Matthew 13:24-58 24 He told another story. Gods kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. 26 When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. 27 The farmhands came to the farmer and said, Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasnt it? Where did these thistles come from? 28 He answered, Some enemy did this. The farmhands asked, Should we weed out the thistles? 29 He said, No, if you weed the thistles, youll pull up the wheat, too. 30 Let them grow together until harvest time. Then Ill instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn. 31 Another story. Gods kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. 32 It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it. 33 Another story. Gods kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread - and waits while the dough rises. 34 All Jesus did that day was tell stories - a long storytelling afternoon. 35 His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the worlds first day. 36 Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field. 37 So he explained. The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. 40 The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, 42 pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. 43 At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. Are you listening to this? Really listening? 44 Gods kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic - what a find! - and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. 45 Or, Gods kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. 46 Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. 47 Or, Gods kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. 48 When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. 49 Thats how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish 50 and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it wont do any good. 51 Jesus asked, Are you starting to get a handle on all this? They answered, Yes. 52 He said, Then you see how every student well-trained in Gods kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it. 53 When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, 54 returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. We had no idea he was this good! they said. How did he get so wise, get such ability? 55 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: Weve known him since he was a kid; hes the carpenters son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. 56 All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is? 57 They got their noses all out of joint. 58 But Jesus said, A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family. He didnt do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:35:01 +0000
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