Psalm 3 A Morning Prayer of Trust

       There is a story in 2 Samuel of one of David’s sons named Amnon.  It says that Amnon was in love with his half sister Tamar and eventually raped her (2 Samuel 13:14).  When David found out about this he was angry, but surprisingly did nothing to judge Amnon (2 Samuel 13:21)  Tamar goes to her brother Absalom and stays with him.  Absalom is angry after after a long period of time takes it upon himself to have Amnon murdered to avenge Tamar (2 Samuel 13:29).  

        Absalom then  runs from David and it says that he ran to Talmai the Son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur for a period of time until his return to Israel three years later (2 Samuel 13:37-38).  In all of this, David treats his children with some distance and without much love or understanding.  Which seems strange for someone who was called a man after God's own heart. Something that we might find surprising that the Bible mentions, but the Bible never sugarcoats his disciples' faults.  

     After a period of time, Absalom decides that he would rather be king than his father David.  He sets up a conspiracy which grows right under the nose of David.  These events were prophesied about by Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:11-12 when he told David that trouble would come from his own household because of his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba.  David was told that trouble would arise from his own household.

     It is against this backdrop that Psalm 3 is written for it says that David wrote Psalm 3 while running from Absalom.  David actually left Jerusalem for a period of time and was on the run from his son.  Psalm 3 says,

3 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

     You may notice here that the people were saying that “there is no help for him in God”.  It wasn’t that they were saying that God could not save him.  Rather, they were saying that God would not save him because he was getting what he deserved.   David may very well have felt that way.  After all, the sins he committed against Uriah and with Bathsheba were very selfish and ugly sins.  But, David never forgets that God doesn’t treat any of us the way that we deserve, but rather with grace.  Nor does he abandon or ignore the person who puts his or her trust in God.

     If we are going to be honest, a lot of believers stumble here as well.  They don’t doubt that God can do something, but struggle with whether or not God is willing to do something for them.  And there is a bit of mystery to God and why he answers some prayers the way he does.  There is bound to be some mystery when God is infinite and we finite.  We simply cannot grasp with our minds the person of God in all his fullness much less understand everything about him.  In Isaiah 55:8-9 it says that God’s way and thoughts are not like ours.  God’s ways are higher than the heavens compared to our thoughts.  

     So, David goes boldly to God and cries out to God. (verse 4)  Scripture repeatedly encourages the believer to pour out their hearts with abandon to the Lord.  This is one of the characteristics of the Psalms.  The Psalmist never holds back their feelings and emotions from God when he feels abandoned.  We should be the same way.  God honors those who trust him even when life gets hard and they don’t understand what  God is up to.

     The result of his pouring out his heart to God is that though David is being chased away from Israel he can lay down and sleep in peace.  He isn’t afraid though there is a great army against him verse 6.  David’s confidence is not in himself and not even in his own goodness, but rather in God’s faithfulness and mercy.  I think our faith and trust should be in the same thing.

Psalm 62 A Song of Confidence and Trust

 62 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

 3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 

 5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. S  9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. 

11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

       I've noticed that there are many people who do not like to be still or silent.  They can't handle just waiting and being still.  I once bet a young man that he could not stay still for 3 minutes.  I didn't lose my bet.  He could not be still!  This problem with not being able to wait leads people sometimes to act impulsively and to rush into situations and to act when they should have waited.  It leads others, even christian people, to sometimes act without praying about their decisions and choices which leads to terrible consequences.

     There are various words used in this psalm about how God is a refuge or stronghold or place of rest.  The visual that many people would have had is one of a walled city sitting on a high place completely fortified with towers and gates.  It is a place of protection from the elements and enemy.   Scripture repeatedly gives us this image of God as one who can be relied upon to protect and provide in times of trouble.  Notice that it doesn't say that troubles will not come, but that God will be with us through those trouble.   It said that about Joseph in the old testament several times.  Even when he was sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in prison God was still with him.  Genesis 39:21,23

      I have also noticed that many times even believers put their trust in other people or things instead of God when trouble comes including myself sometimes.    I think this is part of our sin nature to have a tendency towards self reliance and self confidence instead of dependence on God.  We have a tendency to trust in our own clever ability or training or skill rather than just waiting on God.  This doesn't mean that we always need to be passive.  It does mean that we ultimately should trust in God to take care of us and provide for our needs.

