Tag Archives: Devotions

Aug8

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Posted on by
Standard
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1-16 (NKJV)

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

My Bible footnote says it would have been 6:00AM.

2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

My Bible footnote says a denarius (a word of Latin origin) was the standard wage for a full day’s work.  The KJV uses the word “penny” or pence in place of denarius which in Roman currency of the time would have been ten asses (asses were bronze or copper coins used during the Roman Empire).  Denarius is the origin of the common noun for money in Italian denaro, in Portuguese dinheiro and in Spanish dinero.

Here are some example salaries and product costs as of the times of Diocletian in the third century AD:

Farm laborer monthly pay, with meals = 400 asses

Teacher’s monthly pay, per boy = 800 asses

Barber’s service price, per client = 32 asses

1 kg of pork = 380 asses (1 lb = 170 asses)

1 kg of grapes = 32 asses (1 lb = 15 asses)

* Source: Wikipedia

3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 

The third hour would be 9:00AM; and there were more people standing inactive, unemployed; (by implication) lazy, useless: – barren, idle, slow“(Strongs #692 argos) in the “agora” (Strongs #58), which is probably the town square, market, or thoroughfare/street.

4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 

Their wage: whatever is right (just drawing attention to that).  The Greek word used is dikaios (1342) and it means “equitable” (in character or act); (by implication) innocent; holy, just, meet, right(-eous).

5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 

The sixth hour is noon and the ninth hour is 3:00PM.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle,[a]and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 

The 11th hour is 5:00PM (an hour before quitting time), and is it just me or does the land owner seem kind of annoyed that there are folks just standing around idle all day?

7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’[b]

Again he promises “what is right.”

8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 

To pay them, the landowner worked his way backwards from the new hires to those with seniority (which btw, is an exact representation of the grapes in the basket.  The first grapes gathered are at the bottom and will be last to come out. The first grapes to come out of the basket are the last ones that went in).

9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 

Quite a generous wage for an hour’s worth of work.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 

The landowner was certainly a man of his word wasn’t he, although “fair” is in the eye of the beholder isn’t it?   Ever been hired for a job and completely happy about your wage until you found out what others were being paid?  My husband calls it O.P.M. (other people’s money), and it is the root of all discontentment.  Yep; been there and done that.

11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 

12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 

13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

I believe the “wage” in the parable is probably A TICKET TO HEAVEN, and when I look at it like that I kind of get a different perspective. I can’t help but draw a parallel with the thief on the cross.  Jesus told him as they hung on their crosses together, with the sun fading on the day, that today he would be in paradise with Him.  The thief had run out of time to do very many good works.  He was at the 11th hour of his life.  All he had time for was to witness to one last man, yet he got the same reward as our righteous King, as well as all the prophets and saints and godly Hebrews of the Old Testiment who had preached, and prophesied, and judged, and led, been faithful, and died before him.

The thing I have to remember is that Salvation is not earned.  It is a gift rewarded for saying yes to an invitation.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 

My Bible footnote says that this parable blossomed out of the attitude that the disciples had shown toward service and rewards.

I find this a tricky thing about church. It is so easy when you belong to ANY group of people to look around at others and compare.  So easy to get hurt feelings about things.  So easy to get wrapped up in unholy competitions.

Am I the only one that is secretly longing for pats on the back for my good deeds? Sometimes tempted to brag about charitible things I’ve done just to make myself feel more spiritual or worthy to my peers?  Am I the only one that feels a twinge of jealousy when someone else in the congregation is liked more, fawned over more, appreciated more?  Am I the only one that is hurt when my fruit salad is passed over for Linda’s Fritata?  Or when Beth is chosen to lead next month’s Ladies Group instead of me?  Or when Emily puts a picture on Facebook and it gets 47 likes immediately and I don’t even have 47 friends?  Or when a certain, once unknown blog writer, celebrates her Food Network show and new line of kitchen wares filling up all the isles in all the Wal-mart stores across America and I count it a huge success if just one person clicks the “like” star on one of my posts.

Although rewards are part of God’s plan (Romans 2:6; Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10), Jesus rebukes the spirit of serving for the rewards rather than out of love (1 Corinthians 13).

16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”[c]  

Matt20.16

Click this link for the FREE downloadable coloring page: Grapevine  to use for your small group, or Sunday School class, or just to color as you spend time in prayer.

The last will be first and the first will be last…just like the grapes being gathered into the baskets, the last ones in will be the first ones to enter the winepress, but they will altogether be a lovely batch of vino.

Chosen vs. Called. 

