The Thorny Weed of Wealth
Matthew 13:3,7,18,22 Then Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He told them this story: “A farmer went out to sow seed … Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing … So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer … And what about the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That is like the people who hear the teaching but let worries about this life and love for money stop it from growing. So it does not produce a crop in their lives.
The reinvention of Jesus – who He is and what He said – has been going on for some time. I mean, why wouldn’t we want to morph Him into something that fits more comfortably with our 21st century mindset?
We each tend to see Jesus through the lens of our circumstances. And the more that an aspiration for affluence takes hold of our mindset, the more we see Him from that perspective.
“Yeah, sure, life can be a struggle, but He loves me as one of His own. I’m special. I get a free ride. Surely Jesus came to make me healthy and wealthy.” It’s all too easy to start thinking like that.
Jesus told a parable to explain the different ways in which what He had to say is received by various people. Here it is – a cut down version, focussing our aspirations of affluence:
Matthew 13:3,7,18,22 He told them this story: “A farmer went out to sow seed … Some seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing … So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer … And what about the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That is like the people who hear the teaching but let worries about this life and love for money stop it from growing. So it does not produce a crop in their lives.
The crop He’s talking about is a life changed so radically that His love ripples out through us to bring in a harvest of many more lives.
Any aspiration of affluence, in His parable, is likened to thorny weeds that stop us from growing. Jesus didn’t come to make you wealthy.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Banera John
My country is Uganda. Most of the pastors here preach Jesus for wealth so when people fail to become wealthy they think ...
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My country is Uganda. Most of the pastors here preach Jesus for wealth so when people fail to become wealthy they think otherwise.
Miguel
that’s so true Jesus did not promise us soft life here on earth as some false teachers may claim it in prosperity ...
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that’s so true Jesus did not promise us soft life here on earth as some false teachers may claim it in prosperity preaching but rather He said take heart i overcame the world meaning in our afflictions and crisis we can trust him, we should rejoice in whatever he has given us whether it seem little before the eyes of men but surely his blessings is upon his children, we should be grateful at all times with thankfulness