Well-watered Garden

This Spring has been very warm and dry.  I love the warm part.  We've had some B-E-A-utiful days this Spring.  But after a while of no rain you start to see some consequences.  I have a number of things already planted in my garden.  My lettuce is coming up, my broccoli is starting to do better, my peppers are hanging in and a few others things are doing well.  My trash-can potatoes are doing awesome.  There really hasn't been much rain to keep things watered, so I've had to go out every day either with my watering bucket or the hose to water the garden.  I also planted grass seed in a few bare spots in our yard that I've had to water.  For a while things were looking pretty dry.  The dirt in the garden was dry.  The places I had planted grass were very dry and hard.

But Saturday night it started raining and today (Monday) it's still raining.  I came across this Scripture: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy you needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).  The rain has been great for the garden and the yard and our flower beds.  I'm looking forward to seeing how things will grow once the sun comes out again.  Far more comforting is knowing that God satisfies my needs.  He gives me refreshment and new life when I feel dried out and sun-scorched.  There have been times this Spring, while working in the garden or yard, where I've just reflected on everything God has blessed me with.  My wife and son, my home and food, my church family, my job.  In these times I feel refreshed and renewed.  I know that God has blessed me in order for me to be a blessing.

Thank you God for rain.  For watering the garden and helping things to grow.  Thank you for the refreshment you send into my life and for the way you satisfy my needs.  Amen

Kingdom: Part 2

In Part 2 of my study of the Kingdom of God I want to look at some of the characteristics of the Kingdom. Perhaps this is nothing new, but it's helpful for me to see them all in one place.

• Kingdom will have no end (Lk. 1:33)
• Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:3, 10).  Interesting that in Luke's parallel (Lk. 6:20) he writes "Blessed are you who are poor (no spirit) for yours if the kingdom of God."  Also Jesus says "is the kingdom of heaven" and not "will be" indicating the immediacy of the kingdom.
• The entire Sermon on the Mount speaks to the characteristics of the kingdom.  It speaks of enemy love, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, seeking the kingdom and more.
• Not just about a set of beliefs but also about action (Lk. 7:21)
• Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:1-23; Mk. 4:1-20; Lk. 8:1-15) The kingdom grows like a seed.  Unfortunately it doesn't grow everywhere it's planted.  Like planting a seed and watching it grow, spreading the kingdom takes patience and care.  Mark especially points out this characteristic of being patient in the Parable of the Growing Seed (Mk. 4:26-29)
• Parable of the Weeds (Mt. 13:24-30)  In the kingdom the good and bad are allowed to exist for a while as the weeds grow in among the wheat.  God separates at the end.  Sometimes it seems like the church is in a hurry to get to this part and wants to start the separating before its proper time.  Our job is to bear witness to the love of Christ and be Christ to the world.  Let God do the separating when he's ready.
• Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mt. 13:30-32; Mk. 4:30-34; Lk. 13:17-19)  The kingdom starts like a small seed but grows.  In Jesus for President Shane Claiborne points out that growing mustard in a Jewish garden was forbidden.  Mustard starts small.  Slowly but surely it takes over the garden.  The kingdom certainly starts small with Jesus and his disciples but it grows and grows.  
• Parable of the Yeast (Mt. 13:32-34; Lk. 13:19-21)  The Jews were no big fans of yeast either.  Jesus says the kingdom is like yeast.  A little bit works it's way in and changes everything around it.  Jesus seems to have in mind the kingdom expanding and affecting everything around it.  We don't see a massive forced take-over, but a slow and steady spreading of the kingdom.
• Pearl of Great Price (Mt. 13:43-45) Kingdom is like a pearl that is worth giving up everything to pursue.  
• Parable of the Net (Mt. 13:47-50)  The kingdom draws in everyone and the good and bad are separated out at the end.
• Those that are teaching about the kingdom are talking about something new in the world and at the same time something that God has been building and is very old (Mt. 13:52)
• The greatest in the kingdom is like a little child (Mt. 18:1-3; Mk. 10:13-15)
• The Kingdom is a place of mercy and grace (Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Mt. 18:21-35)
• Must be willing to give up everything to pursue the kingdom unlike the rich young man (Mt. 19:16-30; Mk. 10:17-31; Lk. 18:18-30) Jesus also talks about the renewal of all things.
• Parable of the Two Sons (Mt. 21:28-32) Jesus warns that "tax collectors and prostitutes" are entering the kingdom ahead of those who think they are in.  The parable warns us about saying we believe and actually following Jesus in our actions.
• Parable of the Wedding banquet (Mt. 22:1-14; Lk. 14:)  The wedding banquet is populated by people off of the street; those that were thought to be lowly, poor and outcast come while those who had been invited don't come.

There are other verses that could be added here as well.  These characteristics are taken from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  Let me add a few observations.  The kingdom is seen as a place that is expanding slowly but surely.  Unlike the kingdoms of this world which expand through force and subjugation of people, the kingdom of God expands through love and mercy and small mustard seed-like actions.  Several parables seem to indicate good and bad people existing in the kingdom for a while until God separates them.  Jesus warns about the dangers of assuming you're "in" and not following Jesus in action.  Instead the outcasts, poor and "sinners" are often seen joining the banquet.  The kingdom of God is something so unlike what normal kingdoms look like.  In my next post I'll take a look at what John has to say about the kingdom and John's introduction of one of the most powerful symbols of the kingdom.

Connect and Grow

In Sunday School, Bible study, and on Sunday night Rap we've been talking about connecting with others and growing in our relationship with God. Here's an opportunity to do both. Easter is in roughly 2 weeks. That's 14 days. Read John chapter 12-21 in the next 2 weeks. That's 10 chapters in 14 days. John is a story of Christ's Passion for humanity from beginning to end. But we'll focus on Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem through his resurrection. That's how we'll grow. We'll connect with one another by commenting on this blog. Leave a comment on what your learning so that others can grow too from what you're learning. Here are a few additional resources to help you:

www.biblegateway.com and www.youversion.com