The Greek word for Called is “Kletos.” Strongs #2822.  It means invited, appointed.  It is used eleven times in the New Testament (Bible Study Tools), and most of those times it is in reference to a calling to ministry or a special appointment, such as apostle or saint.

A calling is kind of a general thing, but it is usually geared to a specific group of folks.  For instance, I think of a ranch cook calling the hands for supper.  She yells or rings the bell and anyone on HER ranch who is hungry will come running.  A church bell calls ITS congregation to church.  A school bell calls ITS students to class.  The disciples, and we as Christians, received a calling from Christ to take the love of Christ to our neighbors.  Many are called.

The Greek word for Chosen is “Ekletos.”  Strongs #1588.  It means select, favorite, elect.

Choosing is much more personal.  We choose a mate.  We choose our clothes.  We choose what we want to eat from a menu.  Choosing is intimate.  This word is used 23 times in scripture (Bible Study Tools). Most of those times the word is translated “elect” as in “the elect,” the favorites of the called, the cream of the crop, the most exalted ones of the called.  Jesus called many disciples, but chose a smaller group of twelve apostles.  Of the apostles, Jesus chose an inner circle, Peter, James, and John as His elect.  Often He asked these three to come be with Him for something special, like healing miracles, the transfiguration, or the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Although the two words, Kletos and Ekletos are spelled the same, they are not pronounced the same and have different meanings.  They are homographs, but I have an uneducated hunch that there is an intended play-on-words in the Greek that is sort of lost in English, don’t you?

The same phrase is repeated in Matthew 22:14.

We all have an inner circle of friends, a small group that we trust just a little bit more, cherish just a little bit more.  I want to live my life in such a way as that the Lord would trust me just a little bit more, and cherish me just a little bit more.  Not to lord it over anyone, but just to have Him smile at me with affection.  I want to have a comfort zone thing with Him.  I want to have the trust/integrity thing with HIM!!!!  I have been forgiven much, I also want to love much (Luke 7:47)!

Personal Application

In penning this post I got to thinking about the shopping trip I made with my granddaughter this past weekend.  It wasn’t going to take us long to pick out some uniform pieces for school: a couple skirts, a couple pants, and a couple pair of shorts, but our little dash in to Old Navy hit a roadblock when we encountered the unbelievable, Disneyland-like lines for the dressing rooms, and then to pay at the end.  It was just crazy how many people were in that store.  I guess that’s what we got for not arriving there until afternoon on the half-price day of the tax-free weekend.

While we were in the monsterous line to pay we passed a bouncy-ball vending machine, and to help pass the time I dug some quarters out of my purse to let my little schnookums try for a pink ball.  One…two…three tries and one…two…three green/blue/yellow balls came out.  Well, shucks.  I asked her what she was gonna do with three balls?  She decided she would give one ball to her sister and keep the other two for herself, but I suggested she give the third ball to another kid in the store.  “Why?” she inquired.  “To be nice,” I riposted, and then I asked her to look around for a kid her age who would be a good candidate.  She looked around, but was overcome with fear and shyness.  She wanted me to do it.  I kept pointing people out to her, and encouraging her, promising that it would make her feel good to do it, but she just couldn’t get up the gumption to talk to someone she didn’t know.  I asked her to choose which ball she wanted to give away, and on our way out of the store I asked a little girl if she’d like to have it.  Although my little jelly-bean was too scared to step out and talk to another person, at least she was willing to give, and I was proud of her for that.

I feel the Holy Spirit challenging me in several ways today through the reading and studying of this parable.  Like my darling granddaughter, I too hold back sometimes, because of timidity.  My anxiousness causes me to stand around idle all day in my comfort zone waiting for a job to come looking for me.  Sometimes I find myself looking around to see if anyone else is stepping out before I do, so I don’t look foolish taking a leap-of-faith all by myself.  Consequently, I don’t make it into the vineyard until the 6th or 9th hour (if at all).  But then there are other times when I feel like I am the one who has been there all day, putting in the biggest effort, and here come others that have done barely anything and are getting lavish praise.  Sometimes I get jealous over favoritism shown to others in the small groups that I belong to.

