Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43 1. Sowing Weed 2. Growing Weed 3. Smoking Weed
I ran this sermon outline by a pastor friend of mine who I greatly respect. He said he liked the outline and he recommended I served munchies during the delivery. I didn't end up doing that, but if you are reading this partial transcript, you may want to do so with some chips handy.
I confess, the sermon outline may be considered to be on the edge of inappropriate. The marijuana references may be enough for you to want to drag me out of the joint. Or maybe you like it and want to give me a high five and say, "Thank you, bud". Either way, let me start by saying, drugs are bad for you. Anything that is mind altering and body-chemical altering can be dangerous. "Weed," whether in our text today (tares), or 'weed' on the street, whether it is legalized or illegalized, can cause you problems.
The sermon isn't about drugs. It's an explanation of why the world has gone to pot. Why the world is often full of bad things, bad people and bad influences. Why, after thousands of years trying to live in harmony and peace we still find ourselves at war, at odds with others, and too often on each other's nerves. Our society has an additional problem: It is apparently now 'politically incorrect' to call a weed a weed.
The question is occasionally asked, "If God is good, and God created everything, how is it that there are bad things in the world?" Why do the wicked prosper? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why doesn't God put an end to evil so the righteous won't have to suffer? This parable addresses that reality.
To "Go to pot" means to deteriorate, to become a ruin, a mess, in the case of your yard, or a field, it is: to no longer be homogeneous. There is found both the intended fruit and unintended fruit that is of a different descent or a different origin.
Jesus said that this was a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. You would think that the kingdom of heaven would not be tolerant of weeds, but the opposite is true - at least for a time. This is not a parable about repentance, or of That Eternal City, or even of forgiveness, it is a parable that explains that, at least for now, the Kingdom of Heaven is intermingled with foul weed and it will remain intermingled until the harvest is complete. The intermingling is allowed, not for the sake of the weed, or for the lack of options on the part of the owner of the field, but for the sake of the good seed. For the sake of the good, the bad is allowed to remain.
Jesus explained the symbolism of this story to his disciples. The Owner of the field, who has sown the good seed, is the Son of Man, or Christ Jesus. The field is this world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom, the bad seed are the children of the devil. The harvesters are the angels who will separate the two at the end of the age. One will be burned, the other will 'shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.'
This parable is short, easy to understand, and it will require very little of our time today to grasp the primary thoughts (and all of God's people said, "AMEN!").
The first reality we must face, is dealing with Sowing Weed - Allow me to point out, that the one who sows the weed is not the owner of the field, he is an intruder. “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.” There is nothing that the devil owns, nothing that he has claim to, and he only receives what is given to him, or what he is allowed to possess. Even when he is cast into hell, he will not be hell's ruler, hell's champion, or hell's CEO. Hell is his place of punishment, not his place of promotion. He is a thief and a liar, a saboteur and a sneak. His splendor, power, and authority will be stripped from him, so choose your side wisely. He has children that he doesn't love, fellow conspirators that he has deceived, and a warm retirement facility awaiting his eternal presence.
Mystic religions teach that there is a ying and a yang, a balance between good and evil. That's hogwash. God is Good and there is nothing that balances with God. Evil doesn't come from God, or Christ, it is sown in the night, it is sown by an invader, it doesn't belong in the world and one day it will be purged, but it is sown.
The last garden I planted was small, maybe 10 foot square. I planted only green beans and nothing besides. I waited and waited and waited for those things to sprout. I dreamed of eating them raw and bringing in a bountiful harvest that would make my wife proud. Little green things started to pop up all around my miniature garden. I had no idea what a baby green bean plant would look like, so I didn't pull anything out. But as time progressed, I could make positive identification. The only thing that came up was weeds. That's why I am thankful someone invented grocery stores.
For the sake of the intended harvest, I did not want to pull out what could have been good. Good was sown, (and even if not in my case) in God's field, there will be a harvest of good, just not yet. The field belongs to God and Christ sows the good seed. But evil is also sown, not by God, but by the devil.
The devil doesn't have a field, and it is his intent to destroy and cause problems. You notice the old serpent casts the weed-seed among the good seed. His intent is not to harvest weeds, but to choke out and hinder the good. No boundaries are respected, no sectioning off a quadrant, the evil is sown in close proximity to the good.
We can learn a lesson from this: Temptation is never far away. Evil is never far away. You can be tempted to sin in the church almost as easily as you can be tempted at home, or at school, or at a monastery, or in a casino. The seed of wickedness is intertwined among the good seed. Those that are evil and those things that cause sin can be found everywhere. There is wickedness in the world and unfortunately, wickedness in the church. Wherever the good fruit is found, bad fruit is sprouting up. Many institutions were founded in morality and good-will, but if your guard is dropped, the weeds can choke it out.
