Month: August 2017

Image credit: Sleepy Claus on Flikr: CC BY 2.0

 

How do you know a carrot? There’s yet a lot the Regier family is learning about growing things. Take, for example, what a carrot looks like.

This week as we labor with our wicker baskets full of orange carrots and other ripe produce from the garden, we remember how scant months ago we puzzled over the green, ferny little shoots that appeared overnight in our radish and carrot row. Many of these tender newcomers looked for all the world like other little shoots appearing in our potato rows, our lettuce row, and (for that matter) our flowerbed. How to remove weeds without pulling up the produce? As it turns out, we waited to extract the weeds, until we knew proof positive what a carrot, in fact, looks like—all for the sake of the carrots …

This week at Woodland, as we draw our summer series on the Parables of Jesus to a close, we come full-circle. We began in June with Jesus’ teaching of the The Sower and the Soils (Matt 13.18-23). Through that story we saw that those who “get” (understand, respond to) Jesus hear God’s Word, accept it and live for God. These are the fruitful soil that, verse 23, ” … bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty” (ESV). These people who respond to Jesus live alongside those represented by the other soils—rocky, shallow and thorny.

The Wheat and the Weeds (:24-30) continues the earlier story. Following that parable, this parable, in effect, tells what happens when the farmer harvests. And, in our world outside the fictive world of the parable, it describes the experience of those who follow Christ, despite resistance, while learning to look forward to Christ’s coming. What will be the experience of those who do respond to Christ? How will they co-exist with those who don’t “get” Jesus? 

In the beginning of the parable the weeds triumph, for a time (:24-28a). The Sower plants good seed in his field. But while his men sleep his enemy commits bio-warfare, scattering weeds throughout his field, so that (like in the Regier garden) the produce and weeds appear together. The now wakeful servants identify the weeds, but the sower (who has never slept) identifies the problem—it’s the enemy.

The Wheat survives! (:28b-30). Now the servants, getting a bit ahead of the Sower, have a solution: let’s pull the weeds! But the Sower, firmly in command, realizes that the roots of both are intertwined. Pull the one, and you lose the other. Wisely, and patiently, the Sower instructs his servants to permit both to grow until the harvest. Easily lost in our distraction with the weeds at this point is the fact that the wheat has survived. The enemy has not triumphed … the weeds have not choked out the wheat … the resolution is a certainly, but not yet realized. The Sower is unshakable in his care for the wheat and, in some measure, for the weeds as well.

The Sower harvests, dividing for safe-keeping and destruction (:30b). The harvest arrives, and the reapers cut the crop and divide the wheat from the weeds. We’re back to familiar ground for the audience of Jesus’ day. Ancient Middle-Easterners would have recognized the lolium temulentum (also known as darnel or tares) that grew to about two feet high and imitated wheat in its early development. These ancient farmers knew the poisonous weed had one useful purpose—grist for the oven, burning. And, so in the parable, the weeds are destined for destruction, but the wheat is gathered safely into the Sower’s barn.

In the Matthew 13 telling of this story, Jesus addresses a great crowd. There must have been quite the buzz among that mixed group—some enemies of Jesus, others curious hangers-on to His teaching; but only some devoted followers of the invisible, but growing-despite-resistance Kingdom of God. Later in the chapter, Jesus pulls back with some of these, His true followers, to explain the parable (:36-43). From His explanation, we draw some lessons:

The Lesson of the Sower. Here we learn that God permits His followers to co-exist in the world with those who don’t follow Him. Following Christ’s return to the Father, the Apostles preached the Gospel, including the cross of Christ. They spoke of dependance on God by faith, confession of self-dependance and ever-increasing desire for God and His things followed by spiritual fruit. But, Satan imitates this fruit, bringing about the appearance of prosperity: “The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil” (:38b-39a).

And so, we who follow Jesus today locate ourselves in the parable. The Devil and his “weedlings” are all around us, together with their message. Perhaps the most obvious weed-message sounds something like this: If I turn up in church and do my bit, God will give me health, recreational toys, success in family and business. I’ll be a good person and get my weekly God fix and so have high self-esteem to overcome my problems. 