In all honesty, I don’t accept praise well, but admit it is a nice reward to have someone notice my efforts (so that I can humbly dismiss them – ha, right?).  But to get very little praise or appreciation when others around me seem to be getting tons of praise for what seems like a fraction of the work, that is pretty hard to take.  Stumbling blocks.  Oh Lord, I hate the stumbling blocks in this Pilgrims Progress of life.  They are so hard to get past, but here’s what I’m feeling the Lord leading me to use as tools to help me climb over them, dig under them, and squeeze around them:

ladderTry to remember that Jesus made a fair deal with me when He invited me to work in His vineyard.

pick-axeRemember that He is a man of His word and will reward me with what is right. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”  Galatians 6:9

shovelStop looking around at the deal everyone else is getting, or get jealous over favoritism.  It’s Satan’s oldest trick to get us to LOOK at things we’re not supposed to have and then looooong for them.  There are far more harder working Christians out there than me who are going to be given the same gift as me in the end, and who have done a mountain more work.  Who cares if I am His favorite or not.  As long as I make it to heaven, who cares if all I have to live in is a pup-tent, and scraps from the Master’s table to eat.  Tis better to be in God’s kingdom than to be anywhere else.

RopeBe motivated by love, and not distracted by greed, or jealousy or even obligation, nor tempted into expecting a reward for every little thing.  To keep my eyes on the vineyard and not on the prize box.  To take the hard shell off my heart and let it swell for that person in front of me who needs a friend, or a sandwich, or a hug, or a kleenex, or a good laugh.

* * *

Dear Lord Jesus, help me not to fall into the trap of comparison.  Help me to keep my eyes on You and consider only the prize that You have promised me.  Help me to be content with such things as I have.  Help me not to be idle, or crippled by fear or timidity, or green with envy and miss a great blessing.  In Your precious name I pray.  Amen.

* * *

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

 

 

Jul11

The Parable of the Leaven

Posted on by
Standard
The Parable of the Leaven
Matthew13.33

Click on the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE coloring page

Matt 13.33 Printable

This little parable is also told in Luke 13:20,

.

“And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”  

.

While I was praying for God’s wisdom to know what this parable is about, the Lord directed me to the notes in my study Bible.  They said

“God’s kingdom is not fully manifested now.  But will be reavealed in the Age to Come.  And in that age it will be known to all.  In the meantime, God’s works are permeating all of human society, penetrating evil and transforming lives.”

(Spirit Filled Life Bible, NKJV, Thomas Nelson Publishers).

Permeating all of human society… perhaps the three measures of meal could be the past, the present, and the future, …till it was all leavened.

The mystery of God’s kingdom was hidden in the past (from the beginning of time) in the rituals and the feasts of God’s people.  It was hidden in the commandments and in the tabernacle.  It was hidden in the prophesies of the prophets.  It was hidden in everything God asked them to do.  Even if they didn’t fully grasp the greater significance of all God asked them to do, by their doing it God permeated His message to the world of who He is, the One True God, and His kingdom to come.

When Jesus, the promised Messiah came, He revealed much of what had been hidden in the past, and revealed some of the future.  And through the Holy Spirit He has hidden His kingdom in each of us, in the present age, who choose Him.  The Lord is the breath of life in each of us.  God’s kingdom is hidden in part from our eyes right now, but is active and working in the hearts of men.  We see dimly as in a mirror now – but one day we shall see face to face.  When we are obedient to do what He asks us to do, we are salt and light to the world.

In the age to come God’s kingdom will be hidden (untouchable) from those who didn’t want to be part of it.

A Woman Hid

I think it is a great mystery how mankind was created in the image of God — male and female, the scriptures say (Genesis 1:27).  God gave Adam a wife from his own rib to cure his loneliness.  The marriage of a man and a woman together makes them one.  The man is to cleave to the woman, his help mate – his womb-man, giving them the power to bring forth life on earth after their own kind.  Adam called her Eve because the name meant “life” “living.”

There are scriptures that hint at God’s feminine qualities.  One of the Old Testament names of God is El Shaddai and literally means “God is my Breast.” Isaiah 66:13 say’s, “As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you.”  Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 say, “…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”    This doesn’t mean I think God Almighty is a “she,” or “it,” or should ever be referred to by anything other than the masqueline pronoun HE, because He obviously set male above female in the order of things, and we should always respectfully refer to Him as our heavenly Father!!!!!  But if we peek more deeply into His divine nature, I think there is a woman hidden in there somewhere.  I think we are hidden in Him – and He in us.

All life on earth is hidden for a time in a female womb, so the seeds of the kingdom are hidden for a time in our dark world until the time comes for them to be revealed.  Until then, it is the great commission God has given to each of us to permeate our world with the message of eternal life, till it is all leavened!

.

Oh thank you Father God, I think (I hope) I understand this parable better now.  Thank You for teaching me (teaching us) Your word.  If I have any misunderstanding, show me my error, and teach me what is right, in Jesus’ name!

 .

