Weeds and Wheat

I had just laid down for a nap, when I was startled awake by my college roommate.  “Hurry Andy, we are running late for the rehearsal.”  Let me say this, when I first wake up: I am angry at the world, my hair looks like hens have been using it for a nest, and when you smell my breath you can’t decide if you should give me a tic tac or toilet paper.  Needless to say, I put on my wardrobe as my wife calls it: Carhatts, t-shirt, and a trucker hat.  To mask my awful breath, I drink some gasoline.

When we get to the wedding rehearsal everyone is giving us the stink eye especially one of the bridesmaids.  I have no idea why she is so angry.  Maybe she is upset because of her unrequited love for the groom.  Maybe she is mad because her friend is getting married first.  For all I know she was embarrassed when she had to return items at Wal-Mart because her debit card was declined.  My point, she was angry. 

Then she takes a turn negative town, “Where is the minister?  How typical the groom and this guy finally show up, but no minister.”

I try to lighten the mood, “How about I step in act as the minister?  I’ve seen it done a couple times.  I should be able to wing it.”

“Really?!?.  I am pretty sure that is against the law.” 

Well…I actually checked…and it is against the law. In the State of Alabama.  Roll Tide.  Thankfully, we were in Montana.  But, in Nicholas County, West Virginia it is against the law for the minister to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit.  Heaven for bid, the minister try to wake us up with a humorous story. In Denver, it is illegal to stutter during a Sunday Service.  So get all of your stuttering out of the way Saturday night or don’t come to work. Also in Washington, DC it is illegal for Santa to sell alcohol.  However, he is not prohibited from engaging in Pyramid schemes or selling Mary Kay products. 

I digress… as I look at Surely Bridesmaid Numero Uno… Let’s just call her Surley B. 1 for short… I say… its ok… we’re friends with the minister.  I can handle this.  

After the rehearsal, Surely B 1 says, “You did a pretty good job …I guess.  He can’t be any worse than you.”

The next day, Surely B 1 is in full panic mode because the minister is not there.  Her first comment to me, “Well at least you remembered to show up.”

“Well thank you very much, I called my mom…and asked for some tips this morning.  By the way if your single…there is no one I would like to set you up with.”

Let’s fast forward 10 seconds… When she sees me walking down the isle with the groom.  I begin with an opening prayer… I can’t be certain, but I believe she was trying to turn me stone with her eyes.  Or maybe it was the snakes in hair I was scared of.

I am not sure when she realized I was the minister. But after the service, she said I owe you an apology… I tried to cast a spell on you doing the service… but lucky for you I was out of eye of newt.

I want you to think about a time when you were misjudged?  Why?

When have you misjudged someone?

Matthew 13:24-30

²⁴ Jesus then told them this story:

The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a farmer scattered good seed in a field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and scattered weed seeds in the field and then left.

²⁶ When the plants came up and began to ripen, the farmer’s servants could see the weeds. ²⁷ The servants came and asked, “Sir, didn’t you scatter good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?”

²⁸ “An enemy did this,” he replied.

His servants then asked, “Do you want us to go out and pull up the weeds?”

²⁹ “No!” he answered. “You might also pull up the wheat. ³⁰ Leave the weeds alone until harvest time. Then I’ll tell my workers to gather the weeds and tie them up and burn them. But I’ll have them store the wheat in my barn.”

What do we know about wheat?

-        It is over 10,000 years old.

-        Scientist belief the cultivation of grain is one of the reasons that allowed mankind to live in community.  Rather than wandering the plains in search of food.

-        Approximately, 5000 years ago the Egyptians created the first loaves of bread and built bread ovens.

-        The first bread makers were considered freeman in the Roman government.  All other craftsman were considered slaves because of their dependence of the Bread Maker.

What does this parable teach us about ourselves?

It means that we shouldn't be quick to judge whether someone is a weed or wheat. We should tell people of God's patience and encourage them to choose to be wheat instead of weeds because a time for judgment is coming and then it'll be too late.

 There are many times in my life I’ve acted like a weed planted in God’s field, trying to get what I want instead of surrendering my life completely to him. There are other times when I have pointed at the wheat and called them weeds.  As wheat, it is not our job to deal with the weeds.

 My Point:   Our job is to grow to glory of God and feed those around us.

Parables....