That’s being crass, but some of it sounds pretty good. Like novice gardens, how do we find the carrots among the mixed-message mess? Notice, and we take this right from the Gospels (Matt 4.1-11, for example) that weed-talk includes no mention of the work of Christ at the cross. And, there’s no longing for Christ’s return, and no expectation of resistance. By contrast, the wheat endures, rests in God’s care, and looks forward to Christ’s return when the mess of this world will be sorted out.

The Lesson of the Weeds. Likewise, we learn that those who don’t follow Christ will be held accountable, but at Christ’s return. In the meantime, followers of Jesus will be tempted to think that the way of faith in Christ doesn’t work. “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9.54). That was the disciples’ response to Jesus’ patience in the face of unbelief. What they were really saying was, Jesus this way of patient faith in you doesn’t produce fast fruit now! We could do this a lot better and faster on our own.

We’re not so different, really. When we pull back into our churches to list our grievances against those who don’t follow Christ, we are, in effect, getting ahead of God. Do you want us to light up the weeds, we’re asking God? He will judge, in time; till then, we endure, looking to Christ’s return.

Lesson of the Wheat (:43). Jesus’ explanation ends with His people safely in the Father’s care: “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father … ” (:43). The wheat, followers of Christ, have always been in the Father’s care, but they probably didn’t feel like it all the time.

In our different seasons of life, we want to be safe in the Father’s barn, now! Until then, we feel left out in the field. The young person desiring marriage could easily compromise to marry someone without Christ. The seasoned couple entering retirement, but living sacrificially, looks to the leisure enjoyed by neighbors and wonders what God’s provision looks like.

Jesus’ endpoint reminds us that the harvest is coming. The Father’s care is never-ending. And, resistance is to be expected, but we will endure to the end. Those who “get” Jesus rest in God’s care—despite resistance—while looking to Christ’s return. 

In the meantime, we don’t judge the weeds. (Some might be called to be wheat in time!) We preach the Gospel and allow God to do that inner work of regeneration in peoples’ lives and so do His own judging in His own time. And, we press toward Christ’s return, knowing we’ll be recognized by Jesus.

 

Circle up with your small group or group of close friends. Consider the following questions and so discuss how you ought to live out the truth of this teaching:

What do you find surprising, disturbing or encouraging about this parable? 

Where do you find it most difficult to endure resistance from those in your life who don’t know Christ? 

What does this parable teach you about God and His desires for you? What do you learn about His character? 

How does your final destination of being safely with the Father give hope and meaning to your daily struggle to trust Christ?

 

 

What do you think of when you think of a self-made person?

Maybe you think of somebody who lives “off the grid,” Amish style. Or, you might think of somebody who doesn’t depend on Madison or Washington; or somebody who doesn’t punch a clock, because their money works for them; or somebody who is prosperous enough to share with others.

All of this self-dependence is a good thing, if you can get it. But, there’s also a kind of self-dependence that won’t work—especially with God. In fact, it will leave you isolated, from God and from everybody else.

Luke 18 records several parables about coming to God. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (:9-14) talks about the heart attitude we must have when coming to God. As it turns out, all this has much to do with how we feel about other people.

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector (:10). Temple worship in the Old Testament included two daily sacrifices. And, while individuals could pray alone at many other times, the picture here is of public worship.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector (:11). Don’t be too crazy hard on this Pharisee. Pharisees were the teachers of Israel. Their job was to model worship and reverence toward God’s Word. This guy got the modeling part right, but it’s his attitude Jesus condemns. Notice how he’s shouldered his way into what was probably the inner court. Now, he stands “by himself,” alone. And, he preaches at the Tax Collector, probably wondering why the most-hated of sinners was in the outer court at all, and not against the eastern wall with the other ceremonially unclean worshippers.

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get (:12). This is all about comparing himself to others. The Law required fasting once each year on the Day of Atonement. Our Pharisee fasts twice each week. The Law, at that time, required gifts of ten-percent on commodities like oil, grain and wine, but our guy gives ten-percent on everything that enters his mouth—and wants others to know about it. His assumption is that he’s righteous because of what he does. And, what he does is more than what others do and is certainly enough to please God, he thinks.

