"There's an App for That! " - Sun. July 23, 2023

"There's an App for That! " - Sun. July 23, 2023

Jul 23, 2023

Preacher: Pastor Mike Sager

Series: Kingdom Parables

Category: Worship Services

Notes:

We are focusing on parables about the Kingdom of God in Matthew, and Jesus is using images of farming practices to demonstrate the ways of the Kingdom. In this week’s text, Jesus focuses on the wheat and the weeds. Or another way to look at it, good and evil. Often, when the conversation turns to religion or God, the question comes up about why God allows evil in the world. If we are honest with ourselves, that question crosses our minds when we see or hear about the horrific acts of humanity upon each other. Or when a loved one faces a terrible disease. So, what do we do with good and evil? When you think about wheat (good) and weeds (evil), what makes one plant wheat and the other plant a weed? One possible reason is that wheat is useful and desirable, while a weed is not useful or desirable. According to Jesus’ story, the wheat and the weeds grow together, yet the desire of the disciples to pull the weeds out of the wheat field is rejected by Jesus.

Why do you think Jesus does not want us to pull out the weeds? Won’t the weeds take over if they are not dealt with? Is Jesus just a bad farmer? Does trying to pull out the weeds in our lives or the lives of others cause more damage than good? Does it cause us to focus too much of our attention on what we want to get rid of versus what God wants us to nurture and grow? 

Dig deeper:

What is it in your life that God might be calling you to focus on so that it might grow and bring meaning and encouragement to yourself and others?

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