Church Camp Devotion
Most of Jesus’ teaching was outside among the fields. He often used illustrations from nature and farming that people were well used to. Camp is a great chance to explore these. There are two 15-minute devotions here you could do together or over two days.
The great grower
Jesus said: “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.”
Mark 3.26-28
This parable is all about the growth of God’s kingdom, which means people becoming Christians, and then growing up to be mature and fruitful. Jesus says that’s like plants growing.
Q. How does Jesus say God’s kingdom grows happen?
Q. How does Jesus show it’s not ultimately down to us?
1 Corinthians 3.6 adds: “God has been making it grow.” If we want to see the Tab grow and mature we need to pray for God’s work. He is the great grower. Look around you at all the plant life around you. A few weeks ago little of that was there. God takes dead seeds and closed up buds and brings lush green life everywhere. In the same way God is the great grower of his people.
We mustn’t think it’s down to us or any leader. We are to scatter the seed (of God’s word) but we can be confident that God can work even while we sleep, take time off, or go on holiday. Above all if we want to see growth we must pray.
Pray: for confidence in God’s power, and that the Tab might be full of life like the camp meadows.
The mixed church
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Matthew 13.24-30
Looking at any part of the field you’ll find weeds like nettles, bindweed and clover. Jesus says God’s kingdom is like that. God sows good seed – his true people, but Satan sows weeds to try to ruin it. Only at the harvest (the end of time) will God separate and sort out this mess.
What does this story tell us to expect about the wider church?
What does it tell us to expect within our church too?
As we look at sin, false teaching, and deadness in churches (like the Church of England) it’s discouraging. But Jesus says it’s always been like this and it’s not outside of God’s plan. The bad bits tend to reach the news and fill our attention. But there’s another story of good wheat growing ready for God’s barn. This parable should make us realistic about the Tab and not easily shocked. But we should also be hopefully thanking God for the good growth we do see amongst the mess.
Prayer: Take some time to pray to thank God for 5 people you see good growth in. Ask God that you would be wheat rather than a weed.