Matthew 18:10

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 18:10  

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 18:10 

Today we will look at the Parable of the Lost Sheep.   Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven. “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?  “And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.  Thus, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Matthew 18:10-14. 

This is an interesting parable for it addresses a situation that many of us have not learned to address properly.  The first sentence in this parable says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10.  The Greek word translated despise has the idea of looking down upon or scorning, as well as disregarding them  so as not to be around.  John Wesley put it this way. “We must be careful to receive and not to offend, the weaker  believers in Christ: for as inconsiderable as some of these may appear to be, the very angels of God have a peculiar charge over them: even those of the highest order, who continually appear at the throne of the Most High.”

Now, when we come to verse twelve we read, “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?” Matthew 18:12.  This rhetorical question implies an affirmative response in the Greek: of course, that is the way one would act.  Jesus tells them that the shepherd in this story, being a ‘good shepherd’, would go after a lost sheep, leaving the other ninety-nine to find the one.  The straying sheep is a believer, one of these little ones, who wanders away from consistent obedience as well as intimate fellowship with God.  Now, the leaving of the ninety-nine does not assume they are left unprotected, for other shepherds would probably help them out.

In the next two verses, He expresses the reason for this. “And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.  Thus, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Matthew 18:13-14.  God does not will for anyone to perish.  “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. Many look at this verse regarding only the unsaved. However, this speaks of all, including those who are weak and walk away. “Thus, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Matthew 18:14.

Jesus said to His disciples go out into all the world.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. Yes, we are called to spread the gospel to the lost, but we are also called to teach and strengthen those who are followers of Christ. We should never avoid any opportunity to help Christians, especially those who are new and/or weak in their faith. And if we see them beginning to shy away from the Church and ultimately God Himself, we need to go to them and encourage them to stay true to the ways of Christ and help them in areas where they are weak or are questioning Christianity itself.  And if we can turn them around, we can rejoice with God that they have come back to Christ and given up their sins and/or doubts.  For remember, it is the will of God that all of His sheep will stay true and not perish and fall away.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 13:45

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:45 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,” – Matthew 13:45 

Today we will look at the parable of the Pearl of Great Price.   Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46.

This is one of a series of parables Jesus speaks to the crowd; therefore, He uses “Again” as the first word here.  This parable is similar to the parable of the Hidden Treasure with one distinct difference.  In the parable of the Hidden Treasure, the one who found it was not looking for it but stumbled across it by accident.  In the parable of the Pearl of great price, he knows what he is looking for and then finds the best pearl, one of incredible price. 

Why is this significant?  Because it shows God is reaching out to everyone, both the spiritual seekers and the apathetic atheists.  Those who are not looking for truth are like the man who stumbles upon the treasure.  He finds it and realizes this is valuable and he needs to possess it.  Similar to an atheist who happened to hear the gospel and he becomes open to the truth.  He was not looking for it, but when he came across it, he realized this was important as well as a valuable truth that he needs to have.  So, he leaves it there and sells everything he has and with this money he buys the property wherein lies the treasure.

On the other side, those who are looking for truth are like today’s verse of the day.  He looks and looks and suddenly comes across a pearl that is excellent and of great value.  Similar to someone who knows there is more to this life then he has explored, he begins looking for the truth.  He looks and looks and finds this amazing pearl that he knows is incredibly valuable.  So, he also sells everything he has and buys it. 

In these two stories we have two people who have sold everything they have for a significant find.  And Jesus, in both parables, is speaking of the Kingdom of God.  And specifically, our ability to join Him in His eternal kingdom.  He is telling those listening that whether they are looking for God or not, they have the opportunity to enter into His kingdom, for He is presenting the truth to them and it is up to them to, in the words of the parables, buy it or not.

What Jesus was saying in this parable is that if we are seeking for the truth, honestly and deliberately seeking, we will find it.  For the man was seeking for a treasure of great price and in his diligence, found it. In the similar parable of the Hidden Treasure, we see that sometimes we are not looking for truth, but when we stumble upon it, we see the value regarding its truth and we accept.  But what is most important is in both of these, they valued what they found enough to sell everything they had for it.

