Be Still And Know

Matthew 14.15-16 NLT That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” You can’t blame the disciples. They were probably exhausted trying to keep up with Jesus, who always seemed to have energy to minister to people. When they come to Jesus at the end of this busy day, they feel that Jesus ought to send the crowds away. They use the sensible argument that they were in a remote place and that it was getting late and so it would be good to encourage the people to go and get some food. But Jesus turns the tables on the disciples. Rather than agreeing with them, he tells them to feed the people. They needed to take responsibility for sorting out the situation. When we see situations of need it’s always a relief when we can see someone else who is willing to respond. But that isn’t always the case. Sometimes the Lord tel

Matthew 14.13-14 NLT 'As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.' The background to this story is the gruesome murder of John the Baptist. Herod Antipas was the ruler of Galilee at the time. He is not to be confused with his father Herod the Great who was king at the time of Jesus’ birth. Herod Antipas had married his half-brother’s wife and John the Baptist had bravely spoken out against the marriage. This had greatly angered Herod but he was fearful of taking any action against John because everyone spoke so well of him. One day Herod’s daughter had a birthday party at which she danced so beautifully that he promised unwisely to give her whatever she asked for. Herod’s new wife knew exactly what she wanted and prompted Herodias to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a tray. Herod

Matthew 13.54-55 NLT Jesus returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son.” I suspect that we have all known the hurt of being put down by somebody, and it hurts. Even if it happened many years ago, I suspect that you can still remember exactly where you were, and every word that was said. People’s cruel words often disfigure a person’s life. This may not have been the intention of the person who spoke them, but the words live on and continue to do damage. This is especially true if the words were spoken by parents, siblings or partners. Jesus had to withstand many put downs. In our reading today people were so amazed by his teaching and miracles that they couldn’t believe that he could have been a local boy, and the son of a carpenter. They knew the family and it all seemed incredible. If he had been the son of a religious leader in Jeru

Matthew 13.52 NLT Then Jesus added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.” When I was nine or ten years old, one of the great delights of my life was to visit my grandmother’s house. She lived quite close to our home and I was allowed to go and see her whenever I liked. Her house was like an Aladdin’s cave for me. It was full of generations of treasures and, whenever I found something that appealed to me, I would take it to my grandmother and almost always she would ask me the right question which was, “Would you like to have it dear?” Many of the things she gave me, and particularly her postcard collection from before the First World War, lit up my interest in history and geography and gave me a much bigger appreciation of life. I thank God for her generosity. In this parable Jesus speaks about the teacher of the law who had a great knowledge of the Old Testament teaching. His kno

Matthew 13.45-46 NLT Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! In the ancient world pearls were prized as highly as gold. Although we might not think of pearls that way, even today the most valuable pearls can be worth millions of pounds. Their beauty has always attracted interest and in Jesus’ time they were mainly found in the Red Sea or Persian Gulf. Pearls were also found in far off Britain and indeed that was one of the things that attracted Julius Caesar to these islands. The point of the story is clear. The merchant was always on the look out for the very best pearls. They all had a charm and a beauty but, like any expert, he could easily spot the best and, when he found it, he was determined to own it. Nothing would get in the way. He gladly sold up everything he owned in order to buy this one precious pearl. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is just the same. It is so

Matthew 13.31-32 NLT Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” This is one of the most famous of Jesus’ parables and the point is clear. Often the Kingdom of Heaven expresses itself in small and humble ways. It doesn’t attract much interest or attention and is overlooked by most people. But just like a tiny mustard seed that is so small that it can easily be missed, or blown away by the wind, it can grow up into something vast. In the Middle East a mustard seed can grow into a twelve foot tree which can provide a home for many birds. Jesus is clearly telling us not to look down on things just because they are small. When God is at work miracles are just around the corner! I have often been a part of small Christian organisations which have looked seriously unimpressive to any observer. I also t

Matthew 13.30 NLT ”Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.” In order to understand this parable we need to be clear about the kind of weeds that Jesus was referring to. They were called bearded darnel which, in the early stages of their growth, look exactly like wheat so they have to be left alone. As they grow, they start to look very different but by that time their roots are so entwined with the roots of the wheat that it is impossible to remove them without destroying the crop. As a result, it is necessary to allow the darnel to grow until harvest time and then the separation can take place. The grain of the bearded darnel is slightly poisonous and it can cause dizziness and sickness. The point of the parable is clear. Jesus was telling his disciples that they were living in a world in which there were good and bad people. But it was even more complicated than that because s

