July 5th Virtual Worship

July 5, 2020 Pastor Marc Hayden

The Order of Worship

Music Ministry Team: Kristin Petty, Dwight Huntley, Matthew Leone, Rene Vazquez

Worship Team: Sarah Haas, Marc Hayden

Technology Team: Michael Kendall, Mark Raker, Jerry Weissinger

Key Notes from the reading & sermon:

Jesus put before them another parable: The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the workers of the householder came and said to him, ‘Did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The workers said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.

Earlier in this sermon series we noted that the historical context of Matthew’s community was one of persecution. It is characteristic of such a historical context to give assurance that the persecuted will be rewarded and the persecutors will be punished. Matthew’s perspective is revealed in the interpretations he gives to these parables; for the parable of wheat and weeds in verses 37-43 and for the parable of the catch of fish, verses 49-50.

Our historical context is different and so too our perspectives. Parables are rich in imagery that tease the mind into insight. Parables were not offered to make a single point. The timeless and timely wisdom of parables is the way they open us to listen to the “God who is still speaking”.