Pentecost 11; Proper 12

How precious are you in the sight of God? How about a treasure that He hides in a field to keep you safe and then sells everything to buy the field?

Or how about he compare you to a fine pearl that He is willing to sell everything to acquire you?

It may sound strange but that is how our heavenly Father views all of you. Jesus told these parables in Matthew 13 to show us that God is willing to give everything so that He may have you. Everything, that is, His own dear Son to pay for you, so that you may be in His kingdom forever.

Don’t feel that precious or valuable? Look at yourself through the fountain of the blood of the Son of God and see the reflection of your Savior.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Pentecost 10, Proper 11

Before the advent of the use of weed specific chemicals to take care of a sugar beet or bean field, it was common to walk out with a hoe and chop out as many weeds as you could. But it was inevitable that you would end up chopping some of the crop along with the weeds. Call them casualties of war.

Our Savior Jesus, uses weeds in a field as an image in Matthew 13 to communicate that there will always be evil in this world. But our Savior doesn’t want any casualties of war. Those who are against Jesus are so entwined with the believers that separating them in this world is impossible.

Jesus will send His angels to take care of that when He comes again in all His glory.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Pentecost 9, Proper 10

What do you think of a farmer who plants his seed in good soil? You think he is simply a normal farmer. What if this same farmer planted his seed along the road? Now you wouldn’t think he is very wise, would you? What about a farmer who didn’t prepare the soil first by getting rid of all the large rocks? Or what about a farmer who saw an extremely weedy plot of land and planted his seed there? Not very smart?

Although you might not think much about that earthly farmer, our heavenly Father is just that liberal with the seed of His Word. He doesn’t just give the Word to faithful believers, He casts it among those who get choked by the cares of this world. He throws it out even amidst all those who are hard hearted like rocky ground. This is how gracious He is for our salvation.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Freedom

Fireworks! Explosions! Celebration! Grilling out! Family and Friends! Party!!!

Let freedom ring!

We pour much of our summer energy into celebrating this all important day for our country. Independence from someone over a distant sea ruling our land. Waving flags and banners, parades and carnivals. The victory that gives freedom.

And then we go back to our daily lives feeling as if freedom from ourselves and our addictions and bad habits and behaviors seems far away. Is the freedom given in this country enough?

No, it isn’t. But there is a greater freedom.

Paul says to the Romans “We know that our old self was crucified with (Jesus) in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”]

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.