Hidden treasures

My second blog. It’s easier. It’s like suddenly the block (mostly a block caused by the fear at attempting this) has been removed and there’s a flood of things clamouring for pen and paper. No problem now, praise God! There’s more in the book of James swishing around (and thanks, by the way, to the wonderful Sunday evening Service preachers who’ve inspired me), but for now it’s Parables, inspired this time by Oasis!

So I have to first explain and recommend the Oasis Friday group for women, a place of restoration and revival brought about by coffee, cake, fellowship and Bible Study. Women of all ages and at all stages of life are welcome, as are little ones. 09.30-11.15 during term time.
 
As I said, we’ve been studying parables, especially those known as Parables of the Kingdom. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Jesus would say this quite often. A call to action then, and for us now today too. Then he would tell a story to illustrate a truth about the coming Kingdom of Heaven.
 
He told one about a master who instructed his servant on how to run the business in his absence. He was going away, but promised to return. But then he didn’t return for a very long time and the servant stopped doing his job properly. He became unfair and harsh to the workers and discouraged them terribly. The master did return quite suddenly and looked for the “faithful and wise manager”, but found only a faithless, untrustworthy servant. He threw him out!
 
In this parable Jesus says “Be dressed and ready for service - and keep your lamps burning.” And He also said “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect Him” (Luke 12:35-46). These parables speak to us still!
 
One day we too will hear the shout of the Master’s return. “The trumpet will sound” to call us home to be with him for ever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). Look up “for the Blessed Hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ“ (Titus 2:13)
 
The Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) is a powerful image, a widow crying out to an unjust judge for justice against her adversary. And getting no answer. But she didn’t give up and eventually the answer came. This present world is so full of sin and evil and injustice. So much suffering. Often our hearts cry out too like the widow, “let justice roll like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream” (Amos 5:24)
 
Our God is not an unjust judge! Jesus says “Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice and quickly” (Luke 18:7,8). Our prayers are always heard in heaven. They count. We’re encouraged not to give up, to be like the persistent widow. Answers will come (Luke 18:1)
 
Revelation 8:3-5 shows us a scene in heaven that looks ahead to a future day of answered prayer - “An angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth.” At last the long-awaited answered prayers for justice. God’s judgement is given. Justice rules. Jesus says to his disciples at the end of this parable, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
 
There are simply loads of parables: 

• The one about the Weeds! (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). The enemy’s planting in our midst.  Stay awake! God will sort it in the end!
• The one about the ten bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13). Jesus says be wise, keep watch!
• The one about the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Hopefully we hear Jesus say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
• The one about the proud Pharisee and the humble Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

 It’s not always easy to understand all the stories Jesus told, but He says that’s for a reason. The disciples often didn’t understand either and they asked Him “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” His answer was “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (Matthew 13:10-17)
 
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.’” Hidden treasures for those who love Him to find. And, as ever, He is our helper! (Matthew 13:34-35 and Psalm 78:2)