WEDNESDAY- 17^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46: He sells everything he owns and buys the field.

I Reading: Jeremiah 15:10.16-21: Why is my suffering continual? If you come back, I will take you back into my service.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure: Giving Up All for Christ, Mt 13:44

There are two main interpretations of this parable.

1.    Some say that Jesus Christ is the man and the treasure in the field represents potential believers who are in the world. In this interpretation, Jesus sees the treasure of men in the world, and seeing them he does four things:

a.    He hides the treasure and protecting them until he can complete the work of salvation.

b.    He goes. He comes to the world.

c.     He sells all: he gives up heaven in all its glory and splendour.

d.    He buys: he pays the ultimate price. He gives his life for the life of people.

e.     He enjoys: he envisions the glorious day when all his treasure shall be possessed by him.

2.    Others say the treasure is the gospel of Christ, the gospel of the Messiah who is ever so precious. A person sees the gospel, the saving message of Christ, as never before; that is, he/she understands the immense treasure of salvation. As Jesus did in the above, so the person does the same four things here.

Thought: The person experiences the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) once he/she has possessed Christ as a true treasure.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

TUESDAY- 17^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43: Just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time.

I Reading: Jeremiah 14:17-22: remember, Lord, not break your covenant with us.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds Explained: Mt 13:36-43

This passage is the interpretation of the wheat and weeds. See outline and notes of Mt 13:24-30.

Thought: The offenders will be judged and condemned where as the righteous shall be glorified like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (1Jn 3:2; Phil 3:21; Rom 8:17; 1Cor 15:41-44, 48-50, 53).
www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

MONDAY- 17^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35: A mustard seed becomes a tree so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches.

I Reading Jeremiah 13:1-11: The people will become like this loincloth, good for nothing.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed:

The Growth and Greatness of Christianity, Mt 13:31-32

Jesus is describing the growth and greatness of his kingdom and of Christianity in this parable. He shows how it begins as the smallest of seeds and grows into the greatest of movements.

The message of the parable is a powerful message to individual believers and congregations as well as to Christianity as a whole. The seed of faith begins ever so mall at baptism and grows into the greatest faith day by day. Mature believers (grown v.32) believers and congregations alike provide lodging for the people of a turbulent world.

1.    The parable: describes the kingdom (Christianity) (v.31)

2.    A mustard seed was planted (v.31)

a.    A man deliberately took and planted seed

b.    Planted in his field

3.    The mustard seed grew and became the greatest of bushes (v.32)

a.    Was the smallest seed

b.    Grew into the greatest bushes

c.     Result: birds come and lodge in its branches

Thought: The parable is great encouragement to all believers and to us in our personal lives and in our ministry for the growth and success of hard work or mission of Christ.

The Parable of the Leaven or Yeast:

The Transforming Power of the Gospel, Mt 13:33

There are essentially two interpretations of this parable.

1.    Some say the leaven represents evil that penetrates the kingdom of God and his Church. A woman mixes represents the mixture of evil within the good.

2.    Most say the yeast symbolizes the kingdom of God that penetrates and works silently to transform people and society. The power of God transforms the lives of people and society.

1.    The parable describes the kingdom of heaven (v.33)

2.    It is deliberately taken (v.33)

3.    It is mixed in unfinished flour (v.33)

4.    It silently transforms the whole lump (v.33)

Thought: The Gospel is powerful, extremely powerful. Just a “little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (1Cor 5:6; Gal 5:9).

The Messiah’s Purpose for Speaking in Parables, Mt 13:34-35

See outline and notes-Mt 13:10-17 for a full discussion of the “Messiah’s reasons for speaking in parables.” The secret of the gospel must be revealed (v.34-35). See also the notes Eph 1:9-10.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

SUNDAY- 17^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: John 6:1-15: Jesus gave out as much as was wanted to all who were sitting ready.

I Reading: 2 Kings 4: 42-44: they will eat and have some left over.

II Reading: Ephesians 4: 1-6: One Body, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand: The Provision for Human Need

Chapter 6 reveals Jesus to be the Provision for every human and material need. Jesus first demonstrated the truth, then he began to preach and teach it. He showed that he was...

Concerned with every need in life (even a missed meal, Jn 6:1-15)

Concerned with every overpowering need the calming of a storm (Jn 6:16-21).

No matter how small the need or how stormy the problem, Jesus is the provision, the Bread of Life, and the power to meet human’s every need. He can provide a single meal, and he can calm the stormiest problem.

Believing and trusting are essential for God to meet human need. So faith and trust in the power of Jesus is essential in life to see that Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life, the Provision of human need.

1.     The setting (v.1-6)

a.     After this sometime Jesus crossed the lake of Galilee

b.    Feverish, surging crowds followed him

c.      Jesus sought rest and relief

d.    The pilgrims were gathering for the Feast

e.      The two concerns of Jesus

1)    The missing of a meal- Jesus wants to meet every need

2)    The testing and strengthening of his disciples: teaching the kinds of faith

2.     Lesson 1: there is s pessimistic faith (v.7)

3.     Lesson 2: there is an optimistic but questioning faith (v.8-9)

a.     Andrew searched for and brought food

b.    He questioned the supply

4.     Lesson 3: there is a positive and unswerving faith (v.10-13)

a.     Jesus’ faith

1)    He took and gave thanks for what he had

2)    He gave what he had

3)    He used others to help him

b.    God’s answer and provision

1)    He meet the people’s need: he fed and filled them

2)    He gave an overabundance

3)    He allowed no waste

5.     Lesson 4: there is a materialistic profession of Jesus (v.14-15)

a.     The people’s profession: Jesus was the Messiah

b.    The people’s concept: Jesus was an earthly and materialistic king

Thought: While a person is giving what he/she has, he/she must trust the power and provision of God. If a person gives, God does the rest.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

SATURDAY- 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30: Let them both grow till the harvest.

