Sunday, July 30, 2023

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Deuteronomy 7:6-9
Psalm 125
Romans 8:28-39
Matthew 13:44-52

No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Our psalm for this week comes in the middle of a grouping. They were not written together; some are attributed to David (122, 124, 131, 133), one to Solomon (127), several are from during or after the exile, and others may be attributed to descendants of David. The editor of the Psalter, perhaps Ezra, grouped Psalm 120-134 together and added the title “A Song of Ascent”. It is possible that these psalms were already being used by pilgrims traveling toward Jerusalem for a festival at the time of editing, but they were definitely used in liturgical form afterwards. You can almost imagine the exiles singing these psalms on their way home to Jerusalem. Psalm 120 bemoans being far from home, and there are places in the psalms where it seems like the singers were able to see Jerusalem from a distance. Jerusalem was built on a hill and the temple was made with white marble, so it almost glowed when the sun was just right. At other points, you can imagine that they’ve lost sight of the city and are feeling tired and frustrated.

There are several theories as to why these were called the “A Song of Ascent.” Some think they were used because there was a spiral staircase of fifteen steps that lead to the Temple, and that one of these Psalms was sung on each step. Some thought it had to do with spiritual ascent, suggesting that the singer became closer to God with each Psalm. Yet others think that it has to do with a rising musical pitch, although we don’t have the music behind the songs they sung. Another possibility is that they were sung as pilgrims approached Jerusalem during their festivals’ physical and physical journeys.

Jerusalem or Zion is mentioned in several of these Psalms, including the one for this week. The city was on a mountain, and pilgrims ascended upward to get to the Temple and closer to God. Zion was considered the highest mountain in the world not because it is taller than others but because of its spiritual significance. God dwelled in Jerusalem, in the Temple. Pilgrimage always leads the pilgrim toward God.

These psalms are all relatively short; even more so because they begin just after Psalm 119 which is the longest of the Psalms. The longest is only 18 verses and the rest are under ten verses, with two having only three verses each. This makes it possible to sing them all together, making them as if they are one psalm. Each Psalm has a simple theme and can easily be adapted to other situations for focused prayer. I’ve used them as I’ve prayed for our nation, fitting the words to fit our needs, praying for God to help us. These psalms have words of lament, comfort, confidence, celebration, thanksgiving, wisdom, instruction, deliverance, penitence, forgiveness, unity, and praise. They go back and forth between lament and celebration. Isn’t that our life’s journey? We struggle and we praise. We lament and thank God for His blessings.

Psalm 125 is a confession of trust, thanksgiving, confidence. It is a community psalm. It is about dwelling in the peace of God. The psalmist writes, “Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.” How we live in a world of sin is dependent on our perspective. When we trust in God, we know that we will be unmoved even when tragedy strikes. When we trust in God, we can face our enemies with grace. We are a holy people, set apart to share God’s love with the world. We weren’t chosen because we are particularly special; we aren’t. He has made promises to His people, from the days of Abraham, Moses, and beyond. We have become His people through faith, and we are called to live according to His good and perfect word.

We are blessed to be a blessing and we are called to share Jesus Christ who is the manifestation of God’s love for the world. Jesus was sent to set us free to live faithfully in that love. We will face enemies; Christians have faced enemies during every generation since Jesus. Yet, we need not concern ourselves about these things, for the difficulties we face in sharing God’s grace will not stop the work of God in this world. We might struggle and lament, but we also praise and thank God for His blessings. Our life in God’s Kingdom is both comfortable and difficult. We hear God’s word and like the promises, but we struggle with the things that warn of judgment.

The parables in Matthew 13 look toward a day of judgment. The Gospel lesson for this week includes a number of parables, all about the kingdom of heaven. Jesus uses these parables to bring a deeper spiritual truth into common language for the people listening. At the same time, parables can be confusing because we want to fit our own understanding into the stories, often making the meaning too complicated or not really listening to what Jesus has to say. Now, parables can be understood in different ways, depending on one’s perspective, but we must be careful. It is so easy to make the stories fit our own opinions and interpretations while missing out on the deeper truths that God would have us know. Sometimes we even say we understand when we really aren’t paying attention to what God is saying.

Our passage for today is preceded by a few other parables which were told to the crowds. We’ve heard the parables about seeds and weeds. Jesus also talked about the mustard seed and leaven, two very small things that can become huge. Then Jesus left and went into the house. His disciples followed. Jesus revealed the meaning of the parable of the weeds and then told several more parables, with a slightly different focus, teaching how a small and hidden thing can become something of great value.