Prayer:  Lord, unless You build the house we labor in vain who build it.  We believe, but help our unbelief.  Unless Your Spirit is hidden in us we will have no power to live the Christian life, or love people, or share the gospel with the lost.  Lord I ask that you please forgive my sins and my wayward ways.  Wash them away in the blood of Jesus.  And pour out Your Spirit into me today (and every day) so that I may be able do the work You predestined me to do until the gospel has reached to the ends of the earth.  Direct my steps precious Jesus. Prepare the world for Your gospel.  Go before me Lord, and be my rear guard.  Prepare the hearts of the people here and everywhere to receive Your message.  Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  It’s in Your precious name I pray. Amen.

 

 

Jul9

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Posted on by
Standard
Parable of the Mustard Seed

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”  Matthew 13:31-32 (NKJV)

Mustard seedsThe Parable of the Mustard Seed

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is the third parable told  by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. Mark and Luke tell of it also.

Mark 4: 30-32

Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Luke 13:18-19

Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

Mustard Seed

Click the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE coloring page

Mustard Seed Printable

I’m a family history enthusiast.  I began researching my dad’s roots when I was a young mother, so many years ago I don’t even want to number them.  Seizing the small window of time available to me, I went to my grandma and got as much info as I could from her.  We sat down with all of her old photos and I asked who the people were in them, and then we wrote their names on the backs of all that didn’t already have them, so this precious information would not be lost with her passing.

I’ve learned so much about my family, and my country’s history in the process of my research as well, and grown to love my heritage, even though there’s not anyone of any great wealth or affluence or notoriety really in the lot of us.  I come from Quakers, who came to this country seeking religious freedom, and poor folk thrown into prison in England for stealing – who came to this country as indentured servants to pay off their crime.  Members of my family have served this great country in every single American war, not to mention a few lesser known regional squabbles.  They were farmers, chasing their dreams by land runs, and pioneering folk traveling westward-ho in covered wagons.  Some chased after gold with a gold pan.  Some delivered supplies to those chasing after gold. And some swung a pickaxe in the gold mines owned by wealthy tycoons. Some delivered mail.  Some built railroad tracks.  Some raised cattle.  Some taught school and some preached.  Some tended commissaries and grain elevators.  It is a colorful and magnificent story – every one of them.

Magnificent and great like this story told by Jesus, because Jesus’ story tells us that as each of our families started with small seeds on a new continent and grew so big that it’s hard to number all of us now, so our Lord’s kingdom began with small seeds, sown by Him into brave apostles, and then by their works has grown into a mighty family tree that includes peoples from every tribe and tongue and race and nation – Jew first, and then the rest of us grafted in, as numerous as the stars of heaven, where the angels of God can come and nest in our branches.

Maybe you’ve been relocated to a place far from family.  Take heart that our God has planted you and wants you to grow and blossom and flourish right where you are now.  As long as there is a church and people of faith, you will always be close to family.  Go and plug-in.

Maybe you are in the same old town you grew up in, that your parents grew up in, that your grandparents grew up in, and are surrounded by almost nothing but family.  Celebrate, cultivate, love the ones you’re with.  Cherish that family bond.  Lift each other up.  Pour your heart into the children and let them see the wonderful heritage that they have been born into.  Celebrate the marriages, and the new births.  God is making you into a beautiful family tree and if grafted into His family tree, is truly a magnificent thing.

Maybe tragedy struck when you were a child and the only family you had were taken from you?  God will never leave you an orphan.  He puts the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6).  He will graft you into His giant tree with people who will love you, and welcome you, and He will bring you in to be a part of the giant family of God forever.  All you have to do is ask Him in, and that tiny seed will grow from you and become a beautiful tree.

My friend, we are meant to be fruitful and multiply.  It was God’s first command to His creation, and it is the great commission Jesus gave to His disciples.  God created us to be physically and spiritually fruitful.  It is our blessing to get to sow His kingdom into the hearts of men, and no tiny act of charity is ever too small to grow and become mighty.

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for your love and your amazing grace and mercy to make a way for those of us who choose You to have a place in Your great family tree.  Help us to grow, and sow those seeds forward while we are here on earth, that our branches will reach into heaven.  Your kingdom come, my Lord!  IJN Amen.

Don’t put His love upon a shelf…

mustard seeds bottle

  …plant it, and see what a mighty tree it becomes!

 

 

 

Jun30

The Gospel Parables: the Parable of the Wheat and Tares

Posted on by
Standard
The Gospel Parables: the Parable of the Wheat and Tares

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying; ‘the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;'”

– Matthew 13:24

This – the parable of the wheat and tares – begins with a statement, “the kingdom of heaven is like…” It is the first of twelve such statments made by Jesus (mostly recorded by Matthew, but also Mark and Luke). It would be easy for me at this point to go chasing down that rabbit hole, because I am easily distracted by such statements, but I’m going to stick to the parable for a moment.

