Fertile Ground and Good Seed

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:1-9 ESV).

 

Christians often become discouraged when they ponder the loss of Christian values in some parts of the world today. Christianity seems to be dwindling backward rather than speeding forward. At such times it is important to meditate on this parable about kingdom seed.

 

The seed that fell on the first three types of soil failed to produce a harvest. When the crowd heard Jesus describing three failures to produce lasting fruit, they likely figured the story was finished. But Jesus surprised his audience by contrasting the three failures with three gigantic successes.

 

At first glance it seems that the story contains a fourfold structure—the seed falls on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and finally on good soil. But a closer look reveals that the thirty, sixty, and hundredfold harvest balance the three losses. Human failure is contrasted with divine success. Kingdom seed keeps on sprouting and producing fruit.

 

Sometimes it seems that every story we hear centers on the hard hearts of people toward the gospel, or on shallow lives that wander from the truth, or on crowded, thorny hearts that squelch spiritual growth. But the surprise in the parable remains true today. The Lord’s kingdom seed has multiplication power. An unexpected harvest of abundance is what Jesus promises to each of us who hear the parable. Be the kind of soil that this seed falls on and produces a great harvest!

  

Comfort for the Lonely

 

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35 ESV).

 

In my five decades of ministry, I have often talked with people who are lonely. It may be those who are in the midst of the pain of grief; or those who were searching for someone to walk with them through the rest of their lives. This is especially true around special days. It’s common to feel lonely or misunderstood. Jesus definitely knew that feeling. Maybe you know it too.

 

Today we have read that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to speak to him. At that time his family was convinced that Jesus was “out of his mind.” Perhaps they just wanted to protect him, thinking he might get himself into trouble. Clearly, Jesus was misunderstood by his family and by the teachers from Jerusalem. That’s why he pointed to his followers and called them his family.

 

It should be noted here that Jesus never stopped loving his immediate family. Just before his death on the cross he made arrangements for his disciple John to take care of his mother (cf. John 19:25-27). And after Jesus’ resurrection we find Mary and Jesus’ brothers among the believers (cf. Acts 1:14).

 

But today I want to concentrate on the fact that Jesus calls us his close family. You see, in Jesus we intimately connect with God the Father and the Spirit, and we become part of the worldwide body of believers. We have friends everywhere. We were created for connection. A big part of dealing with loneliness is to be intimately connected with God and his community. This is the first step to comfort in our loneliness. It also become important to find a community of believers that will give you even more connection and a sense of belonging.

 

The Dilemma of Choices

 

[Jesus said] “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:28-30 ESV).

 

A dilemma is a situation in which a person must make a tough decision between two choices. A trilemma involves three choices. The Christian scholar C. S. Lewis once described the trilemma that every person faces who hears about Jesus. Either Jesus is who he says he is and deserves our complete obedience, or he is an impostor and is not to be trusted, or he is out of his mind. There is no middle ground. Lewis put it this way: Jesus is either a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord. He is either mad, bad, or God.

 

We see three choices in our Scripture passage for today. Jesus’ own family came, intending to take charge of him because they thought he had lost his mind. Some of the religious leaders who were there thought something worse. They believed Jesus was an impostor and was possessed by the devil. But there were others who took another position. They listened to Jesus and believed what he said. They made him the center of their lives and became his spiritual family. They believed he was God.

 

Today, there are people who try to avoid all three of these choices. They hear about Jesus and shrug their shoulders, strangely indifferent to his message. That’s a dangerous position to take, because not to decide about Jesus is to decide against him.

 

Shortly after restoring the sight of the blind man at Bethsaida Jesus asks his disciples “Who do men say that I am?” and after getting several answers – John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets – he asks Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replies: “You are the Messiah.” (cf. Matthew 11:16-20). That is our question today.

 

The Twelve

 

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:13-19 ESV).

 

It is understandable that large crowds followed Jesus with enthusiasm. He had healed many, and word had gotten around. Jesus had come to call followers, but he was not seeking fame like a celebrity or a power-grabber. He came so that he could bring the good news of God’s kingdom and give people new life. Remarkably, even when evil spirits saw Jesus, they would cry out, “You are the Son of God”—which of course was true.

