-
Posts
-
Bonita wrote: What did he sell?I think he sold his self importance and his self-centered ideas about reality. I don’t think it is possible to enter the kingdom of heaven if you think yourself important to its functioning. The next parable about the pearl of great price has a similar theme, selling your self-centered thinking because there is something better and more real to seek.151:4.5 “The kingdom of heaven is also like a merchant seeking goodly pearls; and having found one pearl of great price, he went out and sold everything he possessed that he might be able to buy the extraordinary pearl.”
This reply has been reported for inappropriate content.
I think he sold his self importance and his self-centered ideas about reality.
So you agree, he sold manure.
The next of the kingdom of heaven parables is the one about the sweep net.
151:4.6 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a sweep net which was cast into the sea, and it gathered up every kind of fish. Now, when the net was filled, the fishermen drew it up on the beach, where they sat down and sorted out the fish, gathering the good into vessels while the bad they threw away.
This one reminds me of the parable about the seed sower who was upset about the evil sowing weeds among the good seeds after the fact. The Master gave instructions to let them both grow together until the time of the harvest when the weeds would be burnt (kinda reminds me of images of hell). In the sweep net parable the bad fish, or weeds, are just thrown away like trash. Interesting too is that the Hebrew word Gehenna was a fiery garbage dump used as an analogy for hell in the scriptures.
So . . . winding my way through all the fertilizer I find myself thinking again of the Master’s parables. How about the treasure hidden in the field?
So this fellow sold everything he had to buy the field. What do you suppose that means? What did he sell?
Manure?
Excuse me, I meant “inorganic fertilizer”.
The next parable about the kingdom of heaven involves laborers in a vineyard. I’ll reproduce it below for those interested, but if there is no interest in meaningful discussion on the Master’s parables, I’ll leave it there and discontinue contributing to this thread.
163:3.5-7 ” The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who was a large employer of men, and who went out early in the morning to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers to pay them a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard. Then he went out about nine o’clock, and seeing others standing in the market place idle, he said to them: ‘Go you also to work in my vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will pay you.’ And they went at once to work. Again he went out about twelve and about three and did likewise. And going to the market place about five in the afternoon, he found still others standing idle, and he inquired of them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all the day?’ And the men answered, ‘Because nobody has hired us.’ Then said the householder: ‘Go you also to work in my vineyard, and whatever is right I will pay you.’
“When evening came, this owner of the vineyard said to his steward: ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last hired and ending with the first.’ When those who were hired about five o’clock came, they received a denarius each, and so it was with each of the other laborers. When the men who were hired at the beginning of the day saw how the later comers were paid, they expected to receive more than the amount agreed upon. But like the others every man received only a denarius. And when each had received his pay, they complained to the householder, saying: ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour, and yet you have paid them the same as us who have borne the burden of the day in the scorching sun.’
“Then answered the householder: ‘My friends, I do you no wrong. Did not each of you agree to work for a denarius a day? Take now that which is yours and go your way, for it is my desire to give to those who came last as much as I have given to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? or do you begrudge my generosity because I desire to be good and to show mercy?'”
169:1.1 On Thursday afternoon Jesus talked to the multitude about the “Grace of Salvation.” In the course of this sermon he retold the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin and then added his favorite parable of the prodigal son. Said Jesus:
169:1.2 “You have been admonished by the prophets from Samuel to John that you should seek for God—search for truth. Always have they said, `Seek the Lord while he may be found.’ And all such teaching should be taken to heart. But I have come to show you that, while you are seeking to find God, God is likewise seeking to find you. Many times have I told you the story of the good shepherd who left the ninety and nine sheep in the fold while he went forth searching for the one that was lost, and how, when he had found the straying sheep, he laid it over his shoulder and tenderly carried it back to the fold. And when the lost sheep had been restored to the fold, you remember that the good shepherd called in his friends and bade them rejoice with him over the finding of the sheep that had been lost. Again I say there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. The fact that souls are lost only increases the interest of the heavenly Father. I have come to this world to do my Father’s bidding, and it has truly been said of the Son of Man that he is a friend of publicans and sinners.
