Many people find it hard to reconcile a God who claims to be merciful with the rest of what they read of God in Scripture. For example, some might look at the plagues on Egypt or the Israelite claim to the promised land to be without mercy on the innocents who died in both instances. Others might look at Jesus’s teaching in parables and see a lack of mercy. Why would a merciful God purposefully confuse people with parables? But what is interesting about the accounts of Jesus’s teaching in parables is that although He tells His disciples that they are given to understand them, they still have to ask Him what they mean. In fact, in Matthew 13 they asked what Jesus’s parables meant. Perhaps you might expect Jesus’s answer to reject them; if they didn’t get it the first time, why should He explain it to them? After all isn’t that like having to explain a joke? Doesn’t it take away all the punch? But Jesus doesn’t answer that way. Both times they ask, He explains the parable. And this is how we see God’s mercy even when it isn’t obvious. It isn’t that Jesus expects everyone to understand everything the first time. It’s that He expects those who want to understand to ask. He’s merciful to explain Himself. He glories in revealing Himself. But we need to be humble enough to ask Him. God isn’t an ogre or an impatient father who barely has time to listen and explain things to us. Rather, He is a merciful and loving Father, who graciously gives to those who are humble enough to seek Him and His help. May God grant us the humility to stop pretending like we understand. And may we ask Him for eyes to see and ears to hear. – Pastor Rory Martin
Sunday at Liberty
- BTH: Russ Frederick–Exodus–Egypt’s Demise and God’s Deliverance (Ex 11:1-13:16)
- AM: Pastor Rory–Matthew 13:1-58–The Messiah’s Kingdom Disclosure, 1 (sermon notes)
- PM: Josh De Leon–Deuteronomy 30:1-6–A New Heart
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