a Lutheran’s Confessions

There are three biblical ways to resolve conflicts personally and privately, just between you and the other party:

1. Overlook an offense—many disputes are so insignificant that they should be resolved by quietly overlooking the offense. “A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.” (Pr 16:11)

2. Reconciliation—if an offense is too serious to overlook or has damaged your relationship, there is need to reconcile through confession, loving correction and forgiveness.

3. Negotiation—in some cases, even when reconciliation is achieved, there may be need to work through issues related to money, property rights or other rights.

Above all, the love of Christ for us enables us to act lovingly toward our neighbors. “…forgiving each other…just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” (Col 3:13)

   Listening to the news you would think the sky has fallen. The financial crisis has caused panic around the world. Many of us have seen our assets shrink to a fraction of what they had been only a couple of weeks ago.
   The situation is indeed serious, but Jesus speaks to our situation: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Mt 6:26)
   Note: it’s not their father who feeds them but your Father. If your Father is so generous that He feeds little birds who cannot even labor, surely your Father will feed you who labor long and hard for daily bread. You are much more valuable than they.
   “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well.” (Mt 6:33) You cannot serve God and money. You will always give one priority over the other. If money is your priority, worry will be the result. If you daily seek first Christ and His gifts in Word and Sacrament, your heart will at rest and free from worry because you know you have a loving Father in heaven who already knows your needs.

   A parable is a short story or illustration about God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom is His gracious rule in the hearts of men (through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments). One third of Christ’s teaching was in parables.
   Jesus would sometimes teach large, mixed crowds of believers and unbelievers, rabid opponents and earnest seekers.

QUESTION: If you were Jesus, how would you keep the opponents at a distance and yet draw the believers and seekers closer to you?
ANSWER: you would teach them in parables, because the parables confront the hearer with a question—do you want an explanation of the story or not?

   The only way to get an explanation of the parable is to come into a closer relationship with the Speaker of the parable—Jesus Christ. In asking for and receiving Christ’s explanation, the hearer becomes a disciple of Christ—one who is taught by Him. His opponents wanted no such thing, so they refrained from asking for explanations and remained in the dark about God’s kingdom.