TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 2, 2012.
NET
DEFINITION:
A snare; a trap; a course string tied together to catch fish.
SCRIPTURE:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind. Matthew 13:47.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In
this parable Jesus was teaching that the net is the Kingdom of Heaven
and the Gospel is the message of the kingdom. The sea is the world in
all the depth of darkness and it’s unknown. The fisherman represents
Christ and all of His followers.
Jesus continued
teaching using this parable as an illustration by saying: When the net
was full they came to shore and sat down and gathered the good into
vessels and cast the bad away.
We need to note several
things that Jesus was saying. First, they worked hard fishing. Jesus
compares the hard work of these fishermen to the hard work needed to
cast the gospel message of the kingdom into the world of unbelievers.
Second,
Jesus reminds us that there is a mixture of good and bad that are drawn
into God’s visible kingdom here on earth just as there were good and
bad fish caught in the net. There will be some people that will join the
kingdom here on earth that are not sincere and have not genuinely
accepted Christ as their Savior.
Thirdly, Jesus said in
verse 49 that there will be an end to the world. There is a set time in
God’s plan when that climatic time will come. The net has a limit as to
how many it will hold just as someday heaven will be full. Of course
only the Lord knows when He will draw the net.
Fourthly,
Jesus makes it clear that the good, those who are true followers of
Christ and obey His commandments, and bad, those who are hypocrites and
not true believers, will not be separated until the net is full. The
Lord alone has the right to execute judgment when He casts away the bad.
The sorting will be done at the last judgment.
Jesus
ends this parable by reminding all who were listening that the
unrepentant wicked, the bad, will be cast into the furnace of fire and
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Verse 50)
Yes,
judgment day will be a tragic day for all those who come before Jesus
still covered in their sins having never accepted Jesus and received His
gift of cleansing atonement for their sins. This will include some who
were regular in attending church, because just attending church does not
get one into heaven.
After this parable Jesus asks the
question, “Have you understood all these things?” (Verse 51) Having
just warned of the coming judgment you cannot help but notice the
urgency in Jesus’ question. It is an urgent question for each of us.
Have you understood this parable? Judgment day is coming and none of us
know what even tomorrow might bring.
Jesus warned us in Luke 12:40 that we must be ready because He will return at an hour when we will not expect Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is the ninth of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:16.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
PRAYER:
Thank
You for drawing in the net that allowed our family to be drawn to You.
May our lives be used by You to draw many into a saving knowledge of
You.