     Psalm 62 is what is called a "song of confidence" and is a mix of both uplifting words of confidence and alternates with some words about persons who are evil and trust in falsehood or the KJV uses the word lies.  Ulitmately, this psalm is about who we put our trust in.  In verse 8, the Psalmist concludes that he can trust in God and therefore he will "pour" out his heart to God.   This is an unhindered pouring out of the heart to God without restraint.  

Some other verses that speak about this is Psalm 59:17 says that God is his stronghold and God is the one who shows you lovingkindness. Psalm 37:39 God is their strength in time of trouble.

The Sheep and the Goats Matthew 25:31-46

       Jesus tells us the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46.  In this parable, he indicates what will happen at the end of the age just as he has been talking about the end time events since Matthew 24.  He conveys that the angels will come with him when he returns in his glory and he will sit on his throne and judge the nations.   He says that he will separate them just like a Shepherd separates sheep and goats.  This was also portrayed in Matthew 13:49-50 when it says that the angels will separate the wicked from the righteous.  It also mentions this in Matthew 13:41-42.  The righteous goes to eternal life, while the wicked go to eternal fire.

       This is not a popular teaching today.  Many more people believe in heaven than believe in hell.  But, one thing you will notice when you read the gospels is that Jesus actually spoke of hell often.  Usually referring to it as a place of gnashing of teeth and weeping see Matthew 22:13 or Luke 13:28.  In this passage in Matthew 25 he specifically says that the goats go to eternal punishment while the righteous go to eternal life.  In the end of time there is only two groups of people the saved and the lost.  It would be nice to think of hell as simply temporary, but the gospels don't teach that.  It says that the consequences for our faith or lack of faith and actions are eternal.  

       What is the main difference between the sheep and the goats?  We know that following the law does not save a person for the gospel is clear that no one is justified by the law Galatians 3:11  And the righteous person shall live by faith Romans 1:17.  But, here Jesus indicates that the righteous did respond with deeds towards others.  In other words, their faith motivated them to respond in compassion to others in need.  Jesus said that when they did it for the least of these it was as if they were doing it for him Matthew 25:40.  And when the goats ignored those in need it was as if they had turned their backs on Jesus Matthew 25:45.  This is not to say that they were saved by their works.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says,

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

        True faith produces fruit.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 that "you will know them by their fruits. . .."  True faith produces works.  It would be difficult to imagine someone living in a Christlike manner and walking in the Spirit today and not helping the multitude of people who are in need.  Jesus did not turn his back on those in need.  He spent a great deal of his time healing people with compassion.  When the leper came to him and said that if he wanted to he could heal him.  It says that Jesus reached out to him and touched the leper and healed him with compassion  Matthew 9:36; Matthew 8:2-3.  This is why over time so many homeless shelters and hospitals and hospices and schools and other institutions were formed by Christians as a response to the needs they saw around them. 

        The interesting thing in this parable in Matthew 25 is that the righteous ask when did they respond to him in this manner and Jesus says in Matthew 25:40  "And the King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even to the least of them, you did it to Me."  It is as though Jesus credits it to the righteous when they help the least of these as if they are doing it for him.   I would think that would motivate us all the more to help the least of these.

Some question to think about

In what way is my faith bearing fruit in helping others?

What needs do I see in my community or around me that I need to respond to?

In what ways am I reflecting the heart that Christ had in compassion to those in need?

Related Web sites

Guzik's commentary on Matthew 25

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/matthew/matthew-25.cfm?a=954041

Francis Chan's teaching on Matthew 25

https://youtu.be/Q7G56DKM0VY?si=SIFQg4Bn_rVkFOeR

Bob Thune's teaching at Southeastern Seminary on Matthew 25

https://youtu.be/LqEVfsUUiPE?si=YUA62IChOGm1oTcG

The Signs of the End Matthew 24:1-14

    In Matthew 24:1-14 we find Jesus as he is leaving the temple area.  The disciples point out to Jesus all the beautiful temple buildings.  Jesus shocks them by saying that all of these stones will be torn down vs.2.  This shocks them and then privately later while on the Mount of Olives they ask Jesus about when this will occur.  Most likely Jesus is thinking about the events of 70 AD when the temple was destroyed.  It appears that he was also thinking of this earlier when he said that Jerusalem would be desolated Matthew 23:38.

    So, the disciples ask two questions.  First, when will this happen that the temple will be destroyed and then second what will be the sign of Christ's coming at the end of the age.  Of course, the disciples are still asking this question thinking that the Messiah is going to come and institute a kingdom on earth much like the Davidic kingdom.  So, Jesus gives them seven signs of his coming and describes these as much like birth pangs vs.8  This is important because birth pangs get progressively worse and more painful as time goes on.  If you look at how things are described in Revelation 6-19 you will see that the trials that the world goes through become progressively more intense as time goes on with more and more people suffering.