God calls would-be disciples to give up everything to obtain the treasure He is offering.  Sometimes He calls them to literally sell everything, such as with the rich young ruler. “Jesus said to him, If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21.  But in all cases we must let go of anything that would stand in the way of wholehearted allegiance to Christ and the priorities of the kingdom.  I will close with this question.  Have we given all to follow Him?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 13:47

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:47 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and gathering fish of every kind.” – Matthew 13:47 

Today we will look at the parable of the net.   Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:44.

In Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus is sitting by the sea and teaching crowds through the use of parables. There were probably fishermen there which would have been able to understand the intent of the message. Starting with our focus verse we read, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and gathering fish of every kind.” Matthew 13:47.  This parable addresses the intermingling of good and bad at that time, in our present time and the certainty of their separation at the end of the age upon Christ’s return.  The net referred to here was a large dragnet spread out over a considerable area of water. A good catch of fish would require strenuous effort to haul to shore.  This parable though does not focus on the net, but on the catch. The idea regards bringing all the people together, comprised of both what is valuable and what is valueless. There is no discrimination about netting fish; everything in the area, good and bad alike, is caught up.

Now, putting out the net is the first process, but then comes the gathering of the net to the shore with all the fish enclosed. The net is said to be filled, which was denoted as a good catch. It is drawn up on the beach, so Jesus is speaking of the hauling in of the fish at the end of the operation. Then they would sit on the beach and sort out the fish. The good ones would be put into baskets.  The bad fish were thrown away, for they had no value and there was nothing else they could do with them.

Now in the last two verses, Jesus explains what He meant in the first two verses. He starts by saying in the same way. In other words, this was a picture of the end times. It speaks of two very distinct groups of people.  Just as the net is drawn up with every type of fish in the sea, both good and bad, so will all the people be gathered together for judgement, both the righteousness and the evil.  It is important to remember that the division has nothing to do with merit, based on our own efforts.  The righteous are those who follow Jesus and depend on God’s mercy for they know their shortcomings can only be addressed through the shed blood of Christ. In contrast, the wicked are those who rely on their own merit and believe they can do enough to be saved. Jesus then says that the angels will come and take out the wicked from the righteous, just as the fisherman separated the bad fish from the good.  And just as the bad fish was discarded, the evil ones, those who did not accept the work of Christ and relied on themselves and other ways to be made right with God would be cast into the lake of fire, where it says there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It is important that we do not rely on our goodness to save us. Just as a bad fish cannot become a good fish by what they do, wicked and unrighteous people cannot make themselves righteous based on what they do.  Only God, through the shed blood of Christ, can turn us from evil to good.  And He wants to do this for all people. But we must rely on Him to make it happen.  This message must be spread to all so they understand this truth.  And that is where we come in.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 13:44

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:44 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44 

The parable we will look at today is of the Hidden Treasure.  Here is this parable, which is also our focus verse as told in Matthew’s gospel.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44.

Jesus here equates the kingdom to a man who finds treasure, one that is buried in a field. Treasure could denote where valuables are stored, as is found earlier in Matthew. “And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11. However, in this verse it denotes the valuable item itself.  In a day when places for keeping things safe that we take for granted (like the safe deposits in banks) did not exist people had to make their own arrangements. One method they employed was to bury their valuable possessions (as did the unprofitable servant who hid his talent instead of investing it). If anyone did this before going off on a journey and failed to return, the possessions remained there and might be found later through a chance discovery like that in this parable. And what kind of field this was unknown.  Could have been anything, however many believe it was a field for crops.

And there have been questions as to the morality of finding a treasure there, and then hiding it so he can purchase it. However, this is irrelevant in the meaning of the parable.  Jesus is not dealing with the morality or legality of the man’s action but making the point that there can be treasure such that it is worth selling everything in order to possess it, such as with membership in the kingdom.

Jesus says that the man was very happy over his discovery; finding treasure must surely be a joyful experience.  And the man’s joy leads him to go off and buy the field, even though this meant he must first sell all he has.  The man realized this treasure far surpassed the value of the sum of everything he has.  Therefore, he determined living with this treasure was better then living with what he had.

