The Dragnet

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

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I’ve never been much of a fisherman. Mostly I’ve fished from the banks of rivers and occasionally from a boat. But my experiences have been enough to let me know that fishing would not be a good vocation for me.

When I was a young boy fishing with my grandfather I would sometimes think about how much easier it would be if we just put down a big net to catch the fish instead of waiting around all afternoon for the fish to take our bait. While he was quite content to relax and enjoy the time away from work, I was more interested in wanting to catch lots of fish and then go back home.

There are programs on television that feature some commercial fishermen. These professionals have very elaborate tools with which to find and catch large quantities of fish. They make it look very easy.

One of the methods they employ is a large net which is pulled behind the boat and catches most everything in its path. This is quite an efficient process to watch. They can capture an entire school of fish, plus other types of marine life that just happen to be in the path of the net.

A variation of this type of net is called a dragnet. This net has weights placed on the bottom and wood floats on the top. This enabled the nets to cover the entire span of water from the lake floor to the surface.

These nets were in use in the days of Jesus and were also quite efficient. While not too far from shore, these nets would be lowered down from the boats. They were then either pulled into the boats or pulled up on to the shore. Just like the commercial fishermen of today, anything that was in the way of that net was captured.

In Matthew 13:47-50, Jesus tells a parable about a dragnet.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus is speaking of the end of time and the Day of Judgment. When this world is over all will be gathered together, just as the dragnet captures all who are in its path. Then we will be separated, good from bad, just like a fisherman would do on the shore after having pulled in the nets.

Like the parable of the tares, the good and the bad coexist until the time for harvest. And also like that parable, there is no in between category. The only two options are good or bad.

Jesus speaks also of the end of time in Matthew 25:31-33.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”

Wheat separated from the tares. Good fish separated from the bad fish. Sheep separated from the goats. Friends, we need to understand that just because God allows the bad to coexist with the good doesn’t mean that He approves of everything. There is a day of reckoning that awaits us all. There is a day coming when you and I will be judged as either being good or bad.

The good news is that if we are bad today we don’t have to stay that way. We can become acceptable to God by learning His will for us and by obeying that will.

Jesus left us with many parables describing the kingdom of God. With each one He gives us a taste of what to expect. For some the Day of Judgment will be a day of great celebration. For others, it will be a day of doom.

Good or bad. The net is coming. Better decide which one you will be!

On Our Daily Walk today, may we thank God for the gift of today and use it wisely in His service. May we humble ourselves before Him, confess our sins and profess our willingness to do what He desires.

Our thought for the day: “A fish grows the fastest between the time it is caught and the time the fisherman tells about it.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

Marriage Of The King's Son

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

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Marriages are times filled with a wide array of emotions. Love, of course, is present. But so also is joy, laughter, friendship. And don’t forget panic and worry! Most people, especially the parents, are glad that marriages don’t happen very often.

For many weddings there are countless numbers of hours that go into planning, decorating, arranging and coordinating the event. This day is going to be special. And we want our friends to be with us to celebrate.

Invitations are sent out and preparations are made for the wedding, reception and celebration of this union. In an ideal world, everyone would attend this wedding. But we know that some may not be able.

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 22:1-14 about a king who prepared a wedding for his son. Invitations were distributed and the anticipation was set for all to come and attend this great event. Here is that parable.

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

When it was time for the wedding those who had been invited were not serious about attending. They went on their own ways and followed their self-directed interests. This was a great insult to the king and his son.

But some of them were not just rude in declining the invitation, but actually became violent. They mistreated the servants and even killed some of them.

Naturally this made the king very angry. So he arranged to punish those killers and destroy their city. Then he sent other servants out to gather other people to come. The original ones invited had proven themselves to be unworthy.

The servants do this and fill up the wedding hall. But one of the guests is spotted without a wedding garment. In those days a king would require everyone to wear elaborate clothing at these events. In fact, many times the king would present each guest with clothing as a gift. To either not accept such a great gift or to refuse to wear it would be a terrible insult to the king.

This garment is seen as being the act of “putting on” Christ, or being clothed in Christ. With this in mind we can see how this man stood out as unacceptable to the king. All of the others, even the poor, were properly dressed because the king had provided for them. But this man was speechless and without excuse for he had not accepted the king’s gift.

Many people have rejected God’s invitation and many more will do so before this earth is destroyed. Unfortunately, some others will be drawn to God through His word but will not be willing to accept God’s terms and will stubbornly choose their ways over God’s ways.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we remember God’s love for us that allows us to have hope of eternal life. May we readily accept His invitation and live so as to be pleasing to Him.

