Friday, October 15, 2010

Day 285

Galilean Ministry cont.
6. Teaching at the Sea of Galilee - cont.
- To the crowds by the sea - cont.
    *Parable of the tares (P-4) - Matthew 13:24-30
    *Parable of mustard seed (P-5) - Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32
    *Parable of the leaven (P-6) - Matthew 13:33
    *Conclusion - Matthew 13:34-35; Mark 4:33-34
- To the disciples in a house
    *Parable of tares explained - Matthew 113:36-43
    *Parable of hidden treasure (P-7) - Matthew 13:44
    *Parable of pearl of great price (P-8) - Matthew 13:45-46
    *Parable of the net (P-9) - Matthew 13:47-50
    *The householder - Matthew 13:51-53
7. Miracles by the sea
- Jesus stills the tempest (M-13) - Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25
- The demoniacs (M-14) - Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39


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Wheat and tares - I was really focused on the repeated phrase 'kingdom of heaven' but as I re-read the portion searching for my underlines...the passage on wheat and tares caught my eye, and off on a journey went I.  :-)


This is an interesting passage - it parallels life - the wicked and the righteous growing together.  It also, once again, substantiates common grace.  The wheat and tares were in the same ground, receiving the same nutrients, water, light, etc.  They both grew, but when the time of bearing fruit approached they were shown to be either wheat or tares.


Matthew 12:26 - But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.


This shows that fruit is the evidence of who one really is, not what one says or mimics.  Anyone can say they are a Christian, but the proof (as they say) is in the pudding.


It wasn't until typing this that the thought occurred to me...these people are farmers.  They didn't notice until the fruit was evident?!   Note these are not weeds.  They LOOK just like the wheat while growing.


Frankly I would be hard pressed to know the difference - when I garden I mark everything, otherwise I'm likely to root up the good along with the bad.  These people handle and interact with the fields and what is growing on a regular basis and they could not discern until it 'brought forth fruit.'


That means we need to seriously know how and what GOOD fruit looks like.  How can one do that if we spend very little time being washed in the Word?  How much time do we spend on non-eternal activities?


We all need food, sleep, work, rest, etc.  However if we equate eating (which nourishes our physical bodies) with feeding our spirit - how would it compare?  How much time do we spend thinking, buying, preparing, consuming food for our physical bodies?  Do we even give a 10th of that time to feasting on the Word?


To be continued....

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