Greek agriculture book called the De Re Rustica (spanning 1st century BC and 1st century AD)[7].

“How to make a barren tree fruitful.” Having girded yourself, and tied up your garments, take [an] axe, and with an angry mind approach the tree as if about to cut it down. Then let some person come forward and [stop you from] cutting down of the tree, making himself responsible for its future fertility. Then, seem to be appeased, and so spare the tree, and afterwards it will yield fruit in abundance. Bean straw (manure of that material,) scattered about the roots of the tree, will make it fruitful."

So, I’m not saying this is great agricultural science, but this story was a known story with a known ending at the time of Jesus. To give you an idea of lasting power of this story, Clarke also cites a dude named Ibn Alvardi (1200s) who prescribed the following as the mode to render a sterile palm tree fruitful:

"The owner, armed with an axe, having an attendant with him, approaches the tree, and says, ‘I must cut this tree down, because it is unfruitful.’ ‘Let it alone, I beseech thee,’ says the other, ‘and this year it will bring forth fruit.’ The owner immediately strikes it thrice with the back of his axe; but the other preventing him says, ‘I beseech thee to spare it, and I will be answerable for its fertility.’ Then the tree becomes abundantly fruitful." 

Clarke’s conclusion: 

“Does not our Lord refer to such a custom?” (Adam Clarke)

I think He did.

Who is looking at the tree and seeing nothing but a fruitless waste of space?  Who is ready to pronounce judgment on how this tree looks to them? The man in charge of the farm: the leaders of the Jewish people. The Pharisees, who loved to look on the outside while God looked on the heart. 

In this parable, a struggling fig tree that is assumed to deserve judgment is rescued by the one who has not given up on that tree’s future. (Note: Jesus follows this by healing a woman on whom society had given up. He gives her a future. More on this next week.)

What does the vineyard keeper do in the parable?  He advocates for not giving up on the life of the tree. He lays out his plan for replenishing the soil with nutrients from, literally, dung.  He is personally going to look this tree’s health. The owner may think the tree is a lost cause, but the vineyard keeper knows that the tree’s history is not its destiny.

The apostle Paul was also on board with this, as we see in Romans 11. If we go back to the Old Testament, God’s plan was for His people to be the means by which salvation would be spread throughout the world.

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6-7) 

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

In Romans 11, Paul’s overall point is that the Jewish people failed to do that. #nofruit #nolight  Consequently, the gospel message was taken directly to the Gentiles (of which Paul is a forerunner in the early church). However – super important - this fruitless fig tree of Israel was not cut down.

So I ask: did God’s people stumble and fall off the deep end? Absolutely not! They are not lost forever; but through their misconduct, the door has been opened for salvation to extend even to the outsiders… So if their misconduct leads ultimately to God’s riches coming to the world and if their failure turns into the blessing of salvation to all people, then how much greater will be the riches and blessing when they are included fully…? 

Imagine some branches are cut off of the cultivated olive tree and other branches of a wild olive (which represents all of you outsiders) are grafted in their place. You are nourished by the root of the cultivated olive tree. It doesn’t give you license to become proud and self-righteous about the fact that you’ve been grafted in. 

I can almost hear some of you saying, “Branches had to be pruned to make room for me.” Yes, they were. They were removed because they did not believe; and you will stay attached, be strong, and be productive only through faith….If those branches that have been cut from the tree do not stay in unbelief, then God will carefully graft them back onto the tree because He has the power to do that... 2 

I am going to let you in on the plan so that you will not think too highly of yourselves. A part of Israel has been hardened to the good news until the full number of those outside the Jewish family have entered in. This is the way that all of Israel will be saved…You see, when God gives a grace gift and issues a call to a people, He does not change His mind and take it back. 

There was a time when you outsiders were disobedient to God and at odds with His purpose, but now you have experienced mercy as a result of their disobedience. In the same way, their disobedience now will make a way for them to receive mercy… 

For God has assigned all of us together—Jews and non-Jews, insiders and outsiders—to disobedience so He can show His mercy to all. For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him, and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen.

 That’s the parable in action. Jesus is really good at bringing life from what appears to be death; he brings fruit from trees other have given up on.

So, from what is his Pharisee audience supposed to be repenting? Hmm.

• They had been given the rich soil of Scripture and the clear revelation of Jesus, and the people they led were dying from lack of the nourishment of gospel truth.

• They passed judgment on the hearts of people (I mean, those who suffered calamity were clearly terrible sinners, right?).

• They didn’t understand the Kingdom at all. They assumed physical safety, health and wealth were the fruit that demonstrated spiritual life; meanwhile, Jesus’ disciples did not have wealth or physical safety (most would die martyrs), and yet they had the true riches of the Kingdom.

These hypocrites, who had been entrusted with much, claimed to know God and His will, but they couldn’t have been further from it.

Where the Pharisees saw death, Jesus saw life. Where the Pharisees saw a waste of space, Jesus saw a future blessing. Where the Pharisees saw uselessness, Jesus saw the potential for flourishing. When the Pharisees pushed off, Jesus pressed in. The vineyard keeper knew the truth:

“If you’re ready to chop down the tree every time it fails to bear the fruit you think it should, pretty soon you’ll find yourself surrounded by nothing but a bunch of dead stumps.” (Leah Schade)

The vineyard keeper says:

• Trust in God’s provision and patience.

• Don’t keep trying to figure out how bad people are really are – get in there and minister to them. Dig in the rubble if their lives have already collapsed. Be sobered by the temporary nature of your life also, and consider the state of your heart.

• Don’t give up on those whose branches seem fruitless. Tend the soil of their – and your - heart, mind and soul with truth of God’s word, with prayer, with love and faithfulness. You may be shocked at what next year’s harvest brings.

 I appreciated a somewhat poetic post from Leah Schade as I was researching this. She gets the final word.

I will fear no evil, for thy rod and thy staff and thy shovel and thy wheelbarrow full of compost – they comfort me.  I fear no evil because I look forward to seeing what God is going to do about this. How God is going to take a dead tree and throw manure around it and bring it back to life. 

So I stand here looking at that empty tree, shaking my head.  And I watch that Gardener fervently, (seemingly) foolishly digging, digging, digging around that tree. And then the gardener beckons to me, and hands me a shovel.[8]

_________________________________________________________________________

[1] It was widely believed that sin invited tragedy. Job’s friend Eliphaz asked, amidst other bad advice, “Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” (Job 4:7).

[2] “Tragedy is no sure sign of sinfulness, just as the absence of tragedy is no sure sign of righteousness. All alike – those whose lives are tragic and those whose lives are tranquil – are sinners and all alike must repent before God.” (Africa Study Bible)

[3] “ωσαυτως, ομοιως, in a like way, in the same manner. This prediction was literally fulfilled. When the city was taken by the Romans [after a violent Jewish uprising], multitudes of the priests going on with their sacrifices were slain, and their blood mingled with the blood of their victims, and multitudes were buried under the ruins of the walls, houses, and temple.” (Adam Clarke) I think this is part of Jesus’ warning to Peter that those who live by the sword will perish by the sword. I don’t think this is what Jesus is talking about here, as I will explain.

[4] I’m thinking of something else Jesus said that’s probably more relevant to the Temple’s destruction: “Those who live by the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

[5] John 15

[6] Just how much at fault was the tree? A tree does not decided whether or not to produce fruit. It’s a result of many factors. In this case, the vineyard manager seems to identify the problem: it has not been properly nourished in the soil into which it is planted.[6] Hmmmm. The owner has asked someone to tend to a vineyard and tree that is on his land – and his land has terrible soil. That sounds like an owner problem, which is yet another reason I don’t think the owner is God the Father.

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Re_Rustica

[8] Leah D. Schade, https://st-ignatius.net/rethinking-the-parable-of-the-fruitless-tree-in-luke-131-9/. A number of my closing thoughts are borrowed from her.

Harmony #59: Loving Your Neighbor: The Good Samaritan (Luke10:25-37)

This passage continues the theme of the presence of the kingdom:

• the sending of the seventy (“The Kingdom is coming.”) (10:1-16)

• the announcement of Satan’s fall (10:17-20)

• praise for God’s revelation in the Son incarnated (10:21-24)

The question that prompts the Parable of the Good Samaritan is a teacher of the Law basically asking, “How do I participate in this Kingdom?”[1] Before we get into the story, let’s set the background for why it matters that the hero of the parable is a Samaritan.

Samaritans and Jews had notoriously bad relations. The following Jewish texts give just a few examples.

• Sirach 50:25-26: “Two nations my soul detests, and the third is not even a people: Those who live in Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that live in Shechem (Samaria).”

• Testament of Levi 7.2: “Shechem shall be called ‘City of the Senseless,’ because as one might scoff at a fool, so we scoffed at them.”

• Rabbi Eliezer used to say: “He that eats the bread of the Samaritans is like to one that eats the flesh of swine.”[2]

Their intense disliked played out in practical ways.

• At the time of Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BC), the Samaritans denied being related to the Jews and renamed their temple a temple of Zeus to avoid persecution.[3]

• Josephus records that at one point Jewish people destroyed the city with the temple down to rubble. Meanwhile, the Samaritans desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by scattering bones in it one night during Passover (shortly before 9 A.D. which would have been close to the Jesus, as a 12-year-old, was hanging out at the temple as recorded in Luke 2).

This brings us to the text.

Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”

The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as if your neighbor were yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side.

So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them.

Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’

“Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Let’s talk about the Priest and Levite first.

At the time of Jesus' ministry in Palestine, Roman military occupation was causing breakdown in local law enforcement. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, with robbers often setting set ambushes for people travelling the road. Finding a dude beaten near to death and robbed meant bandits were close by. The first two men might have hurried on because they thought the guy was already dead and they feared being attacked. They may have thought the whole thing was a trap, like Loki’s “Get help!” in Thor:Ragnarok.

Also, priests were prohibited from having contact with corpses except those of close relatives,[4]and this exception was not allowed to the high priest[5] or a Nazarite.[6] Since you could be defiled just by being in contaminated air, the rabbis established a ‘six feet of distance minimum’ rule.[7]

I can imagine the early audience nodding along at this point. Of course. These were holy men. They couldn’t afford to get defiled; if it was a potential trap, they were just being wise.