Matthew 13.23 NLT Jesus said, “The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” The parable of the sower mixes realism with huge encouragement. It confronts us with the fact that when the word of God is spoken there is a wide range of reactions. Some people just don’t want to know. Others are incredibly excited for a short while and then forget all about it. And yet others receive the word and start applying it to their lives in a serious way but are then distracted by the pressures and temptations of life. Anyone who has been involved in sharing the Good News of Jesus will recognise that all of that is an accurate reflection of life. However, and here’s the massive encouragement, when God’s word finds a home in the right soil it doesn’t merely cause growth to happen but leads to an enormous harvest. How amazing for a farmer to look at his crop and realise that this is 30,

Matthew 13.20-21 NLT '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.' These days farmers sow seed with great precision and very little is wasted, but in Jesus’ time it was a much more haphazard process. Skilled as the farmer might be, when he scattered his seed with his hand it was bound to land in a variety of places. It landed on the path, in rocky soil or amongst thorns but only a proportion would find good soil. Jesus used this parable to describe the very different ways in which people responded to his message, and we can easily recognise the truth of his words today. The seed that landed on the rocky soil struggled from the outset because it couldn’t put down adequate roots. It grew fast for a while but soon it keeled over and died. Jesus said that this was like people who heard the message of the K

Matthew 12.49-50 NLT Jesus pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” We know very little about Jesus’ family. On this occasion we hear that they had come to see him and wanted to speak with him. By this time it seems that Joseph was dead and so Mary came with Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Jesus used the moment to point out that his real family was made up of those who were obedient to his Father’s will. Blood relationships are important and the Old Testament law made clear the fundamental responsibility that we all have for our birth families, but what matters far more is obedience to God’s will. Belonging is fundamental to our well-being. We all need to have the security of knowing where we belong. Many people in our society have had a disappointing experience of family life. They have felt let down and some have been abused and rejected. But whether our experiences of family life have b

Matthew 12.36-37 NLT Jesus said, “I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Mother Teresa said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” How true! I am sure we can all think of kind words that have been said to us over the years. The words might have only taken a few seconds to speak, and were probably forgotten by the speaker soon after they were spoken, but we can still remember the exact words and the effect that they had on us. We clearly need to be incredibly careful with the words that we use, and Jesus emphasises this powerfully by asserting that one day we will have to give an account for our words. Unfortunately, Mother Teresa’s wise observation needs to be applied to our unkind words as well. They too will have long echoes. It has been wisely said, “Be careful with your words. Once they are said they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.” Because most of

Matthew 12.35 NLT Jesus said, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” Jesus’ teaching couldn’t be clearer. Our words and actions flow from what’s going on in our hearts. That means that we all need to focus our attention on our hearts to ensure that there is a constant supply of goodness to feed through into our everyday lives. Jesus’ teaching to his disciples about the vine and the branches makes clear how this happens. It all relies on a continual relationship with him. Jesus said, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15.5) Dipping into Christian faith from time to time is not what is in view here. Merely attending Christian worship services and meetings from time to time won’t give us what we need. To receive the life of Christ we need to be fully part of the vine, opening our da

Matthew 12.31 NLT Jesus said, “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.” Some years ago I went to visit a woman who was absolutely convinced that she had committed the unforgivable sin. She was devastated by this and in a state of great distress. Having listened to her carefully for a while it was clear to me that there was no possibility that she had committed the sin of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Jesus was describing people who had changed all the labels. They described good as evil and evil as good. That’s why they referred to Jesus as the prince of demons and suggested that that was the reason why he had the ability to cast out demons. Jesus wasn’t describing people who inadvertently say the wrong thing, but rather those who deliberately shape their lives in opposition to him. People who commit the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit wouldn’t be sad at what they had done. They would be delighted. The w

