Read Matthew 13: 24 - 52
Let's imagine we are making a scrapbook today. Just as you collect pictures that represent moments to be remembered when you assemble scrapbooks of your family or a recent vacation ... let's collect these pictures from Jesus about his kingdom.
On page 1 ...
The Parable of the Weeds and its explanation (vs 24 - 30; 36 - 43)
Perhaps the color of this page should be a mixture of greens and browns ... representing life and death ... growing and dying. I love this parable. It is one of my all time favorites. (I hope I do not say that about every other one!) I grew up in a time and place where much of the religious conversation swirled around who was right and who was wrong - which denomination got it right and which ones (bless their hearts!) got it wrong. I sometimes worried about how one could be sure he/she was right ... about everything ... about anything. Then I 'discovered' this parable from Jesus. And the weight was lifted from my shoulders. In the kingdom of heaven on this earth ... there seems to exist a mixture of the righteous and the unrighteous, the good and the bad ... and they seem to exist in the same space. The weight was lifted when I realized that it wasn't my job to weed the garden! That, my friends, is good news. It's God's job to weed the garden. He's the best one for the task. After all, He knows for sure ... He knows hearts and minds ... He won't make a mistake. Can you breathe easier? We can focus our attention on growing in the Lord rather than on critiquing those around us. We can be more concerned over the purity of our own hearts and motives rather than judging others. Remember: I am responsible for the purity of my motives and the integrity of my behavior. For me ... this little story is a Charter of Freedom!! Thank you Lord.
On page 2 ...
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (vs 31 - 33)
I think the color of this page needs to be that green of early spring. You know the color I mean? It's bright ... vibrant ... alive ... and speaks to rapid growth. The snapshot Jesus presents in these two parables is one of rapid growth. However, that growth is observable in its results, not its process. We can see that a mustard plant grows into a tree ... but we cannot see the actual process. We can see that yeast causes dough to rise and grow ... but we cannot see the actual process with our human eye. So it is in the kingdom of God. Growth will come. But we will not always be able to see the actual process. God will cause the growth ... we will see the results. And it will be dramatic ... it IS dramatic! I am part of that inexplicable process ... are you?
On page 3 ...
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl (vs 44 - 46)
This page has to be gold. Perhaps platinum! In these snapshots, Jesus emphasizes the incredible value of the kingdom of heaven. It is worth everything. I am reminded of a cartoon I saw some years ago. A pig and a chicken were talking about providing breakfast for someone. The pig is hesitant ... and then says, "For you it's a contribution. But for me, it's total commitment!" Jesus gives these two illustrations so that we can understand ... it's total commitment!
On page 4 ...
The Parable of the Net (vs 47 - 52)
Let's think about this page being blue ... like the scenes of the earth from space. Jesus reveals the universal nature of the kingdom of heaven in this snapshot. It is not national ... or regional. It is not ethically exclusive. It is not culturally exclusive. The net caught ALL kinds of fish. So does the kingdom of heaven ... ALL kinds. What do I learn from this? I just need to cast the net. I don't have to sort the fish. That's God's work. I just cast out the net. That means I need to be aware of my tendency to prejudge who would be receptive and who would not. We are to be God's fisher-people ... just let down your net. Be who you are called to be in Christ ... and let the net fall.
What is your "next step" from these four pages of snapshots? Do you need to check any judgmental tendencies that still creep into your spirit? Do you need to be more willing to speak the things of God to those around you? Perhaps you need to talk to God about the way you have cheapened his kingdom by only giving leftovers to it? Do you need to trust Him more to grow His own kingdom and quit thinking you are the one to decide who's in and who's out?
Thank you Lord for these beautiful, challenging, mind-stretching and liberating pictures. Give me eyes to truly see!
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