 

In our reading from Mark today we see that simple enthusiasm or saying the right words about who Jesus is—both of which seem like good things—are only of value to Jesus when they are tied to discipleship. So, Jesus specifically chose some followers to be his disciples.

 

He appointed twelve so that they could learn from him and preach his message. Disciples come with their own flaws, needs, characters, and fears—and these twelve made their share of mistakes over the years. But they did follow Jesus, and they would show flashes of enthusiasm, even at times confessing the truth that Jesus is “the Son of God.”

 

When we follow Jesus, some days are easier than others. Some days we can be passionate about following him, being with him, and getting our confession right. But other days are harder. Remember, Jesus isn’t looking for fame; he is making disciples. Stay faithful to the journey following Him step for step!

 

Spiritual Atrophy

 

Again he [Jesus] entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (Mark 3:1-6 ESV).

 

Off and on illness has caused an inconsistent schedule of physical activity for me over the last five years. That coupled with the natural aging process produces a weaker body. When you don’t use a muscle for some time, it weakens. While it is a common truth for most people, it is also very common spiritually. When our spiritual muscles atrophy, it affects the rest of our lives also. That’s the basis of today’s reading. Something had happened to this man’s hand so that he could not use it, and it had become virtually useless to him. For all practical purposes, the man’s hand had died.

 

One Sabbath day, however, while the people of the town were in the synagogue (their place of worship), Jesus called this man to stand up in front of everyone. This was an invitation to be at the center of the crowd’s attention. Jesus wanted to make sure that everyone could see what would happen.

 

Some of the people there were looking to cause trouble for Jesus. Their dependence on the law had weakened their hearts, and that Jesus distressed. So, Jesus used a resurrection word, inviting the man to “arise” in front of the whole crowd. And then, with all eyes on the man’s dead hand, it was suddenly and completely restored to life.

 

In this story Jesus shows that the purpose of the Sabbath, the law, and the Messiah is to bring life to what is dead. That’s what is on display, for everyone to see, at the center of this story. Jesus is not just doing nice things; he is demonstrating and announcing the new life he is bringing. I pray you will rejoice in the ways he restores all the parts of our lives that we may have thought were dead.

 

Have to Do, or Get to Do

 

One Sabbath he [Jesus] was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-28 ESV).

 

Some years ago, when Mary and I lived in Tennessee, one of my neighbors let me know that he did not want my dog stepping on his grass when I walked the dog around the block. He went into a long discussion of why my dog using his grass as a convenient spot I did not want to make him angry, so I made sure to pull the dog off the grass and onto the road whenever we walked past his house. I felt no joy in keeping my neighbor satisfied; I just did it out of a sense of obligation.

 

There are many things we do in life just to satisfy an obligation or to avoid someone’s anger. We might even think that practicing spiritual disciplines such as prayer, confession, meditation, fasting, and Sabbath keeping would somehow reduce God’s wrath toward us. But that’s not the point of spiritual disciplines. We do them gladly out of thanks to God.

 

Jesus faced people who accused him of violating the Sabbath because he and his disciples picked and ate grain on that day. Those people looked on the Sabbath law as an obligation, and they tried to point out that Jesus and his disciples were not keeping the Sabbath requirements and were thus making God angry. Jesus’ response shows us that Sabbath was meant not to be an obligation but a gift. The gift of Sabbath is to renew and transform us by calling us to set aside time from normal routines to bask in the joy of God’s presence. These are things we get to do, not have to do.

 

New Wineskins for New Wine

 

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” (Mark 2:18-22 ESV).

 

In Jesus’ day, wine was stored in soft bags of sheepskin. The problem was that as the wineskins aged, they became rigid and brittle. Because newly fermented wine gives off gas, it needs to be in a flexible container. Putting new wine into old, brittle skins would be disastrous.

 

Jesus uses this imagery to show the radical new nature of his mission and ministry. The gospel message is dynamic and lively, not static. Jesus’ very presence would eventually burst the old, traditional ways of the Jewish religion. The old structures of temple worship, animal sacrifices, and Levitical priesthood could no longer hold the new work God was doing.

 

The new wine of the gospel is still being poured out today. Those who have tasted it, who have put their trust in Jesus, have been transformed. Old sinful patterns are broken, and a new freedom in Christ is experienced. That’s what spiritual conversion is about.