Jesus is not saying that a man may buy his way into the kingdom; that would fly in the face of all his teaching. The selling of all he has is rather a way of bringing out the truth that one should count all we have as lost for the sake of the kingdom, for this treasure is the grace and forgiveness of God, through the death of Jesus Christ, whereby we will live for all eternity with Jesus.  This parable thus begs the question.  Do we view salvation and eternity with God worth giving up everything we have?  Are we willing to give to give it all up, including our things, property, friends, reputation, etc. to follow Christ? This is what He cal of us.  He is asking us what we value more, the treasures of this world, or the treasures of God? The answer is very clear to me, God’s riches. It may not appear to be riches from the world’s point of view, but membership in the kingdom has infinite value which all the worlds wealth could never come close to matching.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 13:31

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:31 

“He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field”. – Matthew 13:31

The parable we will look at today is the Mustard Seed.  Here is this parable as told in Matthew’s gospel.

“He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds; but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” Matthew 13:31-32.

Jesus continues his parables with one that brings out the thought of growth.  This parable is important because over against the mighty numbers of the worshipers of heathen gods, along with the Jews who acknowledged the true God but not the Christ, those who proclaimed the kingdom Jesus spoke of were a small minority. He teaches them not to be convinced by size or numbers. These tiny beginnings would grow into something greater by far than any of the religions found in the disciples’ contemporary world.

The formula Jesus uses is one contrasting the smallness of the seed with the greatness of the plant.  He begins this parable by saying “The Kingdom of Heaven”.  This refers to the kingdom in which He, Jesus, is the King.  He predicts the amazing growth of this kingdom of heaven. The mustard seed is quite small, the plant that comes from it is quite large, up to ten feet in height, and Jesus uses this is a picture of kingdom growth.

The point of this Parable is that something big and blessed, the kingdom of God, had humble beginnings. Many were thinking, how significant could the short ministry of Christ be? He had but a handful of followers, He was seen as a man of no rank and without means, and He lived in what everyone considered a backwater region of the world. The life and death of Christ did not catch the world’s attention any more than a mustard seed would lying on the ground by the road. But God had an amazing plan. What seemed inconsequential at first grew into a movement of worldwide influence that no one could stop.  Gamaliel, speaking to the Council in Jerusalem said, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. And he was slain; and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him, he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. And so, in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” Acts 35-39.

And the kingdom is prophesied in the same way in Ezekiel. “Thus says the Lord GOD, “I shall also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I shall pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I shall plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the high mountain of Israel, I shall plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. And all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.” Ezekiel 17:22-24.

The influence of the kingdom of God would be such that everyone associated with it would find a benefit, pictured as the birds perched on the branches of the mature mustard plant. And in comparing the picture in Matthew with the prophesy in Ezekiel, we see that even large mustard bushes pale in comparison with the lofty cedars ; still Jesus may be employing deliberate irony. What may not look like much to the world will in fact fulfill all God’s promises.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 9:16

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 9:16 

“But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.” – Matthew 9:16

The parables we will look at today, the New Patch on Old Garment and of New Wine in old wine skins. These are posted together because their message is the same. Here are the two parables.

“But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.  Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16-17.  These are very powerful parables. They are short ones, only two verses, but they speak volumes about the belief structures then as well as today.

At the beginning of this chapter, Matthew records the healing of a Paralytic followed by Jesus’ calling of Matthew to become a disciple. After these events we read, “Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Matthew 9:14. These are disciples of John the Baptist, and they ask Jesus why His disciples do not fast. Fasting was a common religious practice in the ancient world. The only fast prescribed in the Law was that on the Day of Atonement, but in New Testament times pious Jews fasted every Monday and Thursday, and they might employ the practice at other solemn times as well. Jesus responds with the following, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:14-15. Jesus here is calling Himself the Bridegroom who is with them.  The attendants/guests refer to Jesus’ followers.  He is telling John’s disciples that while He is here, there is no reason to fast or mourn.  But when He, the bridegroom is removed, then there is reason to fast.

