The farmer threw seed and some fell on the pathway and was eaten by birds. Some seeds fell on shallow soil, sprouted quickly, but were scorched by the sun. The sower continued to throw out the seed but it fell among thorns and the young plants were choked out before maturity.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each inspired author writes the same story. Their accounts provide additional insights and details but all of them provide the key to every parable Jesus told. Three of the four soils are deadly while only one is capable of producing healthy plants.
The sower is the Savior, the seed is salvation, and the soil are the souls. This particular story is well known by most of the religious world but its implications can’t be overstated or overstudied. Throughout the gospels we read of the multitudes that followed Jesus everywhere He went and the crowd largely consisted of societal castaways. The demon possessed, the terminally ill, the crippled, and the spiritually challenged were more than just a handful.
Jesus Dealt With The Dirtiest Dirt
They were dangerous. On occasion the crowds threatened the life of Jesus and His disciples (Mk. 3.7-10).
The were demanding. Jesus would seek solitude after receiving news of John the Baptists’ death. When the needy crowd learned of His location they swarmed Him (Matt. 14.14).
They were disloyal. In spite of the evidence they heard and saw, many disciples would walk away from the Savior (Jn. 6.59-71).
The ministry of Jesus was a labor of love and it reminds us how undeserving we are to be the recipients of it. Let’s not forget that we’re soil surrounded by soil. People (souls) are not to be seen as an inconvenience, source of frustration, or the cause of our recoil. Let’s sow with our Savior and like our Savior because that’s part of what being good soil is all about.
You’ve probably seen the results of the recent WSJ-NORC poll showing how much Americans’ views on patriotism, religion, and community involvement have changed in the past 25 years. It is disheartening. On a lark, I decided to query ChatGPT about this issue, asking:
How should the Christian community respond to generate interest in religion while remaining ambivalent about ideas of patriotism?
Here is ChatGPT’s response:
Firstly, the Christian community could focus on promoting the core values and teachings of their faith that resonate with people on a personal level, such as compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love. This can be done through various means, such as community outreach programs, social media campaigns, and interfaith dialogues.
Additionally, the Christian community could leverage modern technologies to make their religious teachings more accessible to younger generations who are more inclined towards digital media. This could involve creating engaging and informative content, such as podcasts, videos, and blog posts, that can be shared on various online platforms.
It is also essential for the Christian community to remain open-minded and inclusive towards people of all backgrounds and beliefs. By fostering an environment of respect and understanding, the Christian community can demonstrate that religion is not about exclusion or superiority, but rather about embracing diversity and promoting universal values.
Lastly, the Christian community could work towards building meaningful connections with other faith-based communities and organizations to promote interfaith collaboration and mutual respect. By coming together with other groups and working towards common goals, the Christian community can demonstrate that religion is a unifying force that can transcend political ideologies and nationalistic sentiments.
You’ve probably noticed ChatGPT’s and all AI’s known leftist bias. But, again, this is something that the media has covered. These new technological marvels are known as LLMs (Learning Language Models). In other words, reading what humans have written makes them more intelligent. And many of these AIs got their samples from the internet.
The internet is not exactly a haven for right-wing or Christian ideas. Values-oriented internet monitors have estimated that at least 80% of the non-dark web was pornography. Others argue that it is more likely to be around 30% pornography. Whatever the exact figures are, it should be evident that the ratio of non-Christian to Christian content on the internet is higher. Thus, we don’t expect AI to present God’s plan of salvation. That is why preachers exist (Romans 10.13–17).
That said, the insight of ChatGPT is fantastic, with a few caveats. Unfortunately, open-mindedness and inclusivity are typically buzzwords for turning a blind eye to sin, which we cannot do (Isaiah 5.20). Likewise, societal acceptance of abortion and sexual immorality doesn’t mean such things are acceptable to God (Acts 5.29). We also cannot fellowship with those who do not teach the truth, even if they call themselves “Christians” or are part of a monotheistic, Abrahamic faith (2 Corinthians 6.13–15; 1 Corinthians 10.21). Otherwise, this advice is surprisingly sound.
As the gospel changes lives like nothing else can, why shouldn’t we preach God’s word to make it as accessible to others as possible? We should help people see how to apply the good news to their lives (Acts 8.30ff). To that end, we should go back to more expository-style preaching.
There are so many broken homes that providing people with a sense of community and family is inviting. Who would not want to experience compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love? But this requires getting out of our buildings and going where the people are.
And, while we should not change the “old Jerusalem Gospel,” there is no reason why we cannot use modern methods to reach out to a lost and dying world (Matthew 10.16, emphasis mine). Unfortunately, more conservative mindsets are slow to adopt the latest technology. By the time more conservative minds feel comfortable venturing into new areas, those with whom they disagree ideologically will have dominated them.
That said, the number of podcasts and videos our brothers and sisters are beginning to make available inspires me, and I hope this pattern continues. Political pundits, gamers, and true crime fans bury our offerings with their content. So you have to know what you are looking for to find it. It requires advertising and sharing our content with others.
