Over the past four weeks we have been looking at word pictures that Jesus painted for us. Do you see the pictures? The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who went out in his field to scatter his seed. Some fell on the path, some fell among the rocks, some grew up with the weeds, and some were planted in the good soil. The seed that was planted in the good seed grew up and produced more seed. Get the picture?
The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field but sometime in the night his enemy came and planted weed seeds. When the farmers servants recognized that there were weeds growing with the wheat they asked the farmer what to do. The farmer said that let them both grow together and when it comes time to harvest, then the weeds will be separated from the wheat. The wheat will be used and the weeds will be burned. Get the picture?
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Although the seed is small, it will eventually grow into a very large tree. And the kingdom of God is like yeast. A baker mixed in just a little bit with the flour and the yeast worked its way through the whole batch. Get the picture?
The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure. The person who finds it will sell everything they have to buy the field that contains the treasure. Get the picture?
Over and over and over Jesus says: The kingdom of heaven is like… Then he goes on to explain it. Before we wrap up this series we need to take a look at one more parable and it’s found in Matthew 13:47-53. This parable amplifies what has already been said and magnifies it so that everyone who hears it gets the big picture because this parable is powerful. It deals with our eternal destination and Jesus only gives two options.
On Wednesday I conducted the funeral of my great aunt. She died at the age of 97 after a good long life. After the service we went to the graveside and conducted a brief committal service since it was a balmy 1 degree. She was buried next to her husband, son, and extended family, most of who had passed long before I was born. While I was there I had the opportunity to see where my great grandparents were buried and many of the rest of the extended family.
I like to read the tombstones to find out when people lived and died. Occasionally someone writes a scripture verse on their tombstone but most of them just give a name and the dates they lived between.
I didn’t find any interesting tombstone comments in Alden MN where My great Aunt Frieda was buried, but did some research and came up with some interesting ones across the country.
• Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York: Born 1903-Died 1942 Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down. It was.
• In a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery: Here lies an Atheist All dressed up And no place to go.
• In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery: Anna Wallace: The children of Israel wanted bread, And the Lord sent them manna. Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.
• In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania, cemetery: Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake. Stepped on the gas Instead of the brake.
• In a cemetery in Hartscombe, England: On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle Went out of tune.
• In a cemetery in England: Remember man, as you walk by, As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so shall you be. Remember this and follow me.
• To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone: To follow you I’ll not consent until I know which way you went. Submitted by Dolly, Myersville, Md. (http://www.emmitsburg.net/humor/archives/interesting_facts/interesting_facts_8.htm)
Funerals are never fun but they do force us to stare at our own mortality and prompt us to wonder what, if anything lies beyond the grave. In this last parable Jesus uses a fishing example to illustrate his spiritual point. After all, he was standing in a boat that was pushed out from shore teaching a few thousand people who were seated on the hill facing him. There very well may have been fisherman in the background tending to their nets so the people could actually see what he was talking about. But most of them already understood how fishermen cast their nets because that was part of their culture.
This is what Jesus says:
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied. He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." Matthew 13:47-52 NIV
In the parable Jesus says the fisherman casts their nests and the nets collect all of the fish regardless of shape, size, age, or color. When the nets are full the fisherman bring the nets ashore. The good fish are kept and the useless fish are thrown away.
The point of the parable is that at the end of the age, God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous and everyone is affected regardless of age, gender, color, social status, or anything else. God will judge everyone. The righteous he will keep, and the unrighteous will be thrown into a fiery furnace where there will be great and unrelenting sadness.
In the first parable we learned about Jesus said that the seed, which is the word of God, falls on one of four types of soil. If you are like me after reading that parable you look deep into your life and think about the soil in your life.
But in this parable Jesus gives an ultimatum. He paints a picture that is uncomfortable to look at because he says that in the end when God draws all things to a close he will separate the good from the bad, the righteous from the unrighteous. To be honest, that’s a rather uncomfortable thought since we live in the age of choice. But Jesus is saying we do have a choice, we can choose to be righteous or we can choose to be unrighteous, the choice is up to us. Righteous people put their faith in God and unrighteous people put their faith in anything but God.
The Minneapolis Star and Tribune reported a story on Thursday that caught my attention. There was recently a presidential election in Turkmenistan and a new president was sworn in on Thursday. Probably only a handful of people could point out Turkmenistan on a map. It’s the country that borders Afghanistan and is known for its vast natural gas reserves, but what was interesting to me is the book that the new President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov swore his allegiance to during his inaugural ceremony.
President Berdymukhamedov was sworn in holding a book titled “Rukhnama.” It’s a nationalistic book full of Turkmenistan history and state policy. And it is also an authoritative moral guide on the same level as the Bible and the Koran. Turkmenistens call it the "Book of the Soul." Children are required to study it every day and former president Niyazov said diligent reading of it would guarantee a place in heaven. (Star Tribune, 15 February 2007)
The interesting point is that his predecessor said that diligent reading of this nationalistic and spiritual book would guarantee a place in heaven. But how does he know for sure?
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who was thinking about becoming a Buddhist. I asked him why he wanted to become a Buddhist and he said that he really liked the peaceful teachings. I asked him if he was sure that Buddha was right. He said he didn’t know for sure yet.
I want you to watch this media presentation called “A Man Fell In A Hole” (Bluefishtv.com)
The picture that Jesus paints is very clear and very exclusive. Even as we read it 2,000 years after it was written, Jesus parable applies to us.
What am I going to do with this parable?
If Jesus is right and I believe him, I will spend eternity with him in heaven.
If Jesus is right and I don’t believe him, I will spend eternity in hell.
Like the man in a whole we have to decide what we are going to do about our situation. We can listen to the advice of well intentioned people, or we can grab the rope that Jesus Christ gives us and hang on as he carries us away.
I don’t think that we have to live our entire lives starring at gravestones with frowns on our faces. We don’t have to live our whole life like we are helpless in a pit. Just because I believe there is a hell doesn’t mean that I am going there. Jesus gave his life so I don’t have to. The Bible talks about taking this knowledge and using it to live life to its full.
John 10:10 says:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV
And the Bible also says:
“I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NIV
Now that you see the picture this last sentence tells us what to do with it. Give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Help the homeless, care for kids, love your neighbors, practice forgiveness, participate in causes that matter. For example: As a church we are going to collect Beanie Babies the entire month of March then send them to Iraq for the kids. Why? Because as Christians we want them to get a picture of how much Jesus loves them. Regardless of your position on the war you and I are called to care and this is one way we can do that. The Bible says: “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.”
I am called to give myself fully to the work of God by serving others, caring for the needy, helping the homeless, and comforting the distraught. I am called to share the love of Christ with all people and live my life knowing that Jesus is the perfect picture of hope.
So this morning I challenge you to live in the love and grace of God and give yourself fully to the work of the LORD just like the Bible says. AMEN.
