Matthew 13 - 3.28.25
Scripture: Matthew 13:16-17
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Observation
Jesus was sitting in a boat speaking to all the crowds of people on the shore. He told them the Parable of the Sower. The idea behind the word parable is “to throw alongside of.” It is a story thrown alongside the truth intended to teach. Parables have been called “earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.” (Enduring Word) Thereby the things of God were made plainer and easier to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant. (Christianity.com)
Matthew 13:15 - For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.
The Parable of the Sower talks about four different heart conditions.
1. The Hardpacked Soil – People who don’t understand the teaching of the Kingdom of God and the evil one steals it away.
2. The Rocky Soil – People who receive the word gladly, but fall away under pressure because there isn’t any root.
3. The Thorny Soil – People who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out the word.
4. The Good Soil – People who hear the Word and understand it and bear much fruit.
Application
What condition is your heart in? Is your heart made of good soil? Jesus tells us that we are blessed because our eyes can see how God is working and our ears are tuned in to hear the Father’s voice and to understand the Word. So many people allow their heart to become calloused, through trials, hurts and disappointments and they end up blaming God and others. If we run to Jesus when life gets hard and allow Him to mold us into His prize possessions, not letting any bitterness in our heart, we can used for His Kingdom.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Help us to humbly come to you with a broken and contrite heart so you can mold us and make us into Your hands and feet in this earth. Help us to be people who run after you and your Word. Holy Spirit help us keep our hearts soft and pliable, full of love, so we are sensitive to hear your voice.
Matthew 13:8 & 9 – Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop-a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
We pray in Jesus’ name!
- Michelle Craig
Matthew 12 - 3.27.25
S - At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:1-2
O – The Pharisees had established 39 categories of actions forbidden on the Sabbath, based on interpretations of God’s law and on Jewish custom. Harvesting was one of those forbidden actions. By picking wheat and rubbing it in their hands, the disciples were technically harvesting, according to the religious leaders. Jesus and the disciples were picking grain because they were hungry, not because they wanted to harvest the grain for a profit. They were NOT working on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, however, could not, and did not, want to see beyond their laws’ technicalities. They had no room for compassion, and they were determined to accuse Jesus of wrongdoing.
A - Although there is so much to share about in this chapter, these two verses always stop me in my reading as I do a big eye roll. What in the world?! This feels ludicrous and seems the epitome of looking for sin that isn’t there. Is this ALL they could fault them for? This was the best they could do? Could they not see how ridiculous this sounded?!
The seventh day is to be a holy day for God. That doesn’t mean that a person cannot lift any objects, but it does mean that a person must not labor at their job. What the disciples were doing did not break the Old Testament law. It is clearly stated in Deuteronomy….
Deuteronomy 23:24-25 - 24 If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.
We should never add or subtract from the Bible. We must be careful not to add our own traditions onto the teaching of God’s Word. These traditions can cause bondage and legalism instead of a heart to serve God. At the same time, be very careful not to judge others for things which the Bible doesn’t condemn. We could very easily turn people AWAY from God by doing these things, rather than draw them into the loving relationship with Him that He desires.
1 John 5:3 - 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.
The Sabbath was made for man. This day was not meant as a yoke of bondage where people would sneak around scared of breaking one of the thousands of rules on this day (the Rabbis had come up with many additional rules governing every area of life including how many steps you could take on the Sabbath and forbidding spitting on dirt because when the dirt turned to mud that is work.) The purpose of this day was to rest from their work and spend time learning about and worshiping God as a family and country. How could a person ever rest it he had to count every step he took during the day, weigh out everything he carried to make sure it wasn’t too heavy, and look before spitting, etc.? These kinds of rules crush people and turn them off from following God. But imagine the other way. Knowing they weren’t supposed to work in the fields, gather grain, or plow, the people could truly rest. They could put aside all of their worries for one day and just enjoy each other and the Lord. God’s commands are not burdensome, but ours very well could be. (studyandobey.com)
P – Lord, forgive me for the times that I let my busyness get in the way of taking time for a Sabbath with you. Help me, and anyone else struggling to rest in you, remember what the Sabbath is, and what its intended purpose is for. Help us to set aside a day to just soak in Your presence and Your love….to spend time worshiping you, breaking bread with our brothers and sisters and sharing ALL of the amazing ways in which you are actively caring for us, loving us, protecting us and providing for us. YOU are worthy of all of our praise and You are all that we need. Help us to remember that when we find ourselves being too busy to put aside a day to rest in You. May Your commands fill us with peace as we know your Heart for us is always GOOD and that when we take the time to really BE with you, you honor that time and we have no need to worry about what is to come the next day. You are already going ahead of us to work those things out. Lord, thank you for the reminder that it is my privilege to spend time with you and that the time spent with you is NEVER wasted! Amen!
- Crystal Flory
Psalm 54 - 3.26.25
Scripture
Psalm 54:6-7
I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
Observation
I love reading the psalms and how real David is with his emotions. He cries out to God and pours out all his worries, misery, and despair. And after he lets it all out and lays the problem at God’s feet, then he comes back acknowledging that God is in control, that he is faithful and good.
Application
Pastor Levi talked about this same thing on Sunday. Following Jesus does not mean we will never experience difficulties. But he asks us to trust him. When confronted with storms, we can spiral out of control or we can run to the one who loves us and promises peace and comfort. I’ve had the opportunity to put this into practice this week. I’ve had some difficult circumstances that feel overwhelming. I can lay awake worrying and filled with anxiety, or I can lay it at his feet. Over and over the past week I have had to pray and put things in God’s hands. And he is faithful to hear my cries and replace them with peace. My circumstances have not changed, but I believe that God is in control.
Prayer
Lord, you are faithful. You have answered my prayers before and you will do it again. I am thankful that I serve a loving, faithful and mighty God. No circumstances are too big for you. Thank you for being in control and thank you for surrounding me with your peace.
- Debbie Dunn