A Heart in Action--the Parable of the Talents

     This next parable is in an interesting place in Matthew.  In Chapter 24, the disciples ask Jesus what will happen at the end of the age.  He also comments that only His Father knows when these things will come to pass.  He talks then in a parable about the good servant who is in charge while his master is away, and is found to be doing good when the master returns.  He contrasts that with a wicked servant who acts irresponsibility and who will be punished when his master returns.
     Then Jesus goes on in Chapter 25 to talk of the virgins who await the bridegroom--some prepared and some unprepared.  The foolish ones miss the opportunity to enter the feast with the bridegroom when he finally appears.  The context still operating here is one of expectation and not growing weary in the waiting.
     Now comes our parable in Matthew 25:14-30.
     “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.  But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money."
     Let's set the stage.  The master must leave.  He has business elsewhere.  He doesn't just assume his servants will know what to do or how to proceed once he's gone.  He calls them together.  Yes, you could argue that they have been with him awhile (he trusts them with his money after all--that shows he knows them well enough) and that they should know how to operate without him around.  But calling them together goes deeper than that.
     He gives to each of them something of value.  He is saying to them, in essence, I have been with you long enough to know what your abilities are.  I know the level of your integrity.  I am showing my love and trust by giving you something of value...I am not simply asking you to keep the homestead running.  I am giving you oversight of my wealth and am trusting you to handle it with care and diligence.
     Wow.  The master is acting as if these servants are his partners, his peers, his equals.  He is entrusting them to handle his estate, to be engaged in his business as if it were their own. 
      Now, he distributes the wealth according "to his ability."  He knows each of his servants so well that he gives them what they can handle competently.  He knows their strengths and weaknesses and doesn't give them too much or too little.  So, each man receives a different amount.  The master isn't showing favoritism...he is showing concern.  He wants his servants to walk away with two things:  My master values me and he's knows I can do this. 
     Notice, Servant #1 goes "immediately" and multiplies the money's amount.  The master knew this servant's heart.  He knew he would be about his master's business in a heartbeat, making his master's money increase.  Not for greedy gain, but so the wealth can go further to benefit more people.  More money means more servants to hire and more land to be bought--the wealth poured into the community will benefit the community and Servant #1 knows this.  Servant #2 also goes "at once" and makes the money multiply.  He doesn't see the wealth of his master as something to be tucked under a mattress.  He sees the wealth of his master something to be actively used.  
     By investing it, the two servants are acting in love for their master--joyfully going out and getting down to business.  They didn't start whining about why #1 got more entrusted to him than #2.  They saw what they were given in the light of the master:  My master trusts  me to do good with his wealth and I will not let him down!  His love for me inspires me to do good, for he is good!
     Now on to Servant #3.   Uh-oh.  He didn't grab his bag of gold, happily entering the world to make his master proud of him.  He hides it in the ground.  Time goes on.  Does Servant #3 even remember where he buried it?  What is he doing all this time?  While #1 and #2 are out and about in their master's service, what is he doing?  Is he just hanging out?  Or after awhile, when his master didn't return, did he wander off, uninvolved and unconcerned?  Did he feel justified in his inactivity?  Wow--look at those two!  Running around as if our master is coming home any day now!  Right!  It's been YEARS since the master left and it doesn't look like he's coming back any time soon.  Maybe we misunderstood him.  Maybe he spoke falsely to us--he never intends to return.  Maybe we misunderstood him.  Maybe, he's not a good master--a good master would have returned by now.  How can I trust him?  Where are you?  I am not going to waste my time, running around for an untrustworthy master.  Bury the money, forget about it and carry on.  Works for me!
     “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
     “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
     “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
     “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’"
     The master DID return. Yes, it was a long time, but the trust that his servants had led to action--they trusted him to return, and they acted on that trust. 
     Not so with Servant #3: “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
     “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
     “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"
     Look at the heart of Servant #3:  He believes his master has a hard heart and thus he distrusts his master's actions.  Others do the master's work and only the master reaps the benefits, seems to be this servant's assessment.  In other words:  Master, you are about you.  I thought it would be best to hide the money so that no one could steal it, but I really do not trust you...I trust myself.  I thought hiding it was a good move--aren't you proud of me?  See!  No one stole it at least.  Isn't that good enough?
      But isn't master's reaction a tad harsh?  No.  The master is saying Yes, I do have others do my work.  But, why do they do it?  They do it because they love and trust me.  Even if you weren't confident enough to engage in an active investment, at least what I gave you could have been entrusted to others.  But it is your heart with its lack of trust in me that is the problem.  You buried the money because your love for me is buried in the ground of disbelief.  You serve me with a heart that is far from me.  You have a heart of darkness and now you will leave my presence.  You never tried to get to know me, even while in my house.
     The parable here isn't just use what God gives you.  It's deeper than that.  Serve God because you love Him and are grateful that He has entrusted you with some kingdom work, however large or small it may be.  The real talent our Master is looking for is a heart that knows Him and will serve Him.  He wants a heart to love Him and to trust Him, until He returns.  And return He will.