169:1.3 “You have been taught that divine acceptance comes after your repentance and as a result of all your works of sacrifice and penitence, but I assure you that the Father accepts you even before you have repented and sends the Son and his associates to find you and bring you, with rejoicing, back to the fold, the kingdom of sonship and spiritual progress. You are all like sheep which have gone astray, and I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.
169:1.4 “And you should also remember the story of the woman who, having had ten pieces of silver made into a necklace of adornment, lost one piece, and how she lit the lamp and diligently swept the house and kept up the search until she found the lost piece of silver. And as soon as she found the coin that was lost, she called together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece that was lost.’ So again I say, there is always joy in the presence of the angels of heaven over one sinner who repents and returns to the Father’s fold. And I tell you this story to impress upon you that the Father and his Son go forth to search for those who are lost, and in this search we employ all influences capable of rendering assistance in our diligent efforts to find those who are lost, those who stand in need of salvation. And so, while the Son of Man goes out in the wilderness to seek for the sheep gone astray, he also searches for the coin which is lost in the house. The sheep wanders away, unintentionally; the coin is covered by the dust of time and obscured by the accumulation of the things of men.
169:1.5 “And now I would like to tell you the story of a thoughtless son of a well-to-do farmer who deliberately left his father’s house and went off into a foreign land, where he fell into much tribulation. You recall that the sheep strayed away without intention, but this youth left his home with premeditation. It was like this:
169:1.6 “A certain man had two sons; one, the younger, was lighthearted and carefree, always seeking for a good time and shirking responsibility, while his older brother was serious, sober, hard-working, and willing to bear responsibility. Now these two brothers did not get along well together; they were always quarreling and bickering. The younger lad was cheerful and vivacious, but indolent and unreliable; the older son was steady and industrious, at the same time self-centered, surly, and conceited. The younger son enjoyed play but shunned work; the older devoted himself to work but seldom played. This association became so disagreeable that the younger son came to his father and said: `Father, give me the third portion of your possessions which would fall to me and allow me to go out into the world to seek my own fortune.’ And when the father heard this request, knowing how unhappy the young man was at home and with his older brother, he divided his property, giving the youth his share.
169:1.7 “Within a few weeks the young man gathered together all his funds and set out upon a journey to a far country, and finding nothing profitable to do which was also pleasurable, he soon wasted all his inheritance in riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a prolonged famine in that country, and he found himself in want. And so, when he suffered hunger and his distress was great, he found employment with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed swine. And the young man would fain have filled himself with the husks which the swine ate, but no one would give him anything.
169:1.8 “One day, when he was very hungry, he came to himself and said: `How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare while I perish with hunger, feeding swine off here in a foreign country! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no more worthy to be called your son; only be willing to make me one of your hired servants.’ And when the young man had reached this decision, he arose and started out for his father’s house.
Prodigals Return by Edward John Poynter” title=”The Prodigals Return by Edward John Poynter” align=”right” border=”0″ height=”531″ style=”padding:4px 10px 10px 10px;” width=”400″> 169:1.9 “Now this father had grieved much for his son; he had missed the cheerful, though thoughtless, lad. This father loved this son and was always on the lookout for his return, so that on the day he approached his home, even while he was yet afar off, the father saw him and, being moved with loving compassion, ran out to meet him, and with affectionate greeting he embraced and kissed him. And after they had thus met, the son looked up into his father’s tearful face and said:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no more worthy to be called a son'—but the lad did not find opportunity to complete his confession because the overjoyed father said to the servants who had by this time come running up:Bring quickly his best robe, the one I have saved, and put it on him and put the son’s ring on his hand and fetch sandals for his feet.’169:1.10 “And then, after the happy father had led the footsore and weary lad into the house, he called to his servants: `Bring on the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they all gathered about the father to rejoice with him over the restoration of his son.
