The Parables of Jesus: Matt 6:28-30
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Often times I wonder if God thinks it's funny that we worry so much. I look at my kids and I see some of the stuff that they freak out over, and I think about how petty it is. Earlier today they were fighting over A PENNY!!! And yet to Olivia it was a huge deal (and Kadin too, 'cause otherwise he would have just let her have it). Our God owns everything, and WANTS to take care of us. So let's not sweat the small stuff today, and by the way, it's all small stuff!
-Jeff-
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 20:1-15
1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
The parable of the workers in the vineyard, basically the workers that worked all day were angry because the land owner paid the one’s who came to work for him at the end of the day the same. Relating this to Christ, God isn’t going to treat you any better in heaven if you’ve been a Christian for 30 years or 1 week. All who truly believe will go to heaven, One’s good works will not get you there. We must all the live the way Christ has called you to live young or old.
Kris McCollum
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 13: 45-46
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Would you give up everything for the greatest treasure imaginable? Christ gave up everything for you so that you may inherit his kingdom, it wasn’t enough that he saved you from going to hell and died for every sin you have committed or ever will. He also loves you so much that he decided that you would inherit the greatest kingdom there ever was. In this parable a man sells everything he owns for a valuable pearl. It is amazing that Christ doesn’t ask this of us , cause he could, but instead chooses to bless you beyond compare not only with earthly possessions but treasures in heaven. If that isn’t enough to convince you to live every day for him I don’t know what will no one else I know has ever promised me a kingdom.
Michelle McCollum
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 7:24-27
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
This is my absolute favorite parable that Jesus taught, that really teaches us there is no easy way to get to him. How many times do we know we are doing the wrong thing, taking the easy road, or just not obeying God’s word? God made it very clear that the way to get to know him is be immersing your self in the word, “but not merely listening to the word, but do what it says.” James 1:22 If you have that strong foundation when hard times come you will be standing firm in the knowledge of the Lord.
Michelle McCollum
The Parables of Jesus: Luke 10: 30-37
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us to be a “good neighbor”. How many times have you not included someone in your group or helped someone in need because of a preconceived notion about them. Remember that Christ loves us all equally from the President to the beggar on the street. So if you want to show others that you are a true follower of Christ sometimes you have to take the low road, but come out on a eternally higher road.
Michelle McCollum
The Parables of Jesus: Mark 13:33-37
33Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "
I think the faithful servant is a parable which explains that just as a servant is prepared for what ever his master expects of him we to should be prepares for the day the Lord comes. Clearly these verses say wake up believer! The time is close and we can not wait any longer. Our hearts better be in the right place, we don’t know when Christ will return, He will take all who believe, live, & followed him to be with him for eternity.
Kris McCollum
The Parables of Jesus: Mark 4:1-20
Parable of the Sower (Types of Soil)
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'[a]"
13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (NIV)
I think most of us have seen people who are like each of the types of soil in this story. We have shared with people who never accept Jesus, like the seed on the path.
We have also seen people who come to church or youth group for a month or two and seem really on fire, but then just disappear. These people are like the shallow soil. The interesting thing about the seeds in the shallow soil is what made them wither. Verse 6 says it is the sun that scorched the plants.
The very sun that is required to make a plant grow, is also what withered the plants in the shallow soil. Verse 17 compares the sun to “trouble or persecution”. Challenges in our life are like sunshine, we need them to grow, but if we are not well rooted, they will kill us spiritually. Next time you feel persecution or left out because you’re a Christian, remember that it is what is required to make you grow.
The third type of unproductive soil was the soil infested with weeds. The soil with the weeds wasn’t necessary bad for growing things. It had enough nutrients for the weeds to grow. People with potential, but not the right focus, are like those with seeds sown in the thorny soil. The soil is good, it is just infected by bad seeds. In verse 19, Jesus compares the weeds to the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for the other things. Sins in our life that we just can’t seem to let go of are like the weeds in this parable. They may not choke out our fruit completely, but they may limit the harvest.
When we share Jesus with our friends we are like the farmer sowing the seeds. Take note that the farmer did not prejudge the soil. He did not only sow on the good soil; he sowed the seed everywhere. It might seem like a waste of good seed, but it was not up to the farmer to decide where to plant. If you feel God calling you to share Him with others, it doesn’t matter if you think the person will accept Jesus or not. Our job is to obey God and share. If they don’t turn out to produce a crop, don’t take it personally. We were obedient to God and they were not. However, if you do not share Jesus with them, you were the one who was not being obedient. My prayer is that you will find somewhere to sow the love of Jesus today.
John Gesick
Oops. Had a baby and forgot to queue a devo.
We'll be back tomorrow. In the mean time, enjoy this pic of our newest bundle of joy!
The Parables of Jesus: Luke 7:41-47
Luke 7:41-47
41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (NIV)
I have struggled with Verse 47, because I put words into it that aren’t there. I would summarize it to say that those who sin more, are forgiven more, and thus love God more. When I look closer, it doesn’t say that. Her love was not as a result of being forgiven. It is the other way around. For she loved much, her many sins have been forgiven.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But only those who love the Lord and seek forgiveness will receive it. Had the man who owed 500 denarii not sought to have the debt cancelled, he would not have received release from his debt. Who then do you think would love the man more, the one who still owed 500 denarii, or the one who had his 50 denarii debt forgiven? If we fool ourselves into believing we haven’t sinned or believe our debt is too large to deserve forgiveness, we will not received the gift of forgiveness. When we come to God and truly repent, we truly realize how much Jesus did for us.