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Lights! Camera! BUSHEL?

    It is interesting that this parable of salt and light comes after the beautiful "Blessed are the..." part of the Sermon on the Mount.  The kingdom of God has characteristics of those who would be a part of it and those whose lives reflect that membership.  Notice that these are qualities of the heart, not religious duties to be performed.  God is concerned with our character and its development.  What is the ultimate goal of this character transformation?  In Romans 8:29 we read:  "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."  Our character's not fully developed until we are like Jesus.  Pure and simple.
     So, how do we gain entrance into God's kingdom where His Son is our Mentor, Guide and Friend?

 ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,                Humbly knowing we need Him
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,                 Realizing how needy we truly are
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,                             Graciously receiving His provision
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger 

    and thirst for righteousness,                   Craving His life in us & earnestly seeking Him
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,                          Forgiving ourselves and forgiving others
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,                   New heart, new eyes
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,                  Desiring now all come to Him
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted 

     because of righteousness,                      Trials will come to His own as we go out     
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
     We become the bearers of the Good News:  freedom and forgiveness in Christ!  Some will welcome the message, others want to remain in the darkness.
      So, a new heart has a new mission:  to bear witness by our words and actions of the inner transformation that is occurring as Christ lives in us.  So, now Jesus drives His point home.  With our new mission, what will we be like?  First:
      “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."
      Salt:  It preserves.  We will preserve His presence in the world through His touch and love those hearts that are decomposing from the rankness of sin.  Sin pollutes, salt preserves.  It also flavors:  "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col. 1:27)
     But, it also makes men thirsty and craving more.  It sustains the hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Salty foods drive us to finish the whole bag and that's the kind of craving we would like others to have when they see Christ in us.  

     “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
     The comparison changes, from salt to light, but the idea is the same.  Light illuminates--driving out darkness with a small but sure flame.  Light simply is...with the kingdom of God in our hearts, His light should be evident to everyone.  You can't hide the love of Jesus in a sincere heart...the light radiates out.  So, we can start with a small area--our house--and move out, lighting the world as we go.
     Any city, all aglow in the evening, is quite a sight.  The lights are there in the daytime, but the darkness provides contrast.  His light in us will provide quite the contrast with the darkness that is in the world.
     But a lighted city, in the darkness, also provides a destination.  When I walk down our mountain roads in the gathering evening dark, the lit up houses are a comfort.  My eyes naturally gravitate to them and they remind me that I am not alone.  I love the lights on my house:  they are an invitation to finish up my walk, and come home.  The light we shine is an invitation:  come, join the kingdom.  The God Who forgave and empowered me will forgive and empower you.  My light is His light--you will not praise me, but see Him and praise Him. 
     Ultimately, salt and light induce a craving, a desire to seek, find and embrace.  Salt makes us thirsty and light makes us long for home.  He waits for those who who are thirsty and long for home.  Those of us who know Him must live as to remind others that thirst can be quenched and Home is available.
     What if we don't use our salt?  It becomes useless.  What if we don't shine our light?  It goes out.
     Jesus said, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working." (John 5:17)  Can we, who know His work in our hearts, do anything less?

For more posts in my parable series, click here.

The Parable of the Sower: The Cost of Being a Kernel

Let's picture the scene.  Jesus leaves the house and makes His way to the seaside. The multitudes, eager to hear Him, become so numerous that He must get into a boat, and make it His pulpit.  Then He starts teaching.