     The seven signs of his coming are mentioned in Matthew 4-14.  We could say that to some extent all of these seven signs have already occurred to some extent.

1. There will be false Christ that appear.  Anybody remember David Koresh and the Branch Davidians?  David proclaimed himself as the Christ as have many others.  2 Thess 2:3,4, Matthew 24:23,24

2. There will be wars and rumors of wars vs. 6,7 see Rev 6:4.  We have had 2 world wars and several other conflicts and now see several conflicts going on in the news daily in Gaza and Ukraine and violence all over the world.

3. Famines and earthquakes will occur  vs.7 interestingly the area of Turkey is a place of frequent earthquakes where Paul spent much of his time as recorded in Acts.  see Rev 6:6

4.  Christians will be persecuted and many will fall away vs.9-10  Rev 6:9.  We don't experience much persecution in the U.S. but others in places like the Middle East and China and other parts of the world are killed for their faith in Jesus.

https://youtu.be/C0Yiebbexaw?si=lDGfdbIMgCz29Rpt

5.There will be false prophets vs.11.  I actually believe this is more common in the U.S. than we think as people tend to gather around teachers and preachers today many of whom are no longer proclaiming the gospel, but a different gospel that Paul would not have been familiar with whether that be a name it and claim it gospel or a legalistic gospel or simply psycho babble that has nothing to do with the true gospel.  That is why we should know the word of God ourselves!  1 John 4:1-2, 2 Peter 2:1

6. Lawlessness increases and people's love grows cold towards each other vs.12.  See also 2 Timothy 3:1-7 and 1 Timothy 4:1.  We see this all the time.  That for many people they primarily love themselves and are very selfish and disobedient.  

7. The gospel will be preached into the whole world. vs.14.  Through radio, television and the internet, we see people have access to the word of God like never before.   According to the American Bible Society the average American household has an average of 3-4 Bibles.  But, only 17 percent of the American population read the Bible on a regular basis.   This makes us ripe for believing falsehood when we don't know truth from error.  

Bible Project overview of Matthew part 1

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/matthew-1-13/

Bible Project overview of Matthew part 2

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/matthew-14-28/

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/slideshows/7-signs-we-are-in-the-end-times.html

Forgive as you have been Forgiven Matthew 18

     In Matthew 18, Jesus is asked by Peter how often he should forgive his brother if he sins against him.  Peter asks if seven times is enough.  The teaching at that time was that the person should be forgiven three times, so Peter thought he was being generous.  He wasn’t really ready for Jesus reply which was 77 times.

     Jesus goes on to tell a parable about a king who had a servant who owed him ten thousand talents.  The whole story is in Matthew 18:21-35. It doesn't say how this slave came to owe such an unusual high amount of money nor is it the point of the parable.  The servant finds himself in a tough spot because the king says that he is to be sold along with all his family and repayment to be made.  Even if this had happened, the average slave in Jesus day would have cost less than a talent of silver, so this would not have come close to repaying this loan.

     I think you would have heard laughter when Jesus tells us that the servant fell down before the king vs.26 and asked the king for patience and that he would repay this debt.  This is what the law was designed to teach us. That is it our tutor to teach us our need for Christ and that we cannot earn salvation on our own Gal 3:24. There is no way that the slave would have been able to repay the debt if he had lived four lifetimes.  His situation was absolutely abundantly in default.   This is the condition which we find ourselves without Christ. Romans 5:6 uses the word helpless to describe our sinful condition without Christ.  Yet, it says,

 

   “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

     There is a story that Chuck Swindoll tells in his book titled "Jesus: The Greatest Life of All" where a woman comes into court and the judge pronounces sentence on her and she says that she cannot pay. After the guy imposes the fine he takes off his robe and comes down and hands the woman the money to pay the fine. Then he puts his robe back on and says that it appears someone has paid the fine for you and you are free to go. In a sense this is what this king does. He steps in and removes the debt by forgiving it. The Bible uses several terms to describe what happened here, but I like the one in  Colossians 1:13 where it says that Jesus delivered us.  Colossians 1:13-14 says

    “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

     But, then a remarkable and sad thing happens in our parable in Matthew 18.  The forgiveness of the king makes no impact on this slaves mentality and he goes out and finds a slave who owes him  a hundred denarii (or 3.5 months wages) and begins to choke the man demanding repayment.  When this man does the same thing and begs for patience he is unwilling but throws the man into prison.  I think this tells me that it is important for us to live and work remembering how much God has forgiven us in Christ. This is a picture of a person who is forgiven by God but then does not forgive his brother.  And there is a warning to us that is also stated in the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:14-15

