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Archive for the ‘Parables’ Category

Worthiness

Posted in Heaven, Parables, tagged on August 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

[H]eaven is like a king who prepared a wedding party for his son. But [the invited] paid no attention and went away—some to their fields, others to their businesses. … The king was angry. … “The wedding party is prepared, but those who were invited weren’t worthy … invite everyone you find to the wedding party.” — Jesus (Matthew 22:1-9 (CEB)

What determines the worthiness for heaven is not social status, intelligence, talent, even great character. What determines worthiness is the willingness to lay down one’s own agenda for God’s opportunities.

Sound bite: “God can build character, what he needs is willingness to drop our agenda for his.”
Prayer: Jesus, help me to be alert to your divine opportunities and never be too busy to say, “Yes”, to you. Amen.

— fritz@langgang.com

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Heaven’s People Are Like … A Home Owner.

Posted in Parables, tagged , on August 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. — Matthew 13:52

One thing about living in one place a long time — stuff accumulates! I have some precious things kept for years but I am always adding something new to the mix. Jesus relates this to the Kingdom of God.

God never stopped creating. He still moves in new ways — new songs, new ideas, new people — yet he cherishes the old, too.

I have heard new people say, “Burn the old hymnals, we have something better!” No. The new is not all good and the old is not all bad. A wise householder keeps the best of both.

This is, I think, the essence of Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian believers when he wrote:

“Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your’s; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. — 1st Corinthians 3:22-23

–fritz@langgang.com

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Heaven is Like … a Net (Part 2)

Posted in God's Kingdom, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, Parables, tagged , on August 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. — Matthew 13:47-50

Parables each have only a single lesson — and this one’s about a coming judgment.

Some think a God of love couldn’t possibly send poor defenceless creatures to a place of wailing and teeth gnashing. It’s clear Jesus did not think that way, he constantly warned judgment was coming. He often used examples of “good fish” and “bad fish”, “sheep” and “goats”, “wheat” and “weeds”.

His purpose was to encourage us to prepare while there is still time. We can be changed from bad fish to good, from goats to sheep, from weeds to wheat — he is in the life changing business!

The Bible gives a long list of the kinds of people that won’t make it to heaven,1 then adds

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” — 1st Corinthians 6:11

— fritz@langgang.com
1. 1st Corinthians 6:9-11

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