Scripture

Then the king regretted what he had said, but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.

Observation

Herod hears about Jesus and he believes that He must be a resurrected John the Baptist.

John the Baptist had been arrested for speaking out against Herod’s marriage to Herodias, who was the former wife of Herod’s brother.

At a birthday feast for Herod, Herodias’s daughter had pleased Herod with a dance. He offers her anything that she wants as a gift, and she asks for John’s head. So Herod has John beheaded as requested.

Application

Herod was a despotic ruler, but, it is clear in this narrative that he was motivated often by the fear of other people. He had wanted to kill John but was afraid of the reactions of the people. Then he doesn’t want to kill, John, but does so because of the vow he had made in front of his guests.

Fear of other people can motivate us to do things against our will.

People get sucked into groups of nefarious people because they refuse to say No”. Like Herod, many are coerced into acting against what they know to be right.

Politicians act to keep voters happy. Ordinary people may be bullied by employers, family members and friends. Often it is all fear of other people.

We need to stay firm in Christ. His approval. Is the only approval we need. His judgement should be the only judgement we fear.

Prayer

Lord, please rescue me from the fear of men. Grant me the grace to live a life that honours you with no thought to the opinions of others. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 13:36-46.

Scripture

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it.

Observation

Jesus explains the parable of the weeds. Jesus is the farmer who sowed the good seed. The devil is the one who sowed the bad seeds, which represent the people who belong to satan. Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned, so Jesus will remove from his kingdom all who do evil. They will be thrown into the fiery furnace.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man discovering treasure in a field, or a merchant who finds a pearl of great value. In both cases, they sell all they have to possess the prize.

Application

Jesus tells all kinds of parables in order to communicate a deep truth. In this case, the truth is that attaining the kingdom of God is worth more than anything else in the world.

The merchant sold everything in order to obtain the pearl. He knew that despite its high price its true value was even greater. He would give up a lot to get it, but would be able to gain even more.

Many people, even christians, do not understand this. The problem is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace.” People believe that saying a prayer is enough to get salvation.

In fact, salvation is more than a prayer. True salvation results in a radical reordering of our priorities and desires as we realise just how precious our relationship with Jesus is

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are worth everything to me. Please help me to let go of anything that stands in the way of a deeper walk with you. Amen.

Scripture

“Blessed are your eyes, because they see and your ears, because they hear.”

Observation

People hear the words of Jesus, but they don’t listen or understand. This fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah who said that people would hear and not understand, and see without comprehending.

On the other hand, the disciples are blessed because they see, hear, and understand.

Jesus then explains the parable of the seeds. The seed on the path represent the people whose hearts are hard and satan steals the gospel from them. The rocky soil represents people who hear the gospel, but fall away when problems arise. The thorns represent the cares of the world that crowd out faith. But the seed that falls on good soil produces a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 fold.

Application

Many people just cannot hear the gospel because their hearts are hardened to it. It doesn’t matter how powerful the preaching is or how earnestly we share with them, or how perfect our life is, they just do not get it. They have hardened their hearts so much that they just cannot see or hear the message of salvation.

Those of us who are saved have ears, eyes, and hearts that are blessed.

It takes a ready heart to respond to the good news. The faith to believe is itself a gift from God. A soft heart that is able to respond to the call of the Lord is itself a blessing from God.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for giving me ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to receive your love. Please help me to keep my heart soft to you. Amen.

Scripture

He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away.

Observation

Jesus sits beside the lake and a huge crowd gathers to hear him teach.

Jesus tells the story of the farmer sowing seeds into various qualities of soil. Some seeds fall onto bad soil, but the seeds that fall onto good soil are very productive.

His disciples ask Jesus why he always uses parables when he teaches. He says that the disciples are permitted to understand the secrets of God’s kingdom, but others are not. God gives abundant understanding to those who listen to Jesus’s words. For others, even the little knowledge they have will be taken away.

Application

It is interesting to think that only some people are permitted to understand the secrets of God’s kingdom. God does not throw knowledge out to everybody indiscriminately. This would be like throwing pearls to pigs.