 

God’s Spirit is on the move today. So individual Christians and Christian churches need to remain flexible and ready to be stretched. Some of our old time-honored ways and cherished patterns may not hold the new work of the Spirit very well. So, they may need to be transformed or even discarded. New traditions may need to be established so that we can continue to be effective vessels for God in our world today.

 

Dinner with the Sinners

 

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17 ESV).

 

In our reading today Jesus has called Levi, who was a tax collector. Tax collectors in those days were often despised because they overcharged people and kept some of the tax money for themselves. As a result, many tax collectors grew rich at the expense of others. And if you associated with a tax collector, you would be at risk of being despised as well. So, when Jesus was seen eating with the tax collector Levi and his associates, the local religious leaders asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does Jesus eat with tax collectors and sinners?” The question is clearly meant as a criticism of Jesus, but it can be a good question for us to wonder about. After all, was it wrong to be concerned that Jesus might be influenced by such corrupt people as tax collectors and the sinners they hung around with?

 

Well, maybe we need to think about this a different way. Can we assume that Jesus knew what he was doing? Can we believe that Jesus, the Son of God, loved Levi and wanted to become a part of his life and to show him what full life was about? Jesus makes clear that he is not afraid of being defiled by sin, and he is on task with “infecting” sinners with a call to discipleship! He also states that his purpose is to call sinners, so this is exactly where we should expect to see him!

 

The bigger question is what this teaches us. We could easily use it to decide whether to “eat with sinners” also; or, and more correctly, we could use it to challenge us to thankfulness that Jesus has come to eat with us as we are just as much a sinner as anyone else! Pride can easily get in the way of experiencing the presence and love of God in our lives. Can you picture Jesus being interested and comfortable in coming to eat with you?

 

We've Never Seen Anything Like That Before!

 

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12 ESV).

 

I have often preached from these verses. Most of the time the focus was on the faith of the four friends who brought the man to Jesus. However, today I want to look at what Jesus said to the paralytic. Jesus said first, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Those words caused a stir among the people in the house. They believed—correctly—that only God can forgive sins. So, Jesus was clearly making the claim to be God. It is no wonder that the people exclaimed they had never seen anything like that before.

 

Jesus knew what everyone was thinking, and he taught some great lessons here. First, he taught that the greatest need in everyone’s life is forgiveness. Second, Jesus showed that he had divine authority both to forgive sins and to heal. “Which is easier,” asked Jesus, “to forgive or to heal?” Then, to show that he had the authority to forgive sins, he said to the lame man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” The man got up and walked out of the house in full view of everyone.

 

Like all the other miracles of Jesus, the healing of the man who was lowered through the roof pointed to Jesus’ identity, authority, and saving purpose. Jesus meets every believer’s needs, the greatest of which is the forgiveness of sins. That’s the greatest of miracles.

Real Authority

 

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28 ESV).

 

There are many people who claim to be authorities; some even claim to have authority. However, when Jesus comes on the scene, something new happened. The hopes and longing for change took on a different look. The baseline for the definition of authority was completely changed. Hurting people, sinful temptations, human brokenness, and disease were confronted with real authority.

 

The people in our reading today recognized Jesus' authority in regard to two specific things: his teaching and his power over impure spirits (demons). There was something about Jesus that made him different from the other religious teachers of his day. In fact, this is the first thing mentioned in Mark's gospel about Jesus' public ministry: it was a ministry of authority. We often long to witness the authority of Christ confronting diseases, financial hardships, broken friendships, and injustices of all kinds today. But we do not pause as often to consider the spiritual dimensions of our suffering. The apostle Paul reminds us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). Rather, we contend with demonic powers that want us to think that our circumstances, not our hearts, are the problem.

 

It's worth noting that Jesus' teaching, not just his healing, triggered a reaction from the crowds. But "being amazed," by itself, is not a response to authority. Jesus' teaching demands either submission or rebellion. He calls us to bring our hurts, our diseases, and our hearts under his authority. Will you respond with such a commitment?

 

Euagelion

 

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (Mark 1:14-20 ESV).

