Our paragraph topic is: (Parable of the weeds) Part 4.
How does the kingdom of heaven have weeds? This is the question that was asked by the servants that worked the fields of the kingdom. Christ is telling the people about the kingdom. God's kingdom is vast. He owns the universe and in this universe are untold riches and wealth. Wealth in this kingdom is so vast that the mind of man cannot conceive of its magnitude. And in this vast universe Christ has given life to mankind that we may enjoy the wealth of the universe for all eternity. Yet within the kingdom there are weeds. This is unnatural. It is unheard of, since God did not sow weeds in his fields. He sowed good seed and the servants want to know how this has happened. Christ tell us through this parable, He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'
An enemy of the kingdom has come and planted weeds in the field. An enemy of the kingdom has come and corrupted the field with this planting. So, the deed is done. The weeds are planted. And what needs to happen next. Are the weeds to be rooted out? Are the servants to go one by one and pull up the weeds? Are they to rake the soil that they may comb out the weeds, pulling them out by the roots so that the seeds are protected. The servants ask the question, 'Wilt thou have us go and gather them up?'
The response to the question presents a problem. If the weeds are pulled, will the seeds and the resulting plants be injured? Will the rooting out of the weeds leave the plants damaged preventing them from bringing forth fruit? If the weeds remain will they have a dramatic impact upon the plants, thereby damaging the fruit? Weeds are destructive. They often grow faster than the plants they surround. They attach themselves to the plants and encircles them with their tendrils, using their tendrils as steps of a ladder to grow upon the plants they encircle. Soon the plants are overwhelmed by the weeds and the fruit of the tree is destroyed. What does one do? Christ tells us that the Lord told his servants, No,' he said, 'lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
So we live among the weeds, as it is in the kingdom, it is today. We grow and the weeds grow with us. How do we protect ourselves against the growth of the weeds? How do we stop the weeds from taking over the plant and damaging the fruit. The precious fruit of the kingdom may be attacked if not watched. The precious fruit of the kingdom may be damaged if the weeds are not kept away. The precious fruit of the kingdom could be choked and prevented from coming forth if we do not beat back the weeds. It is a daily battle. It is an hourly challenge. It requires constant vigilance. But we are not alone for we have the servants who watch over us. We have the servants who will protect us. We have the servants who will fight back the weeds to allow the seeds to bring forth fruit. And then we have the almighty weed killer, the Holy Spirit that is within us, keeping the weeds from taking hold of us. Do you have your weed killer with you? Does he reside in you? Do you remind yourself daily that he is with you? Come, Holy Spirit, bring your light into my life!
How does the kingdom of heaven have weeds? This is the question that was asked by the servants that worked the fields of the kingdom. Christ is telling the people about the kingdom. God's kingdom is vast. He owns the universe and in this universe are untold riches and wealth. Wealth in this kingdom is so vast that the mind of man cannot conceive of its magnitude. And in this vast universe Christ has given life to mankind that we may enjoy the wealth of the universe for all eternity. Yet within the kingdom there are weeds. This is unnatural. It is unheard of, since God did not sow weeds in his fields. He sowed good seed and the servants want to know how this has happened. Christ tell us through this parable, He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.'
An enemy of the kingdom has come and planted weeds in the field. An enemy of the kingdom has come and corrupted the field with this planting. So, the deed is done. The weeds are planted. And what needs to happen next. Are the weeds to be rooted out? Are the servants to go one by one and pull up the weeds? Are they to rake the soil that they may comb out the weeds, pulling them out by the roots so that the seeds are protected. The servants ask the question, 'Wilt thou have us go and gather them up?'
The response to the question presents a problem. If the weeds are pulled, will the seeds and the resulting plants be injured? Will the rooting out of the weeds leave the plants damaged preventing them from bringing forth fruit? If the weeds remain will they have a dramatic impact upon the plants, thereby damaging the fruit? Weeds are destructive. They often grow faster than the plants they surround. They attach themselves to the plants and encircles them with their tendrils, using their tendrils as steps of a ladder to grow upon the plants they encircle. Soon the plants are overwhelmed by the weeds and the fruit of the tree is destroyed. What does one do? Christ tells us that the Lord told his servants, No,' he said, 'lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
So we live among the weeds, as it is in the kingdom, it is today. We grow and the weeds grow with us. How do we protect ourselves against the growth of the weeds? How do we stop the weeds from taking over the plant and damaging the fruit. The precious fruit of the kingdom may be attacked if not watched. The precious fruit of the kingdom may be damaged if the weeds are not kept away. The precious fruit of the kingdom could be choked and prevented from coming forth if we do not beat back the weeds. It is a daily battle. It is an hourly challenge. It requires constant vigilance. But we are not alone for we have the servants who watch over us. We have the servants who will protect us. We have the servants who will fight back the weeds to allow the seeds to bring forth fruit. And then we have the almighty weed killer, the Holy Spirit that is within us, keeping the weeds from taking hold of us. Do you have your weed killer with you? Does he reside in you? Do you remind yourself daily that he is with you? Come, Holy Spirit, bring your light into my life!