He then gives two illustrations to clarify this idea.  First, our focus verse.  “But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.” Matthew 9:16.  The wrong patch, Jesus says, is one of unshrunk cloth which was considerably stronger than cloth that had been worn and used. When there was any strain the patch would not tear, but the garment would, and the patch would take some of the garment (its overlap) with it. And since at some point there would be some strain on the garment, this means that inevitably there would be a bigger split. Instead of mending a bad situation, such patching only makes things worse. 

The second involves new wine in old wineskins. Those storing new wine, which here means wine that is still fermenting, must take care how they store it. They do not put it into old wineskins. Old is the word used above in verse 16 which clearly points to something close to “worn out.” Wine was commonly stored in containers made from the skins of animals. But old skins lose their elasticity; if new wine is stored in such containers, the process of fermentation puts more pressure on the skins than they can sustain, with the result that the skins burst and both wine and skins are lost. Therefore, people put new wine into new wineskins, with the satisfactory result that both are preserved.

These two illustrations effectively make the point that Jesus was not simply bringing in a revised and updated Judaism, or even founding a new sect within Judaism. He was laying out the true concept of Judaism. What He was teaching could not be integrated within the accepted Jewish system. To attempt to confine his followers within the limits of the old religion was not possible based on the truth.  This did not mean that he was rejecting the Old Testament. To the contrary, He says,  “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17. What he repudiated was not Scripture, but the current religious practices allegedly based on Scripture. He did not even repudiate those practices all at once and call on his followers to forsake Judaism. But he did repudiate the suggestion that they should remain confined within the accepted understanding of the old system. His approach was not understood by the Jewish leadership, even though His coming was prophesized throughout their history.

And this is just as relevant today as it was in Jesus’ day.  Theologian Craig Blomberg wrote, “All Christians would do well to reflect on whether their demeanor, life-style, and words convey to others, especially the unsaved, this joy of salvation and the lively presence of Jesus or whether they communicate, even unwittingly, a dour, judgmental attitude that is quicker to point out the wrongs of others. We must also consider, even as the message of the gospel remains unchanged, whether the methods of evangelism, preaching, church growth, music, and worship, once effective in different circumstances, have turned counterproductive and need to be replaced by new methods that will more effectively win and minister to the current generation.” Craig is not saying to replace the old ways, but to include ways that will reach out to all generations. And I will also add that along with joy, we must maintain a reverence toward God that exhibits the love and respect we have for Him. These two ideas do not contradict but work together to show the fulness of our love toward the one who saved us.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 7:3

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 7:3  

“And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3

Over the next week or two, we will be looking at the various parables Jesus told His disciples.  Today we will look at the Parable of The Speck and the Log found in Matthew 7. Here is the parable.

“And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5.  

Before telling them this parable, Jesus was speaking to His disciples and told them “Do not judge lest you be judged.” Matthew 7:1.  The phrase ‘ do not judge’ refers to the passing of harsh, adverse verdicts on the conduct of our others; it does not forbid the use of our best critical thinking, which may be done in a spirit of tolerance and helpfulness and which Jesus elsewhere commands as a help to others. “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.” Matthew 18:15.  And it also does not mean “don’t think”. The verb is used not only generally of passing a verdict, but specifically of passing an adverse verdict, condemning, and it is this that Jesus is forbidding.  And he adds the following telling them why they should not judge improperly. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2.

Jesus now illustrates the foolishness of most judgmentalism with the hyperbole of the speck and the log. He is clearly not concerned about literal pieces of foreign matter in people’s eyes but about his followers’ moral failures. “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3. The meaning is not that in every case the person passing judgment is a worse sinner than the one he criticizes. It is rather that what he finds wrong in his brother is a very small matter compared with the sin God sees in him.  It is easy to see the sins in another or to hear of the sin in another and look down upon the person referred but not admit the sin we have. It only takes one sin to become a sinner. In effect, He is addressing the issue of hypocrisy, looking, and judging the sins of others while ignoring our own. Also, such behavior is another example of hypocrisy  especially when we treat fellow believers badly whose sins God has already forgiven.