    “For if you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But, if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” 

     But, I think what this really reflects is that those who truly understand how much they are forgiveness and love will forgive in return.  If you don’t get it and think that somehow you deserve to go to heaven or you deserve God’s forgiveness you might take it lightly.  But, if you truly realize the morally bankrupt, helpless situation you were in then you will not find it so hard to forgive others.  He paid a debt that I could not come close to repaying.  Jesus went through unspeakable suffering on the cross and even before to redeem you. It was not free nor was it easy for him. The scourging alone that he took killed some people. This is why Paul ends Ephesians 4 with these words in verse 32

     “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

  

    There is another story about a woman in Luke 7 about forgiveness related to this.  In this event, Jesus is at the table eating with a man named Simon and his dinner guests.  A woman enters the room and finds Jesus and takes an alabaster vial of perfume Lk 7:37 and wets his feet with her hair and kisses his feet and anoints him with perfume.  Jesus goes on to say that the one who has been forgiven little loves little and the one who loves much has been forgiven much.  So, while her sins were many they were forgiven for she had gratitude.  I think this is the attitude that we should all have and live with gratitude for all that Jesus has done for us.

What kind of king and kingdom?

    The disciples and people of Jesus day were taught that the Messiah would be like a conquering king like Solomon that would free them from the rule of the Romans and establish Israel as a great kingdom.  That is what they were expecting.  I really think that is what attracted Judas Iscariot in the first place.  He was the treasurer of the disciples money in Jesus' day and probably had hopes that he would be put in charge of the entire kingdom's money when Jesus came into power (John 12:6).  He was expecting a conquering king because of some of the Old Testament language that refers to Jesus as a king, but he didn't understand God's timing or plan.

 

   Jesus himself affirmed that he is a king.  In John 18:36 it says that Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."  If you notice how many times in Matthew alone the kingdom of heaven is mentioned.  Jesus was trying to teach people that his kingdom was not like what they anticipated.  He did this in the triumphant entry also mentioned in Mark 11 when he came riding into town on a young donkey instead of a white stallion like a king of this world would.  Yet, Jesus riding on a donkey was a exact fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9.   But, it seems they missed the because they saw what they wanted to see instead.

     Prophesy can be confusing like that.  I would compare it to looking at a line of mountains on the horizon.  From our vantage point, it appears that the mountains are all close together, but as you get closer you realize there are great valleys between them.  To make it more difficult there are verses that start talking about an earlier time and then rush forward to the future without so much as a comma between thousands of years of time.   An example of this is in Isaiah 14 when the beginning of the chapter references Babylon, but then verses 12-15 specifically mention Satan.  The shift is so slight that if your not paying attention you may miss it.  

       So difficult for them to understand this that the suffering servant mentioned in Isaiah 53 that is "crushed for our iniquities" was thought to be someone separate from the Messiah since they could not imagine someone doing both.  Or passages like Psalm 22:6 where the Messiah or suffering servant is mentioned as a reproach of men and despised by the people.

     That is why in Mark 8:31-33 when Jesus begins to talk quite bluntly about his death and resurrection Peter rebukes him.  He doesn't yet understand the kind of kingdom that Jesus came to introduce.  He doesn't understand that Jesus came to be a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from the domain of darkness as mentioned in Colossians 1:13.   

Look in Mark 8:31-33:

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not [a]mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

    Peter is finding out here that his plans and God's are not the same and that the death and resurrection of Christ though very difficult for them to fathom at that point is a part of the plan.   It is why Jesus mentioned very plainly from this point on that he would be killed and resurrected.  See for example Mark 9:31-32, 10:33-34 Interestingly, it says that the disciples did not understand and were afraid to ask him about it.  Peter perhaps did not yet fully understand that man is utter helpless to save himself.  In Romans 5:6 it says that "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."  

    I don't think we should be surprised when God does things we don't understand.  God is infinite and we are finite and just by the nature of who we are and who he is there are going to be times when I don't understand Him.  There has to be an element of mystery to God and that is why faith is required because we will never be able to box God in completely.  In Isaiah 55:8-9 the Lord says that His thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways and that the heavens are higher than earth just as his ways are higher than ours.  That means that his ways are infinitely higher than ours.  This should be something that encourages us rather than disheartens us because God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.

