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Thoughts Archived > Obey....Plant & Harvest


28 Jul 2013

                                   

 

July 28, 2013

 Obey....Plant & Harvest 

Luke 19: 11 - 27

 

Luke

The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said.  And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.  He said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.

Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone.  But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say they did not want him to be their king.

"When he returned, the king called the servants to whom he had given the money.  He wanted to find out what the profits were.  The first servant reported tremendous gain - ten times as much as the original amount!  'Well done!' the king exclaimed.  'You are a trustworthy servant.  You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'

"The next servant also reported a good gain - five times the original amount.  'Well done!' the king said.  'You can be governor over five cities.'

" But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, 'I hid it and kept it safe.  I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'

"'You wicked servant!' the King roared.  'Hard, am I?  If you know so much about me and how tough I am, why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?'  Then turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who earned the most.'

"'But master,' they said, 'that servant has enough already!'

"'Yes', the king replied, 'but to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given.  But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away.  And now about these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king - bring them in and execute them right here in my presence.'"
  

 

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Thoughts.....

 

Answering the call.  Money is insignificant in the Kingdom of God.  A means to an end.  But this is more than about money.  It's about planting and harvesting.  The difference between a small, or mainline church, with a small faithful congregation and a mega church with vast numbers of faithful congregants in the thousands.  And those not choosing either.  But we have to be careful, because some of the lines are blurred.  Jesus is not saying that the pastor of a small faithful congregation will not be rewarded in the Kingdom, while the pastor of a mega church will reap richly in the Kingdom.  Hang with me, while I attempt to explain all of this....Holy Spirit come!

First off, this is a little confusing because in Luke 11:20 Jesus said, "But if I am casting our demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you."  Yet here, Luke states that Jesus told this story to 'correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away'.  Perhaps Luke was not clear about Jesus' intent of the parable.  Frankly, Luke's statement in the whole context is the only thing that confuses the clarity of the whole rest of the text.  Suggestive to me, that Luke was indeed confused about the intent of Jesus' parable.  Perhaps he'd even forgotten that Jesus had clearly said the Kingdom HAD already arrived.

BUT....lest I be attacked from those who say "if it is in the Bible it must be right", I just want to state that when a human gets inspiration from God, it has to go through an imperfect vessel, therefore the message could be misconstrued, forgotten even.  [Honestly, do you recall everything anyone ever said to you?  Do you remember ALL of Scripture?  I don't.]  Even those inspirational messages that make their way through me can be misconstrued, forgotten, scrambled, words lost, in an attempt to write as fast as Jesus talks.  I don't know shorthand....not that I didn't take the class.  However, bear with me to see if ignoring what Luke 'thought' Jesus meant makes more sense, as we delve into chapter and verse.    

Why would Jesus tell a parable about the Kingdom of God not beginning right away because he was nearing Jerusalem?  The phraseology alone denotes lack of contextual clarity.  There is a possibility that during translation....humans being the translators....that this was not correctly translated.  Take the sentence that begins with 'but' for instance.....see below.

He [Jesus] said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return."  This could refer to Jesus leaving to sit at the right hand of God as overseer of the Kingdom, and his later return.

"Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone."Consider the money as an analogy for people under the care of a born again servant of God: a pastor, elder, leader, teacher, apostle, all disciples. 

Then the next sentence starts with the word 'but'.  Were this word 'but' not in this sentence, it would make more sense.  So I will bracket it so you can read it both ways.  ["But"] "his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say they did not want him to be their king."  Could this be a prophetic statement alerting the folks to what is about to occur to him in Jerusalem where they are headed?  The Jews....his people....didn't want him as their Messiah....their king.  As in 'King of the Jews'....recall what was written on the cross that Jesus hung from.  They couldn't/wouldn't believe in him.  So much so that they hated him enough to batter him and kill him, we learn later.  Makes more sense without the 'but', doesn't it?

"When he returned, the king called in the servants to whom he had given the money.  He wanted to find out what they had done with the money and what their profits were."  What was it Jesus said to do...."Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."  Money was just a sample....an analogy....for a more important test.  The real test was yet to come.

"The first servant reported a tremendous gain - ten times as much as the original amount!  'Well done!' the king exclaimed.  'You are a trustworthy servant.  You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'

So, you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, made him Lord of your life, and he enters your life.  You have been baptized in water to show you are cleansed of your sins and ready to begin anew.   And you've been baptized with Holy Spirit's fire.  You accept everything he has to give you.  You've learned you are supposed to now 'go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.'  Teaching these new disciples to obey all the commands Jesus has given you.  If you do this, large numbers of Christians will grow around you.  Will you gather them together under one roof to worship the Lord?  And will you continue to teach them to teach others, so you will gain interest in the Kingdom of God, prove yourself trustworthy, as you continue to harvest more believers?   If you do this, Jesus will say, as THE King in the Kingdom of God.  'Well done!'  'You are a trustworthy servant.  You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'  More folks will come under your authority because YOU are under the authority of GOD.   

