Harvest Songs a Little Off-Key

 

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Then the Sovereign Lord showed me another vision.  In it I saw a basket filled with ripe fruit.  “What do you see, Amos?” he asked.  I replied, “A basket full of ripe fruit.”  Then the Lord said, “Like this fruit, Israel is ripe for punishment!  I will not delay their punishment again.  In that day the singing in the temple will turn to wailing.  Dead bodies will be scattered everywhere.  They will be carried out of the city in silence.  I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”  Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy!  You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless.  You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales.  And you mix the grain you sell with chaff swept from the floor.  Then you enslave poor people for one piece of silver or a pair of sandals.  Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel:  “I will never forget the wicked things you have done!  Amos 8:1-7

There is enough about judgment in Scripture to have a true echo to this picture Amos has seen of harvest songs (usually a very happy time) turning into wailing in Jerusalem’s temple.  Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels is enough to make one sit-up and shudder over the Great Judgment Day coming.  The list is too long and discomforting for bedtime reading:

·       The Barren Fig Tree (burying your talents Luke 13)
·       The Good Samaritan (religious elitism Luke 10)
·       The Pharisee and the Publican (judging others Luke 18)
·       The Rich Fool (greed and selfishness Luke 12)
·       The Rich Man and Lazarus (ignoring the destitute Luke 16)
·       The Sheep and Goats (pretend Christianity Matthew 25)
·       The House Built on Rock (trusting in other than Christ Matthew 13)

Now that’s just an uncomfortable list of parables, little stories with multi-level lessons.  Greater stories of judgment that cut right to the chase have mountains crashing down on heads, stars falling, war with rivers of blood flowing deep enough to drown a horse.  Then, there are the results of judgment, everlasting torment, weeping, gnashing of teeth (as an ongoing expression of torment), irrevocable banishment into the darkness, never to experience God’s love, being cut in two, and on, and on.

The natural objection to all of this is to point to the fact that it has been two-thousand years since Jesus died, and the earth rocks-on.  So, where is the judgment?  And the traditional response to that is, so-what…justice delayed is a sign of God’s mercy, giving those who reject him time to repent and be saved. 

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.  2 Peter 3:9

But whether people want to forcefully object to Scripture’s warnings, or simply ignore them and hope they’re not true, there is an undeniable discomfort level with the whole subject.  This, in itself, is a measure of proof that there is, placed deep within each of us mortals, an understanding of our accountability to God, and the culpability of our sins.  For those poor souls who want to object to God’s judging the world and everything/person in it is like a flea having an argument with an elephant.  It just will not change the outcome.

For You Today

There is a harvest song that will never be sung off-key – that of the singer who recognizes what Jesus called the fields white unto harvest.  It is God calling the lost who need to hear the Good News that Christ will save all who come to Him in repentance.  When you work in that field, your song is echoed in Heaven, and you will return to Him someday, rejoicing and carrying with you sheaves of joy.  That is another of God’s promises:

They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.  Psalm 126:6

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

The Strength to Go On

[i]

Holy Week

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.  

Hebrews 12:1-3^(NLT)

The cheerleader of Hebrews certainly understood the difficulty of life, and the need we all have of encouragement.  Who among Adam’s race has never been tempted to quit?  But he says:  Run with endurance; don’t give up; look at those who have gone before; strip down to bare essentials…and go on!

It’s one thing to make a momentary decision to give your life to God.  Many an altar has been tear-stained with a first-time decision for Christ.  But by the next Sunday somehow that decision has become a disillusioned, dried-up, demoralized and discarded statistic.  The whole idea of endurance was never imagined, much less entertained.  Like the seed falling on rocky ground in Jesus’ parable of the sower ^{(Matthew 13)} there wasn’t enough soil or water to support the seedling, and faith suffered a withering death.

The will and strength to go-on is often the only missing puzzle piece in the struggle for faith in this life.  And yet, helping each other with that is within the grasp of every Christian.  Certainly it is not simplistic, but the main ingredient in the strength to go-on is not miracles, money, health or physical strength; the critical factor is encouragement.

Trust me on this one; I’ve been there!

Nearing the end of 1981 we were about half-way through seminary.  We had streamlined down from the middle class life to cram three growing kids in a two bedroom trailer on campus.  Elizabeth and I both worked, she cleaning houses on campus, and I worked as a drive-thru afternoon/evening teller at a bank.  Life was a blurry race that often included whether or not my paycheck was going to reach the bank before the rent check did.  With three kids that ate like a small army, there were times when two eggs and a half-loaf of bread were all that stood between a week’s worth of hunger until the next payday. 

And I had to study Greek on top of that!

It all came to a head when it was time to register for the next term.  In those days it cost about $300 for an 8 week term including books; it might as well have been $3 million, because there was nothing left in the bank account, the rent was due, and the Brownworth refrigerator was on hunger watch…again!

I decided I had had enough of seeing my kids and wife suffer.  I couldn’t see how we could make it, so I was going to quit and go back to my insurance job if they’d have me.  When I informed Elizabeth I wouldn’t be registering for any more classes I got a look that said:  Listen-up, Brownworth, we’re going to go to registration! 

“Yes, ma’am!”

We went thru the process, selected classes and all that was left was going to the finance desk to pay.  I turned towards the exit door; she said:  Where are you going? 

I replied:  Hey…there’s no money in the bank; we can’t pay.

She said:  Write a check.

I said:  I can’t do that; there’s no money to cover it; besides, I didn’t even bring the checkbook.

She said:  I’ll wait here; go home and get it.

I said:  But…

That look reappeared, and I said:  Yes, ma’am!