What is remarkable is what went on before this parable. Going back a few chapters, we see Him:
1.  Harvesting grain with His disciples, because they were hungry, and being accused by the Pharisees of breaking the law about no work.  He then reminds them of what King David did--eating the consecrated bread--and how the priests break the law by doing the sacrifices and yet are innocent.  He reminds them that mercy, not a blind adherence to the Law, is what God desires and then proclaims Himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath.   (Matt.12:1-8)
2. He then enters a synagogue, where Sabbath services are in full swing, and heals a man with a shriveled hand.  He reminds the leaders that in doing good on the Sabbath, the Law is not broken.  The Pharisees are so livid that they "plotted how they might kill Jesus." (Matt. 12:9-14)
3.  He withdraws from that place and heals the sick and thus fulfills Isaiah's words about God's Chosen Servant, Who will bring hope to all. (Matt. 12:18-21)
4.  He then heals a demon-possessed man, and the Pharisees attribute His power to the Devil.  Jesus says, in no uncertain terms, that attributing the work of His Father to Satan will never be forgiven.  He then talks of how a tree's fruit indicates what kind of tree it is.  He then excoriates them for their evil hearts and that their very words have condemned them. (Matt. 12: 33-37).
5.  In response to the Pharisees wanting a sign, Jesus offers the ultimate one:  like Jonah, He will be held in the darkness of the earth for three days and then He will reappear.  He talks of how utterly unwise this generation is and how they have provided a habitation, in their thoughts and actions, for evil.
6.  His mother and brothers show up and want to speak to Him.  In the heated exchange with the religious leaders, has His family detected some danger and do they wish to whisk Him away from the leaders' menacing gazes?  He gently reminds them and His disciples that doing the will of His Father constitutes His family.

So, now, (no coincidence here) that He tells the parable of the sower to the waiting crowd, and in His mind, He surveys all the different people who have been listening to Him recently.

"Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matt. 13:3-9)

What's interesting here is, later, with the disciples eagerly inquiring of Him, He explains the meaning: "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." (Matt. 13:18-23).

We could stop here, but Jesus isn't talking in general terms.  The disciples have already seen the various "soils" in action.  The sower is God and the seed is His word.  Notice, He casts it far and wide.  Now, does a sower throw the seed just anywhere?  No.  He is going to throw it upon tilled soil, prepared and ready.  He doesn't cast His seed on stones, on concrete or on a lake.  He casts it on the soil of human hearts prepared by the tillage of the Holy Spirit.  Now, the disciples just experienced watching the first instance of where the seed falls--on the hearts of the Pharisees who are so hardened in their hearts that they attribute God's miracles to Satan.  The Holy Spirit tills, but the rocks of pride, the drying sun of hatred and the eroding rains of judgment have rendered the soil unfit to receive the words of the Almighty, spoken through His Son.

The ones with shallow hearts, will receive the word with joy, but later will fall away because of temptation.   The disciples just experienced this with the healings.  They saw how the people rejoiced when the man's hand was healed and how eager the people were to follow Jesus.  But when the fear of disapproval, the disdainful gaze of the leaders fell upon the people, did they turn away?    When Jesus' own family showed up, rejoicing earlier over the wonderful things He was doing, but now afraid that He was attracting the wrong kind of attention, did they, too, lose heart in Him and His ministry?

The leaders and many of the richer people, whose lives directly benefited from the way things were, did Jesus threaten their status with His kingdom built on love?  Did they wither away, leaving smaller and smaller fruits behind?  Was their place in society more important than Truth?

Jesus scanned the crowd as they sat on the shore.  He could see into the hearts of those whose soil, tilled like all the others, were willing to receive the "word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." (Matt. 13:18-23).  Ah, there it is:  a soil tilled by the Spirit, watered with the rains of sincerity and seeking, warmed by the belief that here stands the very One of Whom their prophets heralded would come.  Even after they felt the scorching heat of others' disapproval, they were willing to grow in the knowledge of Him and the One He sent.   

He must have smiled, seeing His disciples whose soil would produce a crop whose very seeds we would harvest, and those sincere followers whose love for Him would never fail.

