Thought for Today
Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us.
Isaiah 43:19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Mark 1:2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
THE wedding is over. July 4th and 250 are in our rearview mirrors. The World Cup is almost down to the final 16. Were it not for the weather, the news reporters would be reduced to fires, shootings and the “wars and rumors of wars.”
This morning, however, I am focused on the Parable of the Sower in Matthew Chapter 13. Some of you who are reading this were raised on farms. Some of you are gardeners. Maybe most of us are at least somewhat familiar with seeds, soils and planting. The author of this morning’s devotional in These Days made a very important point about this parable, “This parable has often encouraged the sorting of people into categories: good soil people vs. poor soil people. Perhaps, however, the parable’s diverse soils do not represent different people but the varied soil types existing within each of us.”
We live in a divided nation in a divided world. To some extent, that has always been true. In Genesis 4, we see the beginning of humanity’s divisiveness, “2 Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.” I mentioned last month that I did read or hear a comment some years ago that ‘you can divide the world into 2 groups, one that divides the world into 2 groups, and one that does not.’
I believe that we have more than enough divisiveness in our world; and, viewing the Parable of the Sower in terms of “good soil people vs. poor soil people” is not beneficent for any of us. But, how then are we to view this parable? Possibly, we should view this parable, just as we should view all parables, on multiple levels. Parables are like onions, they can be peeled apart, layer by layer. Each layer contains its own unique lesson for us.
As we analyze Jesus’ parables, we must always also keep in mind the truth that we need to examine all scripture in light of, and in the context of all other scripture. Ideally, we should be able to find a ‘harmony of the scriptures,’ allowing us to find how each verse opens our eyes, our minds and our hearts to every other verse in the Bible. Ideally! Everyone who lives in an ideal world, please raise your hand.
Since I first heard the Byrds sing Turn! Turn! Turn!, I have been fascinated by Ecclesiastes. As I read that devotional this morning, I thought about Qoheleth’s words about new things and/or the lack thereof. In my own lifetime, there have certainly been many new technological things. There seem to be new things from that perspective almost every day. New electronics, new software applications, new ideas and new uses for old ideas.
This morning’s devotional is focused on a parable given to us by Jesus. The Incarnation of God’s Son is a truly new ‘thing.’ Yet, the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” A new covenant, written on our hearts.
Jeremiah heard God’s words in terms of “the house of Israel.” The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “Romans 2:14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them.”
This morning, I believe Jesus is telling us that the good soil, the eyes that see and the ears that hear reflect the hearts upon which God’s new covenant are written. “Matthew 13:23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
Hear the words written on your hearts, love God and each other, trust God,
Pastor Ray