 

The Greek word euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) is a compound word that means "good news". It's made up of the words eu, which means "good", and angelion, which means "announcement". In the Greco-Roman world, euangelion was used to describe or announce significant events, such as the rise of a new ruler or a military victory. It could also mean "a reward for bringing good news". It is the word we translate as “gospel” means “good news.” Good news is exciting; it normally triggers joyful responses like cheers and “high fives.” Picture your favorite team scoring in the last seconds of the game for the victory; picture a cancer patient being declared cancer free. That’s good news!

 

But we don’t always have good news in mind when we read the Bible. Often, we read the Bible more like good advice than good news. Or it may seem more like a stern warning or an important restriction. When our reading of Scripture sounds like anything other than good news, it’s usually a sign that we’re not reading very carefully. The Bible tells us what God has done to fix a problem that we could never fix on our own. While the Bible describes what we should do in response to what God has done, the main point of the story isn’t what we need to do, but rather what God has already done. The burden of pleasing God has been taken off our shoulders and transferred to Christ’s.

 

There are only two ways to respond to the Bible. One is to say, “I’ll try harder.” That’s how people often respond to good advice. The other is to say, “Thank you.” That’s how people often respond to good news. When you open the Bible, what do you find: good advice or good news? Join me in thanking God today! Jesus paid the debt we could never pay and died the death we deserved.

The Gospel of Mark

 

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:9-15 ESV).

 

The Gospel of Mark is thought to have been authored by John Mark between 60-70 CE while he was in Rome or Syria. It is undoubtedly the first of the Gospels to have been written. Mark was known for being an outspoken follower of Jesus who worked to convert others to Christianity, which earned him the name of Mark the Evangelist. Mark was also a follower of Jesus Christ but would likely have been in his teens when Jesus was crucified and resurrected. After the Resurrection, as the Savior's message was beginning to be spread, Mark traveled with the Apostle Paul. It is one of the most concise presentations of the Gospel.

 

Peter the Great led the Russian Empire from 1682 until his death in 1725. While he reigned, he expanded the empire into eastern Europe, initiated a cultural revolution, and built the Russian military into a formidable force. Napoleon Bonaparte was the emperor of France from 1804 to 1814. Through a series of military victories and key alliances, he expanded the influence of France throughout Europe. He changed the political structure of France and influenced the development of legal codes around the world.

 

However, Jesus was born in a small town in Judea, a nation that lived under Roman occupation throughout his lifetime. He never commanded an army. He did not travel outside of a small region stretching from Judea to Galilee. His followers were an unrefined group who lacked the courage to stay with him when he was arrested. When he died, it looked as if his influence had ended. Today, the Russian and French empires have long ago fallen from their peak of influence, but the kingdom of Jesus continues to expand. Millions gather every week to worship him. Organizations bearing his name provide relief, food, medical help, and education. His good news is proclaimed on every continent in countless languages.

 

Today we begin a journey through this often-neglected book of the Bible. I hope it will encourage you in your journey. It is full of hope and grace!

 

A Solid Foundation

 

[Jesus said] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like aa foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV).

 

There are some places prized for their view that simply are not safe to build on. We have all seen reports of homes that have collapsed that were built without an adequate foundation as the soil eroded beneath them. The people Jesus was teaching understood this fact very well. The Sermon on the Mount takes place near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. People who were building homes in that area would have been tempted to build on the sand, which was firm and stable during the dry months of the year but shifted precipitously during wet or stormy weather. Those homes simply did not last.

 

By contrast, a wise builder would dig about ten feet below the sand to find the solid basalt rock underneath. That provided a much firmer foundation. You can imagine how much work that would be in those days, without any power tools or excavators. But the hard work proved worthwhile whenever storms came.

 

Jesus wants us to have a secure foundation to base our lives on—and that means doing some hard work to put his teachings into practice. It’s not enough just to listen to Jesus’ teaching as we go through life. Jesus calls us to be followers; he urges us to be not just hearers but “doers” of the Word. Obeying his will helps us to avoid unnecessary storms of our own making. But even when we face tough times in life, we can trust that we will have what we need in the sure hope of God’s love for us.

 

How’s your foundation?

 

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

 

[Jesus said] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20 ESV).