But He also knew the price that is paid when a seed, a kernel, falls on the soil:  "Jesus replied, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.'" (John 12:23-26).  The price they would pay, we will pay, is enormous.  His death will bring us life, and His blood will water the soil.  We will be His witnesses to His work in the soil of our hearts.  

Cast the seed of His word.  Trust the Sower to go before you and pray for a harvest.  He did no less.  We can do no more.

For more posts in my parable series, click here.

O Holy Night! Yes and So Much More...

We are all familiar with the characters that inhabit the Christmas story: Mary, Joseph, the Baby, the Wise Men, the shepherds, and the angels.

Every year, we encounter Nativity scenes...all set up on someone's lawn, staged in familiar poses, pink and blue, plastic and lights. Or we see a Living Nativity...we feel sorry for the folks who are participating in it, knowing how cold we are in our parkas and how cold they must be in their cotton costumes.  Or we receive Christmas cards, with endless variations on the "Mary holding the Baby/Joseph hovering nearby/shepherds in awe/Wise Men with gifts" theme.

We encounter this seasonal scene so often, is it possible that it loses its wondrous quality? Do we smile rather than fall on our knees in utter gratitude for the majesty and message this scene so softly delivers? Have we ceased to hear the angels sing, drowned out in the noise of our modern age?

Come, stand with me. Let's look into the manger with eyes willing to see anew this familiar picture. It is indeed a holy night. But: Everyone who journeys to this manger has something that will challenge them. They will have to give something up…but, oh! on that very night…they will have something to gain!

THE THREE WISE MEN...
They give up the safety of their homeland, traveling from Persia to Israel. This is a risky journey. They carry valuable items for the newborn King. They have only a star to follow. What did their compatriots think as they load up and head out? These men have a reputation. These are men of books, stars, and maps. What if they are wrong? They are traveling to a foreign land…Will they be accepted by the people of that land? Will they arrive on the appointed day and time? Will they be able to get in close to the action? They are not Jewish. They are bright guys…wise men… possessing a lot of head knowledge…But they must follow that star! Despite the danger to self and reputation, they must go. Yes, there is a lot to lose, but look at what they will gain!

The hardest journey for these men will be only a distance of 14 inches--from their heads to their hearts. They fall down on their knees once they come near to the Baby King. Any doubts they carry with them are cast into the light coming from His precious face. The very gifts that made their trip so dangerous are now placed at His side. Each gift reflects this Child:

Gold: It is precious beyond measure, and must be burned in fire to purify it. He is precious beyond measure and His excruciating death will purify us from our sins.

Frankincense: It is burned to release a sweet fragrance. His death will release the sweet fragrance of the penalty paid, to be inhaled by all those who believe.

Myrrh: It is an aromatic resin with a slightly bitter taste. It is used for embalming but also for healing. His death will be bitter but His Resurrection will be the healing of our souls.

These men give gifts and yet now into their empty hands are given the greatest gift of all: They look upon the face of God. Their hearts now know God.

THE SHEPHERDS…
They give up watching their sheep momentarily. That is their job, their responsibility. They are in the outskirts of town. They are low in status but they will break through that and go into town, emboldened by the message they hear. They risked scorn and disapproval--Do angels really sing praises out where people like you may hear them? Oh, come on!

But here they come--nothing will stop this excited band of men, whose ears still ring with the heavenly chorus. Their gain? They are going into the manger to witness this Baby. They are trusting God to watch their sheep. He is the God of the big things--like this News and the voices of praising angels! He is also the God of the little things--keeping the flock together while the shepherds seek and find His newborn Son.

THE INNKEEPER…
A room for an expecting mother? No can do! The town and the inn are so crowded. He is frantically busy. Yet, wait a minute. He is willing to direct the desperate couple to a cave where it is quiet and out of the wind. He takes a moment to look into the eyes of this soon-to-be father and remembers the day when his son entered the earth. He is willing to take extra moments to direct the couple to the cave, so that they will not be disturbed.

He was willing to help, even if he couldn't do something monumental. A small kindly offered favor drew a mighty blessing from the Most High.

JOSEPH...
He had to give up his fear or at least, not allow it to paralyze him. Has Mary betrayed him? Is she lying to him? He is wounded by the possibility of her infidelity…doubt, anger, consternation, and hurt all swirl in his heart, wounding him over and over. As a craftsman, whose reputation in the community keeps his trade alive, will it be done in by whispering? What will others think? He feels such shame for Mary and his hearts seizes up when he ponders the consequence of her actions: death. All these questions and more challenge him to the very marrow of his bones.