The Town Up Ahead

Once, a man pulled up into a gas station in the country, and asked the gas station attendant, "What are the people like in the next town up ahead?" The attendant said, "What were the people like in the town you just came from?" "Awful people," the man responded. "Rude, cold, hostile, abrupt, unfriendly. They wouldn't give me the time of day." "Well," said the attendant, "I'm sorry to say it, but you're going to find exactly the same sort of people in the next town up ahead." A bit later, another driver pulled in, heading in the same direction as the
first. "What are the people like in the next town up ahead?" the second man asked. The attendant said, "What were the people like in the town you just came from?" "Wonderful people," the second man responded. "Friendly, warm, helpful, patient, kind. They went out of their way to help a stranger." "Well," said the attendant, "I'm happy to tell you that you're going to find exactly the same kind of people in the next town up ahead."

Mark 4:3-8

Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Parables are intended to teach a universal truth.  Thus the answer is not hidden from the audience. 

We are not trying to use this parable to determine who is a Christian and who isn't. This parable is about four different responses to the Word of God. Every teacher of Scripture has seen all four of these in different people at different times, whether they are Christians or not.  These four responses are inside each and every one of us. We all agree that the Bible contains wonderful truths and great advice for all people. Whether a person is a Christian or not, the Bible has advice on parenting, family, work, finances and general health. The most important piece of advice, if it can even be called advice, is what God says about how to have eternal life. The Bible is full of God speaking out on various issues. And no matter what the topic is, different people respond in different ways.

God wants you to look at these four soils and have you understand the soil in your life. Some of it is the hardened first soil, some of it is the rocky soil, some of it is the thorny soil, and some of it is good soil. The goal is the till the hardened soil, clear away the rocks, and burn out the thorns so that our entire field becomes good, fertile soil.

Ask yourself, what area of my garden is flourishing?  Where am I spending the most time taking care of the soil and preparing for things to grow?  In what part of my garden do I need to spend more time cleaning out debris, adding fertilizer, and watering my plants?

As Christians...

As Christians we often struggle to find ways to explain the work of Christ on the Cross.  We believe Jesus is the Son of God, but what does it mean he died for our sins?

The Parable of the Train

 

A man is in charge of the junction switch at an important location of the train tracks. Normally, he controls the movement of the tracks from his control booth, but one day he discovers the junction control is broken and the track in its current position would send any approaching train off the rails into oblivion. The man hears a passenger train full of people approaching and knows that he will have to hold the manual lever in place personally in order for the train to make it safely across. He strains and holds the lever in the correct position as the train nears the junction. Suddenly, the man's two year old son wanders into view searching for his dad. Finding him on the other side of the tracks, the young boy runs across to him putting himself directly in the path of the oncoming train. The man's first instinct is to grab his son, but he knows if he lets go of the lever, the train and all its passengers will perish. The man decides in an instant that the only choice is to save the train and the people inside and allow his son to be sacrificed. The man collapses in tears afterwards, as the train passes on, with the people inside never realizing what had happened a few feet back...

 

This shows us in life sometimes we might have to sacrifice something that is huge to us, to save something bigger in the world, it shows us that sacrifices are never easy, Jesus died for our sins, he died for what we did wrong!

Shoot Christians Say

I have been laughing about this video for two weeks and I am embarrassed to say I use a lot of these phrases.  I have definitely echoed some prayers this week and I have not been great about guarding my heart.  However, I am looking for an awesome time of fellowship and to discuss how postmodern I am.

Are we home?

When I arrived on the campus at the University of Georgia, I remember being told about our sinking library. Several students said the building was slowly sinking into the ground because the architect failed to account for the weight of the books.  The library even removed some books from the shelves to help reduce the weight of the building.  Has anyone else heard about the University of Georgia’s sinking library?

This story is not unique to Georgia; many libraries around the country are sinking.  This urban legend about the sinking library has been around since the 70’s.  Many of the professors on campus heard these same rumors when they were in undergrad.

At some other Universities, there are rumors about the athletic facility sinking because the structural engineer forgot to account for the swimming pool or weight room.  There are residence halls sinking because the builders forgot about the weight of the students.

Though a few libraries have experienced settling problems, none of them was the result of a careless architect who miscalculated the weight of library books.

Yet, there are libraries (and other buildings), which have slowly sunk into the ground.  One of the most famous sinking buildings is the leaning tower of Pisa.  Building began sinking shortly after the 3^rd story was constructed over 800 years ago. The building began to sink because the sand underneath the structure began to shift under the weight of the building.

The entire coastal city of Santos, Brazil is slowly sinking because the mud underneath the high rises cannot support the large structures.

Even the House of Parliament is slowly sinking into the Thymes River.  In the last 10 years Big Ben has begun to lean noticeably.  Experts have estimated it will cost approximately 1 Billion dollars to save the gigantic building.  Politicians are considering selling the iconic landmark to prevent a major disaster.

