Month: November 2010

Read Matthew 13.44-45

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” (Matthew 13.44)

WHAT SACRIFICE?

I know three men who recently left very successful careers to enter full-time ministry. When their peers found out that they were forfeiting their pay, status, and a very comfortable retirement in order to obey God’s call on their lives, well, let’s just say they were a little less than encouraging. But if you were to ask these men and their wives about the sacrifice, you might be a little surprised at their response. They would say, “What sacrifice? We have gained the Kingdom of God!” And by the way, I know of three other men who have answered a call to stay in their careers for the sake of the Kingdom. It’s not about position, possessions, or people. It’s all about the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 6.33)

What is the Kingdom of God worth to you? Do you joyfully give up the things of this world in order to gain the Kingdom?

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Read Matthew 13.31-35

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” (Matthew 13.31)

THE KINGDOM IS LIKE SPRAY INSULATING FOAM

I needed to fill in some small cracks in order to finish insulating the house. I used a can of spray foam insulation. Now if you’ve never used this stuff before you‘re in for a surprise. When I gave it what I thought was a little squirt, it not only filled the crack but started growing so fast it went half way down the wall and expanded to about a 100 times its size. Wow! So when it says, “Apply in small amounts,” it means small amounts. The Kingdom of God grows the same way. It only takes a few fired up “Jesus Followers” sharing the good news and living an authentic Christian life to change whole communities. Jesus guarantees that the Kingdom will grow. We just need to roll up our sleeves, apply a little faith and start sharing the gospel in word and deed.

How do you see the Kingdom growing in your own heart? How do you see it growing in your community?

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Read Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43

“But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.” (Matthew 13.26)

DON’T FAIL THIS TEST

I knew the information for the exam like the back of my hand and I was filling in the little circles as fast as I could on the bubble test. Only one problem: I had skipped one question in the beginning. Now all my answers were just one question off. What a shock when I got my exam back with a big fat “F” and I realized what I had done. Failing an exam in school is one thing but being mistaken on your eternal security is another. There is only one question on the eternal test: “Will you follow Jesus?” How do you know you’ve answered the question right? The same way you can tell the difference between wheat and tares: you’ll see the fruit (2 Corinthians 13.5, John 15.8).

What does the fruit look like and how is it produced? (John 15.1-8) Is Jesus the only way to produce such fruit? (John 14.6, 2 Corinthians 5.21)

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Read Matthew 13.18-23

“And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit…”(Matthew 13.23)

YOU ARE HERE

You know the maps in the mall that help you find your location? You look for the little arrow that says, “You are here.” Well, Jesus talks about a spiritual map in a similar way. It pinpoints the location of where we are in relationship to God. The first potential location is “clueless”. They don’t even know where to begin and probably don’t care (and they would probably have stopped reading by now). The second is one who has had an emotional experience with God but is “rootless” and simply fades away. The third location is one who is distracted by so many things it’s being choked out and bears no “fruit.” However, the desired destination is the one called “good ground”. That’s where we find a fruitful relationship with God.

Re-read Matthew 13.18-23. What’s your location?

Read Matthew 13.1-17

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13.10)

PROFOUND MYSTERIOUS SIMPLICITY

Remember in the third grade when you put a seed on a moist paper towel in a jar? After sealing it, you and your classmates put the jar on the windowsill. A few days later you began to understand the miracle of how plants grow. Jesus reminds us of that early lesson from grade school. For the casual listener, it may be so simplistic it’s paid no attention. But for those who know the Teacher, it is the beginning of a deeper understanding of life, spirituality, and communing with the Creator of all things. The hungry are left with a nagging curiosity that will only be quenched with the Master’s explanation. And He bids you, “Come, ask your questions and I will reveal to you the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

How are you mastering the art of asking questions of both God and man?

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Read Matthew 12.46-50

“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12.50)

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY

For the last eight years, we’ve had young soldiers and officers living in our home. Some may ask, “How can you do that? How do you have guests living in your home for days on end?” Well, we don’t consider these guys guests – they’re family. So now that they’re family, it sheds a different light on how we interact and how we prioritize our relationships. For Jesus, there was no tension between biological family and His spiritual family. He saw them all as family. He simply met the needs of each family member as He could, when it was appropriate. He also got help from the brothers and sisters to meet the needs where He couldn’t. Isn’t that how big families work?

How would a family of 12 function differently than a family of four? How does this relate to the spiritual family?

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Read Matthew 12.38-45

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet…(Matthew 12.39)

SHOW ME YOUR BADGE

The off-duty policeman politely instructed the youth that there were signs posted and that they we loitering. One of the young men stepped forward and said, “What, are you a cop or something? Let me see your badge!” This is exactly the situation Jesus found Himself in when the Pharisees confronted Him. They demanded a sign of His authority and yet there were signs all around them. He had just healed two men. It wasn’t about miracles. Jesus had caught them using the Law to promote themselves and to manipulate the people. Their pride and envy had clouded the fact that they were wrong – whether Jesus had a “badge” or not. We ought to gladly obey the ways of the Kingdom, whether the King is present or not. By the way, the King is always present!

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Read Matthew 12.22-32

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Matthew 12.30)

CHOOSE YOUR SIDE

Remember playing sandlot kickball, soccer, or baseball when you were a kid? Usually two captains are chosen (the cool guys) and then they pick their teammates, alternating between one captain and the other. After about five or six picks, you could tell which team was going to win and you would secretly pray that the winning captain would pick you. Spiritually, there are two captains: Jesus and Satan (one of them not so cool). And they‘re picking their teammates. But here’s where things are different. First, the Bible tells us which team is going to win. And second, you have a choice on which team you’re going to be on. Now some may say, “I don‘t want either team” or “I don ‘t want to play. By default, that person is automatically put on the losing team. I don‘t make the rules, I just publish them.

How are you helping others pick the winning Captain?

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Read Matthew 12.8-21

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. (Matthew 12.14-15)

DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR

You can be right and you can be dead right. And when I say dead right, I mean just plain dead. There are some battles that just aren’t worth fighting. Jesus recognized the spiritual ambush that had been laid by the Pharisees. He spoke the truth but then very wisely disengaged from the conflict. Ultimately, He would die for the truth. But now wasn’t the right time. Sometimes we sacrifice relationships, our jobs, or even our lives when it isn’t necessary or prudent. Often, it’s because we had our feelings hurt or were too proud to let it go. A bruised ego is never a good reason to fall on your sword. Jesus was very right about the Sabbath: He’s Lord of the Sabbath. But He doesn’t let being right get in the way of His mission. He chooses His battles wisely.

Where could you win the battle and lose the war?