Yet, he will hear the voice of God as he sleeps and will rise out of his slumber a determined man--he will provide for Mary.  He will gain a walk...not just any walk, but one beside the Son of God. He will raise the Boy, teach him to hew wood, and to cut stone. Someday this very Child will hang from a wooden cross and lie behind a large stone. But Death will not hold Him for long. Joseph cannot see what the future holds, but he knows Who holds the future.

MARY…
She gives up her reputation. She will give up peace. Her sense of what is normal will be replaced with a fear of husband’s distrust or reprisal, of public humiliation, of even death.

But she will gain the smile of God. She will nourish the Son of God Who will someday nourish her. She will comfort Him when He cries and she will comforted by Him, even as He hangs on a cross and gives her a new son to care for her. She will treasure much in her heart, to sustain her in the days when she cannot understand Him, and when she must stand beneath His cross. But her greatest treasure will be when she beholds Him once more: glorified and radiant on that future Sunday morning.

Is that the end of story? Has the gentle Christmas card scene prevailed?  No. The three Wise Men will leave Bethlehem, hearing of the butchery by King Herod. They will hear of the order to slaughter all male children under the age of two to root out this future King. In their grief, they will cling to the promise of "Peace on earth, good will to men."

Joseph and Mary will leave to Egypt, far away from everyone, to avoid the coming slaughter. It is not their Lamb's time yet. They will long to return home someday. In the future, when they hear of Herod's death, their joy will turn once again to fear as they learn of Herod's son on the throne. They must go and settle in yet another village. Do they ever stop looking over their shoulders while Jesus is small? Will evil men come for Him to take Him to His death? Not for now. But someday, He will go willingly. His cross is our gain.

IF YOU DOUBT THAT GOD LOVES THE WORLD, LOOK INSIDE THE MANGER.

IF YOU DOUBT THAT GOD LOVES YOU, LOOK AT THE CROSS.

The Parable of the Lost Coin: DON'T MOVE! I've Lost My __!

