Are there any weeds in your garden?
By: Rev. Steven B. Smethers DD
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Gardening is a wonderful pastime. It has been refered to as a labor of love. There are many aspects to successful gardening.

First is the preparation of the soil. (make it ready to receive the seed)

Second is the selection of the seed. (we must determine the crop we desire)

Third is the planting of the seed. (plant at the right depth and spacing)

Fourth is watering the seed. (we use water to nurish and germinate the seed)

Fifth is cultivation. (we must keep the weeds from taking over our garden plot)

Sixth is feeding our plants. (we need to give our plants food for growth)

If we do all of these things we will surely harvest a great deal of produce for our use.
Our topic today is about the weeds in your garden. If a garden is left unattended it will soon be choked with weeds and the crop will be lost to them. Now you didn't plant the weeds in your garden but they still appeared.

Let us refer to the book of Matthew:

Matthew 13:18-23,
"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. "

We see in this verse that the Bible makes reference to our HEARTS as the sowing ground for the SEEDS of the Word of God. We also clearly see that it is Satan's intent to Steal Away our knowledge of God's truth in the Word. (to keep us from the salvation that is given through Jesus Christ) In Christ, your heart is the garden. It is the seat of your spiritual self. We are always given the choice of our own will or God's will in our spiritual life. The SEEDS that we plant in our heart (garden) can be either of the flesh (Satan - Sin) or Spiritual (God). It is our choice. Seeds of the flesh come from the world (flesh or Satan) and seeds of the Spirit come from God. If we do not FEED and WATER these seeds (by receiving the Word of God) they will wither and die. Producing no fruit. Now we must address the WEEDS that will appear. Weeds are the SEEDS of SIN. If we allow them into our garden (heart) they will grow and choke out the good spiritual seeds. Seeds of Sin will appear in our garden (heart) all by themselves. Satan is the planter of these seeds. Satan wants to CHOKE OUT your Spiritual Faith and steal away your salvation through your faith in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 13:25-30,
"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. "

Let me clarify the word "tares" for you that you may understand why this weed was important enough to be mentioned in the scripture. Notice that it says that the tares were planted by an enemy (Satan).
TARES: the bearded darnel, mentioned only in Matt. 13:25-30. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific POISON. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat till the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine.

Matthew 13:37-43,
"He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one]; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. "

Note that at the end of this scripture it says "Then shall the RIGHTEOUS shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." The seeds of the Word of God produce the fruit of righteousness. Also: "but the tares are the children of the wicked [one]; The enemy that sowed them is the devil". The Bible clearly states that Satan is the sower of the seeds of sin (weeds) that can choke out our faith. "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man" (Jesus Christ)

Luke 8:5-15,
"A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience. "

The key to this scripture is: "Now the parable is this: The SEED is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil (Satan), and taketh away the Word [of God] out of their hearts (garden), lest they should believe and be saved." The seeds of sin are: "cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life". This verse tells us to stand in the conviction of our Faith, on the Word of God. By doing so we will not fall away in a time of temptation. Temptation is the evidence of Satan's planting of the seeds of sin within our hearts. Standing in our Faith in Christ is our method of cultivating this seed of sin from the garden in our heart. The fruit of this weeding process is the foundation of our righteousness before God.

The question is this: Are you tending your Spiritual garden or do you have some "weeds" (tares - poison - sin) still growing in your garden (heart)? We are left to decide that which we will allow to grow in our heart. Let us be sure to only cultivate the seeds of righteousness. Therein lies the fruit of our Faith in Christ.


Written by: Rev. Steven B. Smethers DD
Senior Pastor & Administrator - UCMI