8th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11) – July 23rd, 2023
Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas
Rev. Joshua Woelmer
Text: Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43
“What to Do with Weeds?”
Theme: God sows the seed of his Word for faith and gives us warnings about our enemies.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Last week we heard the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Even if you weren’t here, you should know this parable—a sower sows seed wide and far, and it lands on different group. It dies in some ground because it is eaten up by the birds, withered by the sun, or choked by the weeds. Some, however, yields much more than was planted. The parable we have for today follows up on that parable. Last week, we looked at our enemies and how they want to cause unbelief. This week is different. We must actually look inside the church this time at the devil’s work among us.
Jesus’s parable starts us off. I actually want to give you some insight into the plants in His parable. The weeds that the enemies plant are called “bearded darnels.” They still exist today—not in America, but in Europe. They look very much like wheat until they are fully mature. That’s how they’ve continued to exist for over 2000 years. It’s incredibly hard to separate them from wheat.
Darnel is toxic though, and it’s not good for us. It makes you dizzy and nauseous, and it can even kill you if you eat enough. So in Jesus’s parable, the master knows that his original seed was good, free of weeds. Where did they come from? His enemy, the devil. The devil sows bad seed—lies and sin into the world and into Christ’s church. What does this mean, and what does this look like?
Well, we might doubt the faith of some of those in church. There is always a temptation to compare ourselves to others. Non-Christians might come into church and look around and think, “These are all Christians? They don’t seem like much. I know what sort of people they are.” By the same token, we can do that too. We know the histories of people here. We know their personalities and their flaws. It’s tempting to think that we’re better than those around us. It might even be tempting to think that we are the real Christians and others are not. Maybe you read the Bible more or do more good works than you think others are doing. It’s very tempting to think of others as “lukewarm Christians”—or not Christians at all. This temptation is called “pride.”
This is where in the parable that we come in. The Master’s servants recognize that the field is not pure. It contains unbelievers. What do the servants suggest? They ask the Master if they can go into the field and gather up all the weeds while they are young. This makes sense if you remember the thorns in Jesus’s parables.
But these are not thorns. They’re bearded darnel—they look just like the wheat. God has a different plan. God wants his servants to let things be. He will sort them out on reaping day. Jesus explains this by applying it to us in the Church. If someone says they’re no longer a Christian, that’s one thing. If someone says they’re a Christian, but may not act like it in your mind, take them at their word. Leave them be. But don’t stop interacting with them.
God’s solution is to wait and let things play out. It’s like the phrase: “you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.” You’re not going to win someone over by being nasty to them and making bad assumptions about them. This also goes to the golden rule: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them” (Matt 7:12). After all, you too sin and fail your brothers and sisters in the faith at times.
Extend grace to them like you’d like to be shown for yourself. Forgive people their sins against you. Paul says in Galatians 6, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (1). By so doing, you might convert the person you think is an unbeliever.
If that person doesn’t repent, then it will be in God’s hands. Christ will come on the last day and gather all of us up. On the Last Day, there will be a harvest. “Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 13:40–42).
I’m not going to frighten anyone into the faith—that’s impossible—but we should not take these words lightly, for ourselves or those around us. There will be people who tell others they are Christians but who do not trust in Jesus. That is for God to judge, and He will do so on the Last Day.
But for those who are believers, God has a wonderful promise for us. “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (43). God does not deal with us according to our sin. He has made us his children. If you have any doubts about your faith, look to Jesus, not to yourself. He is the surety of your salvation. Whether your faith is strong or weak, it is still faith that trusts God. Know that God will protect you and guide you to shine like the sun.
In the end, salvation is 100% up to God. We as Christians should know this and take comfort in it. We should seek to inculcate this trust in God in those around us—both believers and unbelievers. For believers, that their faith would be strengthened in times of doubt. For unbelievers, that they would turn and believe. Even if we suspect someone as not having faith, it is not a time for us to reject them, but rather to encourage them in faith even more. After all, that is what the Holy Spirit does for us at all times.
Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
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