Firstfruits

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

Matthew 13:24-30

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Mark 4:26-29

“And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Tares: the Greek word is zizania. My Smith’s Bible Dictionary says that tares are a common weed called “darnel.” Wheat and darnel look exactly the same when they are in the grass stage, before they come into ear. Back in Bible days it was mostly women and children who weeded the fields, and because the farmer wanted to get the most from his crops he wanted the women and children to wait until the wheat was fully distiguishable, so that only the tares would be removed. Lolium Temulentum (the Latin world for darnel) is very poisonous. If eaten, it produces convulsions and even death. Today darnel is not burned, but is fed to the cattle, and if any of the seeds manage to get in with the wheat they are plucked out and fed to the poultry.

Wheat & Tares

Click on the link below for a FREE PRINTABLE of this coloring page

Wheat Tares Printable

The Parable of the Wheat and Tares Explained

Matthew 13:36-43

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

* * *

In Mark’s rendition there is no mention of tares, only wheat. Mark is focused on and fascinated by the miracle of life that is in the seed, and the partnership between the seed and the earth where it is planted. It really is a miracle, isn’t it? Not just with wheat, but with all things. The life of the earth and all the living things that are in it are a miracle and a marvel. And while it is nice just to linger in that kingdom-of-God-place for a while, Matthew’s rendition points out how the devil messed up the utopia God had created and sowed tares among the wheat. Now we are in the place of waiting, until it all grows up.

I think it is important that we see who God put in charge of the weeding. Jesus tells the disciples that it is His angels’ whom He put in charge of collecting the tares (not us by the way, you’ll notice)! We may think we are doing a good thing for God, but just like Uzzah in the Old Testiment story ( 2 Samuel 6:1-7 and 1 Chronicles 13:9-12) its not our job!!!!  It’s our job to grow, and mature, and to put down good strong roots for ourselves, and to respect and stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what stage of maturity they are in, and wait for the day. The word of God waters us. Prayer is our sunshine. We are in this together.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” Romans 14:1

What I take away from this parable is that God wants for us to have mercy, and compassion, and love, and steadfastness for one another (Christians). That doesn’t mean that we are to tolerate sin in the house of God (1 Corinthians 5), but our Lord who planted this field shall surely be upset with us uprooting and trampling each other down to run after a job that isn’t ours.

Our heavenly father is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentence (1 Peter 3:9). Only God knows the hidden things of the heart (Psalm 44:21; Daniel 2:22; 1 Corinthians 4:5), to know who are His and who are not. He wishes for us to be salt and light in a dark world and preach the gospel to all. What is the gospel? That the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. He made it. When we sinned, He redeemed us with His blood. He now resides in a kingdom which is coming. He has invited us to live there with Him for eternity. The only way to get there is through Jesus – accepting the gift He offers in the scriptures, and turning from every sin that so easily entangles us, letting the blood of Jesus wash those sins away.

Our Lord promises not to send His angels to do the sorting until the harvest is ripe, so that not one tiny grain of wheat is lost.

But make no doubt about it…waiting to the last minute to make up your mind is a dangerous proposition. For when the Lord sends his reaping angels it will be suddenly and swiftly. If you haven’t chosen the Lord by then you might not get any more chances. Please don’t wait my friend.

The Parable Fulfilled

Revelation 14:14-20

DSCN9033DSCN9032

PRAYER: Dear and precious Lord, forgive me for the darkness in my heart that makes me judge others unfairly. Help me to tend to my own knitting – which is to help and encourage others in the faith, and be salt and light in this world. Help me to stand tall and strong, and flexible, as a reed unbroken by the wind. Lord help me to be obedient to Your teachings, and forgive me for my shortcomings. And Lord, I pray for my family and my friends who don’t know You as Savior yet, that you will also quicken their hearts to repentance, soon, before they grow cold and hard, before the reapers are sent for the harvest and it is too late. IJN, Amen

.

“And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

— Philippians 1:9,10

.

And for all of you who are drawn to the rabbit holes…

Squirrel Hole

…here are the ones touched upon in this parable. (Have fun!)