Even though we don’t want to waste our Lord’s money by following trends, it is prudent to keep up with new technology and figure out how to use it to spread God’s message worldwide. It’s important to remember that technology is constantly evolving, and we must adapt to it and use it in ways that reflect our values. By doing so, we can reach a larger audience and share God’s message with those who might not have heard it otherwise.
How would you have answered this question I put to ChatGPT?
Wherever light is, there is no darkness. That almost sounds silly and maybe a little obvious. Light and darkness in the Bible often depict the concept of good and evil but nowhere is the impression given that the dark is equal to light. In both the Old and the New Testaments, we find the concept of light and darkness. It represents the believers and the nonbelievers and it also represents good and evil. Biblical writers understood God to be the ultimate Light— the ultimate goodness of the world. When John refers to Jesus as “light” in his gospel this is the concept that he is trying to get across. Jesus is pure. He’s a beacon of hope— he is Light. Strangely, scientists are still baffled by light. NASA spent a mountain of money attempting to come up with a color so dark that it could even consume light but it just isn’t possible.
No darkness can stifle the light of Jesus.
To this day He is shining bright through His followers to ensure that this dark world can see Him and that means we have an important job to do. In gospel of John, we find this profound statement, “…the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). At this point John begins another section on light and more is revealed about the two contrasting realities. There is the light, who is Jesus, and those who did not love the light because their deeds were evil. The reason they rejected the Light was because they were separated from it by their own wickedness. Evil is done with ease in the dark and we tend to fool ourselves into thinking that we are hidden and secure under its cover.
Alaska’s crime rate significantly drops in the summer because the sun shines continually, but in the winter months the crime rate is much higher. It’s easier to get away with evil in darkness. Notice the bold statement following this, “Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20). Light exposes the wickedness, and exposure is not something an evil person desires.
Today lights are used by doctors to shine down your throat, in your ear, and to expose any potential problems. We have automatic porch lights and flood lights as well as “brights” for those backroads. Jesus is here to expose the sins of others and welcome those that come to Him. This also goes to show that an individual can claim to love the Light, while living in darkness— this person hates the Light. Action speaks louder than words and in a spiritual sense this could not be more accurate. Do your actions reflect that you love the Light?
On more than one occasion, Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast. I’d like to focus on the parable contained in Matthew chapter 22 specifically. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted calf are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to his servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:2-14).
Looking back on this parable with the benefit of hindsight, knowing the centuries of the Church’s history, it’s easy to understand most of what Jesus is saying. The king had an initial group of people that were invited to wedding, but refused the invitation. In the same way, the invitation of the gospel was initially given to Jews only. However, especially among the religious establishment—Pharisees and Sadducees—there was widespread rejection of that invitation. So, the king opens up the invitation to everyone in the highways, both bad and good, just as the invitation of the gospel was extended to Gentiles and Jews alike—everyone is invited.
However, there’s the strange detail near the end that can confuse us in our modern times, living so far detached from the culture that Jesus gave the parable to. We see a man at the wedding who doesn’t have wedding clothes on, and he gets kicked out of the wedding because of it! In our culture, we might wonder about this man, perhaps even feel sorry for him. Perhaps he didn’t have good clothes for a wedding because he was poor and couldn’t afford them. But the way we do weddings is different from the way they did weddings in Jesus’ time and culture. Back in that day, the master of the wedding feast would provide garments for all of the wedding guests. In fact, it would be a great insult for someone to refuse to wear wedding garments at the feast. That’s why the man is speechless when the king asks him how he got in there without wedding garments.
What does that represent? Baptism. As many of us as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ (paraphrase Galatians 3:27). Just as the master of the feast provides wedding clothes for the guests, God provided baptism for us. And just as the man without wedding garments was thrown out, none of us should expect to attend the wedding feast if we aren’t wearing the garments God provided at His own cost.
Some things just don’t mix. Milk and orange juice, taxes and freedom, Coca cola and Mentos. But there is one particular mix that can sometimes be fatal. Blood pressure medicine can be a great thing, but when mixed with Advil/Ibuprofen it can harm your body and even give you a brain hemorrhage. If you mix rubbing alcohol and bleach you create chloroform. It’s safe to say that some things in life just don’t mix.
20-30 years after the ascension of Jesus, Paul wrote to a group of Celtic Christians in Galatia warning them of the dangers of mixing two teachings. We find the establishment of these Galatian churches in Acts 13-15 (Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia). In 15:1 Some people came down from Judea teaching that circumcision was required for salvation. This occurred right after Paul had converted them. They are new Christians, and Paul had a “great debate” with them there. In Acts 15:5, the Pharisees who “had believed” were the ones commanding this of Christians. Fast forward a decade, and these teachers are back in Galatia teaching that circumcision is required for salvation.
