Let’s think about growth for one more day. Jesus was clear: the Kingdom involves growth:

How shall we explain the Kingdom of God: it grows like a mustard seed. It grows and forms large branches so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade. (Mark 4.30 – 32, LSB)

From a seed to nesting birds – that’s growth! Heather Holleman has experienced this literally:

I venture out to the garden to check on my one little growing plumcot, and I see a beautiful robin’s nest, freshly built, and ready to house those gorgeous blue eggs. I love how, after a storm, the robins build nests from the mud formed from rain.

Something struck my heart: I planted the tree from a grocery store seed I propagated. I staked, I pruned, I fertilized, I watered. Each year, it grew. I never imagined that one day, the very seed I cared for would not only grow into a tree, but it would also serve as something more. It would house bird nests. It would bring more joy than even those plums. It would serve a whole ecosystem. – Heather Holleman, A Nest in the Plum Tree, June 14, 2023

Her blog continues, reminding us that our growth is not just for us…

I think, when we allow God to plant a dream in our heart, it becomes even more. God is ever-blessing, ever-expanding our hope, and ever-growing our abundance in countless unimaginable ways. We think we’re doing a thing for one reason (plums), but it might just be to bless in another way entirely (birds). You’re growing something. It might be for someone else. – Heather Holleman

God has a lot to say about trees, reminding us that their growth is for others…

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. (Ezekiel 47.12, ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22.1 – 2, ESV)

On June 19, 1865—nearly nine decades after our Nation’s founding, and more than 2 years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation—enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally received word that they were free from bondage. As those who were formerly enslaved were recognized for the first time as citizens, Black Americans came to commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations across the country, building new lives and a new tradition that we honor today. In its celebration of freedom, Juneteenth is a day that should be recognized by all Americans. And that is why I am proud to have consecrated Juneteenth as our newest national holiday. – The Official Proclamation

I confess: I almost forgot Juneteenth, and I completely forgot that June 19 is now a national holiday. As I wrote last year, some of us often forget that the God we claim to worship is on the side of the poor and oppressed. Look what Jesus said:

He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, “You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place.” Luke 4.16 – 21, MSG, emphasis mine)

John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?” Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on: The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.” (Matthew 11.2 – 5, MSG, emphasis mine)

P.S. If you care about race relations, you can make a difference. My long-time friend Clarence Shuler has written a book with his lifelong mentor Gary Chapman: Life-Changing Cross-Cultural Friendships: How You Can Help Heal Racial Divides, One Relationship at a Time. I’ve just started reading it, and it’s going to be good. You can read more about the book here. Here’s an early snippet, which might be setting the tone. Gary Chapman writes:

Sadly, such mistrust between Whites and Blacks still exists in many places, which unfortunately includes people of faith. It is only as we get to know each other that walls are torn down. We say we believe that all men are created equal, but until we get to know each other, we are not likely to treat each other as equals.

My friend, co-author Clarence Shuler

Denver Nuggets star player Nicola Jokic from Serbia is a devoted and proud father, setting a good example for all of us.

The best part of Jokic is that he really, truly does not seek attention…He isn’t holding up a trophy, he’s holding his child. – William Davis, commenting in the Wall Street Journal, June 13, 2023, emphasis mine

³  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.
⁵  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127.3 – 5, ESV)

Yesterday we looked at a simple but important concept: growth over time. Growth takes time, but growth does occur over time. We need not stay at the same level of development forever. This blog is a follow-up: growth where? General growth or specific growth? Group growth or individual growth?

My friend Ray Bandi reminded me of this provocative paragraph from Ron Bennett’s Intentional Disciplemaking: Cultivating Spiritual Maturity in the Local Church (strongly recommend!):

There are many areas in the family of God that allow for blending and being interdependent, but discipleship is not one of them. We can learn in groups, we can serve in teams, we can worship as a family, but we can only be disciples individually. A ministry that seeks to make disciples must support the personal responsibility and accountability required in developing individual discipleship. It can use a variety of methods, but it must always bring discipleship to the personal level of each individual. – Ron Bennett, Intentional Disciplemaking, emphasis mine

“We can only be disciples individually.” An orchestra might make beautiful music together but only if each member masters his or her instrument. The Denver Nuggets won the NBA championship as a team, but each member had to train individually. No one can go to the weight room for you. Nikola Jokic came to this country in 2015 overweight and undisciplined. A 2021 article in the Denver Post describes Jokic’s relationship with the Nuggets’ head strength-and-conditioning coach and includes this paragraph:

Jokic’s unbending discipline has fueled his rise, from late second-round pick to three-time All-Star and, this season, to MVP candidate. It took years of dedication in the weight room, commitment to recovery and adherence to a strict diet to get to this point.

