During the time of Jesus, farmers sowed seeds primarily by scattering them by hand. A farmer would carry the seeds in a large woven pouch or fold of their cloak, walking through the fields and throwing the seeds in a sweeping motion. The parable we just read is the first parable spoken by Jesus recorded in scripture. It uses the metaphor of a farmer scattering seed over different kinds of ground to illustrate
The two verses we just read come immediately after Jesus told his first parable recorded in scripture. They had never heard him speak to the people in this manner before and they were puzzled by it. A parable is both simple and complex, it’s meant to convey truth and conceal it. At this point in the Lord’s ministry there were many in the crowd who didn’t believe he was their Messiah as well as some that did. The more truth you hear, the more you are responsible for, so …
Last week we went through the seventh chapter which was all about Jesus’s time in Jerusalem during the feast of tabernacles week. He went up secretly because there was a plot by the religious leaders to take him into custody and destroy him because he healed a man on the sabbath day. Right in the middle of the week, he went up to the temple to teach openly, and the crowd started a stir over him. When people started believing him and confessing out loud that he was the Christ, the Pharisees sent
Last week began a series of messages all about the kingdom of God. Jesus made the statement “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”. What was lost was the kingdom of God or God’s reign on the earth. Through Adam’s fall, man was lost and Satan’s kingdom entered in the world. That’s why the world is full of darkness, confusion, perversion, and rebellion. When Jesus Christ entered the creation through the womb of a virgin, God inserted himself into our mess. At thirty years old he began his public ministry and the first message he ever preached was “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”.
Last week we went through the last half of chapter 6. Jesus was explaining to the crowd that he had previously fed the day before, that he was the Bread of Life that came down from heaven. He told them that he was the way to eternal life, through eating his flesh and drinking his blood. They did not understand that this was a spiritual message and choked on it. They got upset and frustrated and went back to walk with him no more. Jesus asked the twelve if they also would go away. Peter answered
The Lord Jesus made this statement at the close of his encounter with Zacchaeus. The crowd was murmuring among themselves because he was going home with Zacchaeus to be a guest at his house. Though Zacchaeus was a dishonest and thieving tax collector, he had just repented and believed in the Lord. He had met the conditions for salvation and Jesus pronounced him saved before the crowd. He stated that Zacchaeus was a descendant of Abraham which was the mission field Jesus was sent to. Then he makes this statement “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”.
There is a man in this story whose name is Mephibosheth which means “from the mouth of shame”. This man is lame on his feet. He was crippled by a fall that happened when he was five years old. His nurse picked him up to run with him and he fell and was made lame. Because he is crippled, he cannot work which means he cannot provide for himself and the Bible records that he lives in the house of Machir in a place called Lo-debar.
The Bible records all different kinds of praying. Public praying like Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus before the crowd that had formed that day. Short prayers like “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. The blessing of food prayers that the Lord would pray before serving people bread. There are all manners of praying we do like sitting on the porch in the morning. Praying in the car on the way to work. Giving thanks for our food and asking God to bless it. Short prayers throughout the day for various reasons like someone asking us to pray for their needs. All of these are good and valid but the Lord Jesus repeatedly throughout the gospel books had a habit of withdrawing himself, finding a place to be alone and praying to the Father.
Last time we finished chapter 4 and got halfway through chapter 5. We learned about the nobleman’s son that was healed by just a word from Jesus. We also learned about the man that had been lame for 38 years that was healed by the pool of Bethesda on the sabbath day. The Pharisees saw that man carrying his bed and accused him of breaking the sabbath, then when they learned it was Jesus who had healed him they accused him also. Jesus made the statement “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work”. That sent them into a frenzy because he claimed God for his Father, making himself equal with God.
Last week we celebrated Resurrection Sunday and there were more people here than I can remember in a long while. I am blessed to work with several people who profess hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and the story was they same at all the assemblies they attend. More people than usual, packed houses, new faces and so on. The thought occurred to me that many people, maybe even most people in our part of the country, believe at least mentally that Jesus Christ arose from the dead. But it’s not the kind of belief that brings them back to the house of God the Sunday after. They may never really think anything of Christ until next year at this same time if we’re blessed to see it.