 

Jesus warns about false prophets and teachers who come to us with twisted ideas about belief in God and how to live our lives. These people might use the right religious language or seem to be great leaders. But the truth, Jesus says, is that they are like wolves who will wreak havoc within a sheepfold (the church) if they are allowed to go unchecked.

 

When we read through the New Testament, we see that the bar is high for pastors and teachers in the church, because they have a huge responsibility. And the church is right to set safeguards to keep bad leaders away. When leaders mess up and teach something false, they are likely to take other people down with them. So, anyone in leadership—­pastors, teachers, mentors, elders—should be humbled by this warning. They must make sure that their teaching and actions line up with God’s will.

 

In Jesus’ day, the pharisees were like this. They understood the Scripture; however, they merely used their understanding to further their own agendas, often making it much more difficult for those they were responsible to lead.

 

Jesus warns that you can’t trust a false teacher or leader, and he points out that you can recognize them by their fruit (actions). If a leader is unfaithful to their spouse, if they are selfish with money, if they play favorites in the community on the basis of wealth or status or acting prideful or arrogant, if they never apologize or acknowledge their own sin, they are dangerous to the community. These people are not fit for leadership and should be avoided.

Two Paths

 

[Jesus said] “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:12-14 ESV).

 

Jesus lays out a clear choice that each of us must make. There is a wide, easy road that leads to destruction. And there is a harder, narrower road of discipleship that leads to life.

 

It can be easy to assume that the broad road includes only people who do not believe in God, or maybe people of some other faith who do not know Jesus. So we might assume that Jesus is drawing a contrast between people in the church and those who are completely outside of it. But in light of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, there’s another way to think about this passage. Jesus has been showing his listeners that they need to move from outward religion and ritual into a true relationship with God. We need to go beyond merely behaving ourselves to actually walking in union with the Father.

 

So, as we read this passage, we need to realize that Jesus is describing not only a choice between faith or no faith. There’s also a choice between empty, surface-level religion and genuine discipleship. The call of this passage is to move beyond rituals or cultural faith and to truly enter a full-life relationship with God, marked by dependence and submission to his will.

 

It is changing our thoughts from a “have-to” to a “get-to” mindset. It is a transformational commitment to give ourselves to the will and purpose of God. (cf. Romans 12:1-2).

 

Asking, Seeking, and Knocking

 

[Jesus said] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-12 ESV).

 

After reading the first six verses of this chapter we might be a bit perplexed. Jesus says we are not to judge others and then tells us to be very careful about giving pearls to swine or holy things to dogs. The first time I read this as a new believer I wondered how I was supposed to tell the difference between being judgmental and then exclusivistic toward those who would not open themselves to the truth of God. The key is found in our reading today. We need to ask.

 

I do most of the grocery shopping for Mary and I. My preference is the smaller of the stores nearby. I have found that I can easily walk every aisle and shop at my leisure for those things we “need.” It has a very good produce and meat section which I appreciate. The employees are always helpful. It is not unusual for me to be wandering the aisles and one of them stop their restocking to ask if I am finding everything I need, or if they can help me get something. My typical response is that I am just browsing and don’t need anything special.

 

The root of that response is I don’t like asking for help. That’s probably true for you as well. We don’t want others to think that we aren’t good enough or smart enough to solve our own problems. Unfortunately, we bring this mentality into our relationship with God. We act as if everything in our life depends on us, instead of leaning on God and aiming to live in line with his will (cf. Matthew 6:10).

 

Jesus encourages us to turn to God—just as a child turns to a parent—and to ask for the things we need. We can trust that God loves us enough to provide. This includes asking for wisdom and discernment in our relationships with others. I wonder if we did this more often than not whether we would say or do some of the things we say, or do some of the things we do? Ask… He will always give you what you need.

 

Pearls to Pigs

 

[Jesus said] “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment, you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” (Matthew 7:1-6 ESV).

 

To understand this additional admonition from Jesus we need to look into the Wisdom of Solomon, and that which Peter cites in his letters. He wrote, “The proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” (2 Peter 2:22) The dogs and swine here are representative of those who ridicule, reject and blaspheme the gospel once it has been given to them. Therefore, we should understand that the Gospel is not received well to those whose purpose is to trample it and return to their own evil ways. The Apostle Paul wrote, “… the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

 

This does not mean we stop sharing the gospel. Jesus Himself ate with and taught sinners and tax collectors (cf. Matthew 9:10). The same instruction Jesus is giving in our reading (v. 6), Jesus gave to His apostles when He said, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town” (Matthew 10:14). Balancing judgment with discernment is the wisdom that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 10:16: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” We’ll look further at that tomorrow.