.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like…

Matthew 13:24 — a man who sowed good seed

Matthew 13:31 — mustard seed, which a man took and sowed

Matthew 13:33 — leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal

Matthew 13:44 — treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again

Matthew 13:45 — a merchant seeking beautful pearls

Matthew 13:47 — a dragnet that’s been cast into the sea

Matthew 13:52 — a householder who brings out of his treasure things old and new

Matthew 18: 23 — a certain king, who forgave a great debt

Matthew 19:14 — like little children

Matthew 20:1 — a landowner, who went out early to hire laborers

Matthew 22:2 — a certain king, who arranged a marriage for his son

Matthew 25:1 — shall be likened unto ten virgins, five wise and five foolish

Kingdom of Heaven is like

Click on the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE of this coloring page

Kingdom of Heaven is Like

.

Wailing and gnashing of teeth

For whatever reason, I feel compelled to draw a line between the weeping that endures for a night (the tears of the saints), and the wailing and gnashing of teeth (the defiant growling of the wicked).

Luke 13:28

“In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.

Psalm 112:10

The wicked will see it and be vexed, He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked will perish.

Matthew 8:12

but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 24:51

and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30

“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Job 16:9

“His anger has torn me and hunted me down, He has gnashed at me with His teeth; My adversary glares at me.

Psalm 35:16

Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth.

Psalm 37:12

The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.

Lamentations 2:16

All your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day for which we waited; We have reached it, we have seen it.”

Acts 7:54

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

Matthew 22:13

“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Mark 9:18

and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.”

Revelation 16:10

“The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

I believe this gnashing of teeth referred to in these passages is a facial expression made by angry, frustrated, defiant-to-the-bitter-end people, who refuse to conform or acknowlege God. In their last rebellious gesture they stiffen their necks, squint their eyes, jut their heads forward, grind their teeth together, and growl through their pain and tears in fist-pounding defiance.

.

In contrast to wailing of the wicked is the weeping of the SAINTS OF GOD… which only last for a moment:

“His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.”    Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)
.

 

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”   Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

He who has ears to hear 001

Click on the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE of this page

He Who Has An Ear

He who has an ear let him hear…

Matthew 11:5

Matthew 13:9

Luke 8:8

Luke 10:16

Revelation 2:7

Revelation 2:11

Revelation 2:17

Revelation 2:29

Revelation 3:6

Revelation 3:13

Revelation 3:22

.

But be not hearers only, but doers of the word!

.

“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.” – Romans 2:13

Jun27

The Gospel Parables: Parable of the Sower

Posted on by
Standard
The Gospel Parables: Parable of the Sower

“All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.’”  Matthew 13:34; Mark 4:33-34; and Psalm 78:2 (A Contemplation of Asaph)

The first thing that begs a question in my mind is WHY?  Why did Jesus speak to the people in parables?

Let’s start our journey with the definition of the word parable:

par·a·ble

ˈperəb(ə)l/
noun

 a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.  synonyms:  allegory, moral story/tale, fable, exemplum

.

 .
Matthew 13.10

Click on the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE coloring page

Matt 13.10 Printable

“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’  He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.'”  Matthew 13:10,11,13

In a recent teaching by Stephen Armstrong of Oak Hill Church in Austin, Texas, Verse-by-Verse Ministries, Pastor Armstrong points out that there was a defining point between when Jesus taught all of the people openly and when He began teaching only in parables. It was when the Pharisee’s accused Jesus of doing what He did by the power of Satan.  Jesus informed the church leaders who were making that awful accusation, that their actions were considered blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is the unforgivable sin.  That’s when no more signs would be given to them except for the “sign of Jonah.”

Now that might be lost on us, but Pastor Armstrong goes on to explain that the “sign of Jonah” was a total eclipse of the sun (please listen to his End Times Seminar at Max Lucado’s Oak Hills Church, in San Antonio, TX.  It is soooo good!).  When Jonah preached to the Ninevites, all the way back in the Old Testament there was a total eclipse of the sun.  The event was so significant to the people of Jonah’s day that it was registered in the Jewish church annals and the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’ day would have been completely familiar with what Jesus was talking about.

Now perhaps they dismissed Jesus’ prophesy, or maybe His words didn’t fully register to them at the time, but for that sect of “sign seekers” to see the sun darkened at the moment Jesus died on the cross, it would have been the shuddering confirmation in their hearts that Jesus’ words were true and that they had just killed their Messiah.

I pray that our hearts are soft today to hear the word of God, so that we will not get to the end of our lives, filled with dread, when we realize God’s words are true!!!!

