“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold” (Mark 4:20).
Every time I read or hear Jesus’s parable of the sower (or the soils, as some call it), I stop to pray, “Lord, let me be good soil!” I know that on any given day, I could be like the path, the rocky ground, or all be overwhelmed by thorns.
Sometimes I’m not paying attention. In one ear and out the other. Other times it just doesn’t sink in. I can’t figure out how it applies. Still other times I’ve got a million things on my mind, and there doesn’t seem to be much room for spiritual truths. Or, I’m all ears, and I learn something new and useful.
I’d rather be the last on that list. Jesus promises, “Pay attention to what you hear…For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (4:24,25). Some of that is on me. If I get rid of distractions, I can, of course, focus much better. But I can always ask God for help, too. I can ask for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I can ask to learn something new. I can pray that he would direct my steps according to his word. I can ask that I would be good soil!
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:21)
Jesus couldn’t openly enter a town. He had to stay on the outskirts, because too many people were coming to be healed (Mark 1:45). He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him when the crowds were crushing in on him (3:9). Jesus and the disciples were so busy they didn’t have time to eat. Which is why his family thought he was out of his mind.
On any given day I wonder if someone is crazy or out of their mind. When the un-helmeted motorcyclist zooms past me on the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, I yell, “You guys are idiots!” I hear how much some people are asking for their houses and conclude, “You’re crazy if you think you’ll get that much.” When I caught my 80-year-old neighbor up on his roof, I asked, “Are you out of your mind?” (He had been banned from climbing ladders years ago.)
Of course, I’m sure some wonder the same thing about me. Driving youth home from a Christian rock event at 3 am, then getting up to preach the next day. Teaching middle school classes. Delivering Angel Tree presents to home in the housing projects. “Is he out of his mind?”
But Jesus? Out of his mind? I suppose one could say that. Especially when he tells us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive each other. Really, Jesus? Maybe your family was right.
Some more “through the bible” thoughts from Mark 2.
“When Jesus saw their faith…” (Mark 2:5).
There is so much going on as Jesus preaches to a crowd crammed into his house in Capernaum. Four men carry a paralyzed man to Jesus, but can’t even get in the door. They take him up on the roof, open up a hole, and let him down to where Jesus is. “And when Jesus saw their faith…” he responds with spiritual and physical healing. The man walks away forgiven!
I’ve heard it said that faith is personal, but it is never private. What does faith look like on the outside? Faithful church attendance? Helping to feed or clothe someone who needs the basics? Going on a mission trip to share the gospel? Financially supporting Christian ministry? Yes to all of the above.
The faith of these five men looks like confidence, persistence, and creativity. No crowd, roof, or disability was going to keep their friend from Jesus. Their efforts reflect Paul’s words, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39).
Sometimes it seems like those we love are so far away from God. If we could just get them to Jesus, they would get it. But maybe you’re not the one who will do it. Maybe it will be a friend or coworker who will bring them. Pray that the right one will come along who will get them through the roof to Jesus!
Many of my neighbors put these reflector sticks in their yards by the edge of the road. They believe these sticks will keep cars and trucks from leaving ruts in their lawn. As you can see by this picture, they don’t work. (The big dog can also attest to that.)
On streets where a new home is being built, neighbors are mortified by the possibility that the subcontractors are going to park on the lawn. Your experience may be different, but I rarely see that happen.
I laugh when I see front yards with nothing but weeds put these sticks out. You’ll spend money on a dozen reflectors, but not a penny on lawn care?
Trucks cannot keep their wheels out of the corner lots like the one above. Is the turn too tight for them? I don’t know. I suspect the drivers don’t care that much.
Your lawn might look a little nicer, but these reflectors look ugly. They stand straight and tall for a day. Then the wind blows, vehicles hit them, and dogs brush by them, leaving them in disarray. The Florida sun makes the plastic brittle, crack, and fall apart, leaving pieces all over the road. Thanks for adding more debris to the already cluttered road.
I love to eavesdrop while I’m sitting at Starbucks. I was sitting outside while I waited for the little dog (Winston the Westie) to be groomed and overheard an interesting conversation.
He sat down behind me at an outdoor table, opened up his laptop, and started up a conversation with someone who sounded like his trainer, coach, or mentor.
I chuckled as he explained, “My big win this past week was potty training my daughter. She’s doing well with pee-pees, but we’ve got some work to do with poo-poos.”
This is a man after my own heart. A dad who’s first priority is his daughter. He continued, “I didn’t do the reading. My week was too busy.” I couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation. I wonder if the other person had as much respect for this guy as I did.
It’s hard to balance a job, parenting, and a relationship (marriage?). No one has time for everything. Sometimes you have to make a choice. I would definitely hire/mentor/train someone who put children and family first.
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. (Mark 2:2-4)
This unusual sermon interruption brought back memories of some of my interrupted sermons.
My sermons usually began about twenty minutes into the worship service. When someone walked in after I started preaching, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Really? Twenty-five minutes late?”
Some sermons were interrupted by the arrival of EMTs to care for a worshiper who passed out during the sermon. In those cases, I would stop and lead the congregation in prayer, resuming my sermon once they had left for the emergency room.
A malfunctioning fire alarm panel would punctuate my preaching with a series of beeps. It was both annoying and amusing to see folks scrambling around trying to silence the alert.
Except for a few Covid-19 Sundays when I was alone in the sanctuary preaching to a video camera, I could count on hearing sneezing, coughing, nose blowing, and candy being unwrapped.
My favorite interruption was one I engineered. When my wife was in Haiti providing medical care after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, I had her call me during the sermon so she could report on her experience. That was the only time my phone rang during a sermon.
Before online giving, some folks wrote out their offering checks during the sermon. They tried to be quiet, but I could hear them slowly and carefully tearing the check out of the checkbook.