Our thought for the day: “The Christian who claims the promises of God should obey the commands of God.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

The Great Supper

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

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What if you threw a party and no one came? That may well be the fear of some people who want to entertain others but are unsure if they will attend. Can you imagine the waste that would be involved if no one showed up for your party? Just think of all of the time cleaning and arranging things, not to mention all of that food that would go to waste. Having no shows at your party would not only be a waste, but would also be an insult to you as a host.

Jesus teaches a parable of a great supper where people declined an invitation to a feast. We find this in Luke 14:15-24.

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’”

The excuses given by these people were very flimsy. One said that he had bought some land and hadn’t even seen it yet. Another said that he was going to test five yoke of oxen that he had purchased. Both of these men must have been very trusting of their business partners. Who do you know that would buy property or beasts of burden without seeing the land or proving the animals? No one I know would.

The last man appealed to the fact that he had married a wife and therefore could not come. There were regulations that covered a newlywed couple during their first year. You can read about that in Deuteronomy 24:5. It says there that a newly married man should not go to war or be charged with business for a full year. Instead, he should stay at home and bring happiness to his wife.

But this was not war, nor was it business. This was an invitation to a great feast. These men had already been invited and they were expected to come. But with one voice they each immediately made excuses for not fulfilling their commitment.

They just simply did not want to attend this feast. They had each become absorbed in their own material, business and marital affairs and did not currently see the need or the appeal of the great supper.

This obviously angered the host who quickly sent out his servants to gather others for the feast. The preparations had already been made. The feast was to be a time of great fellowship and joy. More people must be invited.

So the servants went into the less desirable areas of the city and brought in the poor and the handicapped and still there was much room. Then another plea was made to go and compel others to join in the feast before the time had passed.

In the end those who would not accept the invitation were bypassed in favor of all those who would.

It’s hard to imagine someone declining an invitation from God. But that is what this parable represents. Representative of the Jews, these who declined the invitation had an inside track. They were already invited, but then they lost interest and declined.

Isn’t it sad today to think of those who already have a belief in God but who reject His invitation? Friends, don’t let business, material things or even family come between you and your God.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we be thankful that God desires to have us in His presence. May we do all that we can to make sure that we will be faithful to His invitation as we look forward to the joy and fellowship of His feast.

Our thought for the day: A church sign once read, “You aren’t too bad to come in. You aren’t too good to stay out.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

The Chief Seats

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.
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Extended family gatherings are great events to enjoy and remember. Some people live close enough to enjoy the company of their cousins, siblings, parents and grandparents on a frequent basis. For others, distance divides family and the occasion to get everyone together comes less frequently.

One thing that most families experience at these gatherings is food. We love to gather friends and family and enjoy a meal together. However, when you combine several families into one house not everyone can be around the main table.

When I was younger I remember seeing a huge dining room table filled with food. This is where all of the adults would sit. But for the kids and grandkids, we were to sit around a smaller kitchen table or around card tables.

As kids we all looked forward to the day when we could “move up” to the big table. Sometimes one of the kids would try to sit at the big table without being invited. But then they would be demoted to the kids table as soon as the adults came into the room.

In the days of Jesus, they didn’t have dining room tables like we do today, but they did have a certain pecking order, so to speak, as to where people would sit. In Greek and Roman culture the table was usually in a U shape and was very low to the ground. Instead of chairs people would recline on their left sides on cushions and reach out with their right hands to eat.

The head of the table was reserved for the honored guest. Then in descending order of importance the other guests were placed around the table. The least important person was the farthest away from the chief seat.

Invitations for a meal would most certainly specify a date, but would not always specify a time. Guests for a meal would come at various times, and the more important guests would often delay their arrival so everyone else could see them enter and be escorted to the seat of honor. Sometimes a person might assume that they were going to be placed at a more prominent seat only to find out that someone more important was already slated to sit there.

Jesus tells a parable of humility in Luke 14:7-14. This is the parable of the chief seats.

So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

This lesson shows the futility of self-exaltation. It is far better to be humble and exalted by others than to exalt yourself and then be humiliated by others as they put you in your place.

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

On Our Daily Walk today, may we always seek to humbly do the will of God and not be concerned with who is the greatest or who is more honored. May we always be honored to be at the table of our Lord regardless of which seat we occupy.

