| Redeemer Lutheran Church 1084 W. Bullard Ave. Fresno, CA 93711 Phone: (559) 439-8500 Fax: (559) 439-8585 office@redeemerfresno.com The Reverend Clarence Eisberg Phone: (209) 725-9082 Cell: (209) 631-3108 pastor@redeemerfresno.com Worship ~ 8:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Family Ministries ~ 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion ~ 2nd & 4th Sundays |
| Connecting People to Jesus and to One Another! www.lcms.org |
The Reverend Clarence Eisberg |
July 24, 2011 |
“The Parables of Matthew 13” |
| The parables in Matthew 13 are providing answers to the disciples, then through Matthew to the new Christian community of believers. These Christians were eager to tell the story of God’s love and forgiveness displayed in the life of Jesus. After a time they began to write the “story” down. (read Luke 1:1-2) (maybe about 54 AD while Paul was prisoner for 2 years in Caesarea) Most of the letters of Paul and the Gospels were written between 50 AD and 70 AD. The Letters of Paul were written between 50 AD and 64 AD the year he was martyred in Rome. Their questions are not about the “way to heaven” but “their walk, their behavior” and the behavior of those who claimed the name but did not walk the walk. They wanted to know why some who hear the “story” get very excited but fade away. They wanted to know why some took the grace of God for granted? Even though these first century Christians faced different questions than we do in the 21st century the message of Jesus does not change. In the 1st century a Jewish person might ask: “How could the Messiah come from Nazareth?” “Why did God let Jesus die if He was the Messiah?” In our culture the question is: “Why do I need God? Science has all the answers. Or: All religions lead to the same place…so why are you intolerant of others? Besides, there is no absolute spiritual truth, you pick one that fits you. In the 1st century a Greek or Roman citizen might ask: “If Jesus is who you say He is, then why did he live in Palestine?” “How could his death on a cross, a death place for criminals, affect such results as you claim?” Forgiveness of sins and life after death? Really? Matthew 13 is a collection of seven parables which describe life in the Christian community and we need to read them as one message which are answering questions being asked by those early Christians. Imagine the excitement on the Day of Pentecost when the church added 3,000 new converts… now think of the problems: home visits, food distribution for widows, bible education without the written New Testament, the worship in the Temple complex….and you know some of the people were just there for the emotional ride. It was the newest thing….there would be questions. In the 1st parable of the sower Jesus reminds his disciples and us that the ‘story’ of his life, death and resurrection is to be told. The hymn writer Catherine Hankey in 1866 captures that point with the words of this familiar hymn: “I love to tell the story, … of Jesus and His love I love to tell the story, … it did so much for me I love to tell the story, … tis pleasant to repeat I love to tell the story, … for some have never heard the message of salvation from God’s own Holy Word.” Jesus said: When this story is heard “it is like a farmer sowing seed. Some who hear will receive it with joy, but if there is no depth, when persecution or trouble comes they quickly fall away. When others hear the “old, old story” they are like the seed that fell among the thorns and weeds…. Their faith in Jesus is choked out by the worries of this life, making their faith unfruitful.” They will be in heaven, but their life on earth has been choked out by other priorities… they claim membership but they do not display the fruits of the spirit. (Gal. 5:22) When the story of Jesus is told… Satan, the enemy of God will seek to gain control over the lifestyle and behavior of the new believer and those who claim the mantle of Christianity. Yes there are and will be false prophets and pretend believers …even in the “church”. Remember the words of Martin Luther in his hymn: “Dear Christians One and All Rejoice”? “Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay Death brooded darkly over me Sin was my torment night and day..” Or “the old evil foe has sworn to work us woe With dreadful might He arms Himself for fight No strength of ours can match His might We would be lost rejected… For God Himself fights by our side with weapons Of the Spirit. For God Himself is Lord of Hosts, Christ Jesus Has won the victory. Today, we too seek ways to tell the “old, old story” in a post Christian culture where Satan is still active using governments to stamp out the “old, old story”. (Communism, whether in Russia, Poland or Eastern Europe, North Korea or China, Nazism in Germany or America) “A few years ago the pastoral staff at Trinity Church in Columbus, Ohio “retreated” to Indianapolis for the NCAA “MARCH Maddness” Basketball playoffs. The guy with the orange hair and homemade “John 3:16” sign was under the basket at the other end of the court. Seated behind this pastoral team were two well dressed couples debating what John 3:16 sign meant.” Reduced to guessing, one thought it was an ad for a new restaurant in town. Another thought the sign might be a signal to someone to meet at the John on the 3rd floor, stall 16. They were totally in the dark as to why anyone would be holding a sign with those words on it. The Christian faith was never universal in US America but there was a broad consensus that our national culture should rest on the Judeo-Christian World View. We are uncomfortable with competing “World Views” that end up telling us that all spiritual pathways lead to the same destination, “heaven.” It is difficult to talk about things like Satan, hell, sin, guilt and grace. Science is seeking to replace religion as the basis for social morality. This is our world. God is not dead. He is alive. His Holy Spirit is still alive that’s why Jesus told the next parable. “the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, yet when full grown it is a very large tree and the birds like to come and rest in its branches. What does this mean? Acts 1…. “don’t you remember that 40 days after the ascension of Jesus from the Mt. of Olives to Heaven… Luke tells us: “the disciples returned to Jerusalem …they went upstairs to the room where they were staying…. In those days the number of believers was 120.” Only 120 Christians in the entire world!!!! Yes, the Christian community was the size of a mustard seed… and now? The Christian church continues to grow. The fastest growing Christian churches are in Korea and Africa. The Church is growing in China. The LCMS has been invited to begin a Christian school not only in Shanghai, and now Hanoi. If you remember Dan Frerking, the principal and organist at Emmanuel… his son is one of the teachers going to Hanoi. There is a spiritual hunger and thirst. That’s why Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life” has sold over 40 million copies. Jesus said: “the kingdom of heaven is like a business man who was looking for fine pearls, when he found one of great value, he sold everything he had to purchase it. When a person hears the old, old story and chooses to be a disciple of Jesus it is seen as an opportunity not to be missed. The love and excitement and joy they discover is exactly the same today as it was for those who were drawn to Jesus in those long ago days when he first walked among us. There is an ancient legend about the monk who found a precious stone, a precious jewel. A short time later, the monk met a traveler, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of his provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the traveler saw the precious stone and, on an impulse, asked the monk if he could have it. Amazingly, the monk gave the traveler the stone. The traveler departed quickly overjoyed with his new possession. However, a few days later, he came back, searching for the monk. He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: “Please give me that which enabled you to give me this precious stone!" A commitment of the whole heart, that’s what heaven…the Kingdom of Heaven requires of its followers. I love this last parable because Jesus does not say the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl of great price. He says the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant, a business man who finds a great deal on a flawless stone and does everything in his power to close the sale. That’s commitment to a greater cause. That’s sacrifice and hard work. That’s what living in the community of faith is to be like. |
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