Now, verse five makes clear that the above verses do not absolve us of responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ. On the contrary, once we have dealt with our own sins, we are then in a position to gently and lovingly restore others who have erred and sinned.  “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5.  We are to help our brothers and sisters grow in the Lord, and in doing the work He has called us to.  But we must not ignore the weaknesses we have and the logs in our eyes.  We must always address our sins, asking forgiveness for them so that we can be ready to help our fellow Christians with their sins when needed.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 13:3

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:3

“And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow.” – Matthew 13:3 

Over the next week or two, we will be looking at the various parables Jesus told His disciples.  Today we will look at the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13. Here is the parable.

“And great multitudes gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole multitude was standing on the beach. And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil, and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” Matthew 13:2-8.

The parable begins by stating that a sower went out and sowed some seeds.  In agriculture as we know it, this would mean that the land had been prepared by ploughing or digging, but in Palestine it was common for the sower to sow his seed first and then plough it in. It appears that in this region, some ploughed before while some did it after.  However, sometimes a farmer would plough the soil twice, once before sowing the seed and then again afterwards. Nonetheless, the seed ended up falling on four different soils, with different results on account of the soil type.

Some fell beside the road. In those days there were no fences bordering fields, thus there were paths that ran through the fields, and when the sower was scattering his seed it was inevitable that some of it would fall on or close beside such paths. Since there was no soft soil there in which the seeds might sink, they remained where the birds could reach them and they were speedily devoured.  Others fell on stony ground where there was a little soil, but not enough for the seeds to grow sufficiently to sustain growth. And when the sun came out they withered away. And some fell among the thorns. These thorns were sturdy, robust plants, not easily to be defeated in the struggle for life. The plants as such would be ploughed in with the good seeds, but they would have their own seeds or pieces of roots that would enable them to spring into growth. So, the good seeds found intense competition for the nourishment in the soil, and the thorny plants were too strong. They choked out the new plants by preventing them from getting the nourishment they needed. And finally, some fell on good soil.  Theologian Leon Morris states this has the idea of ‘beautiful’ about it. “Good seed going into good ground bears a good crop.”

Then upon completing this parable, Jesus told the crowd “He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:9. Essentially He was saying everyone who desires to be instructed in the things of God and the gospel are to listen to what He says and become wise regarding salvation. 

The disciples then come to Him and Jesus explains the parable. First, He tells them why He speaks to the in parables for He was asked why He does it. “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.” Matthew 13:11. They desired to know the truth and the meaning behind the parables, for they dedicated their lives to following Him.  Therefore, it was granted to them to understand.  And this pertains to all who desire to follow Him.

Now, as to the meaning of this parable.  “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.” Matthew 13:19. This refers to a careless hearer. This person is not hostile to the message. The hearer knows that there is some spiritual truth here intended for his profit, but since he does not act on it, he soon finds that what he heard is lost. The failure to attend to the message and to find out what it means results in total loss, first of the message and ultimately of the hearer.

Next, the seed that fell on stony ground. “And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.” Matthew 13:20-21.  This regards someone who received what he hears with joy. But to start is not necessarily to finish. Here the word is received but without commitment, which ultimately cannot last; for when persecution or tribulation comes upon them because of the Word, they fall away. And this is not a gradual loss of interest but a collapse under pressure.

And the seed that falls among the thorns. “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22. The soil is good, but already taken. These are more interested in the things of this world then of the kingdom.  They are more interested in what they can attain here rather then what God has promised. Therefore, these things crowd out God’s word and replaces it with thoughts of wealth and pleasure.

And lastly, “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”  Matthew 13:23. These are those who hear His word, accept, and follow Christ. Their focus is the Kingdom of God and not this world and God uses them to bear much fruit for kingdom. They are committed to His Word and work and give Him the glory in all things. In other words, they are totally committed to Christ.  And this is the life we are to live, for this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

2 Corinthians 3:4

Verse of the Day Devotion 2 Corinthians 3:4   

“And such confidence we have through Christ toward God.” – 2 Corinthians 3:4 

Paul here is asking the Church in Corinth a question regarding his and his helpers perception of themselves. “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?” 2 Corinthians 2:3:1.  These are ironical questions, for he follows with “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known, and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3. He was telling them he needed no letters from them, for his apostolic ministry is not legitimized by their judgement, but in them and their faith. And this has it’s boast In God’s work in and through Christ.  This has nothing to do with what Paul has done, but what God through Christ has done through him.  And these were not written on tablets of stone as the Law was, but was written on their hearts by the Spirit of God.

