Coming off of last week's passage where the disciples asked Jesus why He speaks in parables, Jesus puts another one to them: the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat. Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan join Adam, Kiri, and Mason to explain what Jesus is getting at in this parable: what election means. Election can be a scary topic. Am I in? Am I out? And as you'll hear in the conversation, God is the one who's choosing who has the ears to hear. God is electing who understands these parables. Keep this in mind amid the weeping and gnashing of teeth details of this text. When Jesus says, "then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!" He is saying you are righteous in the eyes of God because God has made you righteous. He's given you His righteousness in baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the proclamation of Christ's forgiveness. 

SING TO THE LORD

Listen to Luther House of Study's newest podcast: Sing to the Lord! Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff each week to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. We hope you enjoy this new venture! 

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3IjGmMa

🎧 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VHikh3

GOSPEL

Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

24 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28 He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (NRSV)

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