In Galatians one, the question Paul is trying to answer is, “What is required for a person to be saved?” Forget circumcision, forget additional teachings, what does GOD say? Paul gives his answer by basically saying, “We need nothing other than what is contained in scripture to walk in the light.” There is only ONE gospel. In Verse 6 Paul says, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.” He uses the word “amazed” or thaumazo.
These were Christians who should’ve known better. Their quick acceptance of this addition to the gospel amazed Paul in a negative sense. In Acts 4:13, this same Greek word is used to describe the scribes and Pharisees’ reaction to the apostles’ teachings. Again in Mark 5:20, we read that people were amazed by Jesus’ teaching. Paul now uses this word to describe his reaction to these Christians deserting the gospel! This word could be accurately translated as “deeply disturbed.”
If there is anything added to that which is necessary for the maintaining of your walk in the light, it is not necessary for salvation. These Christians should’ve known better, but sadly sometimes we are the same way. We know what’s right and wrong and yet we still choose poorly (speech, actions, thoughts).
The message that these Christians were to accept was that of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and the correct way to be saved. Any requirement outside of the plan of salvation is a false doctrine that must be condemned. If that other requirement is the sinner’s prayer, it must be condemned. If that other requirement is a “new wave of salvation,” as some denominations teach, it is to be condemned. If that other requirement is a tradition not necessary for salvation yet is enforced as such, it is to be condemned. We are only compelled to follow what is contained in God’s Holy Word.
Let’s be careful as Christians to follow and teach solely what God has required of us.
Galatians 1.6-9 is the key passage of the book. God chose them through grace, but they were abandoning grace for Jewish customs. Paul wrote one of the strongest warnings in all of scripture here — “anyone who modifies Jesus’s teaching will be cursed.” It’s hard for us to let our own baggage go (our worldviews, preferences, past beliefs, or traditions), but God’s feelings about adding to or taking away from his requirements are crystal clear.
This isn’t the only letter where Paul warns about putting too much stock in traditions. Colossians also addresses this issue pretty clearly, as do sections in I Corinthians and Romans. And it doesn’t matter who’s doing the teaching — even if an angel tries to teach something that modifies God’s plan, they will be cursed. If we view this section rationally, it makes perfect sense. The one who created this plan is the same one who has unlimited power, ability, and intelligence, and who created our planet in a vast universe. Who are we to take issue with anything in God’s word?
Interestingly, Paul also addressed an issue that has existed since the church was established: Christians comparing themselves to others, or judging another’s level of spirituality. A more spiritual Christian would also observe traditions. The specific application throughout the book (2.3-5, 11-17; 3.11-13; 5.1-6) is that adopting Jewish traditions is required to be right with God. A more modern understanding is that we shouldn’t look down on Christians who don’t follow all of the customs we’ve observed for the last couple of centuries. We must be very careful about making judgments of other Christians based on whether or not they observe our traditions in addition to God’s. Galatians refutes the idea that someone who observes more than what God requires is intrinsically more spiritual.
“Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work and see if you’ve done anything to be proud of” (6.4).
“It doesn’t matter if anyone is circumcised or not. The only thing that matters is this new life we have from God” (6.15).
Acts 20:19 says, “serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews.” Paul “served with humility.” As great a man as Paul was, he served (douleuo – ministered to others as if he were their slave). His service is described with three genitives: With all humility (Philippians 2:3), with tears, and with trials. So all of this could be summed up as Paul served with humility, and stayed faithful through trials. Once again we can tie this back to the local preacher, as preachers are put in a position to serve the congregation and to stay faithful to them. Many preachers can become very haughty because every single Sunday they have people telling them how incredible their sermons are. Preachers must constantly keep in mind the humility that they should be practicing (John 13).
The local preacher should not shy away from teaching that which will help the church. Acts 20:20 says, “how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house.” Herbert Agar once said, “The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear.”
People will not always be open to the message that preachers proclaim. But the job is to proclaim all truth to the congregation. We also learn that preachers should be vocal about the Gospel. Notice that Paul said “…in public and from house to house.” The word used for “shrink” in this verse is upostello and means to “shrink from and avoid, implying fear.”
The local preacher is to make no exclusions as seen in Acts 8:21 which reads, “Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul preached the Gospel to everyone! He knew what they needed and gave it to them. One way we can put this into perspective is to make a parallel between how we treat others, and how God treats us. As humans, we can sometimes show partiality. Whether it is because of someone’s personality or how they treat us, we tend to avoid those types of people.
What if God treated us this way? We know from Romans 5:8 that God sent His son to die for us “while we were yet sinners…” God did not, does not, and never will show partiality to anyone. Paul proclaimed to both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews at this time did not get along well with the Gentiles at all. Paul puts that aside and shares the Gospel with them. Romans 10:12 says, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him.”
This all applies to the local preacher today. There should never be partiality shown to different members by the preacher. Even more than that, there should be no partiality shown to those outside of the Church! Yet we see that so much in today’s culture. The Gospel is what people need, so he must never let partiality stand between a soul and eternal life.
