2008: The Year of New Beginnings

Last Sunday, Pastor Mark & Abby preached on 2008 being the "Year of New Beginnings." Last year was the "year of completion" so new beginnings is appropriate. They read this scripture passage from the New King James version:

Matthew 13: The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

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.”’”

The Parable of the Tares Explained

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Pastor Mark said that we would see miraculous healings this year...immediate deliverance. He gave his testimony of falling at his daughter's house over their Christmas vacation and really hurting his shoulder. The day before he was going to go to the doctor's office, God healed him in his sleep. I thought about the dermoid cysts I was diagnosed with and the next ultrasound showing NOTHING!

In his sermon, he talked about how we had to wait for deliverance until we had matured...if you tried to pluck the tares too quickly, wheat would be gathered as well. He said that this is a year of maturity where God will move swiftly and quickly to gather the THINGS out of the kingdom that offend and cast them into the fiery furance. So, we should look for healing and deliverance, as well as some pain as God works in our lives to make us more holy. This year has already started off wonderfully with Joshua walking and good news regarding his insurance and other things we've seen that we just say "That's God." The sermon was very, very good and I'm looking forward to this year as God continues to make us more like Him.