Parable of the Sower1

He who has ears to hear 001

Click on the link below for the FREE PRINTABLE coloring page

(click here >>>>> He Who Has An Ear <<<<< click here)

Our Bible text is from Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  I have included all three versions of the story so we can compare them and try to piece together a whole story.  I happen to use the New King James Version of the Bible, but if you have a version you prefer you are most certainly welcome to read out of your own.  This is one of the longer parables, especially when there is also the explanation, so today’s reading will be a little longer than most of the others.  Are you ready?  Here we go…

Parable of the Sower

 

The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-9 

“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Mark 4:1-9

“And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Luke 8:4-8

“And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Parable of the Sower color.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

Jesus did everything that He did with a purpose.  Everything He did was a training exercise, not only for His beloved of that day, but His beloved of this day as well.  Jesus spoke in parables to see if we are teachable.  The parables, like all of the word of God can be hard to understand.  Some dismiss the Bible as fables, or as dusty old words with no relevance for modern day.  If that’s how we approach the word of God, that is all it will ever be to us.  But if we go to Him and ask for wisdom, and take the time to look deep into its mystery, like the disciples did, He will open it to to our understanding.  We have prayer as a way to ask Him for wisdom, and He gave us His Holy Spirit to open our minds to comprehension. The Holy Spirit living inside of us will teach us.

Matthew 13:18-23

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Mark 4:13-20

“And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Luke 4:11-15

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”

* * *

For this parable I took out my notebook and wrote the four types of soils, and then under each type I wrote what each of the gospels said about them.  Were there some details in one that were missing in another?  Good detective skills will help us piece it all together for a better understanding.

WAYSIDE:

(Matthew) – Parable: the birds (who are the birds?) came and devoured the seed (what is the seed?)   Parable explained: the seedling (person) hears the “word of the kingdom” but doesn’t understand it; the “wicked one” snatches it away.  (So Matthew understood Jesus to say that the seed that falls on this soil is the word of the kingdom, it basically falls on deaf ears, and doesn’t leave an impression).

(Mark) –  Parable: ditto Matthew   Parable explained: Mark heard Jesus say that if THIS parable is hard to understand, how will anyone understand the others (which is a challenge to me to always try to understand it)?  Mark says the seed that falls on this soil is the word and Satan takes it away.

(Luke) – Parable: adds that the seed is trampled down (which I take to mean that it is considered to have little to no value), and the birds devour it   Parable explained:  Luke understood that the seed that falls on this soil is the word of God and that the devil steals it from our hearts, to keep us from believing and being saved.

Who might the birds be in your life who eat that seed every time it is planted?  Who might those be in your life who trample God’s seed, and consider it of no value?  Is it a teacher, a professor, an atheist friend, a book you read or the shows you watch on TV?  Maybe none of  your friends are people of faith and they would make fun of you for becoming a Christian?  Maybe no one in your family is religious at all? Honestly, this was the condition of my heart for most of my teenage years.  I believed in God, but His word was more like a good luck charm.  I am grateful that the Lord was persistent to keep tilling the soil of my heart and sowing His seeds.

STONY PLACES:

(Matthew) –  Parable: not much earth, seeds sprout quickly,  no deep roots, become sun-scorched   Parable explained:  this person is quickly swayed by emotion into believing, but only for a short time.  Tribulation and persecution causes this person to stumble.

(Mark) –  Parable:  basically ditto Matthew   Parable explained:  basically ditto Matthew

(Luke) –  Parable:  Luke says “rock” instead of “stony places,” and that the seed lacks enough moisture to survive.  Parable explained:  basically the same as Matthew and Mark, but instead of using the word stumble, Luke says fall-away.

Have you heard the gospel and happily let it take root for a while, but then the fires and trials of life caused you to let it fizzle and die?  Maybe something happened that caused you to question whether God is real?  Like, why won’t He give you a baby?  Or, why did He take your daddy away?  Or, why did He let you be born with a defect?  Or, why are evil people allowed to live and do horrible things?

I confess that when I finally believed as a young mother it was a very emotional experience.  I was filled with joy and gladness, but those emotions soon came crashing back to earth when I started thinking about the persecution that would be coming for me.  It caused me to go through a hard tribulation of self-conciousness and shame.  I knew my salvation was real; everything changed inside, but I was also battered by Satan over all the sins of my past and what a worthless person I had been.  Those sins truly haunted me, and I was embarrassed to show my face outside my house for fear of the finger-pointing by people who knew me at my worst.  I wanted to, I guess, reject everybody before they rejected me, and kept a hard shell of Spiritual privacy on my heart for a long time, but the Lord has been faithful to complete His work in me and to turn my fearful heart of stone into a heart of flesh.  Tribulation builds character (Romans 5:3-5), and is a refining fire.  His perfect love has cast out a motherlode of fears.  And praise the Good Lord, my family loved me and stuck by me, and most of them who weren’t saved even came to know Jesus as well.  I can thank the Lord for keeping me from being like a dog who returns to her own vomit.  The seed may have been sown on rocky soil, but the Lord transplanted me, and kept me alive with abundant water until I could put down deeper roots.  Praise God Almighty He set me free!!!!

