David Bahn – Reflections

I recall hearing a story several years ago about a company seeking to ruin its competitor by sowing weed seeds along a stretch of highway. A company had gotten the contract to plant grass along a newly-finished stretch of highway. A competitor  that did not get the bid decided to undercut the company that did by coming along after the grass had been planted and scattering weed seeds among the freshly sown grass. The first company had prepared the soil. They were responsible for providing water and fertilizer to grow the grass. The unscrupulous company was just out the seed and time it took to scatter the weed seeds along the highway. When the plants matured, sure enough: weeds ruined not only the view, but also the company’s reputation.

Matthew 13:24-30

²⁴He put another parable before them, saying,  “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. ²⁶So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. ²⁷And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

This parable is about the larger picture of the visible gathering of God’s people. When we gather there will be hypocrites, sinners, and worse: enemies of the gospel. How I wish that were not the case! But the enemy has come to steal, kill, and destroy. He will infiltrate the church and do what he can to prevent God’s people from yielding a harvest of righteousness to the glory of God.

When Jesus says, “An enemy has done this,” he is describing a truth about not only the events of the parable, however, but also a truth about us and those around us. The good seed of God’s word has been planted in our hearts. It grows and produces a crop. But there is the matter of the weeds that grow there as well – within our hearts. There are those evil thoughts that spring into our minds. Temptation lures us away from the path of life. Sin springs up daily along side of faith and love.

An enemy has done this: he has corrupted our nature and continues to work against God’s purposes. But God is no upstart company. And though it cost him dearly, he determined to redeem the weed-filled field for the sake of the good seed and its crop. He determined that there will come a day when the truth of his word will prevail over the lies and deceit of our enemy. When you see sin – in your own life, or in your church – just remember that there will come a time when it is removed once and for all. The good seed and its crop will prevail. A harvest of righteousness will be gathered into God’s barns for the glory of Christ and the joy of sowers, reapers and all of God’s people. Come, Lord Jesus!