169:1.11 “About this time, while they were celebrating, the elder son came in from his day’s work in the field, and as he drew near the house, he heard the music and the dancing. And when he came up to the back door, he called out one of the servants and inquired as to the meaning of all this festivity. And then said the servant: `Your long-lost brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf to rejoice over his son’s safe return. Come in that you also may greet your brother and receive him back into your father’s house.’
169:1.12 “But when the older brother heard this, he was so hurt and angry he would not go into the house. When his father heard of his resentment of the welcome of his younger brother, he went out to entreat him. But the older son would not yield to his father’s persuasion. He answered his father, saying: `Here these many years have I served you, never transgressing the least of your commands, and yet you never gave me even a kid that I might make merry with my friends. I have remained here to care for you all these years, and you never made rejoicing over my faithful service, but when this your son returns, having squandered your substance with harlots, you make haste to kill the fatted calf and make merry over him.’
169:1.13 “Since this father truly loved both of his sons, he tried to reason with this older one: `But, my son, you have all the while been with me, and all this which I have is yours. You could have had a kid at any time you had made friends to share your merriment. But it is only proper that you should now join with me in being glad and merry because of your brother’s return. Think of it, my son, your brother was lost and is found; he has returned alive to us!’”
169:1.14 This was one of the most touching and effective of all the parables which Jesus ever presented to impress upon his hearers the Father’s willingness to receive all who seek entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
169:1.15 Jesus was very partial to telling these three stories at the same time. He presented the story of the lost sheep to show that, when men unintentionally stray away from the path of life, the Father is mindful of such lost ones and goes out, with his Sons, the true shepherds of the flock, to seek the lost sheep. He then would recite the story of the coin lost in the house to illustrate how thorough is the divine searching for all who are confused, confounded, or otherwise spiritually blinded by the material cares and accumulations of life. And then he would launch forth into the telling of this parable of the lost son, the reception of the returning prodigal, to show how complete is the restoration of the lost son into his Father’s house and heart.
169:1.16 Many, many times during his years of teaching, Jesus told and retold this story of the prodigal son. This parable and the story of the good Samaritan were his favorite means of teaching the love of the Father and the neighborliness of man.
169:1.14 This was one of the most touching and effective of all the parables which Jesus ever presented to impress upon his hearers the Father’s willingness to receive all who seek entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
The Father is willing to receive all who SEEK entrance to the kingdom of heaven. NON-SEEKERS are not received. NON-SEEKERS are those who deny their own sonship refusing to accept their own Father as a reality. There are some prodigal sons who never come home and don’t want to come home to their Father. They get annihilated, but only because the cut themselves off. It’s a form of cosmic madness resulting in suicide.
The kingdom of heaven is open only to those with faith. Faith in whom? Faith in the sovereignty of God the Father. No faith, no entrance, period. There has to be a flicker. So, you can’t get into the kingdom of heaven if you only have faith in your own self-proclaimed brilliant, but hopelessly evil self.
140:10.9 John asked Jesus, “Master, what is the kingdom of heaven?” And Jesus answered: “Thekingdom of heaven consists in these three essentials: first, recognition of the fact of the sovereignty of God; second, belief in the truth of sonship with God; and third, faith in the effectiveness of the supreme human desire to do the will of God — to be like God. And this is the good news of the gospel: that by faithevery mortal may have all these essentials of salvation.”
The next parable about the kingdom of heaven involves laborers in a vineyard.
This one should have especially chafed the apostles as one of its lessons goes directly to those worried about their “position” at the table and in the kingdom. The reward is the same for all who come, no matter how tardy they may be to come nor what happened before they arrived to “work” in the fields of harvest. I know of a sect which began with the promise of only 144,000 seats on the Paradise bus. Imagine the consternation when the sect grew to 144,000 + 1….oh dear.
And I wonder if this parable might also speak to those created higher than mere mortals and know of our ascension potential and destiny. Why do such low born ones get to go all the way to Paradise? Thanks Bonita….there is still great interest. Just ignore those with their own agenda and cannot seem to “join” a conversation and study. Wishing they might start their own topic rather than hijack and pollute other’s sincere efforts to explore the gift of Revelation we share here together. Lots yet to go in the parables….my favorite topic for 50 years now.
