Tue Mar 18

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words end and harvest.

Reading

Matthew 13:28-30, 39-42—Two Crops Harvested

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Jesus will return to judge the world.
Jesus will return to judge the visible church.
Jesus as judge is part of the good news.

Questions

(some read these before notes, then ask them after)

What happens to the weeds at the end?
What happens to unbelievers at the end?
How long does hell last?

Notes

(Today’s notes are from a commentary on Matthew by Douglas Sean O’Donnell) The gospel brings joy to those who believe, but judgment to those who do not. … In fact, this theme of judgment is prevalent almost everywhere in Matthew where Jesus speaks in parables.

But that is just the subtle stuff. There is nothing subtle about the endings of the Parable of the Weeds and the Parable of the Net. Both parables end with these same words, “and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. …

Now that’s judgment, and there is no way around it. But why are we always looking for a way around it? What is wrong with judgment? Why does judgment, when found on the lips of Jesus, get a bad rap? …

When you wake up in the morning and open the newspaper and read what it reports—everything from terrorism to murder to sex scandals to kidnappings—don’t you long for justice? Don’t you long for a world made right? Don’t you long for the kingdom of heaven to reign on earth?

Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. Jesus will also judge the church in righteousness.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday reading for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 37c, 133a

Prayer

Give thanks that Jesus will return to judge.
Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.