Have you ever gotten something—maybe a piece of appliance or a new faucet that you needed to assemble or install—and it seemed too simple? You see all of the pieces that came in the box, and you recognize all of it and their functions. Maybe, because it looked so simple and straightforward, you overestimated your ability to put it together and went straight into installing it by yourself without reading the manual. What happens usually? Well, if you’re lucky (or just that skilled), you may do it just right. But most times you either get stuck and eventually are forced to read the manual anyway, or you think you installed it correctly but actually didn’t do it all that right. Whatever the case is, there are times in our lives when we may have foregone the instruction manual because they are tedious or you think you know the steps, only to find out soon that there is a good reason why the instruction manuals are included with the product!
Even the simplest looking assembly comprised of just a few steps can quickly become quite intricate if there are specific order and method to the process. And if one, out of the abundance of their self-confidence, refuses to read the manual for that crucial piece of information, the process can be very frustrating indeed. Maybe you’ve had to witness someone stubbornly try to put together or operate something without first reading the manual for it.
I’ve heard people describe the Bible as an instruction manual for life. Although this is an oversimplification of the Word of God, I think we can agree for the most part that the Bible contains instructions and concepts that directly impact our lives—both physical and spiritual. We should not develop a dysfunctional view of Scripture as a mere checklist of things to do to get a passing grade to get into heaven, but we should also recognize that the Bible as a whole is a guide for us to internalize as we navigate this life.
The Bible and its contents are profound yet simple, and everyone can understand it. Logically speaking it must be so, because throughout Scripture there is a consistent expectation for the people of God to study and understand the laws (in the Old Testament) and the teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles and disciples (in the New Testament). We know that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (II Tim. 3:16-17). The gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). The doctrines, precepts, principles—all of these things contained in Scripture both Old and New Testament are there for us to read, to understand, and to let impact our lives in a meaningful and transformative way.
Now then, how are we to do so without examining the book? The Bible may not be as simple as a checklist of things or like an instruction manual for some furniture assembly, but we cannot deny the reality that it contains guidance that we need for our navigation through this life into eternity. It would be foolish and inefficient at best for us to recognize such a fact but still fail to read it and study its contents. Do not be stubborn and try to go through life without the guide revealed to us by the very Creator who is the source of life itself. Make sure to foster that need to meditate on God’s Word regularly.
Recently at the suggestion of some teachers and podcasts I listen to, I took some time and in one setting read through whole books in the Bible. If you haven’t done this I would highly recommend it. Just read through the book not looking for anything or zeroing in on any specific point; just read through the book and let it teach you its main themes and allow it to speak for itself. One of the books I recently read through and want to briefly discuss is the book of JOB. We are very familiar with this book and story and can learn a lot of things from it including sufferings, patience, steadfastness, God’s perspectives, and others. However, I would like to share with you what really stood out and stayed with me as I read through the 42 chapters of this book. Job 1:8-9 says,
Then the Lord said to Satan “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So, Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?
Right there is the true question: “Will you fear and serve God for nothing.” It is not only a question that Satan asks the Lord referring to Job, but it is also for us today. Satan was assuming that Job would have a transactional relationship with God, that as long as he was doing what was righteous that Job would assume that he has earned his blessings or somehow God is obligated to bless him. Do we fall into this mindset that Satan is stating her is verse 9? Is it easy to fear and serve God while things are going good in our life or for fear of punishment? Do we have this transactional relationship that says I have done all these righteous X’s so I deserve these Y’s (blessings)? Would we serve God if everything (wealth, family, health) in an extremely short period of time was taken from us and we were in the situation Job found himself in? Satan is saying that taking comforts of this life away will push even the strongest to curse God to his face. Satan states this in Ch 1:11 and notice that as early as 2:9 Job’s wife actually uses the same language when she tells Job, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Sometimes bad things happen because we make bad decisions and we must deal with those consequences. However, Job shows us that sometimes bad things happen outside of our decisions and we do not know all like our Creator GOD. God lays this out in his answer to Job out of the whirlwind in Chapters 38-42 basically stating that, “I created everything and have it all under My control, I AM GOD, even when you don’t realize it and so you must trust Me no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.” In chapter 42 we read exactly what Job did in response to God’s challenge to Job. Now as he repents and fears God he is in dust and ashes. This is the definition of serving God for nothing. Every worldly comfort had been taken from him and he had nothing, not even physical health, and nothing as of yet had been restored to him. But he through great tribulation feared God for nothing except he is God the creator and sustainer of everything.
We do need to serve God just because he is God and the creator of all things but the good news is we don’t serve him for nothing. Read Job 19:25: For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth; Just as we read Job and see his longing for a mediator between him and God, we now have that through Jesus. God gives us eternal life that can be found in Christ our mediator, not because we deserve it like a transactional agreement but because He is a benevolent, gracious and loving God.