However…. Let’s say the Priest and Levite thought he was dead. Jewish people were commanded to bury a neglected corpse, as were priests and Nazarites.

Second, for most Jews, saving a life was far more important than ritual uncleanness. Whether the priest and the Levite thought he was dead or alive is unclear, but in either case they had the obligation to help, either to bury the corpse despite defilement or to assist the man in need.[8]

So, now maybe think of Jesus’ audience nodding along: “Yep. This is a “real world” tension on that road. We understand their fear and desire for purity, but they really should have stopped.” Of all people, the teacher of the law should have been tracking.[9]

But…let’s add another layer. The Jewish people thought of their responsibilities as a series of concentric circles: family first, then those of Jewish descent, then those not ancestrally Jewish who followed the Law and lived in Jewish community. The closer one was to the center, the more one deserved help. To those outside – Gentiles, foreigners, strangers - there was no obligation. But…. a debate raged about these lines.[10] Some people loved the lines; others didn’t.

• Tobit: “Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners.”

• “Give to the devout, but do not help the sinner. Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly…”

• Rabbi Nathan: “If he acts as thy people do, thou shalt love him; but if not, thou shalt not love him.”

However, some of the Jewish people thought those lines were a bad idea:

• Josephus, Contra Apionem: “He who refuses to a suppliant the aid which he has power to give is accountable to justice.”

• Testament of Issachar: “I acted in piety and truth all my days. The Lord I loved with all my strength; likewise, I loved every human being as I love my children.”

• There was a popular story of rabbi Bar Kappara helping a shipwrecked Roman proconsul by taking him home and giving him food, drink, and money.[11]

So here we are in the tension again. The lawyer’s question implies that there is such a thing as a non-neighbor. Traditionally, “neighbor” would refer to a fellow Jew, so his viewpoint is not that unusual. But there were plenty of Jewish people who pushed back on that notion and believed there were no non-neighbors.[12] 

This is a profoundly weighty question. Jesus is not going to settle them with his answer; he’s going to unsettle them. Let’s see if we can join them J

* * * * *

1. With the parable, Jesus’ audience surely remembered Leviticus 19:33-34.

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

Love does not permit us to merely love those who are “our kind.” No one is a non-neighbor. Disciples of Jesus should refuse to stop expanding the circle that defines “neighbor” and instead continue drawing bigger circles until they surround everyone, even their enemies, and the line becomes pointless. It’s hard – it might feel like carrying a cross - but no alternative is allowed for followers of Jesus.[13]

2. When we truly experience the love of the truly Good Samaritan (Jesus), we will “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). We love our enemies because Jesus loved us first. We offer merciful help to those who are troubled – i.e. everyone - because Jesus showed us mercy first. The word used in the original Greek means the Samaritan had “pity from the deepest part of the soul.” The original Greek says that the Samaritan showed the kind of care that is “shown by parents and nurses to children.”

Do you want to have the heart of the Good Samaritan as you interact with others? Get to know the heart of the Ultimate Good Samaritan: Jesus found us; saved us; washed us in the baptism of water, the Holy Spirit, and the Blood of Jesus; and set us in the ‘inn’ of a local church congregation for ongoing ministry and safety.[14] Let’s go and do likewise  by imitating the heart of God for others.

3. Jesus does not specify the identity of the victim. This establishes what some call “the universal neighborhood of mankind.” Even if someone is not a brother or sister in Christ, they are a neighbor to whom we should show love and mercy. The Samaritan treated the wounds with oil and wine he could have sold or used for himself. He may have torn up his own clothes to bind the wounds. He walks, and put the man on his donkey. I think this is what the now hotly debated “He gets us” foot-washing commercial was trying to convey – the “universal neighborhood of mankind” as described and lived by Jesus. Maybe they should have done this quick parable instead. This idea is now copyrighted J

4. If the Good Samaritan is a model for us, so is the innkeeper.  The Good Samaritan helped in the moment; the innkeeper helped long term. Maybe think of the inn as either church life in general or a long-term relationship we have with someone who has been beaten up evil, sin, or just life. We have no idea what followed in the parable: how long it took for the man to recover; whether there were more bills to pay; if the man ever did recover.[15] Turns out there are two merciful people in this story,[16] and where to draw the line on extending mercy and generosity remains open-ended at the end of the parable.[17]

5. I wonder who the controversial hero and anonymous victim would be in the United States today? They would have to be someone from a people group who scares or angers us; a group whose worship we think is terribly misguided; a group with whom the Christian community may have a combative history; a group we cannot envision God ever using in a meaningful way; a group in which we think people have no idea how to do good. Then, we would have to change the Levite and priest to respected members of our church or community or political party. Adam Clarke, say more!

“Remember, this kindness is for any person, of whatever nation, religion, or kindred, whom he finds in necessity. [The language] signifies one who is near, [or] next, [which]makes any person our neighbor whom we know; and, if in distress, an object of our most compassionate regards. If a man came from the most distant part of the earth, the moment he is near you he has a claim upon your mercy and kindness, as you would have on his, were your dwelling-place transferred to his native country…. Any person whom you know, who dwells hard by, or who passes near you, is your neighbor while within your reach.”(Adam Clarke)

The possibilities for new Samaritans and victims are nearly endless, but the characters need to shock us as much as it did Jesus’ audience. Remember, Jesus said to the teacher, “Do this and live (the life of the Kingdom),” implying that Samaritan was doing just that. Jesus chose someone they assumed was sooooo far from God and demonstrated that person understood the Law better than they did, and thus lived more in tune with the heart of God. So for us, maybe this story is (hat tip to Tyler Watson for this list)…

The Parable of the Good Atheist. The Good Religious Right Christian. The Parable Good Progressive Christian. The Good Drug Addict. The Good Oil Tycoon. The Good Homeless Man. The Good NRA Member. The Good Black Lives Matter Activist. The Good Blue Lives Matter Advocate. The Good Communist. The Good Capitalist. The Good Undocumented Immigrant. The Good Border Patrol Officer. The Good Joe Biden Voter. The Good Donald Trump Supporter.

Find the one that makes you the most uncomfortable, and you’ll know you’re on the right track.[18]

Or….maybe that’s the list of victims on the side of the road. Maybe that’s all the people who, when they are in distress, all that matters is their distress. We are a church in the evangelical tradition, so let’s call this the Parable of the Good Evangelical. When we see those battered and bruised by life, do we ask if they deserve our help? Do we need to know if they are they Christian or Atheist, Religious Right or Left, Citizen or non-citizen, rich or poor, activist on the Right or Left, Communist or Capitalist, Biden or Trump supporter? Why would it matter?

“Love should not be limited by its object; its extent and quality are in the control of its subject.”[19]

When we can bring practical healing and introduce people to the Great Physician, we should do it. When we can bring practical hope and offer Gospel hope, we should bring them. When we can lead people to a place where they can find practical and spiritual rest, we should do that. And in all of this, we demonstrate the heart of Jesus in order to point to Jesus.

6. After the parable, Jesus asks his own question: Which of these was a neighbor?  “Who is my neighbor?” is not the right question. The right question is, “Am I a good neighbor?” Being a good neighbor is now a moral goal for us, not a label for others. We should stop asking whom we must care for and just care for people. We should be State Farm.[20] Jesus didn’t close with, “Now think differently;” he said, “Go and do likewise.” The more merciful we are in tangible ways, the more we know we are moving toward that goal.

7. The parable, like most of Scripture, is concerned with identity. The teacher asks Jesus, “What do I have to do?” Jesus basically responds, “What kind of person are you?”

This is not a question of mere belief, but of what we are, particularly in relation to God and what motivates us and controls our being. Who we are cannot be separated from what we do. Or life with God in Christ is intended to be a relation of love that establishes an identity that we live out in our families and communities (1 John 4:10-11). The ‘doing’ that follows ‘being’ is not about earning salvation; it’s about being who we already are in Christ. [21]

 
_____________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[2] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[3] Heyoh! I didn’t realize this last week when I floated the idea that, when the 70 went to Samaritan territory and cast out demons, “I saw Satan fall from heaven” might have referred to Zeus and Olympus.

[4] Leviticus 21:1-4; 22:4-7; Ezekiel 44:25-27

[5] Leviticus 21:11

[6] Numbers 6:6-12

[7] Interesting side note about this distance. During the bubonic plague in the 1300s, when Catholic churches were closed, the priests would administer mass to parishioners by going door-to-door, handing the elements to them on a six-foot pole. Today, when we worry about spreading airborne disease (like Covid), the recommended distance to keep is still six feet. #fortrivianight

[8] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[9] My discussion so far is built on the insights from “The Foolish Samaritan,” by Frances Coppola. 

[10] The early church would continue to teach all-encompassing mercy:

·  Didache 1:2: “The Way of Life is this: First, thou shalt love the God who made thee, secondly, thy neighbour as thyself. . . .”

·  Barnabus 19:2, 5: “Thou shalt love thy maker. . . . Thou shalt love thy neighbour more than thy own life.”

[11] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[12] Thanks to “Going Deeper in the Parable of the Good Samaritan,” by Michelle Barnewall for an insightful foundation on which I built.

[13] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[14] “The bandages, oil, and wine are sacramental images for (1) the garment of baptism, which delivers us from the wounds of sin; (2) the oil of chrismation, which gives us new life in the Holy Spirit; and (3) the communion of the divine Blood, which leads to eternal life…the inn reveals the Church in which Christ's care is received.” (Orthodox Study Bible) This was the primary view of the Early Church Fathers.

[15] “The Parable Of The Good Samaritan’s Deeper Meaning,” by Candice Lucey

[16] “The Foolish Samaritan,” by Frances Coppola 

[17] Which, I suspect, led to a LOT of conversation afterward.

