Matthew 13-15

Well, in light of the sermon on Sunday it would be difficult for me to not at least mention what an amazingly difficult doctrine it is to hold as a church that Jesus died for those who were predestined to "hear" the words he spoke and believe. Although there is room for discussion on how this all plays out, Cor put it well when he said he would not try to comfort anyone but just simply asked are we willing to trust that God loves us and that his sovereign will is perfect. Matthew 13 is jam packed with difficult or rather should I say unpopular biblical truths.

1. Not everyone will hear and believe the Gospel
2. There is a Hell and it will be very unpleasant
3. God is never out of power to act in mighty ways to alleviate suffering or to bring blessing, but chooses how and when to do so. Sometimes it is simply our lack of faith that prevents us from seeing him do so.

Wow, I don't know about you, but Chapter 13 is thick stuff and hard to explain to the unbeliever or really to anyone for that matter. Chapter 14 doesn't start so well either. In Chapter 11 Jesus sets up this guy we know as John the Baptist like this,

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(Matthew 11:11 ESV)

Three chapters later and without much else said John's head is served up on a platter and we never hear about him again. There is not an explanation of his funeral or how many people were devastated or angered by his death. All we read is that they took his body and buried it.  But there is something unbelievably freeing about how all that went down. John did really love Jesus. He did have a lot of spiritual power. He was well known amongst the people (even a King). Yet Jesus says the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Why? How can he say that? (Yes, if you said because he is Jesus that would be technically correct) I think he can say this because he does not need us, but wants us. John's death was not the end of God's work going forward. He never needed him, but there was a great reward for John waiting in heaven. God is simply asking us to join him in his service so he can bless and love the mess out of us.

As I was reading this I was reminded that we are free from trying to pursue being the smartest, loving Jesus better than others (or so we think), or any other silly religious games we might play. Jesus is just interested in us because we are his. That's it. Bottom line. HE. LOVES. YOU. We don't have a category for this on earth. Everything we do is earned one way or another. I struggle with this so much. Probably not that mind blowing for some of you, but God has been doing a lot of work in my heart on this.

In Chapters 13-15 there is a running theme of faith being rewarded here on earth and most certainly in eternity. Knowing how perfectly and totally I am loved apart from anything I do frees my heart to serve Christ with a Holy recklessness. I know our faith in Christ will not put us to shame. I am grateful for the fellowship of others believers to help me stay on this narrow path and I hope by God's grace I am still feeling that way when life's circumstances become all but explainable.

That's all for now. I can't wait to hear and read what going through the New Testament is doing for the rest of you!