     Fill in the blank:  it could be your contact, your iPhone, your keys or your mind, for that matter!  Has anyone ever said this to you?  Have you ever had said this to anyone?  The world you live in skids to a halt when you have lost something.  Now, is that something just any ol' thing?  Not usually.  The sound of screeching brakes occurs when you lose something valuable.  Now, the two parables in Luke 15 that we have explored--the Prodigal Son and the Lost Sheep--are spoken by Jesus in this setting: "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'”  The NIV Study Bible says that when you eat with people, you are recognizing them and accepting them.  This is the reason for the muttering--Jesus is acknowledging the very people that the Pharisees and teachers disdain.  What's interesting is that Jesus shares three parables with a common theme:  something/someone valuable is lost, then found and then celebrated over.  We have looked at the sheep and the son--let's finish up with the coin.
     How often do we not value something until it is lost?  To quote an old 60's song: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."  So true.  But valuing goes both ways:  Our prodigal son didn't value his father's love until he was eating pig food.  But the father valued his son immensely and waited patiently until the son returned.  The older brother in the parable didn't value his younger brother nor his father's love. But the father valued the older son and made everything he had available to the older son.
     The shepherd with the lost sheep valued it and was willing to leave the other ninety-nine to find the one.  He then returned to the town and wanted the people to rejoice with him.  Seeing the joy in the shepherd's face perhaps made them go home and look with renewed joy in what they had.  Sometimes, others' loss reminds us of what we have and how we should value it.
     Let's look at our lady who lost her coin: “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
     The floors of ordinary people in Israel in Jesus' day were made of dirt.  People with money had flagstones.  The windows were few and light was minimal.  Finding a coin would not be an easy task.  So, let's see what our lady is doing... I want to make sure that my money hasn't gone missing.  There are thieves out there who want to steal what I have.  Each coin is worth day's wage and one less coin means a day's work for nothing.  I will pull out the coins from their hiding place--I will never tell where they are!--and I will sit at the table and start counting...what?  Is that neighbor's dog barking again?  Wait a minute!  Don't move!  I have lost a coin!  Did I drop it?  When I was pouring the coins out onto the table just now, did one roll off?  Oh no!  Wait, calm down.  I can't see it!  The light is terrible in here.  Let me get the lamp and start hunting.  Oh, the floor hurts my knees.  But I bound and determined to find it...
     Do you see it?  Each coin is as valuable to the woman as the next, because each coin represents a day's labor.  How did it fall to the floor?  Does it really matter now that the coin is lost?  Her concern is not because she miserly--it's because each coin represents her blood, sweat and tears and she worked hard for each coin.  Now, once she calms down, she has a plan of action:  light a lamp and start sweeping.  Two ingredients are needed here for the search and the ultimate restoration:  light and cleaning away of dirt.  
     Jesus Himself is the Plan of Action:  He is the Light we need to see our way in the darkness.  He calls Himself "The Light of the World," implying that the our earthly room is dark and needs illumination.  But with light comes revelation of just how dark the world is, how covered in dirt it is.  Here He "sweeps," looking for each valued person, who struggles in the dirt of sin and pain.  He searches for us, "carefully" as does our lady.  He looks in every corner, desiring to return us to the safety of His keeping.  Satan is a thief who desires to steal us away.  Each one of us is valued.  How do we know this?  We were "bought with a price."  Jesus Himself did a day's labor on the cross, paying once and for all for our freedom, not because we are so good and wonderful, but because He values us.  
     A coin has value because a government assigns an amount to it.  Jesus' death is the ultimate assigning of value to you and me:  He paid our debt of sin with His life and will continue to search for us until we return home...to His Father's kingdom.  
     The heavens resound when a sinner comes home.  Jesus doesn't give up on us...nor did our lady.  She kept searching until she found it.  She didn't jingle the money bag and just focus on the ones already in her possession, ignoring the one over by the chair in the dirt.  Both are important:  the ones in the bag and the ones in the dirt.
      Remember the muttering religious leaders listening to Jesus?  Jesus is saying that all of His Father's children are important.  The ones in the "bag" need to rediscover their compassion for the ones in the "dirt."   Why?  Because you, religious leaders, are valued.  You are not valued for how good you are at church.  You are not valued for how much you tithe.  You are not valued for how much you obey the rules.  You have been assigned value by the One who "minted" you.  His image is stamped on each of you and on each of them...yes, even those "sinners" over there.    
      What about those "sinners" listening to Jesus as well?  Jesus is saying that when He reaches down and offers to lift you out of the dirt, don't roll further under the chair.   Accept His offer of restoration.  Allow Him to cleanse you of that dirt and when you join the others in the bag, rejoice and don't shrink away into a corner.  
     Finally, notice how the woman celebrates her finding of the coin.  All of her friends and neighbors are invited in to join her!  Heaven rejoices when one sinner is found, because that person realizes that lying in the dirt of life is not what a loving God would have us do.  

     The kingdom's doors swing wide open when we realize who we are--sinners.  

 

       We hear the songs of angels when we accept Who He is--our Savior.  

    

For more posts in my parable series, click here.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Have You Lost Something? Yup, and He's Looking to Find It!

