Suggestion for Daily Use

Follow the ‘Daily Prayer’ at the side+++Suivez le ‘Prière Quotidienne’. Read the bible passages and then the meditation. Pray, tell God how you felt about the reading and share the concerns of your life with him. Maybe you will continue the habit after Lent. Lisez les passages bible et après la méditation. Priez, dites à Dieu que vous avez ressenti à propos de la lecture et de partager les préoccupations de votre vie avec lui. Peut-être que vous allez continuer l'habitude après le Carême. Daily Prayer Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4.1-2 Now is the healing time decreed For sins of heart, of word or deed, When we in humble fear record The wrong that we have done the Lord. (Latin, before 12th century) Read: Read the Bible passage. Read the meditation Pray: Talk to God about what you have just read. Tell him your concerns - for yourself, your family, our church family, our world. Praise him. Pray the collect for the week – see next pages. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Prière Quotidienne Jésus, rempli de l'Esprit Saint, revint du Jourdain et le Saint-Esprit le conduisit dans le désert où il fut tenté par le diable durant quarante jours. Luc 4.1-2 Maintenant le temps de la guérison est décrété Pour les péchés du cœur, de la parole et des actes, Lorsque nous nous souvenons avec humilité Le mal que nous avons fait au Seigneur. Lire : Lisez le passage de la Bible. Lisez la méditation. Prier : Parlez avec le Seigneur de ce que vous avez lu. Parlez-lui de vos préoccupations pour vous-même, votre famille, notre famille de l’église, notre monde. Louez-le. Priez la collecte pour la semaine. Voyez les pages suivantes Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur ! Que tout qui est en moi bénisse son saint nom. Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur, et n’oublie aucun de ses bienfaits !

04 December 2021

The kingdom of heaven – everything you want

 

Psalm 9│Isaiah 29.15-24│Revelation 22.6-21│Matthew 13.44-58

Psaumes 9|Ḗsaïe 29.15-24| Apocalypse 22.6-21|Matthieu 13.44-58

The kingdom of heaven – everything you want

 

'Parable of the Hidden Treasure' by (possibly) Rembrandt (c. 1630). Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. 

Own work, Yelkrokoyade, 20/07/2011, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17828757


I was a bit confused when I first read this passage. The first two parables that Jesus tells his followers are the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl. In both of these parables the trespasser/finder and the jewel merchant are actually a bit selfish I find. The trespasser finds the treasure and buys the field, but doesn’t tell anyone about it or even share it. The same for the jewel merchant who keeps the pearl for himself. The fishermen on the other hand are sharing their wealth and are only keeping the good fish, just as heaven will be for only the righteous few.

 

It’s a bit weird that these parables don’t mention anything about sharing the kingdom of God, because that is Jesus’s aim in the end that many people find God through him. These parables just talk about the great wonder and miracle that the kingdom of heaven is. I like the way that the kingdom of heaven is described in The Message as a general store where the owner can put his hands on anything you need, old or new whenever you want. That is an amazing idea and feeling, that in the kingdom of heaven you can have whatever you want with just a click of your fingers so to speak. This is something that only the extremely wealthy experience here on earth.

 

I was also thrown with the last sentence of this passage namely that Jesus doesn’t perform many miracles in Nazareth just because of their lack of faith. This seems also something extraordinary almost like he only wants to invest his time that he’s got left for only the righteous people. I wonder if we were around that day in the synagogue if we would be one of the righteous or the wicked taking offence at the arrogance of Jesus.

 

Hopefully when judgement day comes we’ll be one of the righteous and will be able to enjoy the biggest general store that there is.

 

Hopelijk wanneer de dag des oordeels komt zijn we een van de rechtvaardigen en kunnen we genieten van de grootste winkel/huis dat er bestaat.

 

Jenny Freeman

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