Denver Community Church

August 31, 2008: This is Supposed to Start Small – Michael Hidalgo

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds – yet the mustard plant is the wildest of all plants. One cannot control the mustard plant, no matter how hard they try, and once it is planted and has grown the area in which it was planted can never be cleared of the plants as they will grow again and again. 

Jesus uses an example that defies the logic and the rule of his day. It was clearly stated in Mishnah that one could not plant mustard seeds in a garden (Kelayim 2.8; 3.2). This is because the plant would end up taking over the whole garden – it could not be controlled. Jesus’ point seems to be not a challenge of the rules – but an observation of the kingdom. 

It starts small – a little yeast or a little seed. When one observes the pattern throughout scripture of who Jesus chooses it is always the last, the lost, the least. They are the ones that Jesus uses. From the acacia tree to build his throne (the ark of the covenant) to the nation of Israel itself. We continually see that God chooses that which is small. 

The beauty of this is that once it takes root – it is becomes out of control. 

August 17, 2008: First, Last and Everyone Else – Michael Hidalgo

Just before the start of this parable, and right at the end of this parable Jesus says the same thing, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” Boiling this little maxim down it seems to simply mean, “All are equal in God’s sight.” This is a beautiful thought – until we are the ones who have worked the entire day in the vineyard. So often we find ourselves striving to do something great – after all we should be rewarded for our hard work, right?

Jesus’ parable challenges the status quo of his day, and calls into question the supposed “pecking order” that existed in his society. In the economy of Jesus, even the outcast was welcomed to the same table as the righteous. This parable is about justice – about everyone receiving enough for the day. Jeremias wrote in reference to this parable, “… all receive only an amount sufficient to sustain life … no one receives more, they touch the owner’s heart.”

August 10, 2008: So Worth It – Michael Hidalgo

So often we are told that we have to “Count the Cost” if we want to follow Jesus. There seems to be this thing over our heads that makes it seem like following Jesus is absolute drudgery. We follow Jesus with little mirth in our hearts, and as we force a smile we say things like, “I have counted the cost … and I am bearing my cross.”

But let’s stop and think about Jesus’ message in these two short parables (or comparisons). Both of these people recognize that what they are getting far outweighs what they already have. The point of these short teachings is simply the great joy of discovering the kingdom. 

August 3, 2008: Pulling Weeds – Brian Gray

July 27, 2008: Paths, Rocks, Thorns, and Dirt – Michael Hidalgo

This parable is more than just a simple commentary on the ability of humanity to respond to Jesus’ message. This paprable seems to be rooted in the prophetic language that Jesus uses over and again in his teachings. 

In his speaking of sowing he is resurrecting the language of men like Jeremiah and Isaiah. The Psalmist sang of sowing and reaping continually. Much of this sowing/reaping language seems to be caught up in Isaiah’s language from Isa. 6 – there the prophet sees the Israel like a tree being cut down in judgment – however the promise is from the stump comes a shoot. Jesus even quotes the prophet after telling the parable to “tip his hand” in a sense. 

It seems that in this parable Jesus is doing what the prophets had warned would happen: He is judging Israel for her idolatry and oppression – at the same time he was calling them to become a new people, a renewed Israel. He was announcing a way out of exile – God was sowing a seed of redemption – would his people hear it?

July 13, 2008: Real and Not So Real – Michael Hidalgo

So often today people talk about praying to see what God wants from them. While sounding ultra pious this can also be a very frustrating thing. It seems obvious what God wants from us. Those that Jesus points to as the ones who claim to have known him are doing many things – but are they really doing what he called them to? They are calling him “Lord” or “Master” yet they are not living in obedience to Jesus. 

So often we claim to follow Jesus – but are we doing what he asks us to do? Are we truly following after him? Jesus seems much more interested in what his people are doing versus if they “look good” to everybody else. 

July 6, 2008: Wolves and Fruit – Michael Hidalgo

There are a lot of people who can do a lot of good things. In our culture much is driven by the way one believes. If we can just get our minds in the right place, then we will be set. However, Jesus says that there are many who can look the part, however, there are few that are the part of which he speaks. It is not just knowing who Jesus is, but doing the will of his father in heaven. 

June 29, 2008: Entrances and Exits – Michael Hidalgo

For so long one group has accused another group of being on a wide road and the group who is accused of being on the wide road accuses the accuser of missing the narrow road. It is used as threat and an accusation. However, Jesus does not seem to be telling anyone who is in and who is out he simply makes an observation about who will discover life. The question then becomes what is the life to which the narrow road leads? We will explore what the Jesus’ idea of “life” is.

June 15, 2008: Two Paths – Dave Meserve

Initially this seems as though we get to ask God for whatever it is our hearts desire. However, Jesus uses the metaphor of fathers and sons. Which, in this case, places the burden on the father, not on the son. It becomes the responsibility of the father to be the one who gives the bread and fish to his kids. A child does not come wondering if his Dad has it, he knows he does. As Jesus begins this teaching he uses terms that refer to the study of Torah - Ask, Seek, Knock. This refers to the way one should approach the text. If we are faithful to pursue the text like this, then we will better understand what it means to ask God for good things. 

June 8, 2008: Specks and Planks – Michael Hidalgo

This may be one of the most misquoted verses in the Gospels. It is great to “off” people who judge us by simply saying, “Don’t judge me, look at your faults you hypocrite!” This feels good and gives us a much-needed excuse to continue acting and behaving however we want. However, when we respond like this we are the ones being the hypocrites! There is an underlying theme from the sages that Jesus seems to be rubbing up against. The rabbis taught people to judge favorably. We who have planks in our eyes make excuses or rationalize our issues. What is we began to ask the question, “What is the reason that person has a speck in her eye?” What if we gave others to benefit of the doubt much like we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. What if our clarity came by way of offering people a hand because we understand their world - what if we did not judge until we were where they are?