{"id":101,"date":"2026-06-25T07:36:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T07:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/wordpress\/?page_id=101"},"modified":"2026-06-26T08:54:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T08:54:28","slug":"scripture-for-thought","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/?page_id=101","title":{"rendered":"Explore God’s Word"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sunday 5th July 2026. Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jesus reveals the life of God in many different situations. He pays attention to people of all ages. He comments on children playing weddings (flutes and dancing) and funerals (wailing and mourning). Children at play can be fickle, but the same trait can be seen in adults who are pleased by neither extreme. The writer of the gospel of Matthew contrasts the lifestyle of John the Baptist with that of Jesus, yet shows that God is revealed in the lives of both. In whom do we see God’s life revealed more clearly? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus’ attention to people of all abilities is also seen as He recognizes that people’s response to God is a matter of the heart and dependent on revelation, not on intelligence, on openness, not on age and experience. Jesus also understands people’s lives, knowing where they most need to discover God, where they are worried about things that they cannot change or don’t matter, and where they can find comfort and rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is causing weariness or making burdens in our community? How can Jesus’ words bring comfort and support today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday 12th July 2026. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Who did Jesus see as He borrowed a boat and launched out for a broader look at the crowd so eager to here Him? He sees people who are soon to be plucked from among His followers, like freshly fallen seed snatched by hungry birds; are they too happy-go-lucky to be bothered with Jesus’ teaching or too self-willed to change? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not all<\/strong>. He notices those whose lives are parched, like seedlings deprived of good soil; do they choose convenience over commitment? But not all<\/strong>. He knows that many will become preoccupied and overrun with the daily demands of life, like plants choked by weeds: will personal gain or comfort take priority over the needs of others and devotion to God? But not all. <\/strong>He perceives that among this crows are those who will have productive lives, like the crop that produces grain in varying amounts; will they persevere when life is tough, showing kindness, justice, love and care even when it is difficult? If we were there on the lake shore, where would we stand in the crowd?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday 19th July 2026. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We can all identify with the annoyance of weeds growing where they shouldn’t be. Pulling them out may damage what we’ve planted and be painstaking and time consuming. From our reading, the landowner, appears experienced and suggests that the harvest will be better if the weeds are allowed to grow alongside. Their time will come to be discarded. With a modern lens, we might ask other questions, such as can be use the weeds for another purpose, selectively destroy them or use modern methods to remove them more efficiently. After we have grappled with understanding, we are left with the parable’s underlying theme; alongside all that is good in life are insidious intrusions of what is harmful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do we respond to the annoying, mean and destructive elements in the world? Jesus offers us hope that a new day of goodness and righteousness will come. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday 26th July 2026. Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There is such richness in these short parables of Jesus. They are glimpses of everyday routi9ne and cycles of nature that convey the wonders of life. The tiny mustard seed becomes a great tree but not just a larger plant, it becomes a place of nurture, safety and generosity, a community. What small part of our community could become something hospitable to many?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The yeast transforms the dough into nourishing and sustaining bread. Where could our community benefit from being enlivened?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The treasure, buried and forgotten, is sought sacrificially by an owner who recognizes its worth. What work are we prepared to do for God that is hidden and not yet seen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pearl is discovered and acquired at great cost. To whom is it gifted or left as a legacy. The loaded net reveals a full catch. Where are there messy situations for us to sort out? Do we need to be thorough or patient?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus speaks of teachers of the law who become disciples in the kingdom of heaven. They are like those entrusted with a household from which they bring out treasures new and old. How are we being formed as learners in this way, receiving what has been given to us and sharing it with wisdom and generosity?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunday 5th July 2026. Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Jesus reveals the life of God in many different situations. He pays attention to people of all ages. He comments on children playing weddings (flutes and dancing) and funerals (wailing and mourning). Children at play can be fickle, but the same trait can be seen in adults who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-101","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=101"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":172,"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/101\/revisions\/172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkdalecofc.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}