The problem with these sinking buildings is not the extra weight, but the poor foundation.  Jesus calls us to build our life on a solid foundation that can withstand the storms in life.  Without a solid foundation the smallest storms can destroy our life. 

Matthew 7:24-29

Two Builders

²⁴ Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. ²⁵ Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock.

²⁶ Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn’t obey them is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. ²⁷ The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash.

²⁸ When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were surprised at his teaching. ²⁹ He taught them like someone with authority, and not like their teachers of the Law of Moses.

Jesus was a master builder and the great architect. The people understood the meaning of this parable. Our lives are like houses, like the walls and windows of a house.  If we build our life upon a good foundation, when the storms of life come, our life will remain intact.  If, on the other hand, we build our life on a poor foundation, when the storms of life inevitably come, our life will be shattered into ruins. 

The Tower of Truth

Once upon a time there lived two powerful Kings: The King of Truth and the King of Deception. 

One day the King of Truth was walking through the streets of his Kingdom and saw two boys mocking a little girl.  He walked up to them and said, “Why do you treat each other this way?”  But he knew, these poor children had no one to teach them right or wrong.  They had been abandoned by this world.  That day, he made a promise to the children.  For every good deed they performed, a golden brick would be created for the tower of Truth.  These bricks would form a tower that glorified God in Heaven. 

A short time later, the King of Deception heard about the Tower of Truth being built to glorify God.  He became furious.  He ordered all of the children in his Kingdom to come to the royal palace.  When the children arrived he said, “Today I want you to help me build a tower that rivals the tower of Truth.  With your help we can build the Tower of Deception that will reach to the heavens.  This tower will be a reminder of your glory.”

A little boy spoke up, “King how do we build this tower?”

The King gently replied to the boy, “All you have to do is tell lies.  For every lie you tell a beautiful crystal brick will be placed among the tower walls.  These bricks will glisten in the sun and shine for your glory.”

A few short months later, the tower of Deception rose high into the sky.  It began to cast a magnificent shadow on the Tower of Truth.  The children became excited about the beautiful tower they were creating.  Their lives reach a point, where could no longer tell the difference between a truth and lie.  They began to lie about lie and covering up those lies with more lies.
One day as the King of Deception was admiring his glorious Tower the unthinkable happened.  His beautiful crystal bricks began to crumble into sand.  One by one the bricks began to fall apart and finally the entire tower came tumbling to the ground.  The children gathered around their tower and began to cry.

 As the children cried, the King of Deception started shouting.  “Stop crying… stop crying.  We can build an ever greater tower if we continue to lie, trick, and deceive.”

Thankfully, the King of Truth entered the palace and gathered the children.  “Children your lies cannot stand the test the time.  They are not useful for anything.  They can grow out of control and eventually destroy your life, but the truth will Glorify your God in Heaven.  Together we can build a tower that will stand the test of time.  A place your children's children will be proud to call their own."

What type of tower are you building?

The Unforgiving Servant

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John is the definition of a self made man.  He dropped out school in the 8^th grade and a few weeks later starting working for a small construction company. He purchased 25 percent of the company on his twentieth birthday. At age 30, he bought the company and completed his first multimillion-dollar deal.  On his fortieth birthday his company held assets over two billion dollars.  Did I mention John is a great man and better friend?

After graduating from college, John hired Randy, Matt, and myself to work for his company.  I couldn’t believe we were going to work for one of the wealthiest men in America. John was entering the twilight of his career and it was his vision to equip and empower future business leaders.  He hired the three of us because he saw great potential.

John had the world at his fingertips.  On more than one occasion the president of the United States called and asked for advice.  Maybe that didn’t sink in.  The president of the United States called to ask John for advice.  The CEO’s of Home Depot, Apple, and Toyota had him on their speed dial.

John could make or break a small nation through one deal. But for all his power and wealth John had a personal touch, he never forgot where he started. He believed in giving people a break -  "just like I got a break", he used to say.  John would financially help his employees create their own businesses.  He was not scared of their success, but rather he encouraged it.

I will defend John until the day I die.  I don’t care what you have read about him in the newspapers or tabloids.  He is not a monster. John was a man of character and his generosity paid off for him time and time again. We would do anything for him because we knew he would do the same for us.

I am not here to tell you about John, I wanted to tell you about Randy; he was a go-getter, a great worker, and an even better friend. He was one of the greatest assets in the corporation.  Randy had been with the company for five years when he pitched his business idea to John.  However, there was one small problem with Randy’s idea.  He needed ten million dollars.  John had been good to us all, but ten million dollars worth of help was far more help than we had ever been given. Those of us who had been helped by John over the years received loans in the thousands, not millions. We were blown away when we heard John had agreed to loan Randy the full amount. 