God speaks of Himself as simply “I Am.” This is one powerful statement depicts His infinite presence and His existence through every age. What does it mean to know Him? How do you know if you do? To know of Jesus is very different than knowing Him.
John is one of those books in the New Testament that will help us to become better aquainted with the Christ. John paints us a vivid picture of who He was and is on a deeper level than even the three previous books.
He’s the Bread of life, Light of the world, the Gate, Good Shepherd, Resurrection and Life, the Truth, and the Vine. All of these titles found within the book teach us a little more about the Savior of the world. There are seven “I Am” statements in John referring to Jesus and three hundred throughout the entire Bible. They begin in Genesis and end in Revelation, and in many books in-between. You just can’t read very far without discovering something very profound about it’s Writer.
He’s eternal. God’s desired response to this is simply for us to believe, respond, and live with our minds and hearts prepared to live with Him. When Jesus describes Himself as the “I Am” it makes the religious leaders want to kill Him in John 8. To know Jesus, to really know Him, is something that many people have not fully understood. Even as Jesus walked among us mortals and witnessed His miraculous power there were still several that didn’t realize what it meant to follow Him Luke 9:57-62.
While it’s true that everyone is made in the image of God, few reflect the Father’s image. Those that know Jesus introduce others to Him. With the knowledge that we are imperfect, let’s not forget that we also have the ability to have a relationship with Him. I am flawed and I am weak, but the Great I Am is interested in who I am.
By the grace of God, I am His child. He is the bread of life that sustains us, the light that guides us, the gate we’ll walk through, and the truth that will save us. It’s not how great I am, but how great the Great I Am is. Do you know Jesus?
Jesus has come to Jerusalem and taken the gloves off. By His unparalleled authority, He is directly challenging the religious establishment whose shallow righteousness has been rejected by His Father. He has come to take the Old Law out of the way and establish His church. It’s teaching like this parable in Luke 20:9-18 that will provoke those leaders to the point that they will trump up charges and bribe false witnesses to arrest, try, and have Him crucified. This parable is stark and shocking, and the moral as heavy as an anvil. Notice.
THESE LEADERS WERE GUILTY OF IMPROPER STEWARDSHIP (9). The “man” in the parable represents God, the Father. He made Israel a nation and gave the Jews a Law to follow and keep. The Jews, particularly the religious leadership, were entrusted with faithfully carrying it out, but they did not.
THEY WERE GUILTY OF TAKING WHAT DIDN’T BELONG TO THEM (10). In fact, these leaders–dubbed “the vine-growers” by Jesus in this parable–thought that they were in charge. They sought to make people subject to them, to follow their rules (cf. Rom. 10:3-4). The end result was vain religion (Mat. 15:8-9).
THEY WERE GUILTY OF ABUSING THOSE SENT TO THEM (11-15). The “slaves” sent to them were presumably prophets and teachers, no doubt inclusive of John the Baptist. These were the Father’s spokesmen, come to teach and correct them. Each one sent was treated the same, sad way: they “beat him and sent him away empty-handed.” Last of all, the son was sent (13-14). The “owner” (the Father) sent Him, saying, “I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him” (13). Instead, seeing Him as the heir, they plotted to kill Him (14). Obviously, Jesus is referring to Himself and the very thoughts these religious leaders were thinking as He told the parable!
THEY WERE GUILTY OF LOSING WHAT WAS ENTRUSTED TO THEM (16-18). Instead of being convicted by this parable, these religious leaders recoil at the moral of the parable: “What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others” (15-16). Their emotion boils over and they audibly reply to Jesus’ parable, “May it never be!” They missed the travesty of the behavior they and their forefathers had shown to God’s messengers and the sin they were about to perpetrate on His Son. They didn’t want to lose their grip on the power and influence they had taken. But Jesus doubles down, changing the imagery from a vineyard to building construction. They were going to reject Jesus, the stone, but He would be made the chief corner stone. He would judge and destroy them, if they did not abandon their rebellion.
Jesus is full of love, kindness, and peace. But, that’s an incomplete picture of Him. He came to establish His rule and reign. He must be King and Lord of our lives. We must submit to His way and truth to enjoy His life.
Back in 2016 Facebook created their “fact-checking program.” The focus of the program is to “address viral misinformation and false claims, particularly those that have the potential to mislead or harm.” Since 2016 hundreds of thousands of posts have been flagged as “misleading” or containing “false information.” While this program has been met with mixed reviews and opinions, there is a valuable lesson we can learn from fact-checking and that is to, well, check your facts.
Powerade is the sports players elixir. It’s refreshing, it replenishes electrolytes, and gives you 34 grams of beautiful sugar. It’s got potassium, sodium, and 35 grams of carbs. But Blue Powerade bears a striking resemblance to Windex. At a glance this window cleaner may seem like Powerade. It’s blue, you could easily put it in an empty Powerade bottle and call it Powerade, but it isn’t. Windex is Windex, no matter how you try and label it. Many times something may quack like a duck and walk like a duck, but it isn’t a duck.
