Tuesday after the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on October 27, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 13:18-35 (NKJV)
13:18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
20 And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”
And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”
32 And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Devotion
Scripture interprets itself. The clear passages explain the more confusing ones. This is why faithful Christians must believe and confess all of God’s Word. So also, Christ gives parables, which are intentionally unclear, to test the faith of His listeners: to those who believe He will also give the interpretation, that those who do not believe may be convicted.
When Christ tells the parable of the mustard seed, He preaches about Himself. He is the seed, for He is called the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15), the Seed of Abraham (Gen. 21:12), and the Seed of David (2 Sam. 7:12). By His death and burial in the ground, He established the Christian Church, which is a holy gathering place for all the believers of the earth—symbolized by the birds of the air. He explains Himself thus: “They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.”
Likewise, the leaven describes salvation through the Christ. St. Paul writes, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). A mere word entering a man through the ear seems insignificant, but, just as a little leaven leavens three measures of dough, the Word of the Christ, when it enters the ear, raises the entire man to new life.
Prayer: Grant, we beseech Thee, merciful Lord, to Thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve Thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