The Father is willing to receive all who SEEK entrance to the kingdom of heaven. NON-SEEKERS are not received. NON-SEEKERS are those who deny their own sonship refusing to accept their own Father as a reality. There are some prodigal sons who never come home and don’t want to come home to their Father. They get annihilated, but only because the cut themselves off. It’s a form of cosmic madness resulting in suicide.
Just ignore those with their own agenda and cannot seem to “join” a conversation and study. Wishing they might start their own topic rather than hijack and pollute other’s sincere efforts to explore the gift of Revelation we share here together.
Why so negative? Is forgiveness at the heart of the Parable of the prodigal son?
So, perhaps I strayed. Is anyone willing to rejoice in my return? Are the elder brothers bitter, for God has forgiven me before I had even asked?
Bradly wrote: Lots yet to go in the parables….A factor to note in many of the parables is the passage of time. The time between seed-sowing and harvest. The time it takes to try to get a neglected fig tree to produce good fruit. The time it takes to find the lost sheep. And the sheep might have gotten lost accidentally or intentionally. (Sheep are not very bright, but they do like to be together.) The time the laborers work the vineyards, whether they were hired early and worked to the end, or, whether they were hired in the eleventh hour and barely broke a sweat. The time involved when “talents” or “pounds” were given to the trusted servants of a great man who went on a trip and when the man came back he asked them for an accounting. There is an interval of time between the thoughtless, self-centered and conceited son who went out to a foreign land and squandered his inheritance and got into all manner of trouble. He must have been gone for a long time. 169:1:1He must have been gone for a long time. 169:1:1
Time does not concern God. He exists outside of time and if you are to be perfect as God is perfect you must learn to shed time, not be bound by it.
A factor to note in many of the parables is the passage of time.
Yes, Mara, we are known as the “children of time”. And it cannot be shed nor should it be shunned (as if it could be). To “be here now” is to be here now in time.
45.3) 40:5.2 Likewise does the Original and Infinite Spirit, by a long series of decreasingly divine and increasingly human orders, draw nearer and nearer to the struggling creatures of the realms, reaching the limit of expression in the angels — than whom you were created but a little lower — who personally guard and guide you in the life journey of the mortal career of time.
(449.2) 40:7.4 These are the mortals who have been commanded by the Universal Father, “Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.” The Father has bestowed himself upon you, placed his own spirit within you; therefore does he demand ultimate perfection of you. The narrative of human ascent from the mortal spheres of time to the divine realms of eternity constitutes an intriguing recital not included in my assignment, but this supernal adventure should be the supreme study of mortal man.
(449.3) 40:7.5 Fusion with a fragment of the Universal Father is equivalent to a divine validation of eventual Paradise attainment, and such Adjuster-fused mortals are the only class of human beings who all traverse the Havona circuits and find God on Paradise. To the Adjuster-fused mortal the career of universal service is wide open. What dignity of destiny and glory of attainment await every one of you! Do you fully appreciate what has been done for you? Do you comprehend the grandeur of the heights of eternal achievement which are spread out before you? — even you who now trudge on in the lowly path of life through your so-called “vale of tears”?
Time is wonderful….a gift from God…..with free will….in which to progress and perfect “over time” unto Paradise. Thanks Mara.
Thanks Bonita….there is still great interest. Just ignore those with their own agenda and cannot seem to “join” a conversation and study. Wishing they might start their own topic rather than hijack and pollute other’s sincere efforts to explore the gift of Revelation we share here together. Lots yet to go in the parables….my favorite topic for 50 years now.
Thanks for that Brad. Where are the moderators on this forum?? I’m very disappointed in them. It is one of my favorite topics too but I see no sense in trying to have a conversation when it is constantly interrupted. It’s too bad, really. That’s one thing about the last forum that was worthwhile, you could have a private study group and keep the trolls out. Put it on the wish list. But until the trolling is stopped, I intend to study alone.
Login to reply to this topic.
Not registered? Sign up here.