[18] Rereading the Parable of the Good Samaritan, by Tyler Watson

[19] Expositor’s Bible Commentary

[20] “Every one… to whom the circumstances analogous to the instance of the Samaritan direct thee to exercise helpful love in order thereby to become his neighbour, thou hast to regard as thy neighbour.” (Myer’s New Testament Commentary)

[21] I am summarizing some marvelous thoughts from Rereading the Parable of the Good Samaritan, by Tyler Watson.

Harmony 55: Enough Faith To Forgive (Luke 17:1-10)

I am sometimes surprised where my study takes me. Today’s passage is one of those days.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves.”

We covered this several weeks ago. I’m just giving us the context leading up to today’s passage. Don’t cause God’s children to stumble out of their faith. Jesus wasn’t suggesting the millstone as a punishment; he was referencing a thing the Romans did to the worst of traitors to make a point about how serious this is. Next, he gives an example on how not to make them stumble.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” The disciples said to the Lord, “Increase our faith (increase your gift of faith to us).”[1]

The apostles recognized this kind of forgiveness was not something they were doing; in fact, they didn’t think they could. It’s an incredibly challenging teaching. “Um, Jesus, we are going to need more faith if you want us to do this kind of forgiving.” Jesus responded with an analogy similar to one we’ve heard before, then told them a parable to make an important point – and here’s where I was surprised where my study led.

I had always thought of this as a prayer I ought to pray. In the context of Jesus’ response, I don’t think it is. Jesus basically responds to their request by saying, “You don’t need more faith. You need to use the faith God has already given you.” Here’s the text, then I will explain my conclusion and its implications for us. 

So the Lord replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you can say to this black mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.[2]

“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?  So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants;[3]we have only done our duty.’”

Does that sound a little harsh or maybe even demeaning? Is that how God will speak to His servants – His children?

First, let’s note that this perspective on being a servant would not have been new information to the disciples. Similar teachings about humility and service to God appear in Jewish writings.

• Rabbi ben Zakkai (contemporary of Jesus) is cited in the Mishnah as saying, “If you have wrought much in the Law claim not merit for yourself, for to this end you were created.”

• Antigonus of Soko (3rd century BCE) said, "Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of reward; rather, be like servants who do not serve their master for the sake of reward, and let the awe of Heaven be upon you.”[4]

The circumstances of service and duty that Jesus describes here between the servants and the master were not demeaning; they were normal in that society, and Jewish audience would have seen no insult in this.[5]

Second, let’s talk about the ‘unprofitable’ part. I believe this parable affirms something else already taught in Judaism: we cannot increase God’s glory. We can’t add to the treasury of spiritual riches that come from the throne of God.

“Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit him? What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless? (Job 22:2-3)

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)

You have derived your being from the infinite fountain of life: you are upheld by the continued energy of the Almighty: his glories are infinite and eternal, and your obedience and services, however excellent in themselves, and profitable to you, have added nothing, and can add nothing, to the absolute excellencies and glories of your God. (Adam Clarke)

If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.” ( Job 35:7-8)

Being ‘unprofitable’ reminds us that we don’t add to the greatness of God; therefore, we aren't bargaining with God in the sense that God owes us because we have enriched Him in some fashion. However, our righteous living impacts other people, which brings me to the next point.

Third, let’s look at other places in Scripture that are not parables to see the heart of God toward those who serve Christ and His kingdom.[6]

• “Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a aithful minister of Christ” (1:7)

• Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord” (4:7)

• “Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother” (4:9)

• “When the Lord comes, He will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; then each one’s declaration of praise will come from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5)?

• “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been shown approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (Jas 1:12).

• “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day” (2 Tim 4:7-8)?

• “Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Heb 13:16)

• “We make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” (2 Cor 5:9)

Clearly, the point of the parable is not that serving God is useless or unworthy of affirmation. Let’s not make this parable carry more weight than it’s intended to bear. Jesus is making a point that has to do with faith.

• According 1 Corinthians 12, faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit who “apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

• Romans 12:3 says, "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith."[7]

Notice that faith is not a thing we make, or drum up by focusing really hard, or earn. It is a gift from God.[8] A prayer to increase faith would be asking God to give a larger measure of faith than God had already given – as if God did not know what He was doing the first time, or wasn’t keeping track of what our needs are.

The disciples seem to be asking, “Give us more faith than what you have given us. There’s no way we can do what you are calling us to do with our current amount of faith.” Jesus basically responds, “You don’t need special merit or favor in your faith. You have what you need. If you are doing that which your faith asks of you, you’re good. The faith I have given you makes you capable of far greater things than you understand.”

I don’t think it was a question of them needing more faith. I think they simply needed to live out the faith God had already given them. And what would this look like? The parable comes back to the theme we’ve been riffing on for weeks now: They should use the faith they have been given in service to God and others.

Faith demonstrates its power when it is put into practice by serving God and others. God uses…

“faith that is pure and simple, that is, faith with integrity. Our faith does not make us powerful authorities but humble servants of God.”[9]

Jesus has equipped us to faithfully do what our faith leads us to do.

Here, I think, is the problem: the disciples wanted an instantaneous abundance of maturity. “Jesus, snap your fingers and makes us spiritually powerful.” I heard a popular preacher once tell an audience that Jesus appeared to him in a dream and told him he (God) was giving him an instant 10 years of spiritual maturity because God didn’t have time to wait for him to get it one day at a time. It may come as no surprise that this man’s ministry crashed and burned.

Jesus told his disciples, “It doesn’t work like that. You have faith. Even the smallest amount of faith has great power. Do the things your faith calls you to do.”[10]

“A small measure of real faith was sufficient to teach them that God would give them strength enough to keep themselves from committing this offense against love and charity of which he warned them so solemnly...”[11]

“The general sense of the parable is clear. It teaches two things to all who would be, then or in the ages to come, his disciples - patience and humility. They were not to look to accomplishing great things by a strong faith given to them in a moment of time, but they were to labor on patiently and bravely, and afterwards, as in the parable-story, they too should eat and drink.”[12]

This is not a glamorous teaching. It turns out that, when we follow Jesus, we not only take up a cross, but we begin what Eugene Peterson called “a long, slow obedience in the same direction” as Jesus.

• How do you hike the Appalachian Trail? One step at a time.

• How do you become Mr. Olympia? One workout at a time.

• How do you get to the stage of the Grand Old Oprey? One gig at a time.

• How do you make a feast? One ingredient at a time.

How does the life-changing power of our faith become real to us in such a way that we experience the transformation into maturity that God intends for us? One act of Holy Spirit - enabled obedience at a time.

I kind of like the cooking analogy. I wish I were a more capable cook than I am. But you know what? I have the ingredients in the house. I have recipes. I have my wife’s presence and wisdom. If she would say, “Why don’t you make Sea Urchin Guacamole Tacos with Spicy Moroccan Carrot Salad and Charred Brussels Sprouts With Anchovy Butter,” that would seem like way too much. But what if I have what I need? Maybe I haven’t used anchovies before, but I can now. It’s right there. I have ingredients, and directions, and the presence and help of the one who called me to this task and equipped me for it. I have what I need to do what I have been asked to do. Am I really good at it? Not yet, but I could be if I commit to learning how to use that which I have been given.

I think this is the point of Jesus’ response. God is a good father who knows how to give good gifts to His children. When God gives you a measure of faith, it’s a good and sufficient gift. He has equipped you for that to which He has called you. Peter noted that we can add things to our faith that are good for our maturity and growth, but God has given us the faith He determined we needed.  From 2 Peter 1:1-8.

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through themyou may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I wonder if we strengthen the faith we have been given by exercising it like a muscle. When we use it, it becomes stronger. Or to my kitchen analogy, if you want to become proficient with the ingredients you have been given, you have to keep cooking with them. One day we will realize we have the resources and strength from the provision of God’s storehouse to do that which seemed impossible.

• How do you become a person who is known for speaking with grace and truth? By drawing from the faith God has already given you, adding Holy Spirit-enabled knowledge and love, and speaking with grace and truth next time. And then the next time.

• How can you become a person who is known for patience? By drawing from the faith God has already given you, adding Holy Spirit enabled self-control, and being patient next time…and next time…

• How can you become a person who is known for kindness and gentleness? By drawing from the faith God has already given you, adding Holy Spirit enabled goodness and mutual affection, and being kind and gentle next time…

• How can we possible be the kind of person who forgives 70x7 times? By drawing from the faith God has already given you, adding Holy Spirit enabled perseverance and love, and forgiving next time…and next time…

If God calls us, He will equip us. He has called us to follow in his footsteps. God has given us the Holy Spirit to work and move and transform us; He has given us his Word to nourish and guide us; He has given us the church to stabilize, and comfort, and encourage us.

Once again, 1 Corinthians 12 lists faith as a gift of the Holy Spirit who “apportions to each one individually as he wills.” I wonder if what Jesus was intending to convey to his disciples was that the better request is this:

“Lord, thank you for the faith you have given us; increase our trust; increase our servant’s heart; increase our love of God and others; increase our strength to add character to our faith; help us to put the faith you have given us into practice.”

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[1] Faith and belief are not interchangeable in the Bible. God gives us faith; we respond with belief. See this commentary at biblehub.com (https://biblehub.com/greek/4102.htm)

[2] “The passives (verbs) here are probably a circumlocution for God performing the action (the so-called divine passive). The issue is not the amount of faith (which in the example is only very tiny), but its presence, which can accomplish impossible things. To cause a tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea is impossible. The expression is a rhetorical idiom. It is like saying a camel can go through the eye of a needle (Luke 18:25).” – notes from the NET Bible on biblegateway.com

[3] “Ἀχοεῖος is not worthless or of no value; for that servant is not useless who does all that his master orders him. Ἄχρηστος is… of whom there is no need, one to whom God the Master owes no thanks or favor. Human pride is liable to fancy that it has done God a favor by doing well, and that God could not do without men’s services...”(Bengals Gnomen)

[4] Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament

[5] Expositor’s Bible Commentary

[6] Thank you, https://transformingourconforming.com/a-profitable-servant/, for compiling this list.