Parable of the Tares and Wheat and the Mustard Seed and Yeast Matthew 13:24-43

      24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

Matthew 13:24-30

       The Parable of the tares and wheat are stated by Jesus in Matthew 13:24-30 and then it is explained to the disciples in Matthew 13:36-43.   Jesus is telling us that not everyone who claims to be a part of the church is.    In this parable, the wheat represent the children of God and the tares represent those of the earth who are ruled by Satan.  These grow together and that until the wheat form a head of grain they are difficult if not impossible to tell apart.  This suggests that there are counterfeits in the church who claim to be believers but are not.  Jesus said that these two will be allowed to grow together until the very end of the age or the harvest when the tares will be destroyed in eternal fire.

      It may be surprising to the reader today how many times Jesus refers to the eternal fire of judgment for those who don't call him Lord and Savior.  There are some denominations and church which seek to suggest that any punishment that a person experiences in eternity will be temporary or the person will be annihilated in the end.  There is nowhere in scripture that supports such a view.  Jesus spent an enormous amount of his time talking about eternal punishment where the fire is not quenched and the worm doesn't die.  Jesus talks more about this in the parable of the sheep and the goats mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46.  In the end, one group goes off the eternal punishment while the righteous go to eternal life.  Scripture doesn't minimize eternal punishment.

     We see the corruption of the church also in Jesus parable of the leaven.  Leaven was a symbol of evil and sin.  The birds mentioned in Jesus parable of the mustard seed typically symbolize evil such as in Jeremiah 5:26,27 and Rev 18:2.  These parable are talking about the fast growth of the church both externally and internally.  As with many other things, evil people sought to use the church for their own purposes and it did not take long after Jesus' life and death and resurrection for people to come along and peddle their own version of the gospel for their own evil purposes.   If you read about the history of the church you will see that soon after the apostles are gone there is much corruption of the church.  The birds, those who are evil, seek the safety and shade of the church to try and corrupt it.  Jesus, John and Peter all warned that there would be false teachers who would arise after Jesus' resurrection.

     Years ago, when I spoke a message at the church in Philippi, WV about the absence of leaven in the Passover meal that Jesus ate with his disciple. I hadn't really intended to speak about it and it wasn't emphasized in my notes and seemed that the church there had never heard that lesson before.  Someone who was in the back of the room who had been on the communion committee mouthed the words "sorry".  I didn't understand why she was apologizing until we lifted the lid off the bread for communion and there was normal bread there.  When Jesus ate the Passover meals with his disciples and later at the Last Supper no leaven would have been present.  Leaven represents sin in the story and the absence of it speaks about how we are to be separate from the world.  

31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”  33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three [c]measures of meal till it was all leavened.”  Matthew 13:31-33

     The parable of the mustard seed that Jesus gives in Matthew 31-32 is very interesting.  It would be normal for a mustard seed to grow the size of a bush.  It would be unnatural and extremely unusual for it to grow the size of a tree.  This  grow is also shown in the parable of the yeast that Jesus mentions in verses 33.  The woman who mixed the large amount of flour with yeast is mixing enough flour to feed about 100 people or 40 litres.   It was unusually large and symbolizes the institutional church that became corrupt soon after Jesus walked the earth.   G Campbell Morgan said about this that the leaven represents the paganizing influences brought into the church.

       Having said all of this, God always reserves a remnant of the true church for himself.  Elijah thought he was the only one left of all the believers in 1 Kings 19:14-18, yet God told him that he had reserved 7,000 believers in Israel for himself.  I think there is some practical guidelines to take from these parables that I will mention briefly

1.  I think this calls on us individually to examine ourselves and our faith rather than tradition or simply going to church on Sunday.   Do you love God and hate sin?  Are you truly following Christ or just another man?  Have you taken up your cross and followed Christ?  Are you a tare or wheat?

2.  The church today will have some level of corruption in it, so that means we are responsible to be in the word of God for ourselves and not just to believe whatever we hear from a pulpit or a preacher or evangelist.  You are responsible not to be lazy and get into the Word of God yourself.

3.   You need to test what you hear from teachers and those who claim to be preachers or evangelist (1 John 4:1).  Does their words line up with what scripture says?  Does the teacher emphasize the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus?  Much of what is taught in the modern church today resembles psychology and positive self talk rather than the gospel.

4.  Not everyone who you see in church will you see in heaven.  The tares are growing these days with the wheat.  So, don't be surprised if at times the church and its programs resemble the world.  People go to church for all sorts of reasons and not always the right ones.