Can you tell the wheat from the weeds in this picture? Look, pretty flowers! Standing strong in faithfulness to God amid the weeds is not so clear cut.
Looking at Psalm 86, we find someone who spends most of the psalm praising God for all the things God has done, professing their faith in God, and seeking God once again as Protector of the faithful. The psalmist introduces the complaint near the end in vs. 14: The arrogant are attacking me, O God, and ruthless men seek my life - men without regard for you. Despite the desperation of his situation, he remains faithful in his request. Does he seek retribution or justification? Does he seek them harm or does he seek them to know God? It's how the faithful need to witness as they stand among the weeds.
Jesus continues the agricultural metaphor that we had last week in the parable of the sower. Here God gets the seed sown in the field, but an enemy comes and sows weeds among them. As they all grow up together, the problem becomes plain to the servants. What to do?
Understanding that the seeds are still about growing God's Kingdom, we should also understand that the weeds are still about growing Empire. The Empire and the Kingdom strive against each other, fully intermingled in the world. It can all be quite deceptive. To figure it out, see the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
Looking at Psalm 86, we find someone who spends most of the psalm praising God for all the things God has done, professing their faith in God, and seeking God once again as Protector of the faithful. The psalmist introduces the complaint near the end in vs. 14: The arrogant are attacking me, O God, and ruthless men seek my life - men without regard for you. Despite the desperation of his situation, he remains faithful in his request. Does he seek retribution or justification? Does he seek them harm or does he seek them to know God? It's how the faithful need to witness as they stand among the weeds.
Jesus continues the agricultural metaphor that we had last week in the parable of the sower. Here God gets the seed sown in the field, but an enemy comes and sows weeds among them. As they all grow up together, the problem becomes plain to the servants. What to do?
Understanding that the seeds are still about growing God's Kingdom, we should also understand that the weeds are still about growing Empire. The Empire and the Kingdom strive against each other, fully intermingled in the world. It can all be quite deceptive. To figure it out, see the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
| 07-23-17-ff-answers.pdf |
| 07-23-17-faithful_amid_weeds.pdf |