AMONG THORNS:

(Matthew) –  Parable: seedlings choked from thorns    Parable explained:  the seedlings live – they hear the word, but are more concerned with making money, which is the thorn in their life that causes him/her to be unfruitful.

(Mark) –  Parable:  choked and fruitless   Parable explained:  the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things are what choke the word that is sown in this person’s heart, and make them unfruitful.

(Luke) –  Parable:  thorns sprang up and choked it   Parable explained:  these seedlings hear and even go out (to be fruitful), but are choked by cares, riches, and pleasures of life so that the fruit on their branches never matures.

Has the word of God taken root in you, but the cares of life have you choked back from growing and maturing?  You love God, and go to church, but not all the time.  You don’t have time to read your Bible, or pray really, because you work full time and have family responsibilities.  Maybe none of your friends or family are people of faith and they keep you busy with other things?

This one might be, oh who am I kidding, IS my biggest struggle!  I’m glad I don’t live in the city where there are endless things to chase after and want.  I get myself in enough trouble as it is.  I am often distracted by the cares of this world (what I will eat, what I will wear, getting my house clean and my laundry done), and by the lust for riches (purchasing lottery tickets instead of giving to ministry), and the Lord knows I am a seeker of pleasure rather than a seeker of Him way too much of the time.  My life has a weed problem, and it is my least favorite chore, but if I don’t get on top of it when I see it getting out of hand, it will eventually choke out all the life in me, and I will never mature past infancy in Christ.  Even worse, when I finally get to heaven I will have little to no fruit to bring to God’s table. 😦

GOOD GROUND:

(Matthew) –  Parable:  yielded a crop 100-fold, 60, and 30   Parable explained:  hears the word, understands it, bears fruit 100-fold, 60, and 30.

(Mark) –  Parable:  the amount of fruitfulness is reversed, 30, 60, 100   Parable explained:  hear the word, accept it, bear fruit in the same reversed order.

(Luke) –  Parable:  only uses the 100-fold yield   Parable explained:  Luke almost always has more details.  He understood Jesus to say that this seedling hears with a noble and good heart, doesn’t forget what he hears, and bears fruit with patience.

I am soooooo blessed that someone had the courage to sow God’s seed in my heart and grateful it took root.   My whole life honestly changed the day I received Christ!  I love the word of God and study it often.   I pray continually.  Almost all of my friends are Christian.  But when I look around I’m not sure that I have any evidence of fruit.  I’ve never personally led anyone to the Lord and am worried and discouraged by all my dead branches.  Perhaps I just need the Lord to prune me?  Gosh, will there be anything left when He is done?

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   2 Peter 1:5-8 NKJV

It might be a slower process than we would like – attaining to the perfect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control that the Lord is growing in us, but if the Holy Spirit is alive in us and allowed to have dominion in our hearts, He will constantly cultivate us towards the fullness of all those beautiful traits..

The FRUIT of the Spirit is:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Gentleness

Faithfulness

and Self Control

~ Galatians 5:22-23  ~

.

He who began a good work in us will see it on to completion.  A tiny mustard seed of faith WILL GROW into a giant tree that the birds of the air can nest upon.

I pray this study will bless you and strengthen you in your inner person.

Let us not look around at others and compare.  Let us just keep feeding our Spirit and putting down good deep roots!  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and full of His life in us, those fruits will mature and drop off onto the soils of the earth all around us, and sprout and grow in the hearts of others.  We may never know the impact we’ve had on people’s lives around us, and that’s okay.  I’d rather be surprised by the abundance of fruit when I get to heaven than puffed up with pride thinking I deserve something that I really had nothing to do with.

But while we are on this earth, and when we feel His Spirit prompting us to love others, to give to others, to be kind to others, to have patience for others, to bless and not to curse… let us let His Spirit have His wonderous way.  Those are His seeds we sow, and His fruitful harvest to come.

.

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”  – 1 Corinthians 3:7

 

.

Prayer:  Precious Lord Jesus, thank you for Your word and for the Holy Spirit whom you gave to me, who helps me to understand what I read in Your word, and gives me the power to live it.  Thank You for cultivating the soil of my heart, watering me, giving me food, loving me, protecting me, and always being with me on this road of life.  Praise you Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Give me the heart for others that You have for them.  Help me to be full of Your Spirit, and fruitful, that one day I may come to Your housewarming with a basket full of fruit to share with You.   In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”  – James 1:22-25