Read About It—Luke 8:4-15
You have to love the old story of Jack and his “magic beans.” The kid and his mom are down to nothing and Jack’s mom sends Jack into town to trade the family cow for some food. Been there…well, not exactly—with the cow and everything—but scraping to come up with enough money to buy lunch or put gas in the car. Then Jack, obviously not a very bright kid, meets this guy on the side of the road (should have been your first warning, Jack) and trades old Betsy for a few “magic beans.” Man, you gotta hate it when a deal goes south! Needless to say, Jack’s mom was pretty upset. Mom goes ballistic and hurls the beans out the window and she and Jack go to bed hungry. But overnight, a transformation takes place! In one night, what looked like a raw deal turned into a mysterious path that stretched pass the clouds and into the heavens. You know the rest of the story. Jack plunders the castle of a giant and comes back with enough goodies to allow Jack and his mom to invest in Microsoft at the early stages and today they are billionaires, or something like that.
But what if Jack and his mom were symbolic of life without Christ, spiritually bankrupt, depending on the old cash cow to make life bearable? What if I were the guy on the side of the road passing out “magic beans?” What if the “magic beans” represent the Word of God—full of divine power, life and mystery? What if the giant and his castle in the sky were symbolic of the kingdom of darkness, ruled by the prince of the power of the air? That changes the story a little, wouldn’t you say? Jack wasn’t so dumb after all, was he? In this new version, Jack risks everything in order to receive the Words of life, the divine, incorruptible seed that is the Word of God! The results? Jack is infused with new life and plunders the enemy’s camp! The Kingdom of Darkness is held at bay and Jack is at rest in the riches of God’s grace! God’s Word is truly alive!
Okay, go back and read Luke 8:4-15 one more time.
Now for the REAL stretch—Disciples of Christ…
Know God—In what way did God reveal Himself to you as you read His Word?
Live for God—What one lifestyle change is God calling you to make?
Love Others—In what way is God calling you to minister to someone in need?
Bear Fruit—In what ways will you set the example and the standard for others to follow?
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