               Randy would drop by the office after he left to set up his business, he'd tell us how well things were going and then he'd rush off to some business meeting. I’ve always liked Randy; so we always welcomed his visits.  He would remember us at Christmas, and would come by our homes when our children had a birthday. A year before everything happened; Randy loaned one of this former secretaries $20,000 so she could buy her first home. 

               You can imagine our surprise when Randy walked into our office crying.  The business had failed; he had lost everything.  As you can imagine, he was a wreck.   He was trembling and shaking; he kept asking us what John would do to get his money back.  We didn't know what to tell him. We had seen John destroy entire companies that had tried to cut into his business. We knew of executives who lost their jobs and homes because of their dishonest business practices.  John was a good man, but no one wants to be cheated by the people they trust.  We told Randy everything would be ok but we didn't really believe it ourselves, and neither did Randy.  The end of the month was coming and it was time to make his loan payment. Part of me wondered if Randy would even show up. At eight the next morning, Randy walked into John’s office.  Where he was met by Harry our CFO, the executive committee, and John.  Randy stared at all us for a couple minutes and finally said, “I’m broke.  I lost it all.  Everything.  I mortgaged my house.  Sold my car.  I have nothing.” John was furious.  His eyes bulged and he roared “Ten million dollars!  You lost ten million dollars of my money.  I trusted you to pay me back. You are going to wish you never existed after I get through with you. I am going to have you charged with fraud, criminal neglect, and every other thing I can think of.  You are going to spend the rest of your life in prison.” 

               John turned to us, "See to it! Sell everything he owns and bring me the money.” At this point poor Randy just fell apart.  He began to cry and he collapsed onto his knees and pleaded. “Please, John, please, give me some time. I messed up and I didn’t know how to turn things around.  I was so scared about letting you down.  I closed the doors of my business a few years ago.  I kept thinking it was only for a couple months but the economy bled me dry. Just give me two or three years and I will pay back everything.” 

               We helplessly watched Randy plead for his life; we knew it would be impossible to pay back this money.  He had already proven his inability to make money.  John sat there in his chair and looked at this shell of a man sobbing tears.  Then he walked over to him; put his hand under Randy’s chin and looked into his eyes. “Randy everyone makes mistakes. You were dishonest and defrauded me, but today I will forgive your debt.  Down to the last penny. Go home and get your life together.” 

               Randy had squandered ten million dollars and John wiped the slate clean.  It was a stunning display of the attributes that made us love John even more than we feared him.  Matt and I helped Randy to his feet, walked him to his car, and hugged him goodbye. Weeks later the office was still buzzing about John’s compassion. It was an incredible act of generosity. However, Harry, John’s Chief Financial Officer, did not think much of the deal. He believed all men should pay their debts.  We argued that Randy’s story was centered in grace and forgiveness.  This is the same love Christ shares for us.

               Harry stormed into my office a month later when his secretary came to him in tears.   It was the same secretary Randy had loaned the $20,000 and she had quite the story to tell.  Her husband had lost his job and they had fallen behind on their payments to Randy.  Randy had started foreclosing procedures and they were going to lose their home and everything they owned.  We were stunned by Harry's news and asked him to bring his secretary to see us. She told us the same awful story. She begged Randy to give her husband a few months to get back on his feet. Randy refused to listen to her and that very morning the sheriff had come with an eviction notice. 

               We were outraged and went right to John to share the story.  John immediately sent a car to pick up Randy.  An hour later, Randy strolled into our office without a care in the world.

               What happened to Randy after that day is public knowledge. The trial made all the papers, and the sentence passed on Randy was so severe some people called it a miscarriage of justice. People claimed Randy's creditors were ruthless, but we knew the truth.  We remembered John’s forgiveness and the way he looked at Randy after he heard the secretary’s story. He stared at Randy, and you could see him seething with anger, finally he broke the silence and said, “I forgave you everything you owed me, ten million dollars... and you could not even help someone you consider your friend.  You could not even give her an ounce of the grace I showed you for a mere $20,000 dollars.  I am beyond disappointed; my heart is actually breaking. Because you cannot repay me, I am going to turn you over to the courts and they will not look on this situation so kindly.

               Before you leave, I want you to remember this scripture my grandmother shared with me from (Psalms 103:8-10):

 The Lord is merciful!
He is kind and patient,
    and his love never fails.
⁹ The Lord won’t always be angry
    and point out our sins;
¹⁰     he doesn’t punish us
    as our sins deserve.

These are are words to live by.  If you live by them the Lord God will not be angry with you.  Then John told us to call the lawyers and bring charges against Randy. It was never about the money; it was the way Randy treated the people around him.