On a stormy day, I often had to compete with rumbling thunder and the sound of a downpour on the sanctuary’s metal roof.
Babies liked to make their presence known. I love babies and I love babies in worship. Bring it, little one. I’ve got a lot of volume in reserve.
The sound of people tearing a hole in the roof interrupted Jesus’s preaching. The paralyzed man from above encountered the son of God who came from above. Jesus forgives the man and heals his condition, as powerful a message as his preaching that day.
According to my WordPress statistics, this is my 2,000th blog post!I published my first post October 23, 2008.
I have painted my share of inside and outside walls over the years. I can attest to the fact that preparation is at least half of the job.
Let’s say my task is to paint the front bedroom of my home, which measures 12 foot square. I first need to get all the furniture out of the way, and everything off the walls. That includes the curtains, blinds, and hardware that goes along. Next, I have to fill in all those holes in the wall were nails used to be. After they are filled, I sand the spot smooth and spray the area with wall texture.
What’s next? I tape off the baseboards and spread out the drop cloths. Once that’s done, I wipe off the walls and let them dry. I’ll be cutting in all the trim next, so I make sure that I have the right brush along with a few rags. Oh, and of course, I spread out my drop cloths. Because guess what? I’m a little sloppy when I paint. When I’ve got enough paint, rollers and covers, I’m ready to get to work.
Bottom line? I spend much more time preparing to paint a room than I do for the Lord’s arrival.
I hear “Jesus is coming!” from every angle. Songs and sermons say it’s going to happen any minute. History tells me our predictions will be wrong. Scripture says, “Be ready!”
So how do I get ready for a certain event that will happen at a completely unknown moment in time?
I study to get ready for a test. I run lots of miles to get ready to run a marathon. I clean every nook and cranny of my home when we’re expecting guests. I put all my ingredients in small bowls before I begin cooking. I practice my part over and over again before the concert.
What do I do in preparation for the Lord’s arrival?
Most of the time, I do nothing. I pray for his activity, and then I’m surprised when he shows up. I’m shocked when he heals, reconciles enemies, overwhelms demons, and gives new life. Rather than being prepared, I’m surprised by his powerful presence.
Prepare to be surprised. Prepare for the unexpected.
Some “through the Bible” thoughts from Matthew 28.
In the aftermath of Jesus’s resurrection, the disciples gather in Galilee, where they see the Lord one more time before his ascension into heaven.
“But some doubted” (Matthew 28:17).
What did they doubt? There’s no denying the resurrection. Jesus is standing right there. It wasn’t the first time they had seen the risen Christ.
Most commentators say that it was more like a, “I don’t believe it” kind of moment when they saw him.
At last weekend’s fall festival, I looked up from our vendor booth and saw a couple I hadn’t seen in twenty years! Together we mouthed, “I don’t believe it!” We didn’t doubt the reality of the moment. This blast from the past wasn’t on our radar.
But this was forty days after that Sunday when they first saw the risen Lord. They hadn’t processed it yet? They were still in shock? Some still thought it was too good to be true?
Maybe their doubts were about the future. Now what? There were lies about the disciples stealing Jesus’s corpse. They may have been safer in Galilee than Jerusalem, but for how long? Nothing was certain. After three amazing years, maybe they should just go back to doing what they did before.
“Could have,” “Should have,” and “Knew I shouldn’t have,” show up in the best and worst moments of life , and everywhere in between. Did you pay too much? Should you have said something? Or kept your mouth shut? Should you have showed up? Or just stayed home? Did you do your best?
Any of us can second-guess ourselves to death. So Jesus’s next words are important: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (28:18). Rather than doubting, over-thinking, or second-guessing, listen to him. He’s got the last word.
Some “through the Bible” thoughts from Matthew 26.
“So, could you not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:41)
The disciples snooze as Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane. What do you think? Is an hour of prayer a long time or a short time?
I guess it depends. I’ve tried to listen and keep my focus as someone said a long, involved prayer before we sat down to eat a meal. The prayer went far beyond, thanking God for food, and the friends who were gathered, praying for healing, peace, church, and numerous other issues. Those five minutes seemed like a very long time to me.
On the other hand, I remember taking tests that had a one hour time limit. That hour passed by so quickly. I could’ve used a little more time to go back over some of my answer answers.
At the airport, a one hour flight delay seems to take forever. I wander around get some coffee find a snack and still have 15 minutes to wait.
When we’re driving somewhere small voices from the backseat say how long till we get there? There are lots of grounds when I say an hour. Even though I might know where I’m going, I’ll bring the GPS up on the screen so it can tell them how much farther we have to go.
Some people feel the need to include some doctrine statements in their prayers, probably more for the benefit of those listening. We want to make sure that people know what it is that we believe. To me that seems kind of redundant, since God knows what I believe.
In conjunction with a fundraising effort for sanctuary, our church had a 24 hour prayer vigil. People signed up for an hour slot and came to the church to pray, as we suck God‘s blessings not just for a new building, but our church’s ministry. Not many people wanted to be there between three and four in the morning, so that’s the slot that I took. I have to to admit it seemed like a very long hour to me.
I guess that’s because I tend to get to the point. When I’m called upon to pray before a meal or to begin or close a Bible class, I generally say what I can in one breath. I can usually capture the essence of my thoughts in 20 words or less. But that’s just me.
But the same token an hour of prayer doesn’t have to consist of your words. That sweet hour of prayer could also involve reading God’s word, hearing God’s word, thinking about God’s word, and listening. I believe we pay attention to God‘s half of the conversation when we pray. I do find that hour in the morning of reading my Bible, journaling, praying, thinking, and planning my day does go by pretty quickly.
Waite for it... 