 

Today I would encourage you to be clearly more “dove-like” than not. Since we never know when the Holy Spirit will quicken another’s heart and make them receptive to the Gospel, always show grace and kindness.

 

Treating Others with Respect and Grace

 

[Jesus said] “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment, you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV).

 

The next section of the Sermon on the Mount may be the most difficult to both understand and practice. There are three things Jesus says about judgementalism in this section. We will need to look at each part over the next few days as space and time is restricted in this format. In our reading today Jesus is very clear about who should be the judge… and it’s not us. I often remind myself of this truth by remembering that judging others is way above my paygrade.

 

However, it is often a struggle. When I see someone doing something wrong, my first impulse is to judge and correct. There are times when I want to get angry and condemn what I see in their behavior. Sometimes I might go as far as thinking I’m doing the world a favor by pointing out their sin. But in this passage Jesus urges us to slow down and ask ourselves if we have ever done such a thing—or worse.

 

If you find yourself attacking others instead of having a calm, grace-filled conversation about your differences then we must find a way to change our behavior toward them. This doesn’t mean we never confront others. But doing some self-reflection first helps our conversations to be more helpful, and less critical, because we are coming from a place of humility rather than judgment.

 

All through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been challenging us to focus not only on our behavior but also on our thoughts, our attitudes, and our motives as well—even in times of conflict. Before you pass judgment on someone else, take a good, long look at your own heart. When you do, you may realize that your sin may be different, but it is still sin in God’s eyes and only the love of God through Jesus can correct that. Remember who you are before you make a judgement about who someone else is.

 

Worry

[Jesus said] “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

 

Jesus’ early disciples lived with war, violence, disease, and famine in a way that is foreign to many of us. On any given day, people could lose a child or lose their harvest or be robbed by a Roman tax collector. And, unlike today, there were no safety nets. There were no stimulus payments, no social security checks, no food stamps, and no hospitals. This is not to say that our struggles in 2024 aren’t real, or that they somehow don’t matter. But it’s helpful to understand that even in the harsh environment of the ancient world, Jesus had the audacity to tell his followers not to worry about their lives. He was reminding them that God called them into a relationship with him. And if God watches over plants and provides for animals, if these other parts of creation have what they need, then we can trust that God will provide everything we need. Why wouldn’t we expect our Father in heaven to provide for his children?

 

Jesus is showing us how to find relief from our worries and anxieties, no matter what they are. For God is our loving Father. If there’s something we need, we can ask him to provide it. If there’s a struggle that we face, we can ask God for help. If we feel totally lost or confused about what we should do, we can ask him for clarity. And as we pray these things, we can trust not only that God can provide what we need, but also that he will. 

Where's Your Trasure?

 

[Jesus said] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one 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.” (Matthew 6:19-24 ESV).

 

One of the great preachers of the 19^th century was Dwight L. Moody. He was born in Northfield, Massachusetts, in 1837 to Edwin and Betsey Holton Moody. Edwin died in 1841, leaving Betsey to raise nine children under the age of 13 on her own. This is likely why D. L. Moody never advanced beyond the fifth grade; however, at age 17, Moody began a short but successful career selling shoes. While working in the Holton Shoe Store—which was owned by his uncle—Moody joined a Sunday School class, and, after the teacher visited Moody in the shoe store’s stock room to share the good news, Moody accepted Christ. About a year later, Moody relocated to Chicago where he continued selling shoes. His original goal was to amass a fortune of $100,000, which was a realistic goal due to his business acumen and outgoing personality, but that changed when Moody began to sense God’s call on his life. Moody held numerous campaigns throughout the United States and Europe, and it is estimated that he spoke to more than 100 million people. Through it all, Moody remained humble: “I know perfectly well that, wherever I go and preach, there are many better preachers . . . than I am; all that I can say about it is that the Lord uses me.”