We circle back to 1 Corinthians:

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9.25, NIV, emphasis mine)

Train yourself for godliness (1 Timothy 4.7, ESV)

Right after yesterday’s seemingly disjointed sayings of Jesus is this parable, which doesn’t appear anywhere else:

He also 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. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4.26 – 29, NIV)

I derive some simple but important lessons:

• A man scatters seed on the ground. Even though the next verse says “whether he sleeps or gets up…” it’s not like the farmer is doing nothing. Farmers work very hard to prepare the ground, sow the seed, etc.
• The seed sprouts and grows. This is the key lesson in the parable:
  • Growth takes time: results are not instantaneous.
  • Growth occurs over time: but there are results.
• Though he does not know how. The farmer does not have to be an agronomist to plant seeds and watch them grow. He just has to do his part.
• All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. Again, growth over time.

The discipleship lessons are obvious. I don’t expect disciples to instantly mature…but I do expect them to mature! We shouldn’t be saying about 50-year church members, “Well, old Joe is angry and cantankerous, but that’s just the way he is.” Why? Where is the growth? I don’t need a seminary degree to teach people to be in the Word every day, a daily discipline that will result in growth over time.

More about personal disciplines and growth tomorrow.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4.4, NIV)

They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. (Deuteronomy 32.47, NIV)

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (1 Peter 2.2, NKJV)

I don’t know if there’s a worthwhile lesson here or not, and I’m aware that there are differences of various kinds among the three synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Still this little paragraph from Mark gave me pause:

And He was saying to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be put on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And He was saying to them, “Beware what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” (Mark 4.21 – 25, LSB)

As I read it, I said to myself, wow, that’s not a very coherent paragraph. I’ve read all those things before, but not in one place! Let’s look again:

• Verse 21 And He was saying to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be put on the lampstand?”  (Compare Matthew 5.15)

• Verse 22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. (Compare Matthew 10.26)

• Verse 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.  (Compare Matthew 11.15 and 13.9)

• Verse 24 By your standard of measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. (Compare Matthew 7.2)

• Verse 25 For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” (Compare Matthew 13.12)

We know that Matthew was a tax collector, who for all his faults (“tax collectors and sinners”) was probably very organized and methodical. On the other hand, people who know about these things tell us that Mark’s Gospel reflects Peter’s perspective. And maybe this random collection of Jesus’ teachings from Mark’s Gospel illustrates how Peter and some people listen. Disjointedly. Some of us who are speakers work very hard to prepare well-organized presentations, but some people apparently hear in snippets.

As I say, I’m not sure what the lessons are. Maybe as a speaker, I should be sure not to be too subtle. Don’t assume people will hear and retain the fine points of an argument. Do make sure each sentence makes sense even if people remember some of them out of order. Like Jesus, keep saying the same things. In the language of the parable of the sower, keep sowing seed.

Is it too much to expect listeners to listen? Even this text contains a warning in verse 24, translated sometimes as “Pay attention to what you hear.”

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. (Ecclesiastes 12.9 – 10, NIV)

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. (Hebrews 5.11, ESV)

Did you know pancakes and grits are in the Bible? “Grits” is not in every translation, but it is in the LSB, and both are mentioned in the context of voluntary grain offerings in Leviticus 2.

And if your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil…Also if you bring near a grain offering of early ripened things to Yahweh, you shall bring near fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. You shall then put oil on it and place frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. And the priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its frankincense as an offering by fire to Yahweh. (Leviticus 2.5, 14 – 16, LSB, emphasis mine)

What do you call “a grain offering made on the griddle…of fine flour..with oil”? I call it pancakes! And “grits” is mentioned twice. Who knew our breakfast favorites were Biblical?!

The main point of Leviticus 2, I think, is the voluntary nature of these offerings:

Now when anyone brings near a grain offering as an offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. (Leviticus 2.1, LSB)

God anticipated that people would want to make voluntary offerings as worship. The only requirement was that there be no leaven (verse 11) and that it contain salt (verse 13).

While there are descriptions in the Bible of the tithe as a requirement, and some translations of Deuteronomy 26.26 use the phrase “paying the tithe,” most talk of giving, even in the Old Testament, is voluntary.

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice…He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor… (Psalm 112.5, 9, NIV 1984)

There is certainly an emphasis on voluntary giving in the New Testament:

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9.6 – 7, KJV, emphasis mine)

I love those verses…and the promise that follows:

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9.8, 10 – 11, NIV)

It’s not every day that I can write a sports blog headlined “humble and selfless,” but when we’re talking about the Denver Nuggets and their clinching the NBA Championship last night, those are the right words…for the team and for their star Nikola Jokic (pronounced “YO-kich”).

Jokic is from Serbia and has been with the Nuggets since the 2015 season. Jokic is big, 7 feet tall, 300 pounds. Basketball is sometimes akin to football with bodies knocking around and big guys “muscling” their way in. But it can also be like ballet, and that’s the way the Nuggets prefer to play. Jokic VERY frequently achieves a “triple-double:” 10+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 10+ assists. It’s his assists that everyone marvels at. If you’re not familiar with his play, here is a 4-minute compilation of those assists, just in these NBA playoffs. Jokic is the big white guy, #15.

Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal writes eloquently about Jokic’s game and how he handles himself, leading with Jokic’s response to the post-game interviewer’s obligatory question, “Well, how does it feel to win the championship?”

“It’s good, it’s good,” he said. “The job is done, and we can go home now.”

So it isn’t the climatic scene of “Gladiator.” So what? If you weren’t charmed by Jokic on the victory stage, holding his toddler and looking a little embarrassed by all the attention, sorry. 

His game is all the charisma he needs. Jokic is a team basketball marvel—a visionary big man with small-guy handling skills; a dominant post player who understands modern spacing and passes, Gretzky-like, as if he sees the action a second and a half before anyone else.

I love the comment from a reader of Jason Gay’s article:

The best part of Jokic is that he really, truly does not seek attention. He isn’t “going to Disneyland”, he’s going home. He isn’t seeking endorsement deals, he is buying a horse. He isn’t pleading for more recognition, he is recognizing others around him. He isn’t holding up a trophy, he’s holding his child. He is a breath of fresh air in the modern sports world. – William Davis

Nikola Jokic holds his 21-month-old daughter while the celebratory confetti falls.

He’s truly a family man. After games he finds his family in the stands and points to his ring finger, referring not to a championship ring but to his wedding ring. A recent article in People Magazine features his home-town, childhood sweetheart, wife, Natalija. Here’s a snippet:

For Nikola, having the support of his wife and daughter has been invaluable while he competes in the NBA.

“I think all of us who have a wife and kids should be happy with the persons we have beside us,” he told Serbia’s Arena TV in January. “When you have a normal life, it lifts you up and only helps you.”

…

Since their wedding day, Nikola always keeps a piece of his bride close by — even when he’s on the road for the NBA. The Nuggets center now ties his wedding ring to his sneakers before every game…

We have to honor excellence and good character wherever we can find them; the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic and his teammates certainly inspire me.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9.24 – 25, NIV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4.8, NIV)

We jump into Leviticus (or ease into it!), and it’s tough reading, opening with:

The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. (Leviticus 1.1, 2, ESV)

“WHEN one of you brings an offering…” It is expected that people will want to bring an offering, and when they do it will be livestock from the herd or from the flock. There follow detailed instructions on how to slaughter and present the offering whether it’s “from the herd” (verses 3 – 9) or “from the flock” (10 – 13) or “birds” (14 – 17). Each of those sets of instructions ends with

“…a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

But one key thought is buried in the first paragraph:

If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1.3 – 4, ESV, emphasis mine)

It’s a voluntary offering, and its blood will be shed “That he may be accepted before the LORD.”

From the beginning, access to God has always been by blood sacrifice. Even in the Garden, Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves, but God covered them with animal skins:

And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. (Genesis 3.21, ESV)

As difficult as Leviticus is for modern readers, without a fundamental understanding of blood sacrifice, Jesus’ death on the cross makes no sense.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (Leviticus 17.11, ESV)

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9.22, NKJV)

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another–He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Hebrews 9.24 – 28, NKJV, emphasis mine)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26.26 – 28, NKJV)

Circling back to “that he may be accepted,” we are reminded that it’s not my merit, but Jesus’ death on the cross that grants me access to God:

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,… (Hebrews 10.19, NKJV)

Sahil Bloom, about whom I know little, writes really useful material from time to time. On May 31, 2023, his article in his weekly Curiosity Chronicles, “How to get out of a rut,” contained this doable suggestion, about which I’ve written before:

The last step to getting out of a rut: Move.

If you wait to act until you feel motivated, you may never start. Motivation is a natural byproduct of movement. When in doubt, just start moving.

Movement —> Momentum —> Motivation

To start the cycle, all you have to do is manufacture a tiny bit of movement. If you do that, you can sit back and let it take you for a ride.

My favorite method for manufacturing movement: Minimum Viable Progress. Minimum Viable Progress says to just do a tiny bit, as anything above zero compounds.

• If you’re trying to get back into your workout habit, don’t worry about going to the gym for two hours, just go for a 15-minute walk outside.
• If you’re trying to get back into your workflow, don’t worry about executing four-hour blocks of deep work, just focus on one task for 15 minutes.

Avoid the tendency to think that the movement has to be perfect or robust. As Atomic Habits author James Clear says, “Just because it’s not optimal, doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial.” [Bob’s note: we’re reading Atomic Habits – it’s excellent!]

Narrow your focus and start small—even tiny. Build from there. – Sahil Bloom, May 31, 2023

Narrow your focus and start small. When trying to get folks into the habit of Daily Time with God, I suggest 10 – 15 minutes to start. I’ve had people tell me, “Oh no. 15 minutes isn’t enough. I should do an hour!” My response is always, “Trust me. God would much rather you do 15 minutes than NOT do an hour.” Never underestimate The Power of Little Things (a blog from 2020 containing the 1/4-inch domino demonstration. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a look).

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. (Isaiah 28.9 – 10, KJV)

Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? (Zechariah 4.10, MSG)

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” [Jesus] said. (Matt. 14.17, 18)