Evil has been sown in this world, it is scattered among the good, and that is our first reality.
The second is just as dismal - Growing Weed. I mentioned earlier, that I was unable to identify my green bean sprouts when contrasted to weeds. As sprouts, plants are often difficult to identify. But as the plants grow and mature and bear seed, it is much easier to identify different species. I have never picked green beans off a dollar weed, or sand Spurs, or Baha'i grass. If you see a sand-spur sprout you might think it is a cute little fledgling flower, or a green bean plant, or maybe a pine tree, who knows. They are cute when they sprout. But evil does not remain small and harmless, just as the wheat grows into maturity, so do the weeds.
At first it has a small root system, maybe just a single tap root. But in haste, it increases it's grip in the soil and seeks to establish it's claim of water and nutrients. It competes for the sunshine, it seeks to overshadow all that is around it. Once it gains a footing the race is on for domination. So it is with the evil that is sown by the devil. It is ever growing, ever seeking to control and to choke out it's competition. If you let the enemy sow evil in you it will not remain a seedling, but will seek to reach maturity, crowding out the good that belongs there, the good seed that the Master has sown. Lust, when it is sown, leads to sin, sin, when it is fully grown, leads to death. Weeds aren't just planted, they mature, they bear fruit, and their fruit is death.
How often has the sad story began with someone being un-intimidated and unconcerned about participating in just "a little evil?" Not realizing that the reality is, weeds grow, they fiercely compete. Those things that start small, just seed, just a sprout, end up taking over their being and choking out the good things. Weeds can dominate. Weeds grow. The purpose of weeds is to mature and to destroy anything that stands in their way. There is no such thing as an innocent weed-seed sown by the devil. It may appear as small and harmless, so our guard is let down, but then it's an infestation.
Where are all the good things we should be doing? Where's the good fruit we are called to produce? Where's the fruit of ministry, of brotherly love, of compassion, of mercy, of service? Choked out by the evil that was seen as harmless, because it once was so small and un-intimidating. The enemy doesn't sow seed that lies dormant. If you play with fire, you are going to get burned... literally.
That makes a perfect segue to the final reality - Smoking Weed.
I already mentioned that the field belongs to the Lord. There is no balance between good and evil. And the weed remains, not because the owner of the field has no choice, but because Jesus Christ has decided that the righteous works of the saints will be fulfilled before action is taken on the weeds. When harvest comes, there will be a separation. Smoking weed will be a reality. Jesus defines the weeds as "all things that offend (or cause stumbling) and them which do iniquity (or sin).
Verse 41 states that these things shall be gathered out of his kingdom. That means they are currently in His Kingdom, and His Kingdom is currently tolerating the weeds. When it is time to harvest, the angels will, at the Master's command, separate the good, the bad, and the ugly from one another. The good will be brought to the master's barn, the bad will be sent to the smokehouse.
So what lessons can we receive from this?
First, temptation will not always be tolerated. That which causes stumbling, or offense, will one day be removed.
Second, wickedness will not always be tolerated. Christ doesn't differentiate between that which tempts and that which is wicked. It has been said that causing another person to stumble is worse than stumbling yourself. That's because you can repent for stumbling, but you can't repent for the the other person. Both the wicked and that which causes stumbling will be removed.
Thirdly, wicked people will not always be tolerated. Christ doesn't differentiate between temptation, wickedness, or those who behave wickedly - or outside of love.
Fourthly, the separation is eternal. The enemy has sown in the Master's field, but has no access to the master's barn. There will be no more stumbling, nor causing to stumble, no more wickedness, no more wicked people. Separated and torched. Not my words, His. Burned in a furnace. Don't be a smoking weed.
The righteous, however, will shine like the sun in the Kingdom. His Kingdom is eternal, weeds will not always have a role to play.
Why is there evil in the world? Because it has been sown by the evil one. Why is evil allowed to grow among the Kingdom of Heaven? Because Christ wants to protect the good seed (or the children of the Kingdom) until their righteous works are complete.
How long will this continue? Until Christ sends His angels to harvest the world and weed-out the bad, and gather the good to be with the Father.
Until then, mind the weeds. They're everywhere. To trap, to choke out the good seed planted in you, to cause limits to your fruit, and to cause stumbling. Do not be an accomplice to the one who brings death and separation. Do not give place to weeds sown in your life, because weeds grow. There is coming a day when we will be able to let our guard down. Until then, be vigilant, and produce the good fruit that leads to everlasting life. That's why the Master placed you in His field to begin with, and that's the fruit He expects.
