Matthew 13:36-43

“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” vss. 41-42

The disciples asked Jesus to explain the parable of the weeds in the field–it was tough for them to understand. And now we’d like someone to explain his explanation! For those who have been trying hard to eliminate dualistic thinking his words are a challenge. It appears that Jesus in his teaching embraced a view of the end times that leaves no room for grace or forgiveness. Sinners will burn in hell and the righteous will shine like the sun. Of course those who identify with the righteous find this view appealing, but there’s little hope here for those who see themselves as sinners. So what’s going on here? Is this what Jesus really believed and taught? Or is this Matthew’s interpretation? Certainly it is a perspective that has been extremely popular among Christians through the years and it’s dualistic to the core. The problem is that this passage doesn’t fit the picture of Jesus that we have from the rest of the gospels. This is how religious people believed before Jesus showed up! In his actions, and particularly in his death, we find that his ministry was rooted in love, a love that overflowed for sinners. And if that’s true,  it’s perfectly okay to turn a deaf ear to this picture of fire and brimstone!

Thought for the Day: Why do some people like passages like this?

Matthew 13:24-30

“And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’” vs. 27

From the beginning it has been apparent in the Church that not everyone is on the same page. While there have been countless saints and pillars, people who have taken the words of Jesus to heart and borne fruit in every area, there have also been more rascals and scoundrels that we could even imagine. Sometimes we even see those contrasts in a single family! This has been a perplexing problem for people of faith and various solutions have been suggested. One of the most popular has been to simply kick out the misfits and the evil-doers–from a human perspective such purges bring purity and eliminate unsavory influences. Indeed, church history is full of such attempts–it’s what the word “Puritan” represents. At times followers of Jesus have expended a ton of good energy in getting rid of the bad seeds in their midst–and the effort never turns out well. It’s just not the Church’s business or area of skill. We haven’t been called to be judges! Jesus’ parable of the weeds in the field provides perspective. The landowner tells the servants to quit worrying about the weeds–it’s not their job, and they’d do more damage than good. What a blessing it is when we simply focus on the good news and stop worrying about judgment! It makes us a lot more fun to be around!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to hang out with Puritans?

Romans 8:19-25

“For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” vss. 24-25

Paul regularly spoke of hope as he wrote to early Christians. He knew that the glories of which he spoke were not readily apparent to them and that they wondered if they would experience resurrection. He also knew that without hope their faith would disintegrate. There are parallels to what he was referring to in our contemporary experience. We’re currently living in the midst of a global pandemic, and while we were told that the disease would soon run its course, some of us are beginning to wonder. We remain hopeful, but in the absence of evidence hope can easily turn to despair. We begin to think that life from now on will continue to be a string of disappointments–and there are plenty of nay-sayers who delight in dashing our hopes. Some are having the same feelings about the issue of racism. This summer’s violence has given rise to cynicism and negativity. Some have lost hope, and are convinced that bigotry will always have the last word–and there are plenty who feed that notion. Paul’s closing word to the Romans was patience, and it’s a good one for us too. There may not be evidence of the things we hope for, that’s the way it is with hope. Our only recourse, apart from despair, is to continue patiently waiting!

Thought for the Day: Which is more powerful for me today? Hope or despair?

Romans 8:12-18

“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” vs. 18

Unlike many Christians of our day the early followers of Jesus expected that there would be suffering along the Way. That’s what had happened to Christ Jesus and there was no reason to expect that it wouldn’t also happen for them. It isn’t that they enjoyed the suffering or looked forward to it–it’s likely that even Paul would have preferred a life free from persecution and conflict. But when it came they didn’t whine or shrink from their calling. They knew that it was temporary, and that one day the glory of complete union with Christ would come. Because Paul embraced suffering, later disciples sometimes practiced self-abuse, even self-flagellation, so that they too could experience pain as they followed Jesus. Fortunately most of us have come to realize we don’t need to seek suffering as a part of the journey–there’ll be plenty that comes our way unbidden. And for most of us it’s relatively rare. Some faithful followers are gifted with pretty tranquil lives, not because they’ve avoided their call, but because that’s how life is. True suffering is random and doesn’t come equally to all. But when it comes, even if it hasn’t come to us, our call is to stand with those who do hurt and offer sweet comfort and peace. And in these troubled days we’re all having plenty of opportunities to do exactly that.

Thought for the Day: Where am I seeing suffering in these days?

Psalm 86:14-17

“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” vs. 15

Through the years, many religions have offered  compelling descriptions of God and have encouraged their adherents to take them to heart and make them the central truth of their lives. Unless those descriptions match those of the psalmist in today’s text, they should be discarded and forgotten–they simply aren’t the truth! Some would question that assertion. They just don’t believe that anyone can know anything about God! They would therefore reason that anything we say about God’s nature is pure nonsense. Now they could be right, but their agnostic position is essentially hopeless–and most humans choose another way! By faith we believe that God exists, not as some idol crafted by our own hands, but as the eternal Mystery that has brought all things into existence. We may not be able to comprehend the majesty of God, but we can certainly know the benevolent nature of God. Those with eyes to see can experience the Divine Presence every day, and bask in the great gift of life that has been given to them. The psalmist, facing all kinds of naysayers and enemies, knew in his heart that God was merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. And his words are the truth–and they give us hope, the greatest gift of all.