Our thought for the day: “Humility is the acceptance of the place appointed by God, whether it be in the front or the rear.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

The Persistent Widow

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

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Do you believe in the power of prayer? In James 5:16, James says the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” I believe that with all my heart. Although I also know that not every prayer will be answered in the way we expect it to be answered.

Prayer is an important part of the Christian life. Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 5:16 to, “pray without ceasing,” or to always be in a prayerful attitude toward God. And even though we pray often to God, it is when real need arises that we pray with even greater fervor to Him.

For example, people will pray for peace for the world, health for themselves and safety for a journey. But if peace is threatened by war, health is endangered by sudden illness or the danger for a trip increases then our prayers become more focused and more persistent.

We want God to hear our direct and definite desires.

Luke records two parables of Jesus that deal directly with the subject of prayer. The parable of the friend at midnight in Luke 11:5-8, and the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8.

In these parables Jesus demonstrates the power of persistence or perseverance. As our Father, God is always there to hear our requests and is willing to provide for us.

The parable of the widow gives us a glimpse into the life of a woman in distress. Widows and orphans in that time lacked the economic and legal standing that men enjoyed. Without a husband to provide for her, this widow had few options left in order for her to survive.

She apparently has been wronged by someone, an adversary, who no doubt has made her situation much worse, even desperate. We see that her requests are direct and definite and determined. This reading is from Luke 18:1-8.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

This issue was of great importance to this woman. This judge was probably a Roman since the Jews could not convene a court under one man. He didn’t have much interest in her situation and tried to postpone judgment. At times this was done in order to encourage a bribe to speed things along. Felix hoped for this from Paul in Acts 24.

But this woman had no means of giving such a bribe. In fact, her ability to pay anyone may have been taken away by her adversary. Her only path was to be persistent in her request receive justice. Sensing that she would not go away this judge decided to settle her case.

Jesus teaches us that if an unjust judge can grant justice due to perseverance, then also God will do much more to those who persistently pray to Him.

Do you have a need? Pray and don’t lose heart or hope. Be direct and definite on your needs. Pray fervently on specific things, not general ones.

From Luke 11:9, Jesus said, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” The verbs in that passage have the meaning of an ongoing action. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. Be persistent.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we always turn to God with our requests as well as our thanksgiving. May we always submit our prayers with the humble resolve, “not my will but Thy will be done.”

Our thought for the day: “Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.

The Good Samaritan

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

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In our country today there are some communities that have “Good Samaritan” laws. That means that if a citizen sees someone who is in need of help and does not help him in his need, then that citizen can be held guilty of negligence.

We would do well to have laws like this in all of our communities. Just think of the additional good that could be done if everyone took the responsibility to do the right thing!

Of course, not everyone will see the need to do good for others. Perhaps they will feel the burden to do so for a friend, but certainly not a stranger. James says in James 4:17, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Jesus tells a famous parable about a man who is beaten, robbed and left half dead. Three people come by and see him in the road, but only one stops to do the right thing.

The first two are religious people. Priests were plentiful in the land of Palestine in this era. There were 24 divisions or orders of priests and Jericho and Jerusalem were both cities that were full of them.

The Levites were from the tribe of Levi but were not priests themselves. They would assist the priests in the various routines and functions of the temple.

The Samaritan man represented a whole class of people that the Jews despised. They rejected the Samaritans and treated them as if they were dogs.

Here now is this parable from Luke 10:25-37.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Unlike the selfishness of the first two, the Samaritan man had a heart of compassion. The priest and Levite clearly saw the need, but made the choice to do nothing. But this man had compassion and helped the helpless man. Our issue should not be who deserves our help, rather who needs our help.

This Samaritan also has a mind of action. His duty was to help this man in need. Like the words of James, to see a chance to do good and walk away would be missing the mark, or a sin. Notice also that he not only took care of the immediate need, but also provided for the ongoing needs of this man.

Lastly, this Samaritan had a love for neighbors. The Jews mostly wanted to have a closed society. Any laws on loving neighbor as self would be applied to fellow Jews but not to others. For Gentiles or Samaritans the Jews would see no obligation whatsoever to help.

In this parable Jesus teaches that to fulfill the law to love one’s neighbor, one must include everyone in the category as neighbor. We are to show mercy to all, just as God offers it to us as well.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we pay particular attention to opportunities to do good today. May we jump at the chance to help someone whether we know them or not and experience the joy of loving our neighbor.

Our thought for the day: “Being all fashioned of the self-same dust, let us be merciful as well as just.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.