Parables provoke us or confuse us. If we are open to God’s word, we will seek more understanding and hence, we will receive it. Those who are not open to God will reject the parables as “too hard” or “confusing” and they will not receive enlightenment.

This might seem unfair in some ways. Why should God allow some people to go deeper in wisdom but not others? But this is not how it works. Some of the most spiritually wise people I know have had little formal education but they love the Lord, and He has revealed Himself to them.

Seek the Lord while he may be found.

Prayer

Lord, please give me more of you. I don’t care so much about hidden secrets. But I do care about you. Please deepen my love and desire for you. Amen.

Scripture

“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven – except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.”

Observation

A demon possessed man who can neither see nor speak is brought to Jesus. Jesus heals him, causing the crowd to ask if Jesus is the Messiah.

The Pharisees dismiss this, claiming that Jesus gets his power to remove demons from satan.

Jesus replies that any nation that fights against its own people is doomed. If satan is casting out satan then he is divided, and his kingdom will not last.

Every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, except the sin of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. A good person, like a good tree, produces good fruit, but an evil person is like a bad tree that produces bad fruit. The words we speak show the quality of the heart, and we will be judged for our words.

Application

Some christians worry about whether they have committed the unpardonable sin. Jesus does not explicitly say what it is, so this can be a cause for concern. I think anyone who is worried about this has nothing to fear because the very term “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” suggests a certain hardness of heart.

In the context of this statement, Jesus has cast out a demon from a man, allowing him to see and speak. The the Pharisees attribute this powerful act of compassion to satan. This is an extremely high level of religious blindness. If a person who claims to speak for God cannot discern between what God does and what satan does, they are in a very bad place spiritually. Not only that, but their pride will make nearly impossible to repent and so their sin cannot be forgiven.

Prayer

Father, I pray that you will keep my heart soft towards you. Let me never be so hard that I am no longer able to see the difference between you and satan. Amen.

Scripture

And his name will be the hope of all the world.

Observation

Jesus knew that the Pharisees were planning to kill Him, so He left that area. He healed many sick people amongst those who followed him. He warned them not to reveal who He was.

All of this was God’s plan as revealed by the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 42: 1-4).

The servant of the Lord is His beloved. The Lord puts His Spirit on the servant, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He won’t fight or raise his voice. He will be gentle and cause justice to be victorious. His name will be the hope of the world.

Application

The name of Jesus is the hope of the whole world.

Many people put their hope in political leaders, but they are only human and limited in power. They will inevitably disappoint us because they are there to govern (hopefully wisely). They are not there to bring salvation or even the hope of a better life.

Jesus is the hope of the Nations

* He brings us eternal life. This hope gives us the ability to rise above life’s challenges.

* He brings abundant life. Jesus enables us to live wisely and to prosper in our work, finances, relationships, and so on.

* He transforms national life. The prosperity and freedom in the West are the fruit of Christian shaped laws and institutions. Nations that are shaped by faith in Christ tend to enjoy peace and prosperity.

At every level, Jesus is our hope.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise of eternal life and abundant life to all who walk with you. Please help me to share my hope with my friends and colleagues. Amen.

Scripture

Then Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.”

Observation

Jesus prays, thanking the Father that He hides things from those who think they are wise, and reveals them to those who are like children.

He then invites those who are weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest. The teaching that Jesus gives is comforting because He is gentle at heart. We find rest in Jesus because he’s yoke is easy to bear and his burden is light.

Application

It doesn’t matter what the burden is that we carry or how long we have carried it. When we hand it over to Jesus, He takes it and the burden He gives in return is much lighter.

The burden of sin, with its companion emotions of guilt and shame, comma is one such burden. When Jesus died on the cross, He carried the sin of the whole world on Himself. Now we can come to the Father trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice.

Some people carry the burden of sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. Jesus is the one who can heal us when we lay this burden at his feet.

There are many other spiritual and emotional burdens that we carry needlessly. Jesus will take it all away and make you a new person.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus for this wonderful promise of taking on burdens onto your own shoulders. Please help me to trust you to carry these burdens and to let you deal with them. Amen.