Jesus could have miraculously prepared a meal for the multitude before Him without asking the disciples to do it. But He includes them in the work of ministry so that they can learn and grow. He will never command us to do something that He didn’t already intend to empower us to do. 

And yet, He often commands us to do something that is far beyond our abilities (”You give them something to eat.”) and calls us to Himself (”Bring what you do have here to Me.”).

In response, when we place what we have to offer in His hands, Jesus blesses it, breaks it, and multiplies it—equipping us to obey what He tells us to do. This pattern repeats in the lives of all those who want to love and obey Him. He constantly calls us to things that are beyond our ability, and as we learn along the way, we discover a very valuable lesson: where God guides, God will provide. 

There were a couple of things that caused Jesus to marvel. But it wasn’t what or who you’d expect. It wasn’t power, wealth, or fame. Jesus marveled at the faith of both Jews and Gentiles–both the presence of and the lack of faith.

The Gentiles had no history, heritage, knowledge, or understanding of the meaning and value of the Messiah. But this was not a disadvantage. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The Jews (especially in His hometown of Nazareth) knew enough for it to be dangerous for them. They had an odd and unhealthy presumption of familiarity. They knew a little, and so they thought they knew it all. This led them to an unwillingness not only to receive from Jesus but also to believe in Him.

But we never do that…do we?

Avoid an odd and unhealthy presumption of familiarity with Jesus. Keep your fellowship with Him fresh. Reject any presumption that equates knowing a little about Jesus with knowing all about Jesus. This kind of unhealthy relationship to Jesus can lead to contempt—or even worse—unbelief.

Approach Him with humility, as a child would—no culture, no history, no heritage. Just Jesus and His Word. Learn from Him and learn of Him.

Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”
-Matthew 13:51

The word translated as “understood” means “to put together.” Jesus is asking those who follow Him if they’ve put together what He’s taught through parables in Matthew 13. 

There’s a lot to put together. The reality of counterfeit Christians. The reality of Satan’s emissaries. The reality of the judgment to come, where there will be wailing, weeping, and gnashing of teeth in the furnace of fire. The reality that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard. The reality that all are unjust and unrighteous? And that there will be a just judgment for the unjust and the unrighteous for all of eternity?

This is the bad news. 

But there’s Good News. You are the treasure that God seeks. You are the pearl of great price. Jesus gave all that He has to rescue you and redeem you so that you don’t have to enter into the eternal judgment that your sins deserve. 

To appreciate the Good News, the bad news must also be communicated. We must love people enough to tell them what they need to be saved from. The Good News is only good if the bad news is understood.

​The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. 
The Parable of the Mustard Seed. 
The Parable of the Leaven. 

Each parable addressed the abnormal growth initiated by the enemy of our souls. 

Each parable given by Jesus to those who have ears to hear. 

Each parable with a revelation given to those who would linger longer and seek after Him—genuine disciples that Jesus wanted to be wary of the leaven of the Pharisees, the reality of Satan’s emissaries, and the presence of counterfeit Christians. 

Do you have ears to hear what Christ is communicating to those who would deny self, pick up their cross, and follow Him? 

​Imagine sowing good seeds in hopes of a fruitful crop. But as you observe the first seedlings, you notice something: though all the sprouts look similar, some are weeds. The crop is compromised because an enemy secretly sowed bad seeds within your field. And it’s too late to do anything about it now. The roots of the weeds are intertwined with the wheat you planted.

Satan secretly sows counterfeits that are harmful and destructive to the good seed. Even though we know it’s happening, yanking the weeds out will harm the crop. And so, the weeds grow along with the good seed.

This reality can be discouraging and disheartening for those who sow the good seed of God’s Word. Scattered among believers are counterfeit Christians who harm genuine Christians—entangling their roots, leeching nourishment, and causing chaos. But Jesus tells us not to rip out the weeds, or genuine Christians would be harmed too. 
So what can be done? Wheat with strong roots will prevent the weeds from thriving. One day, the weeds will be dealt with. But until then, caring for and nurturing the growth of the good seed will starve and stave off the weeds, preventing them from flourishing.

So disciples, sowers, ministers—keep sowing. Keep caring. Keep cultivating. Just don’t give up!