The folks I just described are those who are bold in the Lord.  They are the mega church leaders.  They don't just speak, they speak out.  There are many of them throughout the world.  Think Billy Graham, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, just from America...and there are many more in America and in the world.

Jesus goes on as we read in Scripture, "The next servant also reported a good gain - five times the original amount."

Okay, so just like the person above, you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, made him Lord of your life, and he enters your life.  You have been baptized in water to show you are cleansed of your sins and ready to begin anew.  And you've been baptized with Holy Spirit's fire.  You accept everything he has to give you.  You've learned you are supposed to now 'go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.'  Teaching these new disciples to obey all the commands Jesus has given you.  You decide to take that step and speak about the Lord.  You are maybe more timid, or have to work a lot to support your family and time is not on your side, so you speak about the Lord less than the leader previously mentioned.  Folks find you trustworthy and under the authority of God.  You are a seed planter and a harvester just like the other person, however, you do so on a smaller scale.  People surround you.  You may or may not start a worship service in a church or have a gathering, but you continue to plant seeds and harvest....receive folks into the Kingdom of God....through prayer, baptism, teaching Scripture, maybe even support them in the communities they now worship.  You will hear from the King, Jesus, 'Well done!  You can be governor over five cities.'   [Maybe more than 5 cities, may be less, but you get my point.]

We go on to read more of what Jesus said.  "But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, 'I hid it and kept it safe.  I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours, and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'

Could this be you?  Were you, or are you, afraid to go forth in his name proclaiming to the nations who he is, that he is and how wonderful he is....and what he has to offer....forgiveness of sins and eternal life?  Has Satan caused you to  believe you can't go forth for some reason or blocked your path?  Could you be the person sitting on the fence with Jesus and Satan trying to decide which is really the right way to go and confused in the process?  Satan is the author of confusion.   He attempts to kill, steal and destroy.  Or maybe you are someone who said you would accept Jesus and then kept his light within under the bushel?  To you, Jesus, the King, will roar, "'You wicked servant!  Hard, am I ?  If you knew so much about me and how tough I am, why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?'  Jesus, The King, will order what was given to you be taken from you and given to one who earned the most.  Will this be money?  Maybe.  Will this be those who are around you?  Perhaps.  Could it mean job loss?  Sure.  But more importantly, what is clear here, is that you could lose your salvation.  You could/might/will be cut from vine of life, not just pruned.  Maybe you'll choose to now decide to make that deposit of telling others about Jesus in the future, sharing your testimony, living as if your life depended on it WITH Jesus....for Jesus.     

You need to understand both Jesus and Satan plant crops.  Satan perhaps had this last servant believing Jesus was the hard man to deal with because of what Jesus requests of us....that we obey him after we accept him.  That we show our thanks, the depth of our gratitude for all we've been given.  And share all he has to give with others.  All the while Satan says, "Come on over, let's party!  You can have anything material you want".  His seed planting and harvesting leads to eternal death.  Jesus' seed planting and harvesting leads to forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven.  "'The stone that you builders rejected has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else!  There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them."  It is Jesus!

Jesus goes on in his parable saying "'But, master, they said, 'that servant has enough already!'

"'Yes, the king replied, 'but to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given.  But from those who are UNfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away.  And now about these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king - bring them in and execute them right here in my presence.'"  

Jesus said, as noted in John 15:1-17, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch [person] that doesn't produce fruit [persons saved....those who have accepted Jesus and been baptized....brought into the Kingdom of God], and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit, so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.

"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.  Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!  My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. 

"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!  I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.  And here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends [lay down your needs and wants for Jesus', and he will give you what you need...sometimes even what you want].  You are my friends if you obey me.  I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants.  Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.  You didn't choose me, I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last [those committed to Jesus], so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.  I command you to love one another."  Please continue reading through Chapter 18.    

Anyone who parts from Jesus will be thrown away and burned.  Just like Satan....executed....he will be thrown into lake of fire for eternity.  But do not fear, "take heart, because I [Jesus] have overcome the world."

"The essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus."  Revelation 19:10c.

