What are we to make of Jesus? He goes out of His way to befriend sinners. He offers hope to the lost. He offers to heal the brokenhearted, true friendship for the lonely, and complete forgiveness to the sinner. The devil accuses us of sin to destroy us, just as the Scribes and Pharisees were doing to the woman caught in adultery. But when the contrite sinner stands before Jesus, just as this woman did, Jesus does not condemn – he forgives. But it does come with a price tag…
James calls us to listen closely and carefully, but after listening we obey and act on what we heard.
This week we’re looking at the final parables in Matthew 13 that point both to the coming of Jesus with the final judgment and our ministry and teaching today. When the final judgment happens, there will be a sharp line between those who belong to Jesus and those who don’t. In light of that, our ministry today must encompass both the old and new treasures of God’s kingdom.
In a pair of very short and powerful parables, Jesus tells his disciples that the kingdom of God is like a treasure that is worth far more than any sacrifice anyone ever might make to acquire it. God welcomes us freely into his kingdom by grace, but Jesus makes it clear that our entry must be decisive. No one can take hold of the treasure without making a game-changing commitment to it. May we find the treasure God has revealed to us, and from great joy may we put everything on the line to enter the kingdom.
Last week we looked at a parable in which good seed fell on all kinds of soils, but this week Jesus is teaching about good and bad seed planted in fertile soil. The presence of evil in the world shouldn’t surprise us, but it isn’t a call to arms, either. In a parable filled with tension, Jesus teaches what the familiar song affirms: “Though the wrong is great and strong, God is the ruler yet!” This calls for patient hope and a lot of grace on the part of believers.