Galatians 1:6 says, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
Paul warns us that as Christians we will encounter misinformation. Those who spread it may have a way with words. What they teach is convincing and appealing. But upon closer examination, their Powerade is actually Windex. These people will claim that you can receive salvation with just a prayer, that God approves of homosexuality, that every person has their own truth. We need to start Bible fact-checking the claims and teachings of those around us.
So many Christians are led astray by false teaching. It’s our job to test what is taught with scripture because on the day of judgment each person will be held accountable. Be noble-minded and search the scriptures. Don’t drink the Windex just because it’s in a Powerade bottle. Look at the content and compare it to God’s Word.
As Christians we must keep the church pure and free of misinformation. Let’s all start fact-checking our spiritual sources using God’s infallible Word.
I was originally going to call this, “The way we smell to others,” but thought that might be misleading or inaccurate. Paul uses a very unusual illustration to make an important point in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17. The backdrop of the illustration was when he came to Troas to take advantage of an open door to preach the gospel. It was a trying experience, as he couldn’t find Titus there. He left them for Macedonia (12-13).
In chapter three, he is going to change metaphors. But, first, he describes their work of sharing the gospel as like God sending His fragrance through them which others evaluate or judge (14-15). The same message “smells” differently to the recipients, based on the receptivity and spiritual condition of those hearers (16). But Paul makes clear that their motives and message are not “rotten,” but if it is rejected it is because the listeners are perishing (17). Think about how so many could hear the Son of God Himself teach and preach, and thoroughly reject it to the degree that they even took Him and nailed Him to a cross!
When you share Jesus and the message of His saving grace with others, there will be those who find that “fragrance of Christ” (15) a “sweet aroma” (14). It will be so appealing to them that they leave their old life and follow Him, much as the men God chose to follow Him during His ministry. It’s attractive and satisfying. There are still so many with good, receptive hearts out there. We see that when we share Him.
However, be prepared for some to find that same message repulsive. It’s not what they want and not what they are after. Have you ever been sick in such a way that even your favorite foods nauseated you to smell them cooking? There is no more savory and appealing message than the Bible’s story of grace, but many will reject it anyway! It can leave us feeling so inadequate (16), but we must remember that it is not our message. It is Christ’s message. Our job is simply to spread it with personal integrity, honesty, and righteous motivation. His word will work its power on those who seek their satisfaction in Him.
Fresh baked, homemade sour dough bread from Kathy’s kitchen!
For the past 18 months, there have been many changes that we have had to get accustomed to- new guidelines and restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic .There are a lot of political issues and differences, a lot of immoral activities you see on the news. These topics I have just mentioned has given me anxiety over the past 18 months and I’m sure you can agree with me.
We all deal with anxieties, stress and fear:
–Loss of a loved one, rather that be family member or friend. The toughest situation I have ever dealt with so far in my life is losing my dad almost seven years ago to liver cancer. It was very tough to see him battling liver cancer and the toil it took on his body.
–Dealing with health issues of our own, spouse, child or other family members.
–Moving to a new area – Unfamiliar community, people, tough on the whole family
–Jobs can be stressful or give us anxiety – A lot of time at work I don’t like change.
THAT’S ENOUGH GLOOM AND DOOM – LETS LOOK AT SOME GOOD NEWS!
Psalms 34:19 reads, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Consider three promises you can believe for anxiety. These are things that God tells us to do with our heart, mind, and eyes to combat our anxiety:
1. In Philippians, we learn what to do with our hearts when we are anxious. For you math lovers, like me, apostle Paul actually gives us a mathematical equation to tech us what to do with our hearts: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Did you catch the equation? Prayer + Supplication=Peace! God wants to hear all about our anxieties because he cares for us. Supplication means asking for something humbly. That something is peace. Because of our pride, we want to be in control of our own lives. To receive true peace, we must humbly go to God and release the control to him. The result of the equation is peace – when we have true peace from God, he protects you against temptations to be anxious.
2. In Isaiah, we learn what to do with our minds to receive God’s perfect peace. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). It is difficult to keep our minds on Christ when we are going through trials here on Earth. Our minds want to focus on what we are going through. Anxiety is not of the Lord but from the Devil as a distraction to the work of kingdom. We worry about our lives and are blinded from the opportunities God is giving us to serve him. “Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). When you have anxious thoughts, surrender them to the only one who is ALWAYS in control of this ever-changing world.
3. We learn in Psalms what to do with our eyes when we are overwhelmed with our circumstances. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber” (Psalms 121:1-3). By shifting your focus from your situation to the never changing promises of God, you begin to trust Him more. As you trust Him more, your anxiety begins to fade away because you realize how big God is in comparison to your troubles. God promises those who look to him that he will never forsake them and will never let them fall. You may stumble through struggles in life, but God will always be there to catch you if you keep your eyes on Him.