Jesus told the disciples that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure found in a field. The man who found the treasure hid it again and then went to purchase the field. Now, some are bothered by the idea that the man hid the treasure again, suggesting that there are legal and ethical problems with the way this story is told. Yet, the man who found the treasure could have easily just taken it without bothering to purchase the place where it was found. We learn in this parable that great treasures come with some sacrifice and cost. How many people think that they can have the benefits of God’s grace without giving up one’s self? The man who found the treasure wanted it enough to go to great trouble to possess it. He will love and appreciate what he has received far more than the one who would simply take it from its hiding place.

Again, Jesus tells a parable about a pearl of great price. In this parable we learn that the kingdom of heaven is something of such value that we should be willing to give up everything we have to gain possession of it. It is tempting to see these two parables as a statement about the work we must do to receive the kingdom of heaven for ourselves, but we are reminded that the value is not in our work but in the treasure. These are stories about letting go of ourselves and our stuff for the sake of something that is worth so much more than we could possibly give. We are made part of the kingdom through God’s grace, and by His grace we are called to go into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. It is to be like those pilgrims singing “A Songs of Ascent”, growing into a deeper relationship with God. It is not enough to know about God’s kingdom, or even to be part of it. We are called to possess it, to grasp it and hold on to it, to make it a part of our whole being.

We are called to a living faith.

After Jesus spoke to the crowd and the disciples in parables, He asked the disciples, “Have you understood all these things?” The disciples answered, “Yes” but we know that the disciples did not always understand what Jesus was trying to teach them. Even after the resurrection, Jesus had to repeat lessons He had taught them for so long. Even with the knowledge and understanding all Christians gained from the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, we still have questions. There are still things we do not understand.

Parables are often hard and confusing. First of all, we don’t always understand the earthly aspects of Jesus’ examples because we aren’t farmers; our world is different than the one to whom Jesus was speaking. How many of us really know about seeds? Do we know how we would react if we found hidden treasure or a fantastic pearl? The spiritual aspects can be even more difficult, but with the Spirit’s help we can understand. We can look at those parables and understand that Jesus is talking about sacrifice and commitment. We can see that the kingdom of heaven is of great value and worthy of our dedication and submission. We can interpret those parables to our own lives and learn lessons that will help us grow into a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. As “A Song of Ascent” suggests, the pilgrimage leading to God will be filled with times when we lament and other times when we have reasons to praise. Every experience of life is worthwhile because God makes all things work together for our good.

The final parable is perhaps the hardest of the three. Jesus said, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

We look at a parable like this with a sense of victory. We believe that “others” are our enemies and are the wicked in the story. We are glad to know that God promised to take care of our enemies in the end. We are so certain about this that we think of our enemies as they will be, in that furnace of fire weeping and gnashing their teeth. Sadly, this brings us a sense of joy, although it doesn’t give us comfort.

When Jesus asked whether they understand, I imagine the disciples were thinking in these very terms. They could already see the writing on the wall. Shortly before this lesson of parables, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man. The people were astonished, but the Pharisees claimed that the power Jesus used in the healing was from Beelzebub. Beelzebub was the prince of demons. In this interaction, the disciples could see that the relationship between Jesus and the authorities was not going to be congenial. The Pharisees and teachers of the law approached Jesus demanding proof of His authority; they wanted a miraculous sign. Jesus refused, establishing in the minds of the disciples that this was not going to be an easy ministry. Even Jesus’ mother and brothers questioned Him. They were going to have enemies. The only comfort in doing work against so many enemies is to know that in the end you will be proven righteous. The proof is in the failure of the enemies to win. The proof will come when God weeds out the weeds and severs the wicked from the righteous. The proof is in the blessings we receive by God’s grace because we believe.

When Jesus asks us, “Have you understood all these things?” we want to say “Yes.” We want to see this parable through the eyes of our vindication. We will be the good fish, saved from the furnace. We will be the ones who receive the kingdom of heaven. There is something deeper and more important in this parable, and the other parables, however. We are constantly reminded that we are not the king. We do not rule the kingdom of heaven. We are not judge, jury, or executioner. Eternal judgment is never up to us because God is in charge. He will weed out the weeds and sever the wicked from the righteous. We can’t see the hearts. Those we see as wicked may been seen much differently through the eyes of God. It is God who will make the judgment and He looks at things much differently than we do.

We have to see the world through wider eyes. Our understanding is so narrowly focused, based on our biases. We see things through our culture, our gender, our experience, our geography, our race, our religion, our hopes, and our dreams. We see things a certain way because of our personalities, our financial condition, our relationships. Jesus tells the disciples, however, that they have to see things through new eyes. Now that they understand the kingdom of heaven, they have to see things through the old and the new. We have to do the same thing, seeing the world and the kingdom of heaven through the eyes of those who have been given the understanding of God. He is King and we have been called to teach the world this wonderful truth, trusting that He will make all things work to His glory.