And per our focus verse, he is incredibly confident in the work that has been accomplished not because of what he has done, but what has been  done through him for it was Christ whom he served and under whose influence he accomplished everything he did; and it was therefore through Christ that he had such confidence in what he could do. He had this confidence, he says, towards God and not before God; not as a matter which was right in God’s sight, but by the direction of, or in respect to God the Author of the work and the One to whom all the glory were due. For he says, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. 

Paul said a very similar thing in his first letter to the Church in Corinth when he wrote. “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” 1 Corinthians 15:9-11.  Paul in these verses was showing humility regarding the work accomplished through him by God.  He did not see himself as worthy to be used by God, but because of the incredible grace God bestowed on him, he labored hard and gave all he had. But again, not by his work, but God’s work done through him.

We must always remember that it is not us who does the work, but it is God. “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13. According to Bill Mounce, a Greek scholar, the idea of ‘working out your salvation’ is to put it into operation, to be active in the work of God. But again, Paul says “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.  He is the one who does the work through us.  And it is by His work being fulfilled  through us that we have confidence in what we are doing.  We should not be pleased with the work we do, but with the work He does through us. Therefore, let us give thanks to God that we can be confident in His grace such that He chose to use us to fulfil His work on this earth.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

James 3:17

Verse of the Day Devotion James 3:17 

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” – James 3:17 

James begins his discussion on wisdom by asking a rhetorical question. “Who among you is wise and understanding?” James 3:13a. James is asking those who think they have special understanding and insight regarding spiritual matters to essentially step forward so he can check out whether they are telling the truth or not. Now, based on verse one, James is no doubt speaking to those who are teachers, or desire to be one. Those people who respond to James’s invitation soon find themselves the object of searching and perhaps unwanted scrutiny. For James assesses these people’s claim to wisdom not in theological terms—how much doctrine do they know, how many Greek verbs can they parse—but in practical terms. And the terms laid out is good behavior. And this good behavior is to be done in the gentleness of wisdom.

Then in the next two verses he lays out why gentleness is important. “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.” James 3:14-15.  These verses are the antithesis to James’ challenge in verse 13b. If a person harbors bitter envy and selfish ambition in the heart, that person is, in effect, living a lie: claiming to be wise but conducting themself in a way that denies that claim. The reason that James can draw this conclusion is that bitter envy and selfish ambition are contrary to humility.

If then, humility marks the wise person, these negative qualities exclude a person from being considered wise. He then explains his statement in the next verse, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” James 3:16.  In this verse, James justifies his harsh verdict on false wisdom by showing what these attitudes produce. He points out how egocentric, selfish attitudes inevitably lead to disorder and every vile practice. This sentence denotes a restless and unsettled state of mind. And James ends this verse by saying, “there is disorder and every evil thing.” James 3:16b.  And based on the transition to verse 17, this is not wisdom for where jealousy and selfishness exist, wisdom is not found. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2.

Now, looking at our focus verse, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” James 3:17, we see an interesting point. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, and gentle. It is reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits. It is also unwavering and non-hypocritical. These things are in total opposition to verses 14-16. If these attributes exist, then the wisdom you may claim cannot be wisdom from God, it must be the wisdom of this world.  Paul questions this wisdom when he wrote, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” 1 Corinthians 1:20.  He in essence calls the wisdom of this world foolishness, which is counter to true wisdom from above. Thus, the wisdom of this world is not wisdom at all, but actually anti-wisdom.

In closing, true wisdom is actually the attributes of God exhibited in our lives.  Paul referred to these attributes as the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. Let us walk in this way to exhibit true wisdom.  And the last two verses of this chapter clearly match what James said in our focus verse. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:24-25.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.