Always remember, whenever you are struggling with anxiety, align your heart, mind, and eyes with God. God promises to never leave you and he will provide you with peace-perfect peace.
“Discipline your thoughts to trust Me as I work my ways in your life. Pray about everything; then leave outcomes up to Me. Do not fear My will, for through it I accomplish what is best for you” (Jesus Calling – Enjoying Peace in His Presence , Sarah Young). We should always trust God and Jesus in whatever circumstance we are going through. Always go to him in prayer with what is on our hearts. God knows what is best for us and we should have nothing but absolute trust in Him!
Todd delivering this lesson at Lehman Avenue Wednesday night. Excellent!
I sat next to a man at dinner the other night, a retired Marine officer named Anthony who was now a successful businessman. Though he was in his sixties and had six grandchildren, he could have passed, even with a smattering of gray hair, for an elite athlete. He was incredibly intelligent, articulate, a war hero, wealthy, and, by anyone’s estimation, a true Renaissance man. He was also a brand new Christian.
Despite his apparent success, he confessed to having experienced decades of emptiness inside. He described it as I have often heard people describe it, that there was a hole inside and nothing he tried would fill it. He pictured it as painting a facade. He held out the canvas for others to see what he projected, but the man behind the painting was hollow, depressed, and ever searching.
That changed when his neighbor, a man named David Grimes, took an interest in his life. They began walking together in their neighborhood, discussing life. David would always refer Anthony to the Bible and what God’s Word had to say. At some time later, when Anthony faced a crisis, he found himself reaching out to David for help. Ultimately, through David’s friendship and his efforts to teach him, Anthony obeyed the gospel!
Anthony said, “There are a lot of people like me out there! They seem secure, confident, in control, and without need. But they are searching to fill a void in their lives. I know. I was one of them.” We can convince ourselves in these troubling, ungodly times that nobody is interested in God and His Word. Anthony would encourage you to get involved in the lives of your coworkers, neighbors, classmates, and the people you connect with through your children’s activities. No matter what they are projecting, invest in them. At some point, they will let you in. They will allow you to look behind the canvas and the pretty picture they have painted, and you will see a soul searching for something only God can satisfy! God is counting on us to see past the pretense and help that person He loved enough to give His Son for. The picture of success in the world’s eyes was secretly aching for something deeper and better. He found it in the only place it can be found–in Christ!
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17).
Without the proper understanding of the context, this verse can be taken to mean many different things. With a little bit of digging we can know what Paul is saying. In reference to the Jews who read the Old Law, Paul says that they had a veil over their hearts (15). What veil is he referring to? The Jews failed to see the Messiah in the Old Law. They had preconceived ideas about what He would look like, talk like, and His mission. They dreamed up a Messiah that was completely different from the One prophesied about.
These Jews read the Old Law with a veil over their eyes. They failed to see the Messiah. Their heart and mind was made up about Christ. It was so much so that they failed to see the true Messiah. Paul says all of this to make a point, “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed” (2 Corinthians 3:16).
Those who turn to the Lord are able to see the Messiah for who He is. In Christ and being in the spirit of the Lord, we now have freedom from this veil. Rather than failing to see Christ, we can read and understand His Word for what it is, the Words of LIFE.
What happens when you wear glasses inside on a hot humid day? You can see just fine, but the second you step out of the AC and into the heat and humidity, the glasses fog up almost instantly. This is how the Jews read the Old Testament. With a pair of fogged over glasses. But those who are in Christ can see the story of the Bible. We can see the prophecies and their fulfillment. We can clearly see God’s plan for mankind, All of this is a direct result of the freedom God has given each one of us in His Son.
While we don’t have the same circumstances surrounding us today, we can still fall into a similar problem. Sometimes when we go to the Word we only search for the things we should or shouldn’t do. Instead of studying to learn more about our Savior, we get caught up in the rules and regulations of Christianity. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if we only see the Bible as a rule book we will never have a deeper relationship with God. Studying like this effectively places a veil over our hearts and keeps us from finding that true, meaningful and love-filled relationship that God longs for us to have.
The Jews had a veil over their hearts that kept them from seeing Christ and the New Covenant. And we can sometimes do the same thing by treating God’s Word as a rule book rather than a Book that gives us a connection with God the Father.
These rules and guidelines are important, but there’s a lot more to Christianity than this.
There was a famine in Samaria and everyone was desperate. The need for food was more pressing than the danger they faced in looking for it. Elisha predicted the end of the famine but Jehoram’s right hand man refused to believe it could happen so quickly. The prophet tells him he’d see it happen but that he would not eat of it (2).
Four lepers decided to throw themselves on the mercy of the Arameans, but God caused the besieging army to hear the sound of enemy armies. They imagine the worst and leave their camp in pursuit. So, when the lepers arrived at the camp, it was abandoned. They found food and riches beyond their wildest imagination. They start to hoard and gorge themselves, then had second thoughts. They say to each other, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household” (9). Several things stand out here.
