Jesus tours towns and villages, along with his posse, heralding the blistering good news of the kingdom of God. Crowds press from every direction, sad there’s no ability to take selfies.
Yet Jesus cloaks his teaching in mystery.
He tells stories through parables—cartoons of the absurd, tales of enigma, riddles of old to unveil the kingdom of God.
Jesus tells a parable of a farmer scattering seed. At the time the story was told, plowing followed the sowing of the seed. Ponder that for a moment.
But perhaps there’s something more.
Today, we continue the #LentChallenge with Luke 8-9. To download the free 40 Day Lent reading guide, click here.
In the story of a farmer scattering seed, Jesus says the pregnant kernels of faith in our life remain unharvested because:
The desire to accumulate more
The desire to experience more
The desire to control more
More makes us less.
More crowds out the room for the nutrients, water, and sun in season will make us mature and fruitful. Yet those who hear and cling to it will produce a bumper crop.
Less makes us more. Indeed, God’s kingdom swims upside down.
This idea is reiterated in the story of the spotlight. Jesus commands:
“So pay attention to how you hear” and “My mother and brother are all those who hear God’s Word and obey it.”
After hearing Jesus, we must respond to Jesus, then we must obey Jesus.
Jesus’ emphasis isn’t on what we hear (which surprises me!) as much as how we hear.
Our response…
Our obedience…
Then the Gospel of Luke shocks us:
Demons hear Jesus quite well, and respond with quick obedience.
While I’d never say we should be like the demons, perhaps they’re on to something.
They set the stage from for who walk in obedience.
The sick woman who hears Jesus syllables of healing and shalom.
The dead girl who hears Jesus command to “Get up!”
The disciples who obeys Jesus instruction to proclaim the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of Luke keeps pounding us with example after example of those who hear, listen, and obey.
The holy exclamation point arrives when James, Peter, John, Elijah, Moses, and Jesus find themselves on a rocky mountain side, a holy voice echoing a familiar refrain:
“This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”
Chores. Duties. Tasks. Expectations. And more. All get in the way.
We hear, but fail to take heart.
Perhaps that’s why Luke 9 ends with two men who bare a strange resemblance to the seed from Jesus’ early story of the farmer.
Both use the phrase, “First let me….”
They plan to follow Jesus later.
Later has a way of making us deaf.
Later has a way of making us unresponsive.
Later has a way of making us disobedient.
What do I most need to hear but least want to read?
I’ve not been careful in how I’ve listened.
I’ve told God, “Later” far too many times.
Forgive me, Lord. Make me quick to hear, quick to respond, quick to obey.
Let me ask you:
Why is it important to learn to listen well, be responsive, and obey quickly?
Which of these do you tend to struggle with more? Why?
What do you most need to hear and least want to read?