 

Eventually, Moody again put his mind to the need for biblical education. He understood the importance of equipping future generations to carry out the work of spreading the gospel. He first began Northfield Seminary for girls and soon Mount Herman School for Boys. In 1886 he founded the Bible-Work Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society, which, after his death, was renamed Moody Bible Institute. This school still functions and is part of Moody’s legacy, along with Moody Press, Moody Church in Chicago, and of course the many people he led to the Lord in his lifetime. His quote concerning a man’s treasure is a classic: “It does not take long to tell where a man's treasure is. In fifteen minutes' conversation with most men, you can tell whether their treasures are on the earth or in Heaven.”

 

There is great truth in that statement. Our reading continues with Jesus warning His listeners that our treasure must be centered on our love and devotion to God. Our “stuff” cannot be the focus of our life. Of course there’s nothing wrong with caring for your stuff, or saving for retirement. But Jesus wants to guard us from the temptation to turn material things into idols. If we’re not careful, we can make decisions based on the size of our paycheck or the gains in our portfolio instead of following God’s leading.

 

So, Jesus rightly warns us when he says that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Our time, attention, and resources can easily be given over to our money and our stuff if we aren’t paying attention. Jesus’ desire is that we come to see our relationship with God as our most valuable treasure. Full life with God, the source of our joy and comfort and purpose, is greater than we can even imagine.

 

Look at Me!

 

[Jesus said] “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18 ESV).

 

There may be no other bird that “struts its beauty” more than a peacock. When I was growing up there was a “retreat” nearby that had dozens of peacocks on their property. I was not a stranger to seeing them as they wandered freely across the landscape. I’ve been told they are amazing foragers. Allowed to roam, they will eat an enormous amount of ticks, termites, spiders, locusts, and other insect pests. They also eat snakes and mice, or at least discourage them from hanging around. I also know from experience they can be very messy and loud in their cries for attention from the females of their species. If you see them with tails fanned, strutting along, it is as if they are saying, “Look at me! I’m special!”

 

In our reading today, Jesus has something to say about that kind of attitude in our lives. He is critical of people who try to get attention for the good things they do (cf. Matthew 6:1). And this time it’s about people who practice fasting to be noticed. The discipline of fasting, like prayer, is meant to draw us nearer to God. When we abstain from food or drink, we engage in what Scot McKnight calls “body talk,” an embodied form of prayer.

 

Thus, we can see why Jesus would be so critical of people who misuse fasting, or any spiritual discipline, by trying to get attention for it. The disciplines are meant to make us “pure in heart” before God. But showing off in front of others only shows how impure a person’s heart really is. And even if some people are fooled by a showoff, God is not fooled. If we are more interested in the attention of others than in our relationship with God, then our attention-seeking is an idol and makes a mockery of God.

 

Our spiritual practices are meant for God, for our relationship with him alone. So, we should be careful in talking about them with other people or posting about them on social media. While there may be a genuine need to process or share experiences with others, we must guard our hearts against the temptation to turn others’ attention into an idol.

 

The Lord's Will

 

[Jesus said] “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV).

 

Let’s look a little deeper into the Lord’s Prayer today. God our Father, who loves us and wants a relationship with us, also calls us to do his will. That’s because he wants the best life possible for us, even if we can’t always see that.

 

It’s not easy to surrender ourselves to God’s will or control. I enjoy my personal Scripture study and prayer time in the mornings, and I like finding comfort in God’s promises. But I’m not always eager to follow God’s will in my life. There are those times when doing God’s will is often difficult and challenging. It seems to chafe against my self-will, pride, and independence. I have lived a while now and I can say without hesitation it never ends well when I follow my will instead of His will!

 

In fact, it always seems to end with me settling for fleeting, earthly treasures rather than the full life that God wants for me. And then I fail to recognize that it is better if God’s kingdom comes instead of mine.

 

When I follow Jesus’ example, however, and I pray for God’s kingdom to come, I’m opening my life to be filled by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. I’m inviting God to do whatever he thinks is best, even if it means change. Or discomfort. It’s a pledge to pursue God’s purposes above all else.

 

Are you prepared to pray for that? Are you ready to pray that God’s will be done, even if that means changing jobs or giving money away or spending time with someone you don’t like? What are you willing to risk to see God’s will done? It will be well worth it in the end!