Links for today’s readings:
Apr 3 Read: Hosea 2 Listen: (3:48) Read: Matthew 7 Listen: (3:31)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Apr 4 Read: Hosea 3-4 Listen: (3:53) Read: Matthew 8 Listen: (4:09)
Apr 5 Read: Hosea 5-6 Listen: (3:44) Read: Matthew 9 Listen: (4:56)
Scripture Focus: Matthew 7.13-27
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Reflection: Most Excellent Salvation
By John Tillman
Bill and Ted’s epic proverb, “Be excellent to each other,” is less fluffy than it sounds.
If Jesus were born near the San Fernando valley north of Los Angeles instead of the Elah Valley west of Bethlehem, he might have said it. The similarity is no accident. “Be excellent to each other” is an intentional distillation of Jesus’ teachings filtered through Western (and 90s surfer) culture. It pretends so hard to be deep it actually achieves it. Living out “be excellent to each other” would be similarly challenging as “Love your neighbor.” (Mark 12.28-34)
Some falsely perceive Jesus’ teachings as nice and easy, fluffy and feel-good platitudes like Bill and Ted’s. However, even Jesus’ most popular and celebrated teachings, the Sermon on the Mount, contain harsh (as Bill and Ted would describe them) parables. The parables of the narrow gate, false prophets, false disciples, and foolish builders, arranged in a row, share the same message: salvation is hard.
The road is narrow. Few find it. False, ferocious, and fruitless prophets will deceive many. People can do works in Jesus’ name, yet at the judgment, Jesus will call their work evil and deny knowing them. People can build impressive lives on the wrong foundation, yet when the storm of judgment comes, everything crashes down into a sandy mess.
Other parables make salvation seem easy. The ask, seek, and knock parable that directly precedes the “salvation is hard” parables tells us anyone can receive, find, and enter. (Matthew 7.7-8) Jesus says he is the way to be followed, the truth to be found, and the gate we can enter. (John 10.9) We can walk in his way. We can spot false prophets by their fruit. We can build on the right foundation and even a shabby, shotgun shack can stand the storm.
If up to us, salvation is not only hard, but impossible. However, all things are possible with God. (Luke 18.27) If through Jesus, salvation is not only possible but inevitable once we accept his well-meant offer. He knocks on the door of our hearts. Once we open to him he leads us to the gate and narrow path of sanctification. This path is hard, yet he will complete his work within us (Philippians 1.6) to fulfill his purpose. (Philippians 2.13)
The complete process of salvation is both hard and easy, yet when we live through and for Jesus, it is most excellent. (1 Corinthians 12.31)
Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
I cry out to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” — Psalm 142.5
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.
Read more: Our Good Friday—Guided Prayer
Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge’s poetic description of Good Friday…“It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming” sits with us in the tension of seeming disaster…
Read more: Looking Back at Good Friday
May the love we were shown on Good Friday be carried by us not just on Fridays, but on every day.