[7] “Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people…faith for the believer is "God's divine persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence)…The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know… the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).” HELPS Word Studies

[8] HELPS Word Studies once again:” Belief and faith are not exactly equivalent terms. When Jesus told people, "Your faith has made you well," faith was still His gift (Eph 2:8,9). Any gift however, once received, becomes the "possession" of the recipient. Faith however is always from God and is purely His work (2 Thes 1:11). Note: The Greek definite article is uniformly used in the expressions "your faith," "their faith" (which occur over 30 times in the Greek NT). This genitive construction with the article refers to "the principle of faith (operating in) you" – not "your faith" in the sense that faith is ever generated by the recipient.”

[9] Africa Bible Commentary

[10] “They had been asking for faith, not only in a measure sufficient for obedience, but as excluding all uncertainty and doubt. They were looking for the crown of labor before their work was done, for the wreath of the conqueror before they had fought the battle.” (Ellicott’s Bible Commentary)

[11] Pulpit Commentary

[12] Pulpit Commentary

Harmony #54: Taking Care Of the Little Ones: Restoration and Forgiveness (Matthew 18:10 – 35)

There is a unifying story arc in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18. He started by noting that the greatest in the Kingdom are willing to be in the kind of humbled state children had in that society. Second, he noted that we dare not cause the ‘little ones’ to sin or despise the ‘little ones’ in the church. The rest of the chapter, including today’s section, builds on this.

·    Finding the Lost Sheep: believers should, like Jesus, take care of the ‘little ones.’

·    Handling sin in the church (a lost ‘little one’ and the rest of the flock)

·    The parable of the Unmerciful Servant (illustration of prior points).[1]

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost. 

 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

That is God’s heart for the little ones, the lost and perishing sheep. That’s meant to be the hearts of us, the ‘undershepherds’: to seek and save those who are lost, wondering, and perishing. No mention is made of the rescued responding the right way or not wandering off again. The shepherd simply seeks the lost sheep and restores it to the flock, and we may assume that he does it again and again and again. Now, here’s an illustration of how to go after lost sheep.

“If your brother or sister sins,[2] go and point out their fault,[3] just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.

I had not thought of this before, because this chapter is often chopped up into neat presentations, but I think this is a ‘people’ example to explain the ‘sheep’ example. It’s seeking and saving the lost.  Just like The Shepherd is not willing that any sheep perish, we should not be willing that any of our herd wander away. And we see right away what the goal is: restoration.

[4] But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[5] If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.[6]

 So this was recorded by Matthew, who was a tax collector. Gotta ask: how did Jesus treat pagans and tax collectors? He pursued them as if they were lost sheep. This isn’t about writing people off. It’s likely about not sharing the communion meal with them, which was where the heart of church community took place. You can’t let a sinfully toxic person poison the flock. But you also can’t ignore a lost and wandering sheep. More on that later.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.[7] Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”[8]

This is an image from Old Testament law. Truth was established by the testimony of two to three witnesses. This is the process by which things are ‘bound and loosed’ on earth as it is in heaven. On this process, God gives His stamp of approval (“there I am with them”).

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[9] 

Peter’s like, “Excuse me? What if it’s the same person over and over? And what if it’s against me? What if that little sheep punches me when it starts wandering? Would seven times of forgiveness be enough?” The rabbis only required three times; this probably seemed generous to Peter. But Jesus responds with a number that the disciples had heard before from the story of Lamech (Adam and Eve’s greeaaatt grandson).

One day he said to his wives, “Wives of Lamech, I need to tell you something! I killed a man who struck me. Surely Lamech must be avenged seventy-seven times” (Genesis 4:23–24).

Lamech was bragging that his vengeance would never end. Jesus takes his unending vengeance and converts into unending forgiveness.[10] Then Jesus tells a parable to illustrate the importance of forgiveness.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand[11]talents was brought to him.  

Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.[12]At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 

 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’[13] In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”[14]

The entire purpose of this parable is to answer Peter’s question, “How many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me?” Jesus is making a point about forgiveness in the church, between sisters and brothers in Christ. We have been forgiven much; we must forgive much.[15]He’s making a point (using a common Roman scenario) about the extravagant way in which we are to forgive others[16] – and the stingy way we are not.

We just read a parable in which we only took one part literally/seriously (Jesus doesn’t leave us to go and save the one). We have to be careful that we don’t make parables say more than they are intended to say. I don’t think we are to read this parable as if the King/Master cleanly correlates with God or that other details are meant to represent precise theology. I have several reasons.[17]

·      After just telling his disciples to forgive without end, this King forgives once.

·      God wouldn’t sell family members to appease a debt.

·      The second servant just disappears from the story, apparently languishing in jail. You’d think the king/God would set that right.

·      God doesn’t need people telling him what his people have done wrong.

·      The parable doesn’t offer a “picture” of a repentant worshipper asking for forgiveness. A dude gets caught and tries to panic bargain his way out of it.

Let’s not ask the parable to carry more weight than its main point: those who have been forgiven must forgive.

It might be as specific as addressing the scenario Peter just brought up. If that’s the case, Peter would be the arrogant servant not wanting to forgive someone who has wronged him far less than Peter has wronged others. It reminds me of taking the beam out of our own eye before taking the speck out of others (Matthew 7:5). We all carry beams. We can’t forget that. We can’t forget how often and how much we receive forgiveness.

I also don’t think we should read too much into the ‘torturer’.[18] Jesus’ audience would have known that the Gentiles who could not pay their debt were cast into debtor’s prison. There is a principle of sowing and reaping here. If you do not forgive others, you will be the one in miserable bondage,[19] not them.[20] 

What is clear is that there are consequences to unforgiveness. It cannot go unaddressed. This is necessary to protect those around the one sinning, as well as to get his attention. And those who refuse to forgive will be miserable in their unforgiveness.

“It temporarily delivers a believer to the power of Satan “for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5). The purpose of this is to bring him to his senses and cause him to confess his sin.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

My final note for unpacking the story: Jesus says that his Father in heaven would do the same thing in the kingdom of heaven. It’s worth asking the question: why does God punish/discipline/prune those who are in the Kingdom?

“If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all… our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:8-10)

This is what Jesus explained was the point of church discipline – “winning a brother over” is about the restoration that follows repentance.

FIVE POINTS OF APPLICATION

1. The entire purpose of this parable is to answer Peter’s question, “How many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me?” Just as there are no limits to the actions we should take in avoiding sin (‘cut out your eye’), so also there should be no limits to the extent of our forgiveness from the heart for others.

“The kingdom comes with limitless grace in the midst of an evil world, but with it comes limitless demand…God searches out those who stray and wills that none be lost, and the community can lay no bounds to its forgiveness or forget that its forgiveness is modeled on God’s forgiveness of its members’ own much larger debt.”[21]

The ability to extend forgiveness is evidence of having truly understood that beauty of the forgiveness God (and others) extend to us.

2. I think there is a human tendency to want to be forgiven much while at the same time forgive little. We want people to ‘take up their cross’ to forgive us, but we don’t want to put that kind of effort into it. We want people to cover a multitude of our significant sins or remarkable flaws with their love and forgiveness, but the minute we are hurt by someone else, the gloves come off and the walls go up. And then, the tendency is to exaggerate what others have done to us and minimize what we have done to them. This parable fundamentally reminds us to do unto others as we would have done to us, to give to others what has been given to us.

3. When the other servants were “greatly distressed,” the word (λυπέω) can refer to emotional/physical pain or “offense” in this context.[22] The king responds when ‘the little ones’ have been hurt, as a good king would.

“The kingdom cannot be present if evil is not being named and defeated…the judgment language is hyperbole…but it assures people there will be a reckoning and that God will vindicate the oppressed.”[23]

The confrontation of sin is not just for the sake of the perpetrator; it’s for the sake of the victim and potential victims. Caring is both/and, not an either/or. Confrontation is care when done with grace and truth.

4. Forgiving “from the heart” needs a scriptural context. Remember the verse, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7)? Notice what the heart is doing – thinking. The word “brain” in never used in the Bible. “Heart” covers both emotions and thoughts. Forgiving someone requires a commitment of the mind. Forgiving from the heart begins as, among other things…

·      deciding to absolve them of the personal debt they owe you

·      deciding to pray for their repentance and restoration

Forgiveness may eventually become a feeling, but it starts as a decision.

5. Restoration. Relational restoration can and often does happen on the other side of genuine repentance and genuine forgiveness. Situational restoration is trickier.

Forgiveness from the heart does not necessarily shield people from the practical consequences of their sin. If someone robs your house, assaults you on the street, hijacks your credit card, or crashes into your car while DUI, you can forgive them from the heart yet still testify against them in court. Like love, forgiveness can cover a multitude of sins. But it doesn't erase them, it doesn’t enable the harmful activity to continue, and it doesn’t mean we should release people to continue their harm.

It is an act of love to forgive from the heart someone who has wronged us. It is also an act of love for everyone around that person to ‘bind and loose’ in such a way that those around them are spared the pain we went through.

Tim Keller gets the final word.

“Most of the wrongs done to us cannot be assessed in purely economic terms. Someone may have robbed you of some happiness, reputation, opportunity, or certain aspects of your freedom. No price tag can be put on such things, yet we still have a sense of violated justice that does not go away when the other person says, ‘I’m really sorry.’  

When we are seriously wronged we have an indelible sense that the perpetrators have incurred a debt that must be dealt with. Once you have been wronged and you realize there is a just debt that can’t simply be dismissed— there are only two things to do.The first option is to seek ways to make the perpetrators suffer for what they have done. 

You can… actively initiate or passively wish for some kind of pain in their lives commensurate to what you experienced. There are many ways to do this. You can viciously confront them, saying things that hurt. You can go around to others to tarnish their reputation. If the perpetrators suffer, you may begin to feel a certain satisfaction, feeling that they are now paying off their debt. 

There are some serious problems with this option, however. You may become harder and colder, more self-pitying, and therefore more self-absorbed. If the wrongdoer was a person of wealth or authority you may instinctively dislike and resist that sort of person for the rest of your life. If it was a person of the opposite sex or another race you might become permanently cynical and prejudiced against whole classes of people.  