The psalmist wrote, “Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.” How we live in a world of sin is dependent on our perspective. When we trust in God, we know that we will be unmoved even when tragedy strikes. When we trust in God, we can face our enemies with grace. We are a holy people, set apart to share God’s love with the world. We weren’t chosen because we are particularly special; we aren’t. He has made promises to His people, from the days of Abraham, Moses, and beyond. We have become His people through faith, and we are called to live according to His good and perfect word.

We don’t have to defeat our enemies. Living faith means trusting that God is with us and that He will ensure that everything will be made right.

It doesn’t always make sense. Every time I study the parables of Jesus, I come up with different ideas. We recognize the reality that we can’t do it without God. That’s what Paul is talking about in today’s epistle. We are weak, but God is able to search our very hearts and speak the words we are unable to speak. He knows all the things we do not know, and He ensures that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. God is truly greater than we might expect, able to make incredible things happen; He is more valuable than the riches treasures of earth. Just like those examples in the parables, God is able, and He will do exactly what He has promised.

Paul writes, “He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?” The work of God through Jesus Christ made us free to live according to His Word. We need not worry about the seeds that won’t grow or the weeds that do. We need not concern ourselves about the size of our mustard plant or which fish we should catch. These things cannot keep us from the love of Christ. As Paul writes, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is why the pilgrims could sing songs with so many different themes. They trusted God in their good times and bad. They journeyed with Him as they went to worship Him.

We are blessed to be a blessing and we are called to share Jesus Christ who is the manifestation of God’s love for the world. Jesus was sent to set us free to live faithfully in that love. We will face enemies; Christians have faced enemies during every generation since Jesus. Yet, we need not concern ourselves with those things, for the difficulties we face in sharing God’s grace will not stop the work of God in this world. Through it we will grow to be closer to Him and stronger in our faith. He promised that this would be true.

We take this one day at a time. Even if the seeds we plant seem miniscule, or seem to fall in the wrong places, God can grow a harvest beyond our imagination. Even when the yeast disappears in the flour, it is there to make it rise. The treasure we have found is worth the price of our lives, for our lives were worth the sacrifice of God’s Son. In the end, some of the catch will be thrown back and the weeds will be burned, but this is God work to decide. Even when we face the struggles of life, we can live in the confidence that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose.

Even though the parables say different things about the kingdom of heaven, each one only gives us a glimmer of the whole. We take each of these pieces, like the proverbial puzzle, and put them all together to see the whole picture. In the end, what we see is the grace of God. It is God that grows the plants, and the Spirit that makes the dough rise. It is God who gives up everything for the sake of the treasure, and you are His treasure. Jesus was sent to die for your sake, there is no greater sacrifice. And as in the parable of the weeds, it is not our place to make a judgment about which fish are good or bad, for God will be the ultimate judge.

Jesus concludes this lesson with a message for the disciples: those who would be teachers of the kingdom of heaven. He said, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.” Jesus was not saying that one is better than the other. The disciples were not to disregard the lessons found in the Old Testament scriptures. Rather, they were to use all God’s resources to share the kingdom of heaven with the world. Paul certainly did by pointing to the lessons and the promises he know from the Old Testament scriptures.

Jesus asked the disciples, “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes” but as we see the story of Jesus unfold, they did not always understand what Jesus was telling them. Did they really know that Jesus had to die and rise again? Did they expect the kingdom to expand after Jesus ascended to heaven? Did they truly understand the work that would be done by the Holy Spirit after Pentecost? It is not likely. In this series of parables, Jesus was showing his disciples how to make the old new and fresh, how to preach the kingdom of heaven in a way that the people would see it in their everyday life and understand how it applies to their life.

Jesus calls us to living faith in the kingdom of God, even if we do not fully know or understand everything He has taught us. Good or bad, God is with us making everything work out for our good. There is a great deal of comfort in that, especially when things don’t go so well. Just knowing that God is working things for our good, we can face the difficulties with patience and courage. We are made part of the kingdom through God’s grace, and by His grace we are called to go into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. It is not enough to know about God’s kingdom, or even to be part of it. We are called to possess it, to grasp it and hold on to it, to make it a part of our whole being.

Jesus’ parables help us see more clearly the whole kingdom of God, for He reigns over all. This is why it is important that we seek His wisdom and discernment in all that we do, for in seeking His guidance we will find that He will bless us far beyond what we even ask. All too often, however, we ask God to bless us with the wrong things like victory over our enemies instead of seeking His wisdom and discernment. When these are the desires of our heart, we lose sight of God and His mercy. We forget that all we have is given by God’s grace. We get caught up in ourselves and forget that God loves our enemies, too.

Christ reveals the wisdom of God and unfolds the words of God and reveal His grace. In Christ we are conquerors, called to take the Gospel to all people that they too might have real life. We will be vindicated, but not because we have done anything to deserve it. We will still struggle to understand it all, but we can trust that truly Jesus conquered sin and death so that we will be forgiven our sin and made new in His grace.