     It's always important to understand the context for Jesus' parables.  Who is He addressing?  What questions/issues is He addressing?  This next parable we will examine is the one of the Lost Sheep from Luke, Chapter 15.   
     Let's set the scene:  "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'"  Stop right there.  Jesus is a fascinating and yet irritating presence to the religious leaders.  They watch in horror as the low-lifes of their community flock to Him and listen to His words that seem to be cool water in a dry land.  
     They can't fathom why a rabbi would associate so freely with people who are so obviously disgusting to them and, must be to God, too.  They are probably thinking, We strive everyday, God, to be good.  We do all of the rituals You require and we even go above and beyond that.  We work for You!  Do You notice, God?  Are You aware, with all due respect, of how much we strive?  And then comes this hayseed from Nazareth, who seems to gather, without effort, those whom You despise.  He seems comfortable with them--their smelly clothes, their dirty faces and their despicable habits.  They seem to love Him.  Love?  You want order, respect and obedience.  Love?  We don't want it; why would You?
     What are the people thinking?  We try every day, dear God, to be good.  We tithe from what little we have and yet, in the faces of the leaders, we see nothing but scorn.  No matter how much we strive, we see the utter disgust in their faces.  We know we are so unworthy to even call upon Your Name.  You seem so distant; but this Jesus seems to bring You so close, we can almost hear Your voice.  He doesn't notice our dirty clothes and ragged faces; we know we are not pleasant to be around--the leaders have made that plain enough.  And yet, when we look into His face, we see kindness, openness, and a sense that You do care for us, warts and all.  Yes, our hands are dirty, but this Jesus is willing to clasp them and look in our eyes.  We feel the scorn burning into our backs from the eyes of the leaders; so we just keep our gaze on His face...are we seeing Your face, dear God, as well? 
     Then Jesus begins:  “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
     Everyone listening knew about sheep and how, if not shepherded, the sheep will wander.  How often did an errant sheep wander into town, because some shepherd's afternoon nap went on a bit long?  How often did a panicky shepherd come running into town, asking the townspeople if they had seen his sheep?   So, everyone could understand the wandering of a sheep and the fretful reaction of the shepherd.  Isn't interesting, though, instead of talking about a shepherd out there, Jesus brings His audience into the story:  "Suppose one of you..."  You, Mr. Obstinate Pharisee and you, Mr. Tax Collector, and yes, you, Mrs. Poor Woman.  Everyone is invited to imagine themselves in the place of the shepherd.  
    Now, Jesus poses a question...a shepherd doesn't just fret over the sheep; what is he going to do?  Go out and find it!  He will not rest until he does.  The other ninety-nine are safe in the flock, but the wandering one is subject to all kinds of dangers--wolves, falling into a ditch...how many times had one of the townsfolk come across a sheep whose shepherd had not been able to find it, and now its body was rotting in the sun?   Everyone could picture the shepherd searching high and low for the sheep, having left the care of the other sheep to the other shepherds.  He is focused on finding the one sheep...why?
     Because each sheep is valuable.  There is safety in numbers, but not value in numbers.  Each sheep is as valuable as the next.  No one sheep is inherently more precious than another.  The shepherd knows each sheep and cares for each sheep's welfare.  The shepherd doesn't say, Hey!  I still have the well-behaved ninety-nine.  They are staying in the flock, obediently grazing where I have told them to.  What's one missing?  Next spring, there will be more lambs to replace it...No big deal.
     Our shepherd finds the sheep and puts it on his shoulder--"joyfully."  He doesn't chide it, yell at it or condemn it for wandering away (Do you notice that, Pharisees?  Do you catch that, everyone?)  Yes, it is always preferable to stay obediently in the flock, following the  shepherd's direction.  But, what if someone wanders away?  What if YOU wander away?  Would YOU want to be yelled at?  Would YOU want to experience scornful looks and judgement about how stupid you are for wandering away?  Wouldn't YOU want a joyful Shepherd scooping you up, placing you on His shoulders and triumphantly marching into town to tell everyone of your rescue?  
     Doesn't the sheep know already of its inadequacies?  The burrs in its wool, the scratches on its legs are reminders enough of how wandering off is not wise.  The "tax collectors and sinners" are all too aware of how wandering off is not pleasant--no one has to remind them of that--their hearts condemn them enough.  
     The flock is content...perhaps too content.  It's those who wander off that need God the most and feel His loving balm the most when they are recaptured by His love.  Heaven rejoices!  Why?  Because the sheep knew it had strayed and is willing to come home with the shepherd and be restored to the flock.  
     Jesus looks at the listeners.  Many of them have heads lowered, knowing that they have wandered from the Shepherd of their souls.  Yet, in their troubled spirits, hope flutters--I can be forgiven and Heaven is rejoicing as I do!  
     Many of them are looking at Him, flummoxed.  I am in the flock, obedient, and yet I am not in love with the Shepherd, only with my own goodness.   Do I need to come home too?
      Jesus' eyes scan the crowd.  Are you willing to come home?  Will you join Heaven and rejoice as others do as well?  
     The Shepherd will never stop looking for His wandering sheep.   

 

Jesus will press on with the next two parables--the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son, driving home the point of God values each one of us.  His love extends forgiveness to each one of us...do we extend it to each other as well? 