THESE MEN HAD GOOD NEWS.
IT WAS WRONG FOR THEM TO KEEP SILENT ABOUT IT.
THEY EXPECTED PUNISHMENT IF THEY DIDN’T URGENTLY SHARE IT.
THEY ADMONISHED EACH OTHER TO TELL IT.
They did and they helped save the nation. God caused it to happen but He worked through these four lepers. The famine ended (and the royal officer was trampled at the gate—he saw the famine end but died before it could benefit him).
I am reminded of my task as a Christian, one spiritually sick with sin but in a similar situation. I have found good news. It is wrong for me to keep silent. I must not just share it but do so urgently! I also need to admonish you to realize you are in the same predicament as me. You cannot afford to keep silent! A feast awaits!
Beware the DarkSide. No, that’s not a Star Wars reference. Just a few short weeks ago a cyber-gang who call themselves the “DarkSide” hacked the Colonial Pipeline and sparked a string of panic buyers to funnel jugs and containers full of gasoline. On May 7th the hacked pipeline authorized the ransom sum of $4.4 million to be transferred to the gang to try and settle this concerning situation. An odd spree of events and details shroud this whole thing and for those of us not familiar with the technological aspects, it seems even more unsettling. As Christians it’s okay to keep an eye on the latest events and protect yourself and family, but our watchful eyes would be far better put to use when it comes to our homes, personal faith, and church families. Take a look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7:15.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
There are false prophets and messages everywhere in our world. They’re doing their best to hack into our spiritual lives and they’ve been successful at doing so. When our guards are down they blend in with the flock and disguise themselves with a counterfeit truth. Thankfully our Savior gives us the solution to uncovering their scheme before they get the chance. He says, “By their fruit you will recognize them…” We have an assurance given to us in Matthew 7:16 which guarantees we will not become a victim of these spiritual hackers. The wolves seek to drag us to the dark side, but with a watchful eye and the protection of the Father they can’t succeed. You won’t see any of this covered in the News but the good news is we have the Good News. It’s powerful and it’s always accurate. Be on the alert and stay watchful for the things that deserve the energy and our attention.
God speaks of Himself as simply “I Am.” This one powerful statement depicts His infinite presence and His existence through every age. What does it mean to know Him? How do you know if you do? To know of Jesus is very different than knowing Him.
John is one of those books in the New Testament that will help us to become better aquatinted with the Christ. It’s the last of the gospels that paints us a vivid picture of who He was and is on a deeper level than even the three previous gospels. He’s the Bread of life, Light of the world, the Gate, Good Shepherd, Resurrection and Life, the Truth, and the Vine. All of these titles found within the book teach us a little more about the Savior of the world.
There are seven “I Am” statements in John referring to Jesus and three hundred throughout the entire Bible. They begin in Genesis and end in Revelation, and in many books in-between. You just can’t read very far without discovering something very profound about its Writer. He’s eternal. God’s desired response to this is simply for us to believe, respond, and live with our minds and hearts prepared to live with Him.
When Jesus describes Himself as the “I Am” it makes the religious leaders want to kill Him in John 8. To know Jesus, to really know Him, is something that many people have not fully understood. Even as Jesus walked among us mortals and we witnessed His miraculous power, there were still several that didn’t realize what it meant to follow Him (Luke 9:57-62).
While it’s true that everyone is made in the image of God, few reflect the Father’s image. Those that know Jesus introduce others to Him. With the knowledge that we are imperfect, let’s not forget that we also have the ability to have a relationship with Him. I am flawed and I am weak, but the Great I Am is interested in who I am. By the grace of God, I am His child. He is the bread of life that sustains us, the light that guides us, the gate we’ll walk through, and the truth that will save us. It’s not how great I am, but how great the Great I Am is. Do you know Jesus?
Listen! That’s how Jesus starts His lesson in Mark 4:3. He has just stepped out onto a boat so that He could speak to the large crowd that had gathered to hear Him. This was a very special sermon. Jesus is going to give the secret to all of His parables by telling a unique parable about the farmer who goes out to sow on the various kinds of ground. When Jesus said “Listen!” He was talking to a specific kind of person.
He wasn’t interested in the one who would hear His words and then fall away later when called to stand up for their faith. He wasn’t looking for the one who would hear His words and then foolishly decide that this world had more to offer.
Jesus said “listen!” because He knew that some would hear His words and those words would change their lives. They would live out His teachings. They would become those lamps He would later discuss later in the chapter. Those who truly listened to this specific sermon and took it to heart would bear fruit. It’s humbling to think that some only believe they’ve listened to Jesus, but on the last day will find out that they only thought they listened (verse 25).
Are we listening to the Savior? One way Jesus tells us we can know if we and others are listening is by looking at the fruit being planted. This section of scripture is a great reminder that there are many who will not hear the Lord and His life-changing and life-saving message, but there are also those out there in our communities who are willing and waiting for us to share Him with them.
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