In addition, the perpetrator and his friends and family often feel they have the right to respond to your payback in kind. Cycles of reaction and retaliation can go on for years. Evil has been done to you— yes. But when you try to get payment through revenge the evil does not disappear. Instead it spreads, and it spreads most tragically of all into you and your own character. 

There is another option, however. You can forgive. Forgiveness means refusing to [personally] make them pay for what they did. However, to refrain from lashing out at someone when you want to do so with all your being is agony. It is a form of suffering. You not only suffer the original loss of happiness, reputation, and opportunity, but now you forgo the consolation of inflicting the same on them.

You are absorbing the debt, taking the cost of it completely on yourself instead of taking it out of the other person. It hurts terribly. Many people would say it feels like a kind of death. Yes, but it is a death that leads to resurrection instead of the lifelong living death of bitterness and cynicism. 

 As a pastor I have counseled many people about forgiveness, and I have found that if they do this— if they simply refuse to take vengeance on the wrongdoer in action and even in their inner fantasies— the anger slowly begins to subside. You are not giving it any fuel and so the resentment burns lower and lower…  

There are many good reasons that we should want to confront wrongdoers. Wrongdoers have inflicted damage and… it costs something to fix the damage. We should confront wrongdoers— to wake them up to their real character, to move them to repair their relationships, or to at least constrain them and protect others from being harmed by them in the future.  

Notice, however, that all those reasons for confrontation are reasons of love. The best way to love them and the other potential victims around them is to confront them in the hope that they will repent, change, and make things right. The desire for vengeance, however, is motivated not by goodwill but by ill will…

Forgiveness…leads to a new peace, a resurrection. It is the only way to stop the spread of the evil... only when you have lost the need to see the other person hurt will you have any chance of actually bringing about change, reconciliation, and healing. You have to submit to the costly suffering and death of forgiveness if there is going to be any resurrection.”

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[1] Thanks for pointing out this progression, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3987/0a89d9e22b8cb51863d874718b5060bc4472.pdf

[2]  The earliest manuscripts (Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus) lack the addition of “against you”; the later Byzantine manuscripts include it. It was likely added because Peter will soon apply this teaching personally, and adding “against me” at the beginning here would match what he asks later.

[3]  “Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.” (Leviticus 19:17)

[4] “As throughout the NT, the goal of all Christian discipline is restoration and rehabilitation, not retribution.” (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

[5] Follows the guideline in Deut. 19:15.

[6] “ To whom thou art, as a Christian, to owe earnest and persevering good will, and acts of kindness; but have no religious communion with him, till, if he have been convicted, he acknowledge his fault.” (Adam Clarke) 

[7]  “When a congregation acts in accordance with Scripture to promote God’s glory and the good of an erring member, heaven backs up the church.” (Tony Evans Study Bible)

[8]  “It temporarily delivers a believer to the power of Satan “for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5). The purpose is to bring him to his senses and cause him to confess his sin. Until then, believers should be courteous but should also show by their attitude that they do not condone his sin and cannot have fellowship with him as a fellow believer. The assembly should be prompt to receive him back as soon as there is evidence of godly repentance.” (Believers Bible Commentary)

[9] “Christ’s reply lifts the subject out of the legal sphere (seven times - a hard rule), into the evangelic: times without number, infinite placability.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) 

[10] Tony Evans Study Bible

[11] The highest number in Greek arithmetic.

[12] There were no prisons in Jewish culture, but there were in the Roman world. “The Roman Constitution, known as the Laws of Twelve Tables (Table III, Laws IV-X), has a series of detailed laws… [debtors] may be taken to court, put in chains, and forced into various arrangements to pay off their debts as slaves…others can come to pay off their debts on their behalf and they can be released from prison. Debts that could not be repaid were to be enslaved by creditors or sold in the slave market.” (“Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.” https://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/parable-of-the-unforgiving-servant)

[13] “"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get" (Matt 7.1-2).” 

[14] “Those who know God’s mercy must operate on the principle of mercy. If they do not show mercy but insist on justice, they will not receive mercy, but justice.” (ESV Reformation Study Bible)

[15] I don’t think it is meant to be read as a teaching on atonement theology or final judgment Klyne Snodgrass’ book Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables Of Jesus does an excellent job explaining this.

[16] The parable’s conclusion sounds a lot like a teaching in Sirach 28:2-4 “Forgive your neighbor the wrong he had done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does anyone harbor anger against another, and expect healing from the Lord? If one has no mercy toward another like himself, can he then seek pardon for his own sins?”

[17] “The king in the parable surely does not live up to Jesus’ saying on repeated and unlimited forgiveness. Moreover, when the king in the parable is seen as a metaphor for God (based on Mt 18:35), the picture of God painted in the parable is quite unflattering in that God is pictured as ‘a vindictive person whose mercies are dependent on human behavior.’” https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3987/0a89d9e22b8cb51863d874718b5060bc4472.pdf

[18] “Just as we don’t take [the money figures] literally, neither ought we take literally Jesus threatening torture and jail for withholding forgiveness (the very things he criticized the unforgiving servant for doing)…I hear him using holy hyperbole to say, “God forgave you your debt and you won’t forgive another? How would you like it if God did the same to you – didn’t forgive you, called you wicked, and handed you over to be tortured in a debtor’s prison for 160,000 years?” I think he would answer, “I wouldn’t.” https://readingacts.com/2022/01/19/the-parable-of-the-unmerciful-servant-matthew-1823-35/#

[19] “There are many poor souls who are tortured by their own unforgiveness toward others.” (“Matthew 18 – qualities and attitudes of kingdom citizens.”  enduringword.com)

[20] Shari Abbot, “What is the Meaning of Jesus’ Parable of the Ungrateful Servant? (Matthew 18:23-35).”  reasonsforhopejesus.com

[21] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables Of Jesus, Klyne R. Snodgrass

[22] https://readingacts.com/2022/01/19/the-parable-of-the-unmerciful-servant-matthew-1823-35/#

[23] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables Of Jesus, Klyne R. Snodgrass

Harmony #32: A Costly, Beautiful Kingdom

Quick review of the 5 parables last week, because these next two participate in the Big Picture story. I would have added them last week but I just didn’t have enough time.

• Parable of the Sower - Ideally, the seed of the Word/Truth of God grows in good heart soil and yields fruit,[1] but that’s not always the case. When the heart is hard, the ‘wild birds’ of the evil one snatch it away. When the heart is shallow, the seed will not take root. When the heart is compromised, the other things that have been sown in it will overpower the seed. So, have a heart ready for the truth.

• The Weeds And Wheat  - But be alert: more than one sower is competing for the hearts of people. In the sower’s field of the world (and the church?), the wheat will grow amidst counterfeits that threaten to ruin the harvest. Don’t panic. The wheat will grow and survive in a mixed field. The weeds can’t stop the wheat from being the wheat.

• The Seeds - Be humble: remember, this good crop of wheat is patiently and steadily flourishing thanks to the work of the Sower, work we don’t understand and wasn’t done in our power.

• The Mustard Seed - The kingdom of God will grow such that it offers safety and shade to all – even the ‘wild birds’ who once sought to stop it from growing (like the Apostle Paul).

• The Yeast - Just a few people can make a huge difference in the growth of the Kingdom.

This all sounds great! What’s not to like about the vision for global change? And his disciples are the yeast in that last parable, so how cool is that to be on the front end of this movement that is going to grow so large and be so compelling that even your former enemies will find rest in the branches of this Kingdom tree?  The Zealots probably weren’t happy – they wanted to fight – but it sounds like followers of Jesus can be a part of this organic growth of the Kingdom into all the world. Woo hoo!

Then Jesus wraps up this section of parables with a sobering and encouraging assessment.

Treasures And Pearls (Matthew 13:44-45)
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

In other words, the kingdom of Heaven is unparalleled and glorious; also, being a part of it will cost you everything. Both people in the parables sold all that they had in order to have the Kingdom in their possession.

Jesus’ point isn’t that you can purchase your way into heaven. After all, “It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32). Jesus is just using an analogy to make the point that it’s important to count the cost. Luke records in the 14th chapter of his book that once when a large crowd was following Jesus, he gave them a reminder that I suspect thinned the crowd:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate [esteem less; renounce in favor of another][2] father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)

This blunt contrast was a Jewish style of teaching to make a point about preference and allegiance. If we agree to follow Jesus, Jesus gets preeminence. He is the center of that kingdom treasure. But things must be given up to have this treasure. After telling two stories about how people don’t start building projects or go to war without first counting the cost, he says again:

“Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”  (Luke 14:33)

 The availability of the Kingdom of Heaven was made possible at great cost – the life of Jesus. The experience of the Kingdom in our lives comes with a costly trade as well: our life surrendered to the King in order to experience life in the Kingdom

[3] So, the Kingdom is a gift we can never buy. No amount of money, power, intelligence, achievement or social status does us any good. But to really live in the Kingdom, we must prize the kingdom more than we prize anything else. The point of selling everything in this parable is simply to show where our heart is, because “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Let’s clarify what this treasure is. It’s the spiritual state where we surrender heart, soul, mind and strength to grace-filled reign of the King, Christ Jesus.

Because it’s a spiritual state, the kingdom of heaven is advanced by the good news of the gospel. The kingdom of heaven Jesus is talking about in these parables can’t and won’t be found among the nations on the earth. It’s not a country or empire.[4] The kingdom of heaven is not in a geographic area where all things have become Christianized. It’s not a vision of Christian nationalism. Jesus said (John 18:36), “My kingdom is not of this world, else my disciples would fight.” 

Side note: I’m not talking about God’s future reign on earth when He wraps up history as we know it and ushers in the New Heaven and New Earth in which His kingdom reigns forever. This is about the kind of kingdom we live in until then, the one Jesus said was here now.

The kingdom of heaven is advanced when those who have been saved, sanctified, and transformed increasingly into the image of Jesus spread the good news of the gospel message of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

When we truly see and experience the treasure that is the kingdom rightly expressed, the loss of all the things we have traded will be an exercise in joy [grace recognized][5], not regret. Paul said it this way:

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7, 8)

What is so great about this Kingdom that the cost is worth it? In addition to things I’ve already mentioned – salvation, sanctification, etc - Peter talks about what should characterize those who are followers of the King:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 

 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 1:3-8)

Envision, if you will, a community of Christ-followers in which this characterizes life together.

