PENTECOST • 9

Are the things of God, always as they seem to us?

SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 25 July

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

  • READ

    In this series of six parables of the kingdom, we hear the voice of Jesus asserting what God is doing to set things right. God’s kingdom has arrived in Jesus’ own ministry, and its full revelation will certainly come. The problem is that right now many do not recognize it, because it looks unimpressive. Could what is happening with Jesus and his disciples really be God establishing His rule and reign? Is not the kingdom supposed to be a mighty display of God’s defeat of evil and the removal of nations afflicting Israel? Jesus’ miracles are nice, but where is the rest of the story? Such questions would have gone through the minds of Jesus’ hearers.

    The Mustard Seed and Leaven (Matthew 13:31-33)

    31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

    33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

    The parable of the Mustard Seed urges and warns us, that no one should be put off by what appears unimpressive. Like the tiny mustard seed which grows to a large plant, similarly the kingdom is already present, even if hidden, unnoticed, or ignored, and its full revelation with its blessings will be revealed.

    This parable addresses doubts concerning Jesus’ proclamation of the presence of the kingdom. In the ancient world leaven was actually fermenting dough. Some fermented dough is kept back from baking and used to ferment the next batch. That’s what the woman was doing. What people thought should be happening was not happening, even though Jesus’ ministry was already partly fulfilling some of their expectations. The challenge to human perception and judgment about smallness and significance is present here too.

    The Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Value (Matthew 13:44-46)

    44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

    45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

    The parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value urges us to recognize the value of this hidden kingdom, and what time it is. With Jesus’ ministry the kingdom is present, and it is time to celebrate and participate in that kingdom at any cost.

    The Net and New and Old Treasures (Matthew 13:47-50)

    47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

    This parable addresses the question: “if God’s kingdom is present, why is there still evil in the world?” It asserts that separation WILL happen at the end of the age and it will be done by God Himself. There will come a Day of Judgement. 

    The net and fishing imagery has a long OT history of representing hardship, captivity, and judgment from God. For example, Habakkuk 1:14-17 views God as having made people like fish and Babylon as being allowed to catch them in nets and then sacrifice to his nets. Ezekiel 32:3 says God will throw his net over Pharaoh and haul him up in his dragnet. The net is not just an image of negative judgment. There is also a positive image of nets. In Ezekiel 47:10 fishing with nets along the river that flows from the Heavenly Temple is a sign of blessing. We should try to understand the kingdom as the whole process of fishing with nets, which at the very end requires separation so that what is valuable is kept and whatever is worthless is thrown away.

  • REFLECT

Are you given to God’s purposes in your life, at the workplace or at home, no matter how small or insignificant they seem at the moment? Can you accept small beginnings? And can you wait and trust God for the fruit of your obedience?

reading for: Wednesday Night, 26 july

Genesis 29:15-28

  • READ

    15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak,[a] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

    21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

    Jacob had everything all neatly planned out. He would work seven years for the hand of Rachel in marriage and then they would get married and live happily ever after. But of course, things didn’t go according to plan. The deceiver, Jacob, got deceived. Uncle Laban had a trick up his sleeve to get his way – have his firstborn daughter, Leah, married off before Rachel. Life, it seemed, was not going to work the way Jacob had so neatly planned. What had happened to God’s promises to him in Genesis chapter 28, the chapter before? Didn’t God promise to bless him in the land and his offspring? We read in Genesis 28:12-17:

    12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, sthe angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:12-17

    How were things going to play out according to God’s promises when Jacob wasn’t even in control of the marriage he had wanted, and things had taken such an unexpected turn that he had to drag he feet to work for his uncle another seven years, just to get Rachel? From his perspective, the promises of God might never happen.

    But in fact, if we follow the story further, we find that Leah gives Jacob six sons (Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun). Leah’s son, Judah, becomes the royal tribe in Israel, from which king David is a descendant, and much later on, also Jesus. It is through Leah’s womb that that the blessings of God eventually flow into the world.

    God purposes cannot be thwarted by man’s failure to be in control of circumstances. He can accomplish his purposes both through man’s active participation with him or without. In fact, in this case, neither Laban’s hidden agenda, nor Jacob’s expectations can derail God’s plan to bless Jacob and through him, bless all other families in Christ Jesus. 

  • REFLECT

    Do you feel circumstances and situations are outside your control? Are things going horribly wrong from your plans and expectations? Entrust them to the Lord in prayer. As His beloved child, find comfort and confidence in knowing that He is in control. There is nothing that He cannot overcome for you and for His purposes to be done in and through you. Will you commit everything to the Lord in prayer? 

reading for: Thursday Night, 27 july

Romans 8:26-39

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    26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

    31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

    “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
        we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

    37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    God is praying for you. Through His Spirit, who comes to our rescue because we’re often so lost, we just don’t know how or what to pray. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, we’re able to participate with the One who carries us eternally before the Father. Hence, when we pray, we actually join Christ in His continual work before the Father. Prayer IS how we participate with God in His purposes in the world – that the purposes of God, which He has already accomplished in heaven, is now brought down to earth.  Prayer is how the broken image of God in man is fully restored to the glory He intended at the Beginning, that we start to look fully human, reflecting perfectly the glory of the divine – like Christ our Lord. Prayer is how we know who He is and get a reality-check on who we are. Prayer is how we know to Whom we belong. Prayer is how we discover God’s purposes and calling for our lives. Prayer is how we experience the reality of the love of God in Christ. Prayer is how we know the certainty of the victory of Christ in our lives which gives our restless, anxious hearts and minds confidence and the certainty we need for rest. Prayer bridges the divide that separates us from God.

  • REFLECT

    Do you REALLY pray? Have you grown in the quality of your prayer life? Partner the Holy Spirit and intercede for one another.

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 28 july

Psalm 105:1-11, 45b

  • READ

    Tell of All His Wondrous Works

    105 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
        make known his deeds among the peoples!
    2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
        tell of all his wondrous works!
    3 Glory in his holy name;
        let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
    4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
        seek his presence continually!
    5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
        his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
    6 O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
        children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

    7 He is the Lord our God;
        his judgments are in all the earth.
    8 He remembers his covenant forever,
        the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
    9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
        his sworn promise to Isaac,
    10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
        to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
    11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
        as your portion for an inheritance.”

    45that they might keep his statutes

                            and observe his laws.

                 Praise the LORD!

    The Psalmist invites us to give thanks to God - to literally throw your hands into the air in an act of high praise of Him. Then we are to “make known his deeds among the peoples”, which means to acknowledge, advise, answer and be familiar with what He has done among the nation. We are to sing and declare his miracles, glorify Him and rejoice in it. (v1-3)

    All the children of Jacob are to seek the Lord and pursue His face (v4) remembering specific events. (v5)

    We are the children of Abraham his servant, his sowing/scattering (offspring) (v6), his chosen ones (v7) and he remembers his covenant for ever and for countless generations (v8-11) which he gave to Abraham (Genesis 12) ratified with Jacob (Genesis 28).

  • REFLECT

    Sit quietly for five to ten minutes as you recollect the week. What are you thankful for? What can you praise Him for? What gifts of service have your done during the week that you would like to present to Him at this Sunday’s service? What do you seek from the Lord for the weekend or coming week? Ask of Him with faith and boldness, as His son/daughter.   

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