Forgiveness is a free gift, but it came with a price. Don’t take it for granted. Take time today to reflect on how big of a debt has been forgiven. Like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, find a way to show God how much we love him.
John Gesick
Dealing with Offense part 3
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." 3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
Today I want to look at someone who did things the wrong way. Everyone knows the story of Jonah being swallowed by the whale and how God rescued him, and a few people know why he was in the whale in the first place. But do you know why he was running from God? You may have guessed from the title, but he was OFFENDED!!! God wanted him to go and preach in the one place that Jonah hated more than anything else. We don't understand slavery and oppression like he was going through, but we do understand what it's like to get picked on.
I think Jonah knew God, and knew that He would punish people who did evil. In fact, the only thing that was keeping Jonah going was knowing that God would punish the people of Ninevah for all of the horrible things they had done. I wonder if he often prayed for the destruction of that city. I bet he did. So imagine his surprise when one day God tells him to go to Ninevah and preach repentance. He didn't want them to repent, he wanted them to SUFFER!!! So instead of following God's plan, he decided to try and avoid God, and because of that He was swallowed by a whale.
The moral of todays story? Let go of your offenses and listen to God, or you might end up somewhere you don't want to be.
-Jeff-
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 7: 1-5
Matthew 7:1-5
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (NIV)
When I used to babysit my cousins, fights would often break out. In most cases, both of the brothers had similar stories. They were the innocent victim and the other was the guilty instigator who should carry all of the blame, and punishment, for the fight. We often find justification in our own actions, but see other’s explanations as a “lame excuse”. We often say things like, “I only did it once” or “what I did was not half as bad as what they did”, or “I had no other choice” when we have faults. When it is someone else’s struggle, we view similar sins as inexcusable.
In this scripture, Jesus reminds us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is God’s laws that we are violating, as such, only God has the right to judge our actions in light of these laws. Only someone perfect can judge the intent and the heart of someone. We, with the planks in our eye, do not fit the description of perfect.
It should be understood that God does not want us to ignore or accept other’s sins. He wants us to correct in love, but not judge or punish. 2 Timothy 4-1:2 says “1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (NIV)
John Gesick
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 18: 23-35
Matthew 18:23-35
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of your because you begged me too. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
When I read through this story something jumped out at me. I was reminded that Jesus died to cover my sins thousands of years before I was even born. That means that while Jesus was hanging on that cross He was shedding His blood for every sin I will ever commit in my entire life. He forgave me knowing how I would betray Him; before I ever even had the chance to ask for forgiveness.
And, yet, when someone wrongs us how often are we willing to forgive them before they ask? Isn't it more likely that we plan to make them grovel and beg and convince us of why we should give them grace? And even then, after we have said we forgive them, we often hold on to the offense for next time they mess up so we can rub their noses in it.
I am struck my the thought - “What if God had treated us like that? What if He waited till we died, then made us fall at His feet begging for forgiveness for all the sins we had committed? We would certainly deserve it. But He didn't. He gave us all encompassing grace. Shouldn't we do the same for others?
Dealing with Offense part 2
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Often when we read this passage, we focus on the people and their intent to trick Jesus (otherwise, why didn't they bring the man? It takes two...). And it's true. The only reason they brought this woman was because they wanted to see what Jesus would do. But I want to look at this passage from a slightly different angle.
Leviticus 20:10 says this:
10 " 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.These men had the law on their side. Forget the fact that they were probably waiting outside her house so they could capture her, they were in the right. The law clearly says she should die. And no one would have given Jesus a hard time for agreeing with the law. But instead Jesus says "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." And at that, the men dropped their stones and walked away.
We've all been in situations where someone has hurt us, and according to the law we have the right to get them back. We say things like: "It's okay for me to hate them, you don't know what they did to me." or we talk to our friends and say: "Just thought you'd like to know, so and so did this to me." And you take those rocks in your hands and begin to throw them at the person, because it's your right to do so.
But Jesus had a different take on this. Have you ever sinned? Have you ever cut someone off in the hallway at school? Have you ever gotten carried away and done something you regretted? If you have, and you've been offered forgiveness, it is your responsibility to do the same to others. When someone hurts you, you have a choice to make. I can take the stone in my hand and throw it at them, or I can drop it and walk away. But as you're thinking about your choice, remember that God took the rock that had your name on it, and instead he threw it at Jesus.
-Jeff-
The Parables of Jesus: Luke 6:43-45
Luke 6:43-45
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
This is a verse that many of us are familiar with. We read it and think “Ok, so if I am filled with the Holy Spirit then I should bear good fruit”. But what does that mean? Often we think that 'bearing good fruit' simply means being nice, going to church, maybe even being involved in a ministry. And we feel that if we are doing these things most of the time then we are doing pretty good. But the truth of the fruit we bear really comes out when no one is watching; when we just respond without thinking.
Verse 45 says “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” I am often convicted of this while driving. Someone cuts me off and I find myself yelling “You jerk! What is wrong with you!?” What does that response say about my heart? Or when someone hurts me or does something that makes me angry and I respond by being hurtful right back instead of speaking in love?
Doing good things does not necessarily equal bearing good fruit. God is not interested in our actions as much as He is in the state of our hearts. Once our hearts are right the overflow, the fruit we bear, will lead to right actions.
What kind of fruit are you bearing – truly?
Sorry
For the lack of new devos. We'll get them fired back up again on Thursday. Thanks for your patience!
-Jeff-
