Monday, April 23, 2007

Matthew 13

Jesus used a lot of parables in his ministry to try and explain things that are generally beyond our comprehension. For example, how can two people hear the same Gospel and only one of them believe? How can Christ reveal Himself to two people and only one of them recognize Him for who He is?

He explains that people are like seeds and that some will hear and have an opportunity to grow in good soil and produce great fruit. Others are like seeds in rocky soil that sprout quickly and then whither. While others are either don't understand or allow other things in their life to continue to be primary and that causes them to never even take root with the Gospel or their faith. Why these things happen, we don't understand, but Christ explains simply that they do and that we need to recognize that. There will be some that believe, some that believe but don't grow, and some that simply never believe.

The problem is that we are all living together on this planet. We are intertwined with the weeds from Christ's second parable and we cannot be separated from them. When it comes to the end of time, God will separate the two apart, but for now, He cannot remove the wicked without harming the good, so He chooses to allow both to grow together for a time because it will be better for the harvest.

Ultimately, as hard as things are here on earth, there is nothing that you would rather have than a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. People will give all that they have and all that they ever will have to obtain it, but it's not something that can be bought. It just requires all of your faith.

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