For more posts in my parable series, click here.

The Parable of Persistent Widow: Keep Knocking on Heaven's Door!

Here's our next parable from Luke 18:1-8:  

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”  And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

     Let's set the scene.  We have a less than sterling judge and a widow who is in desperate need of a judgment against an "adversary."  The two people are neighbors and probably so is the adversary--so it's a case of "You can run but you cannot hide."  How often does the widow see the judge walking to his office?  How often does the widow catch a glimpse of her foe, ducking into a store or staring at her from over the bread counter at the supermarket?  These people interact everyday at some level, and because of this, the widow feels desperation...her foe is a constant reminder of the injustice she has suffered.  Do we know what the injustice actually is?  Does it matter?  She wants justice, plain and simple.
     The judge is probably the only judge in this small town.  Jesus gives him a quick personality sketch--he doesn't care about what God or others think.  Uh-oh.  In a small town, with religion permeating every nook and cranny of the people's existence, this judge would stand out.  He obviously has said words to that effect or has behaved in such a way that people know what he is like.  He may the guy that everyone loves to hate--but what are the people going to do?  He's the only one in town who can dispense justice.
     The widow knows about his reputation but also knows she stuck with him.  Her personality is one of persistence:  she keeps coming to him and requesting that he hear her plea.  She won't give up and is so persistent that the judge fears that if he doesn't act soon, she will attack him!  He could care less about God and man, yet this widow's tenacity keeps him awake at night!  Why is that?  Could it be that deep down inside, he knows he needs to do the right thing and hear her case and make a ruling?  He probably knows her adversary as well, and as long as the judge delays, this adversary is walking the streets, sneering at a system that doesn't stop him.  So, these three characters are in a desperate dance, which could be quelled in a New York minute with a pronouncement from the judge.  
     The judge must act, if not to uphold the law but to protect himself from this widow!  The widow must act and pursue the judge so she can be protected by the law!  The adversary lurks in the town, awaiting judgement, glad of his freedom but having to always look over his shoulder!
     Jesus then points to the words of the judge.  If someone that unjust, that worried about personal safety and that insensitive about the suffering of others, recognizes the need to act, how much more will our pleas be heard by our loving Heavenly Judge?  Was Jesus in essence saying that perhaps (although they would never admit this) the disciples saw God as that judge in the story?  Were they entertaining the belief that God really didn't care, that He is insensitive to our suffering and is way too concerned about how we behave towards Him, without any thought as to how He acts towards us?  Uh-oh.  In other words, are we the widow and God is the judge?  Of course, we know who the "adversary" is, and how relentless he is in condemning us.
     So, Jesus launches this parable under the theme of keep praying and never give up.  Is it our prayers that need fixing?  We pray for those who hurt, who are desperate, who are suffering, who are causing misery in others' lives...is that what Jesus is evaluating?  I think not.  I think He is asking us to reevaluate who we think God is.  He compares God's personality to that of the judge's...
1.  God hears our cries.  He doesn't ignore us or avoid us.  He is actively engaged in our lives, not shirking His responsibility to His own.
2.  God will not delay justice.  He knows what we need and what the cries of our heart are.  He is not delaying justice--He is working to bring it about.  His timing is not our own.  We need to trust His timing.
3.  God wants justice in the world.  Sin was not His design, and the consequences of sin have rendered His creation chock full of chaos, pain and evil.  He is all too aware of this, and He is in the process of remedying it.  How?  Who is telling the parable?  It's Jesus:  The very One that the Almighty Judge has sent down, to pay the penalty Himself, on a cross that waits for Him up the road a ways.  Justice will be handed down, upon the shoulders of the One who now stands before the disciples.  The Judge, will in essence, offer Himself to render justice and set us free.  His stripes will heal us and render the adversary living on borrowed time.
4.  God wants us to be persistent and walking in faith each day.  The time is coming when the judgement will be handed down.  Will we have already left the courtroom in despair, or will we be knocking on Heaven's door, confident in the knowledge that He is good and kind and just?  When the Son returns, will we still be at our Father's business, or will our hearts have grown cold?
     God want us to be persistent, which is defined as "continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition."  The days will be filled with trial, to be sure, but will we meet the days with despair or determination? 

For more posts in my parable series, click here.