Tag: the problem of evil

Lead by the Spirit

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Biblical Text: Matthew 4:1-11

I start this sermon with a little reflection on what I believe the purpose of preaching is – proclamation. And mention that I think this particular sermon does some of that, but it ventures a little more into speculation that normal. The text is the temptation of Jesus. In the lectionary it is paired with the Old Testament reading of the fall into sin. Which at least for me brings up the problem of Evil. Why is Satan allowed to do this? And extending further, why does he continue to have such reign. The sermon does eventually attempt an answer. Or at least it is my answer. And it is an answer rooted in a duality word – testing or trial and temptation. In the Biblical languages they are really the same word. It is in English they are different words. And it is that divergence that I think causes so much trouble with evil. We have a simplistic and rosy view of God who never brings the trial. How that trial is allowed to happen is often by evil. Satan surely means for us to die. But the time of trial for God has two potential outcomes. 1) We pass the test, but we pass it because we have grown closer to God and know how he carries us through. 2) We fail the test, but are then met with the grace of God to restore us. Evil loses either way when you are not just looking at temporal things but things eternal. The sermon develops that.

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Hope Amid the Weeds

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Biblical Text: Matthew 13:24-45

The gospel lesson continues the parable sermon of Jesus, the 3rd of 5 sermons that make up the Gospel of Matthew. The parable is often called: the wheat and the tares. I remember it by a line from a hymn – the wheat and weeds together sown/unto joy or sorrow grown. It is a hard teaching parable, as may or may not be apparent from that hymn line.

The background summary that I’ve taken in my sermons on the parables is that these are some of the deeper teachings that would be taught to newbies in the faith. The sermon on the mount is rather straightforward first teaching. The missionary discourse (Matthew 10) is a presentation of how the Word comes to us from outside of us and how the call to discipleship is not all sunshine and roses. But then Jesus turns to parables for what are harder questions. Why are the reactions to hearing the word all over the place? (The Parable of the Sower and the Soils). And the biggie of the Wheat and Weeds – Why is their evil in the world?

And the answer of the parable isn’t the most satisfying, but it is an answer. While that might be the question that the parable is an answer to, the parable wants to turn our attention to something better. Yes, there is evil. Yes, we live amid weeds. But there will be a harvest. The weeds do not stop the wheat from being fruitful. And polished by the parables sandwiched between the parable and explanation, that eternal hope is not all we have. The Kingdom is working now, like a mustard seed, or like leaven. The devil sowed his weeds, but the kingdom has its own trickery that overgrows those. And that is Hope. The eternal Hope seeps and grows into this life. And Hope does not disappoint us.

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