Do you see how a possibly forgotten, or mistaken thought or comment, or a word out of context can confound the believer and keep one from understanding with clarity the words Jesus wants us to know?   As you read Scripture, if there is something you don't understand, or doesn't make sense, read carefully, even compare to other references, to insure that what is in the text is exactly what is meant and correlates to all other text.  The Bible IS the inspired Word of God.  Translation is imperfect....even unto this day.  The intent of what God wants us to know is important, not every little word or comma.  As every translation is written into a current language, the compilers take 'poetic license' if you will.  They may choose to add words, or put into phrase, something that was said to bring the reader to a clearer understanding of the whole of the context of what was said, was written initially.  As long as the intent of what God wants us to know remains firm, we are not at risk of his wrath.  It is when the content gets befuddled, becomes something unintended, not in context, and does not correlate with the fullness of the text, that we run the risk of God's wrath, are not in alignment with the Word of God and therefore are not giving truth....a clear witness for Jesus.

I hope you will choose this day whom you will serve....and how.  Will you accept Jesus as your Savior and make him Lord of your life?  Will you plant for him?  Will you make attempts to harvest for him?  Be careful to not get pruned.  Be more alert to the possibility of being tossed aside as a useless branch....thrown into an eternal fire.  Please don't kill Jesus all over again.  He loves you and awaits your love in return.  Faithfully serve him.  Ask him how.

 

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Let Us Pray   

                     

Dear God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.  Forgive me of my sins, please heal me and make me whole.  I have not loved you with my whole heart.  I have not loved my neighbor as myself.  I am truly sorry and I humbly repent.  On another note, please get Satan away from me, out of my life, out of the lives of my family members, out of our minds, bodies, spirits, souls.  He is not wanted, appreciated, or needed.  Cast him into the depths and fires of hell never to return again, and send all his little demons and assigns right along with him.  We don't want anything that has to do with him!  Now, Holy Spirit, fill myself and my family full to overflowing with all you have to give us spiritually, filling our minds, bodies, spirits, and souls, and providing for us economically and financially, so to enable us to do everything you've called us to do in reaching others for you, planting, preaching, teaching, sharing, harvesting, and living our lives as you call us to, as outlined in Galatians and throughout the Bible....your Word.  We may not all be good at harvesting, but better at planting, so we must plant.  But we must not overlook the invite.  Asking someone to come to you may be the only thing standing in the way of harvesting for you and them.  It might be their last breath before they get called....will they get to your home?  We may be the last person they see....that's a scary thought and not what I want on my back.  So God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, give me boldness.  Strengthen my self-esteem.  Fire up within me, Holy Spirit.  Then show me what you would have me to do.....right after you tell me what to say.  And enhance my memory, so I don't forget!  Lord, I want to do all things right for and with you.  Please help me be and do better at being a Christian.  Send other Christians to surround me, tighten up the camp, so to speak, so when I am attacked, as I have been in the past, I will have a mighty fortress, not only within, but around me, to fortify and rebuild from the attack.  Thank you so much for everything you have done for me....creating me, giving me life, living for me, dying for me, reigning for me, being within me.  I am so grateful for you being there, helping me, carrying me, continuing to believe in me and trust me....loving me.  I love you.  Help me to better show you how much.  And my neighbors....all those in the world who need you, too.  Help me find you in them, God, and help them receive Jesus and Holy Spirit.  I so want to do the right thing....and do things right.  I praise you and thank you.  May you receive all glory and honor.  Thank you.  I love you.  Amen.

 

 

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Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

 

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

 

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation. 

'All who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him.  There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  For you are all Christians - you are ONE in Christ Jesus.'  Galatians 3: 27

 

  It is not how we worship, but that we worship....the Trinity!

 

Teach tolerance....reach in acceptance....worship as one!

 

Embrace....Respect....Encourage!

 

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baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

 

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It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart.  

    

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    One last thing....

 

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

 

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

 

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

 

And the people said,

"Amen."

 

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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  Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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NOTE:  I said it long ago, but let me say it again.  If you are wanting to lead a group, start a church, or are confined in an institution, or live in a country where the Gospel is not preached, and you don't know what to say or how to say it, and yet feel led to share, teach, or preach, besides just reading straight out of the Bible and sharing what God puts on your heart, please feel free to share any or all of what I've written, if it will help you, as long as you include where it comes from, due to copyright laws.  Jesus gave God's love and healing freely, as well as his message.  Our responsibility is to get the Word out to those who need to hear it.  If what I've written....by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit....or what he has said through me....has helped you, it may help others that you know.  You are welcome to share it.  God calls all of us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.  Please share it with the fullness of love that God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....and I....have given it.  Amen!   

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Bible Authors and Minister