When I reached the trailer I noticed the mail had come.  Among the bills there was a familiar pale green envelope.  The Sunday School class back in Florida that had occasionally sent us a love offering showed up again!  The amount was just a little over $300.  It was enough for books, tuition, fees, and a little I told you I’d never leave you nor forsake you celebration lunch at Burger King.

Yes, MA’AM!  That’s what I call encouragement!

Encouragement comes in many sizes, shapes and density.  Mostly it comes in the size that says:  my grace is sufficient for you. ^{(2 Corinthians 12:9)}

For You Today

The writer of Hebrews said to keep your eyes on Jesus and think of all the suffering He endured; that will give you the strength to endure whatever life and evil can throw at you; it will be the difference you need to go-on!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

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NOTES

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 ^I Title image: By Zumthie (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Sower's Seeds - Part 2

Yesterday we began a look at Jesus’ story of “the sower,” a parable that tells about how God’s kingdom works.  The seeds are God’s Word – the ground is us, our hearts – the Sower is the Spirit of God.  Jesus unfolds the parable’s problems, showing us what keeps us from being all God promised us we could be.

In part one we saw that the problem of hardness is the seed of God’s Word and grace falling on a hard, unwilling heart.  The Proverb writer called that person a fool.  ^{Prov 29:14:1}  Now consider:

THE PROBLEM OF SHALLOWNESS

The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long.  They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.   Matthew 13:20 - 21 (NLT)

The shallow or superficial believer lacks commitment.  Timothy[1] calls him one who has a form of godliness (religion), but denies the power of God. 

Vance Havner used to say a person like this had a theology that was a mile wide, and an inch deep; there’s no conviction, no deep stand on Biblical principles.  A marginal hold on Christianity will produce someone who takes a stand on nothing, and will fall for anything. 

The superficial believer is a "miserable Christian."  Without a strong faith, rooted deeply in the Word of God, how could one possibly serve God AND withstand this world?

Jesus said that this type of follower will be really glad to be a part of things for a while.  But when difficult decisions come and there is a tough choice between the easy way, and serving Christ, there are no firm roots to hold the plant. 

The sun will vitalize a deeply-rooted plant, but it will scorch a shallow one.  Many people who have made a profession of faith in a church, and have not continued to serve Christ are examples of this.  They rock along while things are going fine in church.  But their lack of strong faith in Christ shows the first time trouble comes. 

It shows up most in relationships between fellow believers.

Often the carnal thin-skin will be offended by the smallest annoyance.  Jesus was offended by every one of His followers, yet he loved and forgave them; he didn't give up on them.   When the thin-skins leave, it is because they have been scorched by the genuine message of the cross – denying self, picking up the cross and following Jesus.   

Today

If you find yourself a mile-wide on your theology and only an inch-deep on tolerance of people, the question today:  Is that what Jesus wanted in his family?

Pray that God might give you forbearance to withstand the temptation to create or escalate tension and anger between believers and unbelievers alike in difficult situations.

Also pray for good words of wise accountability during stressful situations, that the Holy Spirit will give – and use – to bring about healing in the body of Christ.

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[1] 2 Timothy 3:5

The Sower's Seeds - Part 1

For the next few days we will look at Jesus’ story of “the sower,” a parable that tells about how God’s kingdom works.  The seeds are God’s Word – the ground is us, our hearts – the Sower is the Spirit of God.

The Story

It was the end of a very long and difficult day for Jesus.  He had fought a battle with demons, disease and the religious leaders who were accusing him of anything that would support their position.  The battle was never in doubt; however, human flesh does get tired, and this was one tough day at Jesus’ office.  Even Jesus’ mother and brothers were wondering about his sanity.  (A few of my family members have felt the same way about me being in ministry!)

Jesus headed for the mountain retreat, but the crowds followed.  So Jesus got into a small fishing boat and pushed out a few feet from shore, looking back to the crowds.  Against a backdrop of cornfields on the hillside, those people looked just like the harvest Jesus was seeking.  Farmers were in those fields, planting.  Jesus takes the time to teach the followers all about HINDERANCES in the kingdom. 

In the first 18 verses of the chapter we receive the riddle of the sower and his seeds, and the reason for the riddle.  In the last five verses Jesus unfolds the parable’s problems, showing us what keeps us from being all God promised us we could be.

THE PROBLEM OF HARDNESS

The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it.  Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.  Matthew 13:19 (NLT)

It is important to say that God never forces His Word on an unwilling heart.  The hardened pathway was packed down soil from years of the farmer walking on it to scatter the seed in the field.  Nothing could grow there. 

In the same way, an unwilling, hardened heart will never receive the seed of God's Word of salvation.  The hardness Jesus was depicting is the heart of an unsaved person.  Salvation is a free gift.  However, it is not yours until you receive it. 

Just like a seed cannot germinate until it is in the ground, an unwilling heart which refuses to accept the grace of God belongs to an unsaved pagan. 

The great evangelist of the 19^th century, D.L. Moody, had a deep commitment to Christ.   Because of this he always had to deal with hecklers.  Once when Moody stood to preach to a large congregation, he was handed a note.  It had but one word, "FOOL."  Without a pause Moody announced to the crowd, "I am stunned.  I have known of many times when someone has written a note, and then forgotten to sign it; but this is the first time I have ever gotten a signature with no note."

Psalms 14:1 tells us, The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.

Today

Consider these two very important verses about the stubborn, hardened ground of a heart that won’t let the seed take hold (meaning to hear and obey God’s Word):

The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts….Psalms 95:8a (NLT)

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.  Proverbs 29:1 (NLT)

Is there any area of your life that you are protecting from God?  

What will you do about it today?