Matthew 13

“When the day after tomorrow is yesterday, today will be as far from Wednesday as today was from Wednesday when the day before yesterday was tomorrow. What is the day after this day?”

 

Above is a riddle. Figured it out yet?!

 

Today is all about Parables – Parables are those stories Jesus tells which are almost like Riddles sometimes! Whenever I see a riddle I have to read it at least 40 times before I know what’s going on…I think I’m the same with parables… There are more than a few parables in today’s reading covering topics from seeds to nets to yeast. Jesus spoke to the crowds in ways they would understand – He used farming and fishing analogies because he knew the crowd could relate to them.

 

In our E100 book the title for today is D-Day. D-Day was essentially the beginning of the end of WWII. Jesus coming into our world was the beginning of the end, the end being when he makes his return. Jesus uses parables to give the crowds a vision of that end. He begins with the parable of the sower – teaching us that the word of God will fall on deaf ears for some, for others they will receive it with joy but burn out or let worries and the troubles of this world take first place. But there will be others who accept the word and let it grow in their hearts.

 

Jesus doesn’t leave it there though. He gives us a vision of his return, where bad fish will be separated from the good, and weeds removed from the crop.

 

While I have been reading over these passages and thinking about this New Year and about a new start, I can’t stop thinking about a song I have been listening to a lot recently. It’s a song called ‘The Time is Now’ and has been speaking to me recently.

 

“The time is now, for lifting souls.

The time is now, for letting go.

From your skin, to your core.

Let light, and love, come rushing through the door.”

 

The time is now for the word of God to form deep roots in our hearts. I’ve felt the past year or so that I haven’t exactly being doing that, I haven’t been praying/reading/worshiping as I should be. There’s a set of lyrics in that song which I relate to – “You’ve learned every song, memorized the verse, Took the bread and wine, and even bought the shirt…”

 

My resolution for this New Year is simple in theory but something I defo need a lot of prayer for and God’s grace….

 

It’s not time to go to church. It’s time to be the church.

 

 

Adam