​Jesus used parables to weed out those who weren’t interested in hearing what He had to say. If people didn’t want to hear The Word of God or to know Him more, they wouldn’t get anything out of His teaching. In fact, it would be worse for people to stay for the wrong reason, for if they heard and didn’t act, they would be accountable for what they heard but didn't do.

Just as Jesus experienced, we will encounter those who look but don’t really see. They hear, but don’t really listen or understand (see Isaiah 6:8-10). Jesus understands the condition of the human heart and how it can’t be controlled, which is what the parable of the sower is all about. All you can do is be faithful to sow the seed and realize it will land on bad soil far often than good soil. Don’t let this discourage you—keep on sowing!

Eternal life is not only a quantity of life, but a quality of life. This quality comes not just from knowing about God, but from knowing Him. God wants us to know that we have eternal life, but how can we know for sure? Eight times in 1 John, the Apostle John writes, “By this we know…”

1. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3)
2. “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” (1 John 2:5)
3. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)
4. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” (1 John 3:18-19)
5. “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)
6. “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6)
7. “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (1 John 4:13)
8. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” (1 John 5:2)

Loving God looks like keeping His commandments and laying down our lives for others. This kind of love is made possible through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us when we are born again. The word of God says that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation—the old is gone and the new has come (see 2 Corinthians 5:17)! 

You can know that you have eternal life—simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. The Bible says that if you do this, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Repent (turn away from) your sin and ask God for forgiveness. Believe that Jesus died for your sin and that God raised Him to life. Trust Him as your Savior and follow Him as the Lord of your life.

​The book of Acts chronicles the birth of the church. In Acts 2:42, we read specifically what they did when they came together—a model we strive to follow to this day:

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

These core practices remain central: studying the Word, fellowship, communion, and prayer.

These are not a holy to-do list that we check off every week. These are things we strive to do out of hearts overflowing with love and appreciation for our Lord. It might not seem like much, but it’s all we really need.

Notice how they went about these core components: steadfastly. These believers were resolutely firm and unwavering in these things. Should we be any less steadfastly committed to developing daily Godly disciplines?

Read your Bible. Talk to God. Enjoy fellowship with other believers. Partake of communion together. But not to score points with God, but because you really love Him.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells him three ways to build his life on the Rock of Jesus Christ to withstand life's storms.

First is discipleship (2 Timothy 3:10-11). Paul reminded Timothy how he handled hardship. We must follow Christ’s example, but having a resolute earthly example helps us stay committed to Jesus’ teaching.  

Second, cultivate and guard your desire to live a godly life (2 Timothy 3:12). We lose this desire when we love ourselves, lifestyle, or laziness more than God. Unless you fuel and protect your passion for Jesus, you will fall away.

Third is diligence in studying, proclaiming, and obeying God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:13-17). Your only hope to withstand the coming waves is to know, live, love, and obey the whole counsel of God’s word.

Is your life built on the sand? You need to build your house on The Rock now by doing what Jesus said to do, which includes being born again (see John 3:1-15). Surrender your life to Jesus, then be discipled,  desire to follow Jesus, and be diligent in obeying the whole counsel of God’s word.

Then you will be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall for it was founded on The Rock!

​We often think that reforming someone’s life or behavior is a worthy goal. After all, getting someone’s life clean and in order would be helpful, wouldn’t it? We may endeavor to clean up their act and get their house in order, but if nothing inhabits that house, old sins come flooding back with a vengeance.

Imagine this scenario: the worst person with the worst sinful behavior who is inhabited by the worst demons is delivered. The demons are cast out, their behavior changes, and they reform their ways. But Jesus tells us that without something (or Someone) else inhabiting their heart, all that’s been accomplished is cleaning up the house to invite even more demons, more sin, and more problems.

This is why it’s so important to make a distinction between reformation and regeneration. You may have heard it said that Jesus did not come to make bad men good. He came to give dead men life. You must be born again so that your heart may be inhabited by the Holy Spirit so that God may make His home there (see John 14:23 and Ephesians 3:14-17).

This won’t happen after getting your life in order. This only happens the moment you surrender your life and heart to God, inviting Him in to rule and reign. Only then will the Strongest Man make His home in your heart.