Notice how the parable leaves him standing by himself. He won’t be accepted by God, and he’s isolated from other people.

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner! (:13) Perish the thought! But, imagine that Nazi Germany ruled America. And then, there’s an American Nazi who comes to collect your taxes. How do you feel about that guy? That’s how people felt about this tax collector! But, he comes to the Temple. He stands in the outer court. He won’t lift his eyes to God or others. He beasts his chest in remorse, a common practice among women at a funeral, but only seen among men at the account of Jesus’ death on the cross.

But, the Tax Collector falls on God’s mercy.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other … (:14a). The parable began with two going up. Now, it ends with one man going down. And, this one man is “justified” before God. That’s a special word. It’s related to the Hebrew word “to cover” or “to atone for”. God accepted the Tax Collector, not because he turned up at the Temple to sacrifice, but because he threw himself on God’s mercy in humility.

And, don’t miss the detail at the end. The Tax Collector went “to his house”. That’s where his people are. He came alone, stood alone, but received acceptance by God, and then went down to be with others.

Jesus ends this short parable with two lessons: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted (:14b). First lesson: those who lift themselves up (think they’re good enough the way they are and are willing to be judged on what they do), these won’t be accepted by God. And, they’ll remain alone.

Have you ever known church people like that? If that’s been your experience, or if you don’t join much with others in church and you think churches are filled with people like that, I (for one) get what you’re thinking. We at Woodland get that too. In fact, many of us used to be like that. But, this parable shows us that it shouldn’t be that way. It’s not the Gospel, and it doesn’t have to be that way!

Lesson two: those who humble themselves will be lifted up and accepted by God. And, they’ll join others accepted by God.

Here’s the Good News! Since the telling of this parable, Jesus took our offense against God on Himself. He sacrificed His own life, and God accepted this sacrifice. And, when we’re willing to be judged on what Jesus has done, we can come to God. Later in the New Testament the Book of Romans tells us what this means for everybody: … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (3.23-24).

Those who “get” Jesus know they come to God only in humility to be lifted up in Christ. 

A couple of action steps remain for us. In Christ, we get to come to God in humility. If you come to a place like Woodland Community Church, you need to know that you are among sinners. We’re Tax Collectors, not Pharisees. In fact, some of us are recovering from addictions. Some have been in jail. My goodness, some of us even struggle with pride. We like to say that, apart from the work of Jesus, there’s no difference between us and everybody else. And, if you’re ever in the Northwoods and join us, you won’t be judged. God has judged us with Christ, and Jesus’ righteousness is enough for all!

Second action step: we get to come to God with other people. At Woodland, and any other church that “gets” who Jesus is, you don’t have to stand far off. Instead, because of Jesus, you get to stand right in the midst of God’s people.

Now, that’s a good word. So, don’t try to be self-made with God this week. Instead, come to God in humility. And, come into the midst of God’s people, to be lifted up with others in Christ.

 

Have you ever come to your senses to find that it’s too late? Too late to study for the class … an “F”. Too late to pay the rent … eviction! Too late to talk to your husband or wife … divorce court!

Too late!

Jesus’ parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus combines the artistic landscape of parable with the hard teaching that our choices in this life have eternal and irreversible consequences. And, that we can (and must) respond to Jesus today. But, someday, it will be … too late!

Jesus speaks this parable in Luke 16, a section in the gospel that, on the surface at least, contains a number of passages on money and material possessions. We’re told in verse 14 that “The Pharisees,” Jesus’ hearers, (along with His disciples), “who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him” (ESV). This was the problem of the religious leaders, at least on the surface. As Luke 16.14-17, a kind of bridge passage, then talks about dependence on the Word of God, we can see that material possessions point us to our ultimate dependences. Are we depending on God, or money?

The parable begins in this life (:19-21). A certain Rich Man had everything. Purple clothing, expensive. Linen garments, down to his underwear. The Rich Man feasted himself, inside his palace and without regard for those outside.