• We participate in the divine nature.

• We are freed of corrupt, evil desires.

• We have, in increasing measure, faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.

 How would this not add joy [grace recognized] to the response we have already had to being made righteous thanks to Jesus? If this is really what is happening in us and in those who surround us in church community, that’s an oasis of life and hope in the desert of the world.

But it’s not a cheap joy in response to the grace of God: to really live like this is going to cost us. Self-control is hard. So is perseverance. And love. Yet we experience the richness of the Kingdom when are willing to offer what God has given for His kingdom above all else: our gifts, our talents, our resources—they all go on the altar. And as we experience it, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

So, let’s make the cost and benefit practical. What must we ‘sell’ in order to experience the goodness of the Kingdom? What must we put on the altar?

I started making a list this week, and it turned out something like this. I’m sure there’s more to add. I hope this inspires you to think about other ways we trade other treasure for the Kingdom treasure. I also hope it inspires you to talk about more of the nuance in each point, because there’s always more to say.

1.    Control for surrender.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1) This is trading Kingdom ruled by Self for Kingdom ruled by Jesus.  I willingly and freely agree to transfer the deed of my life to a new owner because I believe that He is a better caretaker and King than I can ever be.

2.    Pride for humility. “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3) We learn to be okay with not being perfect or even amazing. We learn to be okay with not being okay. There is freedom and growth in honest self-assessment in transparent and honest community.

3.    Independence for interdependence. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12: 4-5) Our individuality is not obliterated like the Borg in Star Trek. We matter as individuals. But we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. I like a puzzle analogy: each piece is its own beautiful self, but it’s made to be part of Big Picture. The Big Picture needs it to be complete, and the piece needs the puzzle for context.

4.     Life hyper-focused on self to a life focused on others. “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:12-17) Similar to my previous point, this does not obliterate our individuality. Part of that involves stewarding our own health so that we don’t burn out. That hurts us and short-circuits our ability to be present with others. This is once again about seeing that we are part of a body. Yes, we seek to keep our part of the body healthy, but remember that staying healthy is about more than just us: it participates in keeping the whole body in perfect harmony.

5.    Rights-based living for responsibility-based living. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13) “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 10:45). We have been freed fromthe power of sin so that we are free to be who God has made us to be. Whenever our freedom hurts us or others, it’s no longer being used as God designed freedom to be used. We are designed to offer loving service filled with truth and grace to those around us.

Paul starts off 1 Corinthians 8 by saying, “We all possess knowledge, but knowledge puffs up but love builds up.” He then begins to talk about those who know that eating meat offered to idols is not a big deal.

“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge [about what is sin and what is not], eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  

So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.” (1 Corinthians 8:9-13)

6.    Hard-heartedness for repentance. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) In order to confess our sins, we need to own our sins. In the Kingdom, it is honorable and noble to admit wrongdoing and acknowledge weakness. It isn’t weakness to admit it; it’s a display of the power of God at work in you. Yes, it may well be embarrassing and humbling, but there is a purity of heart and (hopefully) restoration of relationship on the other side. That’s a good trade-off.

7.    Vengeance for justice (guided by mercy).  “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone… Do not take revenge [full vindication], my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge [full vindication]; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21) “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8) In the Kingdom, we give up the right to take full vindication into our own hands when someone wrongs us. It’s not that we get in the way of true justice: if someone has, say, burnt your house down, it’s a good idea that justice guided by mercy has a say in what needs to follow. But that’s different from you exacting that justice yourself, or demanding a full vindication that looks like what you want it to look like. We give up the right to make people pay like we want them to pay. Instead, we have the freedom that comes from remembering that injustice will not stand. God will have the last word no matter what happens on this side of eternity.

8.    Self-indulgence for self-control. “Here’s my instruction: walk in the Spirit, and let the Spirit bring order to your life. If you do, you will never give in to your selfish and sinful cravings. For everything the flesh desires goes against the Spirit, and everything the Spirit desires goes against the flesh. There is a constant battle raging between them that prevents you from doing the good you want to do... It’s clear that our flesh entices us into practicing some of its most heinous acts: participating in corrupt sexual relationships, impurity, unbridled lust, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, arguing, jealousy, anger, selfishness, contentiousness, division,  envy of others’ good fortune, drunkenness and drunken revelry, and other shameful vices that plague humankind. I told you this clearly before, and I only tell you again so there is no room for confusion: those who give in to these ways will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.”(Galatians 5:16-23). Okay, seriously, which list looks better? Which one looks like a list for a life well lived? God has our flourishing in mind when He gives us Kingdom guiderails for the road of life. When we stay within them, that’s good for us and those around us. A whole community characterized by the fruit of the Spirit? That’s community gold.

1.    Grudges for forgiveness. “Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13) This isn’t saying that we must forget things that have happened, especially if it’s important to remember patterns in people’s lives lest we put ourselves or others in danger. It’s also not saying that consequence shouldn’t play out if that’s part of what justice looks like. One can hold tough boundaries with a gently heart. But there is so much freedom in letting go of bitterness and anger.

* * * * *

In the end, I keep coming back to this imagery of transferring the deed of our life. This is, I think, what we are being called to do: transferr the deed of our life to a better landowner - a King, in fact, the best one there is, who will not only take ownership of our life but invite us into the royal family.

This king is not going to force us; it’s an offer we can take or leave. God will not coerce us into His kingdom. But if we enter in response to His gracious offer, the cost of what we let go will pale in light of the goodness of life lived at the center of His grace.

________________________________________________________________________________________
[1] “If the goal of the Christian life may be stated as Christlikeness, then surely every trait developed in us that reflects His character must be fruit that is very pleasing to Him. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in nine terms in Galatians 5:22-23, and Peter urges the development of seven accompaniments to faith in order that we might be fruitful (2 Peter 1:5-8). Two of these terms are common to both lists: love and self-control. The others are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, virtue, knowledge, endurance, piety, and brotherly love.” https://bible.org/illustration/what-fruit

[2] HELPS Word Studies definition.

[3] A lot of thoughts on the next page of notes I found at https://reformedwitnesshour.org/broadcast/the-kingdom-of-heaven-is-the-treasure/.

[4] “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold the kingdom of God is within you.”  (Luke 17:21)Jesus makes clear to Zaccheus that it’s spiritual: (John 3:3), “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

[5] HELPS Word Studies

Harmony #31: 5 Parables Of The Kingdom (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8)

Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:1-9; Mk 4:1-9, 23; Lk 8:4-8)
On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake and began to teach.[1] People were coming to Jesus from one town after another. And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd stood on the shore by the lake. He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching said to them: 

“Listen! A sower went out to sow his seed.[2] And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds came and devoured it.[3] Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root and had no moisture, it withered. 

Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with them and choked it, and it did not produce grain. But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times.”[4]  And he said, “Whoever has ears had better listen!”

Parable of the Sower Explained (Mt 13:18-23; Mk 4:14-20; Lk 8:11-15)
 Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God and the sower sows the word. When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one (Satan, the devil) comes and snatches away the word that was sown in his heart  so that he may not believe and be saved. This is the seed sown along the path. 

“The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. He believes for a while, but he has no root in himself and does not endure in a time of testing. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 

“The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but as they go on their way worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth and the pleasures of life choke the word, so it does not mature and produces nothing. 

 “But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word, understands and receives it, clinging to it with an honest and good heart and steadfast endurance. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” 

Parable of Wheat & Weeds (Mt 13:24–30; 36-43)
Jesus presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. 

“So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’  “He said, ‘An enemy has done this.’“ So the servants replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’

“But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.[5] At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.” 

 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”  He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom.  

The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks that cause sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[6] Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. 

Parables of Seeds, Mustard Seed, & Yeast (Mk 4:26-34; Mt 13:31-45; Lk 13:18-21)
 Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle because the harvest has come.”

Jesus also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground—  when it is sown, it grows up, becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds can nest in its shade.” 

Again Jesus said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

I think these parables are meant to be read as telling a story, with each one being like a contributing chapter. The Big Story goes something like this:

·      Parable of the Sower - Ideally, the seed of the Word/Truth of God grows in good heart soil and yields fruit,[7] but that’s not always the case. When the heart is hard, the ‘wild birds’ of the evil one snatch it away. When the heart is shallow, the seed will not take root. When the heart is compromised, the other things that have been sown in it will overpower the seed. So, have a heart ready for the truth.

·      The Weeds And Wheat  - But be alert: more than one sower is competing for the hearts of people. In the sower’s field of the world (and the church?), the wheat will grow amidst counterfeits that threaten to ruin the harvest. Don’t panic. The wheat will grow and survive in a mixed field. The weeds can’t stop the wheat from being the wheat.

·      The Seeds - Be humble: remember, this good crop of wheat is patiently and steadily flourishing thanks to the work of the Sower, work we don’t understand and wasn’t done in our power.

·      The Mustard Seed - The kingdom of God will grow such that it offers safety and shade to all – even the ‘wild birds’ who once sought to stop it from growing (like the Apostle Paul).

·      The Yeast - Just a few people can make a huge difference in the growth of the Kingdom.

The Parable of the Sower: Ideally, seed (the Word/truth of God) grows in good heart soil that yields fruit. The first part of the parable is sobering. Our hearts can be hard (the path), shallow (the rocky ground), or seduced/overwhelmed by the pleasures and pressures of the world (the thorns). It’s even possible to receive the word with joy and excitement…and have it come to nothing.[8] So, how do we get the kind of soil in which the truth of the gospel can grow?

First, we surrender ourselves to the work only God can do.

Is not the ground naturally bad in every heart? Undoubtedly. And can any but God make it good? None. But it is your business, when you hear of the justice and mercy of God, to implore him to work in you that which is pleasing in his sight. 