I Reading: Jeremiah 7:1-11: Do you take this Temple that bears my name for a robber’s den?

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds:

The Question of Evil, Why it Exists?

Some of people’s basic questions about the presence of evil in the world and judging others are covered in this parable. It is parable that has some very practical answers and lessons for humankind. Jesus explains the parable in vs. 36-43.

1.     The parable describes the king of heaven (v.24)

2.     A man (Jesus Christ) sows good seed (the righteous) (v.24)

a.     He does sow

b.    He owns the field

3.     An enemy sows weeds (the wicked) (v.25)

a.     He sows secretly

b.    He sows in the same field

4.     A day for fruit comes (v.26)

a.     Wheat appears

b.    Weed appears

5.     A day of questioning comes (v.27-30)

a.     Question 1: where do the weeds come from?

b.    The answer: an enemy sows them

c.      Question 2: shall we judge and root up the wicked?

d.    The answer

1)    Do not judge: will root up some wheat along with weeds

2)    Let both grow together

6.     A day of harvest is coming (v.30)

a.     Weeds: will be bundled and burned

b.    Wheat: will be gathered into the owner’s barn

Thought: The devil is a sworn enemy to Jesus Christ, to the world, and to all good.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

FRIDAY- 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23: The man who hears the word and understands it, he is one who yields a harvest.

I Reading: Jeremiah 3:14-17: I will give you shepherds after own heart; all the nation will gather in Jerusalem.

The Parable of the Farmer or Sower Explained, Mt 13:18-23

This passage is the interpretation of the Farmer and the Seed (Mt 13:1-9).

Thought: Hearing the Word preached and taught will not get a person into heaven. A person has to receive the Word. A sobering fact: “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22). The ear has no greater purpose than to hear the message of God.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

THURSDAY- 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17: The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them.

I Reading: Jeremiah 2:1-3. 7-8. 12-13: My people have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, only to dig cisterns for themselves, leaky cisterns that hold no water.

The Messiah’s Reasons for Speaking in Parables:

Who receives and Who Loses

The secrets of the kingdom of heaven cannot be understood without first recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and as the One who brings the kingdom of Heaven to people. The secrets of the kingdom of heaven can be understood by the believing disciples and would be misunderstood by the unbelieving crowds deliberately blinded their eyes and deafened their ears. Jesus used a good method and taught in parables to understand the Word of God clearly. The method shocked the disciples. Therefore they questioned him: “Why?” His answer was a strong warning to some and a great promise to others (Mk 4:1-2; Lk 8:9-10).

1.     Why Jesus spoke in parables (v.10-11)

a.     The disciples questioned Jesus

b.    The general statement

1)    Secrets are given to believers

2)    Secrets are not given to unbelievers

2.     Reason 1: Seekers and achievers receive more (v.12)

a.     Some seek and have

b.    Some do not seek and lose

3.     Reason 2: Unbelievers reject and lose (v.13-15)

a.     Their wilful rejection

1)    Do see and hear, yet refuse to really see and hear

2)    Refuse to understand

b.    Their rejection prophesied

c.      Their rejection described

1)    Harden their hearts

2)    Deafen their ears

3)    Close their eyes

4)    Deny what they see

5)    Refuse understanding

6)    Fight conversion and healing

4.     Reason 3: Believers receive and are blessed (v.16-17)

a.     They see and hear

b.    They are especially privileged- privileged over Old Testament believers

Thought: A little formula says it all.

Perspective + initiative = success

Perspective – initiative = lost opportunity

Initiative – perspective = nothing

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

WEDNESDAY- 16^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9: It produced crop a hundredfold.

I Reading: Jeremiah 1:1. 4-10: I have appointed to you as prophet to the nations.

The Parable of the Farmer or Sower: How a Man Receives the Gospel?

The eight parables of Mt 13 have to do with the “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 13:11). By secret Jesus does not mean something secretive or mysterious, but rather something unknown and not revealed until this present time.

Jesus interprets this parable in verses 18-23. The farmer or sower is either the Lord Jesus Christ or a servant of his (v.37). (The servants of the Lord Ministers or laypeople, are “workers together with God,” (1Cor 3:9). The seed is the Word of God or the Word of the kingdom (v.19). It is called (1) the “imperishable seed” (1 Pet 1:23) and (2) “the gospel which...is bearing fruit” (1Col 1:5-6).

The ground upon which the seed is sown is the heart of the hearers. Jesus says two significant things about ground:

a.     There are different ways for the ground to hear and receive the Word (seed).

b.    The fate of the Word, how well it grows, depends upon the ground, that is, the hearer (see notes Mk 4:1-20; Lk 8:4-15).

Each hearer is personally responsible for how he receives the Word of God.

1.     Jesus Christ preached a parable (v.1-2)

a.     On the Sabbath

b.    By the sea shore in a ship

c.      Large crowds gathered

d.    They pressed him into a boat

2.     A farmer went forth to sow (v.3, 18)

3.     A large number did not allow the Word to take permanent root (v.4-7)

a.     Some dwelt by the path

b.    Some received the Word in rocky places

c.      Some received the Word among thorns

4.     Only a small number allowed the Word to take permanent root (v.8)

5.     Only a few allowed the Word to bear 100% fruit (v.8)

6.     A strong call: Hear/Listen

Thought: God’s word shall never return to Him empty (Is 55:11). This is a glorious encouragement to the true minister and teacher of God. Fruit is that distinguishes the true believer from the hypocrite. A person is held accountable for the kind of heart he/she has: hard, emotional, superficial, thorny or soft and tender.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com