Matthew 11.28-30 NLT Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you... For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” The yoke of the law was an expression that the rabbis often used. Just as two animals were firmly attached to one another by a wooden yoke, so too complying with all the requirements of the law could be incredibly oppressive. Jesus offered another yoke and his was completely different. It was still a yoke, and therefore very demanding, but his yoke was both easy and light. Those who accepted Jesus’ yoke could find refreshment and renewal. When two oxen work together in a yoke they can be immensely powerful and effective, but it is crucial that the yoke fits comfortably. An ill-fitted yoke could cause agony. In these chapters Jesus has spelt out the massive demands that are placed on his disciples. It’s a life that is full of challenge and difficulty. Disciples of Jesus are bound to encounter

Matthew 11.25-26 NLT Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!” I seem to have spent my life being surrounded by children. When I was nine years old my mother gave birth to twin girls – much to her surprise! No-one had mentioned to her the possibility of twins until she gave birth! From then on until now I have almost always had children around me whether our own three children, our foster daughter or friends’ children who my wife has been looking after. I thank God for this blessing and dare to think that it has helped me to understand Jesus’ insistence that the only way to enter his Kingdom was by being childlike. I don’t believe that Jesus was in any way belittling the blessing and importance of being wise and clever. His point is that wisdom and cleverness by themselves will never lead to spiritual wisdom. Indeed

Matthew 10.38-39 NLT Jesus said, “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” These statements take us to the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Our society assumes that you find life by acquiring more and more things. But Jesus turns that thinking on its head and declares that the way to find life is by giving everything away. This is precisely how he lived. He was constantly giving himself to others and on the Cross he gave absolutely everything. He now spells out that this is the way of life for everyone who wants to follow him. They must consider that their life is not their own, and be ready to lose it completely in order to find the life that Jesus came to bring. Clinging on to life is the surest way of losing it. Crucifixion was the most terrible form of torture and execution. It was carefully designed to ensure that the person being crucified suffered for the longest

Matthew 10.29-31 NLT Jesus said, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Jesus had just been spelling out what life was going to be like for his disciples. He made it clear that it was going to be really tough and that they would find themselves in situations of conflict and danger. But he wanted them to step out with confidence and they could do so because God knew them perfectly and would always protect them. He made the point by referring to the sparrows which were of tiny value. Surely God couldn’t be that bothered with sparrows. But, in fact, Jesus told them, not even a single sparrow could fall to the ground without God knowing all about it. Wow! In short nothing gets past God. He knows the whole story of our lives and so we can head into our futures with complete confidence know

Matthew 10.16 NLT Jesus said, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” When I lived in India I got used to snakes being a constant threat. Every few months we would hear about deaths caused by snakes in our area, and they understandably generated a good deal of fear. If you live in the presence of snakes you quickly come to respect their cleverness and shrewdness and Jesus invited his disciples to try to be like them. As they headed out on their mission they were going to face fierce opposition and so they would need to use their heads. Their opponents were going to do everything possible to stop their work and so they needed to find ways of outwitting them. They would need to be creative and determined, and constantly ready to adapt to new situations. If Jesus had simply told his disciples to model their lives on the shrewdness of snakes they could have got the wrong impression. Snakes have never had a wonderful reputation! They are disliked for

Matthew 10.8 NLT Jesus said, “Give as freely as you have received!” Everything we have ever received has been a gift. Look at your family, home, car, job, friends, education, talents, opportunities, even your latest breath – they are all a complete gift. We like to point to our hard work and effort and suggest that we have deserved many of the things that we have, but the truth is that even our ability to work hard is a gift from God. Everything is a gift from his hands. Jesus reminded his newly recruited disciples that they had received freely and so now they should be willing to give freely to others. He was sending them on an incredibly tough mission. He told them that he was sending them out as sheep among wolves. Wolves are famous for their ability to tear sheep apart. The mission was clearly going to be brutally challenging, but Jesus told his disciples that they should be ready to embark on it because they had received so much. This was now their opportunity to give to others as freely as they had

Matthew 9.37-38 NLT Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” This is a fascinating statement from Jesus. He was seeing a huge reaction to his ministry with crowds of people responding to both his teaching and his healing. The harvest was clearly enormous, and so he reflected on the need for more workers. The obvious question to ask is this – if it was so clear that more workers were needed, why was it necessary for the disciples to pray about it? Why didn’t God recruit more helpers automatically? This is a really important question to ask because the answer will help us to understand the nature of prayer. Because God is all powerful the answer has to be that he could have instantly enlisted more workers. But God has chosen to work in partnership with us. He wants us to be involved in his work of mission and the most intimate way in which we can join in partnership with hi