[
Rom. 8:12-25; Mt. 13:24-43]
Let anyone who has ears listen!
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Does this verse trouble you?
That’s understandable, a lot of people find it uncomfortable to hear or to read.
Because how can you be certain that when at the end of days the Son of Man will send his angels you won’t end up in the furnace but shine in your Father’s kingdom?
The answer lies in the word ‘Father’. God is a parent.
Saint Paul writes, “When we cry, Abba! Father! it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”
To be joint heirs with Christ means to share in his Sonship, and to share in his Sonship means to share in his life, and so also in his death, and then also in his resurrection to new life. In Baptism you were clothed with him. You suffer with him and you’re glorified with him. You died his death and live is risen life. This is most certainly true.
In today’s parables we’re given more confirmation, more certainty,
The weeds and the grain grow together, it’s not up to us to separate them, and judge them, we could never do that rightly, that task belongs to God, and God’s judgement will be fair;
The mustard seed represents faith, not faith that subscribes to doctrine, but faith that is trust, a trust that is free of all restraint and fear that keeps it from growing;
The yeast represents grace, because no matter how much dough needs rising, God will add his grace with full commitment and enthusiasm.
So, fair judgement, faith that trusts, and grace that’s always enough. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all else flows from it. Amen.
Perhaps you’re thinking, ‘haven’t we heard this all before’?
Yes, but it’s so vitally important to repeat it over and over again. It’s extremely important to repeat it every time. At every occasion, the preacher should share this message, because the congregation deserves to hear it. God insists on it.
Martin Luther, the German reformer, was asked, “Why is it that every week all you ever preach to us is the gospel?” Luther answered, “Because every week you forget about it, and until you walk into church looking like you’ve been truly liberated by the truth of the gospel, I’m going to continue to preach it to you.”
This story is an urban legend, but it does illustrate the point very well. It’s every preacher’s duty and privilege to tell the congregation: God’s promises are about life and about being, and God’s promises are always true, the Gospel is always true.
It’s this Good News that the enemy (however you imagine them) want to obscure by sowing weeds that take over this life-changing message, that make it difficult to hear this comforting assurance of love and mercy and hope. The enemy is a liar, ignore them! They cannot take this gift away from you. The greatest lie they can tell, is that the Gospel isn’t enough, and even if it was, you’re not worthy to receive it. The Gospel is enough, and you are very worthy of it. The Gospel is yours.
When the end of days will come, don’t be afraid, God has already saved you, out of fatherly and motherly love. You have been given permission to step into God’s presence, which is the kingdom, and shine like the sun.