Lenten reflection: March 6th, 2019. Ash Wednesday
Welcome to our first reflection for Lent 2019.
Lent is a beautiful season of solemn preparation for Easter. Each Wednesday leading up to Easter I will post a brief biblical reflection on The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl to inspire you with thoughts for your own life, and prayers for various people groups in Southeast Asia. Our FEBC focus this Lent is on Persecuted Minorities in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Southern China. Peoples to whom we broadcast the good news of Jesus.
Read: Matthew 13:44-46
13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
These two parables are so short and sweet you could read over them in a moment and miss much of their power and insight.
Think: Treasure & A Pearl.
Jesus is using a pair of illustrations, joined simply by the word “again”. This is no ordinary repetition. It is Jesus adding emphasis and reinforcing an important point. He is coming at the same point from different angles. He does it on other occasions, not to push the point harder but to elaborate and emphasise and enhance the key idea. He spoke earlier of another pair: mustard seed and yeast.
We will explore later the main point that Jesus is making – that the Kingdom of God is of supreme value, over and above all other things. But right now, what does Jesus’ use of a dual illustration mean for our outreach and discipleship?
People need to hear the good news of the Kingdom of God multiple times and in various ways. Radio broadcasting (especially to people of non-Christian background) needs to be sustained and various in its content. People need great variety of teaching, and biblical ideas need to be illustrated in numerous ways to make sense for different people’s circumstances.
Pray: for the Hmong Njua People of Southeast Asia.
Spread out across several countries due to centuries of persecution, the Hmong Njua are traditionally animistic. Many have already come to faith in Christ through FEBC broadcasts, but because of their isolation many still need to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. Please pray that:
- the distribution of MP3 players will reach every community;
- shortwave signals will be loud and clear;
- radio distribution will be unhindered by government officials and territorial restrictions;
- programmers will tell the stories of the Bible with great creativity and love, and that many will hear and believe.
- Praise God that hundreds of thousands have become followers of Jesus, and in many provinces churches exist and grow.
To donate for broadcasts to Persecuted Minorities in Southeast Asia and help reveal hidden treasure, please click the link below.
Thanks and God bless, see you next Wednesday.
Matt Perry