Outside the gate of the Rich Man’s palace had been laid a poor man, named Lazarus (a combination of the Hebrew words for “god” and “trust”). Lazarus trusts God. Lazarus is a cripple, covered in sores. He wants only the sop tossed from the Rich Man’s table. But, the dogs get to the scraps before Lazarus. Then, the dogs lick Lazarus’ wounds.

Lazarus is lower than a dog. In the popular religion of the day, he would have been regarded as cursed. The Rich Man, blessed by God.

The parable moves to the next life (:22-23). Here, there is immediate reversal! The poor man dies and goes to Abraham’s side, the place of the righteous dead, depicted in Judaism (as well as by Jesus, Matthew 8) as a banquet. The Rich Man dies and is buried. His earthly life ends well. But, then, he finds himself immediately in Hades, the place of the unrighteous dead. Here, he’s tormented, and (in the creative, parabolic world) he sees Abraham and Lazarus.

The Rich Man negotiates (:24-31). The Rich Man calls to Abraham, “Father Abraham! … I see you have my servant Lazarus there. Send him to help me!” (:24). Interesting is that the Rich Man considers himself on good terms with the great patriarch of the Jewish race. More interesting still is that he clearly recognizes Lazarus. He is guilty and knows it.

Abraham responds: “You took your ease in the last world, and your contempt for Lazarus in his poverty showed your lack of righteousness. Now, there is a great chasm fixed between us … It’s too late!”

The Rich Man negotiates again. “Send Lazarus then to my five brothers, so that they won’t come here” (:27). Catch the accusation here. I didn’t know! It isn’t fair! Somebody should have told me about hell, and stuff like that!”

Abraham responds again. “Your brothers have the Bible, along with its teaching about how treatment of the poor indicates heart righteousness.”

The Rich Man responds once more: “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent (:30, ESV). In other words, God’s Word isn’t good enough. They need a miracle! I needed a miracle!”

“If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets,” Abraham responds with finality, “Neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (:31, ESV).

Among the lessons we draw from the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is the central teaching that God reveals Himself in His Word, so that nobody can say they didn’t have a fair chance. How many of those who haven’t trusted Christ say they would believe everything in the Bible, if they could only see a miracle? Ah, but the miracles didn’t matter for Old Testament Israel, did they? And, following Jesus’ teaching here, even His own resurrection won’t prove the truth of God’s Word to those who don’t want God.

By contrast, those who “get” Jesus recognize their accountability to God from His Word and depend on Jesus … before it’s too late. 

So, take a bit of time to read through this (in many ways) most curious of Jesus’ parables. Then, do something curious yourself. Maybe, you should take a stroll through a cemetery. Give thanks for those buried there. Thank God for your own short life. Remember that, short of Jesus’ second coming, nobody escapes this life alive. And, take joy in the Gospel, knowing that those who trust Christ will be with Him at the moment of their death (Luke 23.24; Phil 1.23). This is Good News in this sobering parable!

After your reflection in the cemetery, include the Gospel in regular conversation with others. God’s Word is powerful, and our mental and spiritual worldview maps should include every part of life. If you eat, include others in your thanks. If it rains, tell your friends how God is caring for you. Don’t be like the Rich Man who only cared for what he could see in this life. Our existence includes this life and the next. And, the way we go about handling material possessions and treating the poor indicates a great deal about what or whom we’re trusting.

Finally, circle up with some others. Read the parable again and talk through these questions:

What about this parable do you find alarming or disturbing? Do you like it? Why or why not? 

What does this parable reveal about what we’re tempted to trust in? What about the excuses of the Rich Man? Are we at all like him? 

How much do you value the Gospel that is included in God’s Word? Do you think of God’s revelation of Himself in His Word as your final authority? Or, are you looking or waiting for something else before you trust God?

What are some other practical things you’ve done that help remind you of the brevity of life? 

How have you been able to include the Gospel in your regular, normal and “non-weird” conversation with those who don’t yet trust God?