8th Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
This Sunday brings to us the first of Matthew’s parables about the realities of the kingdom of heaven come near. “The parable of the weeds” can be a little unsettling for Christians of Lutheran perspective who confess our bondage to sin and live in hope for the promise of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as God’s generous gift (Ephesians 2:8). A gift which invites us to bear the fruits of justice, love kindness, and trust in God through the practice of our baptismal call (Micah 6:8; Ephesians 2:10).
The parable announces judgment coming for those who are not children of God from the holy seed planted by the Christ (Mathew 13:37) and instead are weeds, or children of the evil one, disguised as grain – apparently it is impossible to distinguish the wheat from darnel until the plants reach a certain point in their growth. The sentence reserved for those planted by the adversary is to be separated from God’s children and thrown in the perennial bone fire where all the rubbish is incinerated away. Maybe the good news of this parable is that we are just seeds and plants.
Paul continues his letter to the early faith community in Rome, saying that those who are God’s children are led by the Spirit of God (verse 14). This Spirit leads not to fear, but courage (15), for those who become adopted heirs of the kingdom, can be sure that the same Spirit that dwells in the Son now dwells in them, so they can cry “Abba! Father” (16-17) and live in hope (24-25).
Through Isaiah, God speaks and declares, “I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god. Who is like me (verses 6b-7a)?” “Do not fear, or be afraid;
have I not told you from of old (8a)?”
The psalm teaches us to sing:
“Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant;”
(Psalm 86: 11,13, 16)
Bridging Faith 