No man shall be condemned because he did not change his own heart, but because he did not cry to God to change it, who gave him his Holy Spirit for this very purpose, and which he, by his worldly-mindedness and impiety, quenched.  (Adam Clarke)

Second, the Bible is full of admonitions to ‘practice righteousness,’[9] to tame our will in accordance with the guidance of God. To the degree that we can influence the soil of our heart – and there can be lots of reasons why it is harder for some than others - I suspect it looks something like this.

·      Soften our heart through humility and honesty.

·      Dig our heart deep through perseverance.

·      Uproot the material cares of the world through generosity.

The Weeds and the Wheat: There is more than one sower at work. Sowers are competing for a stake in the field of hearts (the world? the church? Jesus seems to imply both). The weed is probably something called darnel, which looks a LOT like wheat until it begins to sprout. the counterfeit will look a lot like the real thing. By the time it’s obvious which is which, the roots are intertwined, and pulling up the weeds pulls up the wheat around it. How do we distinguish the real from the counterfeit? Well, when they begin to ripen and expose their grain – their fruit, if you will. It’s our job to discern the difference but not destroy the one who is different.

If this parable applies to both the world and the church, there are two points to be made.

·      First, it’s foolish to think we can create a Christian utopia. Let’s recognize we share the field of the world with others that we are not called to destroy. What we are called to do is flourish as wheat in their midst.

·      Second, this may function as a warning about deception creeping into the church, especially considering how often the writers of the letters in the NT warned people about the counterfeits in their midst. They, too, we are to identify the trouble but not destroy the troublemaker. More on this in a moment.

Considering how many times Jesus calls out the hypocrites around him, and how many times the writers of the NT letters called out false teachers in the church, I don’t think this is meant to be a call to passivity on confronting error and corruption. I think this has more to do with taking the ultimate judgment into our hands. Martin Luther, who had his own set of issues worth confronting, had something important to say about how the church wields its power. 

Again this Gospel teaches how we should conduct ourselves toward these heretics and false teachers…Here he says publicly let both grow together… he who errs today may find the truth tomorrow. Who knows when the Word of God may touch his heart?  

But if he be burned at the stake, or otherwise destroyed, it is thereby assured that he can never find the truth; and thus the Word of God is snatched from him, and he must be lost, who otherwise might have been saved…That is something awful in the eyes of God and never to be justified. 

 From this observe what raging and furious people we have been these many years, in that we desired to force others to believe; the Turks with the sword, heretics with fire, the Jews with death, and thus outroot the tares by our own power, as if we were the ones who could reign over hearts and spirits, and make them pious and right, which God’s Word alone must do.  

But by murder we separate the people from the Word, so that it cannot possibly work upon them and we bring thus, with one stroke a double murder upon ourselves, as far as it lies in our power, namely, in that we murder the body for time and the soul for eternity, and afterwards say we did God a service by our actions, and wish to merit something special in heaven. (Martin Luther)

Luther notes what all the commentators I read note: people can change. Paul says to one of the churches, “All these things you once were.” Weeds can become wheat. There is always hope.[10]Using discernment to make a distinction between true and false wheat is necessary; seeking to destroy the very life of the false wheat is not our calling. We are here to convert, not destroy; to minister, not mangle. We will see this in the wild birds in the branches of the mustard tree, but we aren’t there yet.[11]

The Parable of the Seeds: The good crop grows patiently and gently thanks to work we don’t understand and wasn’t done in our power. Let’s remember to give credit where credit is due – to the Sower/Farmer. I’ve talked before about we invest sweat equity in our walk with Christ. We are exhorted to be “workers who don’t need to be ashamed.”[12] Paul talks about bringing his body (his life) into submission in the service of God.[13] We are not called to be lazy freeloaders. But it’s always true that God is at work in us in ways we don’t understand. The Holy Spirit is constantly bringing holy things out of us that we couldn’t do on our own.

What do I mean by saying it grows patiently and gently? We see in the imagery that the kingdom grows quietly. It is not an apocalyptic or violently revolutionary disruption. The kingdom does not force itself upon people. The seed is planted in order for it to germinate, grow to maturity, and produce fruit.[14]

Here’s where its probably also worth noting that the crops in the first parable were not all the same. There were different levels of production from good soil. Combined with this parable, it’s a good reminder not to judge others or be envious of others when their crop looks different than ours.[15] Good soil can yield different results. We don’t need to try to be somebody else. We just need to let the Sower do his work.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed: The kingdom of God grows miraculously - and offers shade to all. Jesus is using language his audience understood. Ezekiel compared the kingdoms of Assyria and Judah to a magnificent tree:

“All the birds of the sky nested in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth,
And all great nations lived under its shade.”
(Ezekiel 31:6) 

On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant [Judah]; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree … (Ezekiel 17:23-24)

It’s worth nothing that mustard plants aren’t famous for being trees. They are considered shrubs. “I will make high the low tree,” said Jesus.  The kingdom of God will become impossibly large. We see this right away in church history, when Christianity exploded into the world. The early church grew about 40% per decade. 35 AD = 1,000. 100 AD, 7,500.  150 AD, 40,000. 350 = 34 million.[16]

In the Old Testament, the birds seem to be Gentile nations benefiting from the blessings of the God’s covenantal community in Israel.[17] When Israel was faithful and true, they weren’t the only ones who benefitted.  

Commentators note Jesus uses the same words for the birds that steal the seed and the birds in the tree. This seems to imply that, just like Saul who killed Christians became a Christian, there are those who were once enemies of the faith who will eventually find shelter in the Kingdom.[18] This takes me back to the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat. This is why you don’t destroy the weeds before the harvest. There is still time. The story isn’t over. Those ‘weed birds’ may yet find rest in the shade of the Kingdom.

5. Like yeast in bread, it only takes a few people to spread the kingdom far and wide. Have you heard of 6 degrees of separation? The idea is that I am 6 ‘people steps’ removed from any random person in the world. I know Bob, who knows Sally who knows….Random Person X. Meta claims to have it down to under 4 among Facebook users. The potential for our lives to have a ripple effect is incredible. When I was in youth group, we used to sit around a fire pit and sing, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going…” That's the idea. The 12 became 1,000 became over 2 billion today. Don’t underestimate the impact of one person sold out to Jesus. Don't underestimate your value in the Kingdom of God.

I’ve was trying to think of how to summarize all this, and this quote caught my eye:

Live in the kingdom of God in such a way that it provokes questions for which the gospel is the answer. - Lesslie Newbigin

I like that. When we live in the Kingdom as children of the King, may God’s goodness displayed in our lives be so intriguing that it brings out questions from those around us that gives us opportunity to point to Sower who planted the gospel seed that started it all.

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[1] “The place where Jesus sat beside the sea (13:1–2) is traditionally called the Cove of the Parables. It was a horseshoe-shaped cove that had remarkable acoustics. Anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 people could fit just along the beach, while twice that many could easily fill the entire hillside.” (ESV Global Study Bible)

[2] “Sowers must sow indiscriminately, but hearers must be careful to ensure that they are rich soil, capable of receiving and nurturing the seed, which is the word of God.” (Africa Bible Commentary)

[3] “The birds are a picture of Satan; he snatches away the seed…He cooperates with them in their self-chosen barrenness.” (Believers Bible Commentary) “Jubilees [likens Satan] to a swooping bird leading a pack of other birds: “…that they might eat the seed which was being sown in the earth in order to spoil the earth so that they might rob mankind of their labors. Before they plowed in the seed, the crows picked it off the surface of the earth” (Jub. 11:10–11). (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament)

[4] “Fruit here is probably the manifestation of Christian character rather than souls won to Christ. When the word fruit is used in the NT, it generally refers to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23).” (Believers Bible Commentary)

[5] “Once the wheat was full grown and ready to be harvested, the darnel, now distinguishable from it, could be uprooted and used as cheap fuel. Laborers gathered wheat into sheaves, transporting it (often on donkeys) to a village’s threshing floor, or in this case to that of this large estate. Once threshed, it would be stored in a barn.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[6] Jesus seems to repeat this parable with a different image later in the chapter: “47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

[7] “If the goal of the Christian life may be stated as Christlikeness, then surely every trait developed in us that reflects His character must be fruit that is very pleasing to Him. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in nine terms in Galatians 5:22-23, and Peter urges the development of seven accompaniments to faith in order that we might be fruitful (2 Peter 1:5-8). Two of these terms are common to both lists: love and self-control. The others are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, virtue, knowledge, endurance, piety, and brotherly love.” https://bible.org/illustration/what-fruit

[8] “Receiving the kingdom with joy is not enough — a message the modern church desperately needs to hear. Faith that is temporary and unproductive is not true faith. As C. Keener observes, “the only conversions that count in the kingdom are those confirmed by a life of discipleship.” (Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, Klyne R. Snodgrass)

[9] 1 John 3:7-8

[10] “God judges quite otherwise than men of this mixture of good and evil in the world; he knows the good which he intends to produce from it, and how far his patience towards the wicked should extend, in order to their conversion, or the farther sanctification of the righteous… A zeal for the extirpation of heretics and wicked… allows no time for the one to grow strong in goodness, or to the other to forsake their evil courses. The zeal which leads persons to persecute others for religious opinions is not less a seed of the devil than a bad opinion itself is. Let both grow together. Though every minister of God should separate from the Church of Christ every incorrigible sinner, yet he should proceed no farther: the man is not to be persecuted in his body or goods… GOD tolerates him; so should men. God…alone is the judge and punisher of them-man has no right to interfere in this matter. They who burnt Vanini for atheism usurped the seat of judgment, and thus proved themselves to be not less a diabolical seed than the person they… hurried into eternity. Mary, Queen of England, of execrable memory, and the inquisitorial tormentors she employed, were all of this diabolical sowing.” (Adam Clarke)

[11] “The Donatists of North Africa, in Augustine’s day…argued that, in the world, the two grow together but, in the Church, only wheat could be allowed. Augustine countered that both clean and unclean animals were housed in the ark, goats and sheep graze in the same pasture, grain and chaff are stored in the same barn and tares and wheat are found in the same field. The pure were known only to God and would be separated at the end of history…The initial story is a call for patience in the present that allows God to make the final judgment as to what is wheat and what is zizania… On the other hand, to affirm the parable, with its focus on the present, and deny the future judgment recorded in the interpretation is also a grave error…Both patience and warning are canonical themes.” Kenneth Bailey, https://pres-outlook.org/2006/07/the-parable-of-the-wheat-and-the-tares/

[12] 2 Timothy 2:15

[13] 1 Corinthians 9:27

[14] https://shenangopresbytery.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/parables.pdf

[15] “And we must not fail to notice that the soil that produces only a small crop is nevertheless called ‘good.’" (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

[16] “The Secret to the Early Church’s Explosive Growth (It’s Not What You Think!)” https://newbreak.church/early-church-growth/

[17] ESV Reformation Study Bible

[18] There are other ideas about how to understand this imagery. I think this one makes the most sense, but I could, of course, be wrong.