Thought for the Day: Why do some agnostics choose to have faith?

Psalm 86:11-13

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.” vs. 11

There are some who would say that the truth is relative, and that it really doesn’t make any difference what we believe, that one person’s truth is as good as any other’s. The psalmist would be appalled! In his estimation the truth was a part of the Lord’s essence, and if we really wanted to walk in the way of righteousness, it would be essential to be focused on the Lord’s truth. Now, sometimes in the interest of being nice, we will listen to all sorts of garbage from others, nod our heads, and say that we honor their opinions. But God’s truth is not garbage, it’s rooted in unconditional love and mercy, and it’s a remarkable guide to joyful and fruitful living. And it’s something that doesn’t come to us naturally. Rather, it comes through careful listening to the Holy Spirit, and learning to discern which ideas don’t align with God’s concern for justice and forgiveness. We know full well that there are a multitude of dangerous and hateful voices on our social media that promote every kind of nonsense in hopes of leading us astray. Our prayer should be that of the psalmist, “Lord, give me an undivided heart, that I might discern your truth, walk in your ways and give glory to your name.”

Thought for the Day: What’s my rule of thumb for discerning garbage?

Isaiah 44:6-8

“Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.” vs. 8

The prophet had what we might call a confident faith. Not only did he believe in God, he had a name for God–the one God was none other than the God of Israel, the God who had called them out of Egypt and who had given them an identity. There is great value in having such a specific sense of the deity. Too often folks have a rather nebulous concept of God and are reluctant to give their God a name. Their intention is probably an honorable one–they know there are many notions of God floating around among the major religions and they want to be inclusive, and to avoid being offensive they avoid the particular. The problem with such thinking is that it makes intimacy almost impossible. Prayer is hard enough, and if we don’t have a name for God, it’s hard to make a connection. Scripture gives us a boatload of names we can use–it’s just a matter of choosing one and sticking with it. And if someone else prefers a different name for God, that’s perfectly fine–it’s still the same God. And for those who follow Jesus, there’s probably no better name to use than his, and to confidently trust that he is the rock of our salvation.

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite name for God?

Matthew 13:18-23

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.” vs. 22

The interpretation of the parable of the sower in Matthew’s gospel shifts the attention from the seed, and it becomes the parable of the differing soils. As such it is an amazingly precise description of the four ways in which the Good News is received by those who hear it. Even a superficial look at today’s church quickly reveals those different categories. Some hear the word and just don’t get it–we mostly don’t see them around very often. Others love the message of forgiveness and love and initially respond with joy–but it isn’t long before enthusiasm fades and they join the list of inactives. Another group dominates the membership rosters in our congregations–they love Jesus, but they love other things too and those rivals offer more satisfying and time-consuming enticements. They’re still seen from time to time–but only at their convenience or when there’s nothing else to do. If these three were the only types of soil, the church would be totally ornamental and the fruit unremarkable. But Jesus points to another group, the ones who receive the word with joy, and who produce a bountiful crop. We see them too–they’re the folks who live simply and well, and who give themselves to being the hands and feet of Jesus. And through them the world is blessed!

Thought for the Day: Which soil am I?

Matthew 13:1-9

“Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” vs. 8

Some of the more practical minded folks among us might wonder why the sower didn’t throw all the seed on good ground. That way all the seed would produce and the crop would be multiplied. That makes sense, but misses the point. The parable isn’t about agricultural practices, it’s about the way God operates in the world. The gospel of John tells us that the Word of God is sent to the whole world. God is generous in giving and the gift of the Christ isn’t just for a few. Christ comes to all, and is in all–but not all respond in the same way. In some the word gets snatched away, or dries up, or gets choked out, and there is little evidence the Spirit has ever been there. But with some there is an explosion of light and there’s no mistaking the presence of God. We see such incredible multiplications of goodness all around, whether in teachers, or health care workers, or neighbors down the block. These people have impacts far beyond their numbers, and the momentum of their selflessness changes the world. Most of them don’t get much acclaim, but their presence is felt in every neighborhood. Why do they respond in such a way? It remains a mystery, but it likely has something to do with their nurturing. As the old saying puts it, “An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”

Thought for the Day: Who nurtured me in the faith?

Romans 8:7-11

“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” vs. 10

For Paul it was obvious. If we are in Christ Jesus, then Christ is also in us. And this is our hope and our joy. Even though, because of the worldwide sin pandemic, we cannot even be close to perfect, our inner Christ brings resurrection and life. As Jesus put it so clearly, we are the light of the world, and through us goodness and mercy fill the earth. We’ve seen that clearly in these last months as men and women all over the globe have risen up to battle COVID-19 and bring healing to those who have been affected. Beautiful stories abound when we can free our minds from the narrow and divisive political divisiveness that grabs the headlines. With masks on our faces as a sign of solidarity, we’ve emerged from our homes to bring support to health workers, lift up the broken, and keep in touch with the isolated. We weekly gather at a distance for worship, finding comfort in the good news, and day by day the Christ in us proclaims life and hope in the midst of despair. It may seem like our worlds have been turned upside down and we’ve had our share of disappointments, but Christ is bigger than COVID and in Christ the victory has already been won.

Thought for the Day: Beautiful things I’ve seen happen in these days.