It is easy to miss something right in front of us when we are looking for something else. Many people missed Jesus, because they were looking for a different kind of kingdom than the one Jesus came to establish. Specifically, they were expecting immediate judgment on sinners, but Jesus surprised everyone by associating with sinners and then dying for them. Following the Parable of the Sower are three other parables in Matthew 13:24-43. Together they emphasize that judgment is coming, but not yet. First the Kingdom of God must fill the whole earth.
The LORD uses leaders to deal with threats to the welfare of his people, and he is the God who delivers them.
Jesus’ sayings reveal the meaning of his death on the cross, and some who witnessed it got the message.
In Revelation 2:18-29, Jesus sent the longest letter to the church in the least important city, Thyatira, perhaps because its situation was complicated. In...