The Soil of The Kingdom (Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23)

Jesus talked a lot about the Kingdom of Heaven – a life where the rule and reign of God is both seen and experienced, a Kingdom that we become a part of when we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ. We become citizens of heaven, and this world is not supposed to be ‘home’ any more. When Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is IN YOU!” (Luke 17:21), it’s not some New Age proclamation that we are all gods. He simply meant it’s not “there” or “there” where an earthly kingdom can be seen. It’s not kicking out the Romans and establishing a Jewish nation. That's not the Kingdom of Heaven. The rule and reign of Christ is now in our hearts.

 Jesus told a number of parables about the Kingdom of Heaven explaining to his followers what characterizes the kingdom of Heaven, and, by implication, how they ought to seek to live as citizens of that kingdom. We are going to take five weeks to go through the parables in Matthew 13. Today we are looking at the Parable of the Sower.

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A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:3-9)

This is what the parable of the sower means. It is about the kingdom of heaven. When someone hears the story of the Kingdom and cannot understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away whatever goodness and holiness had been sown in the heart. This is like the seeds sown beside the road. You know people who hear the word of God and receive it joyfully—but then, somehow, the word fails to take root in their hearts. It is temporary. As soon as there is trouble for those people, they trip: those people are the seeds strewn on the rocky soil. And you know people who hear the word, but it is choked inside them because they constantly worry and prefer the wealth and pleasures of the world: they prefer drunken dinner parties to prayer, power to piety, and riches to righteousness. Those people are like the seeds sown among thorns. The people who hear the word and receive it and grow in it—those are like the seeds sown on good soil. They produce a bumper crop, 30 or 60 or 100 times what was sown. (Matthew 13:18-23)

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 It was likely the audience could look out on the hillside and see a sower going forth to sow. They could see a path which had been beaten across the field and the birds picking up the seeds right behind the sower. They could see the rocky ground,  the thorns and thistles, the good soil. While there is a lot to unpack here, I want to make only two points from this parable.

1. The Gospel is for everyone.

Considering the fields in Palestine, there was really no way to avoid ‘wasting’ seed. Jesus didn’t tell them to be more conservative with their planting. He just acknowledged not all the seeds are going to make it. But… sow. By all means. Paul wrote:

 And, even though no one (except Jesus) owns me, I have become a slave by my own free will to everyone in hopes that I would gather more believers. When around Jews, I emphasize my Jewishness in order to win them over. When around those who live strictly under the law, I live by its regulations—even though I have a different perspective on the law now—in order to win them over.  In the same way, I’ve made a life outside the law to gather those who live outside the law (although I personally abide by and live under the Anointed One’s law).  I’ve been broken, lost, depressed, oppressed, and weak that I might find favor and gain the weak. I’m flexible, adaptable, and able to do and be whatever is needed for all kinds of people so that in the end I can use every means at my disposal to offer them salvation.  I do it all for the gospel and for the hope that I may participate with everyone who is blessed by the proclamation of the good news. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

It’s not our job to decide who deserves the good news of the Gospel and who doesn’t. We are always evangelizing; we are always ambassadors for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. The Gospel takes root when it is planted deep in good soil.

 This is a summary statement of all the soils, so let’s work our way through them.

 Hardness of heart: when truth has no impact on us. There is no sense of the terrible nature of sin, particularly our own.  There are at least three ways in which our responses can reflect a hardness of heart.

• First, the hard-hearted don’t believe in sin. Good and evil are what we want them to be, and I am good. I don’t need a gospel of salvation. 

• Second, the hard-hearted can hear the Gospel, believe that  sin offends a holy God, harms us, devastates the world around us  - and just not care because they want to live life by their own rules.   

• Third, the hard-hearted hear and believe it’s true, but they only see the sinners all around them and fail to see the sinner within.

Brennan Manning wrote, “The kingdom is not an exclusive, well-trimmed suburb with snobbish rules about who can live there. No, it is for a larger, homelier, less self-conscious caste of people who understand they are sinners because they have experienced the yaw and pitch of moral struggle.” The gospel takes root in broken, humble people.

The Rocky Soil of Hardship and Trials: tough times uproot our faith. 

1. Hardships – Life is Hard: sickness, poverty, ongoing sin, broken relationships, death of a loved one… When we face these times, we assume God doesn’t care, isn’t strong or isn’t real, and whatever we once believe uproots and dies. There is no depth to faith. There was not a true understanding of what Jesus saved us from – that is, the penalty of our sin, not the hardship of life. Disillusionment wins because truth did not put down roots. 

1. Trials – Being A Christian Is Hard: Specific challenges to our faith.

• Some of them are literal, physical persecution. (http://www.opendoorsusa.org; persecution.com). This happens around the world constantly.

• Some of them are challenges to orthodoxy (what we believe as Christians): Does God exist? Is Jesus really God? Why would you trust the Bible? Do you really believe in Heaven and Hell? (See our church’s statement of faith at https://clgonline.org/statement-of-faith/). I have had people tell me they just think I am out of my mind to believe the Bible.

• Some of them are challenges to orthopraxy (how we live as Christians): In our culture, the issues primarily involve sex, marriage and human life (they were different 30 years ago; they will be different 30 years from now. Don't focus on the issues as much as the principle). We can be attacked as hateful or bigoted because we believe that God designed all sex for marriage, that God’s design for marriage is between a man and a woman, and that when sex results in babies they are human beings with a right to life.  When we don’t agree, we can be villified very quickly. If you don’t know how to answer questions about Christian beliefs and practices with truth and compassion, we will do our best to help you here at church, but you need to invest in understanding life in the Kingdom. Buy books. Watch videos. Listen to podcasts. Find good websites. Come to the 11:15 classes. Know what the Bible says, why God thought it was important to say it, and why it’s true.  

The Thorns: Distractions and Temptations

• Distractions: the glittery, shiny and beautiful things: friends, health, food, jobs, money, relationships, anything with a screen… Distractions are not things that are bad in and of themselves. They just begin to dominate our vision and take our eyes off of Christ.

• Temptations: the desire to sin – to live outside of God’s design for our lives. It’s often very subtle – usually, we are tempted to take something good (see the list above) and make it an idol. We begin to serve them because of the comfort, pleasure or power they bring.  (Note: In Christianity, we sacrifice ourselves so that others can live. In idolatry, we sacrifice others so we can live).  

The Good Soil 

"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, in AN HONEST AND GOOD HEART, having heard the word, KEEP it, and bring forth fruit WITH PATIENCE." (Luke 8:15, a parallel parable)

This is where the Kingdom flourishes. This is what characterizes citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Honest and good-hearted people  are empowered by God with a goodness only God can bring, and as a result of their salvation live in a way that is inspirational and appealing. I don't mean Oprah Winfrey of Lifetime Network inspirational. I don’t mean you become one of the shiny happy people. The idea with this phrase is that God has made something good in you, and your life shows this. This isn’t a call to perfection. It’s a call to live genuinely in Christ and with others, letting others see what is happening in you. When Jesus brings beauty from the ashes of your life, that’s compelling.

• Hear the Word (literally). Don’t overcomplicate this. It just means know the Word of God. Read it. Read about it. Pray about it. Study it, listen to teaching about it, discuss it with your friends… Hear it over and over again. I was reading about the Rule of 151 on a blog called A Purposeful Business: It takes 151 times for a message to be heard through conversation: "The first 50 times people don’t hear you; the second 50 times they don’t understand you; the third 50 times they don’t believe you; the 151st time that they finally hear, understand, and think, 'Well, there must be something to this.'”

          The Holy Spirit opens our eyes, but we have to keep looking. 

• Understand it (synthesize it; find the preferred will of God. This is soaking it up, letting it rest in you, and nourishing it. This is being vulnerable, being honest with yourself, looking for the ways God’s truth needs to grow in you.

• Keep It (Hold fast; take possession). This is putting down roots and saying, “I will not be moved.” This is where, in the midst of hardship, we say like David, “Yet will I praise Him.” This is clinging to the truth of God in a culture that offers a lot of loud and glittering half-truths: “Live for yourself; do what feels right; you’re perfect just the way you are; love is all you need; the most important things is that you are happy.”

• Bring Forth Fruit patiently (literally, be “unswerved from deliberate purpose and loyalty to faith by even the greatest trials and sufferings” - biblehub.com). Paul said he ran the race with patience.  This is about decision, focus, and commitment.

This is what life in the Kingdom of Heaven look like when the rule and reign of God is both seen and experienced. This is what we are called to when we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ. I want to offer an encouragement and a challenge in closing.

The challenge is to ask yourself what kind of soil you are. Is your heart hardened or broken? Are you driven to your knees in humility and repentance on an ongoing basis? If not, you’ve got to surrender your blindness and pride to Christ not just for your sake, but for the sake of those around you. Are the hardships of life uprooting you? Are the distractions and temptations of the world choking out the beauty of the gospel? If so, pray that God makes in you a soil that loves and nourishes truth, that let’s the hope of the gospel sink in deep, so that it bears the fruit of the gospel within you and around you.

 The encouragement is that you don’t have to feel like a superstar in the Kingdom of Heaven to honor God. There’s nothing flashy about the good soil. It’s a deliberate commitment to respond to God’s work in you by dedicating yourself to understanding and living out His design for you – with great patience.  That’s good soil that brings good fruit.