Stefan is an ordinand on placement with us. A lot of people said how much they had enjoyed Stefan's sermon on the wheat and the weeds, so here is a chance to refer back to it, or read it for the first time. Reading a sermon is very different from listening to one - but, hey, we can't go back in time.
HOPE IN A SUFFERING WORLD (PARABLE OF THE WEEDS AMONG THE WHEAT)
Mat 13:24-30, 36-43; Rom 8:12-25
I remember trying to help my parents in the garden once. First, there was the piercing Noooo... from the other side of the garden as I reached down to pull out what I thought was a weed, but was in fact a rather nice plant. Then, there was the rather shifty look on my face accompanied by an Oops when, too eager to help, I pulled out a rather large weed but also half the flower bed and its flowers at the same time. I think, at the time, I exclaimed “Mum, look at what the rabbit has done!”. Alas, I don't think she believed me.
Reflecting on these experiences, little did I appreciate the theological significance of my gardening incompetence until recently. For, in a similar way that our garden depended critically on it's head gardener, my mum; to recognise the weeds from the flowers and tend the garden towards its potential.
The garden of the world, the world itself, depends critically on its head gardener, Jesus Christ. We may weep, get angry and frustrated at the continued presence of evil and suffering in our world today; not understand, and disagree with the methods of the head gardener. But, it is Jesus Christ who gifts us a place in his garden, patiently perseveres in its desecration, while bringing it to the fullness of its beauty at his appointed time – not ours. So, within Jesus' illustrative story of the wheat and the weeds there lies tremendous hope, expectation with confidence, that the garden of the world will win the Chelsea flower show by some considerable margin.
So, let's look in more detail at Jesus' story of the weeds among the wheat with an attentive ear. The start of the story is important though it is really easy to gloss over it or indeed any story for that matter. I think of the films I have watched recently, how they quickly turn to the action and special effects, glossing over the start or building of a story as if it is so inconsequential? Perhaps, here it would be easy to focus on the apocalyptic imagery of the last judgement with the weeping and gnashing of teeth for those who do evil alluded to in v42. But, I think, to do so here would be disastrous because it would distort what this story has to say about God.
The story starts in v24 with its particular explanation in v37. The Son of Man sows seed, sons of the Kingdom, into the world. This cuts to the heart of the gospel message, as detailed in Isa 53:5. Jesus, the Son of Man, died on a cross for our denial, turning away from God. His death sentence brought us peace. His wounds heal us AND bind us to himself forever. If only we turn towards God and accept his gracious invitation. A new community or Kingdom is established in the here and now – in this world- of which we are sons and daughters. In Rom 8:14-15 we read “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, `Abba! Father!'”.
OK, so what? Can we skip to the weeping and gnashing of teeth now? No, because once planted we become an integral part of the garden forever. Rom 8:1 “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” The start of the story, is foundational. It enables us to expect with confidence, hope, that the garden, despite the weather and rampaging rabbits and alike, will be well tended for and brought to its intended state of glory, as detailed in v43, “Then the righteous will shine like the Sun in the kingdom of their Father”.
This is of considerable comfort and support, a typical British understatement, when clung to in the face of persistent evil and suffering that pervades our world and touches so many of us deeply, acknowledged in v25. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now” (Rom 8:22). Some of this evil is more readily recognisable – we hear about it in the news – the hardship, torture, and even death of many Zimbabweans largely enabled by a corrupt government. But much,as revealed in v26, remains hidden from our eyes. It was only when the wheat sprouted and formed ears that it became distinguishable from the weeds.
The malpractice of sowing weeds into someone else's field was actually sometimes done both in first century Palestine and today in some parts of India. Jesus spoke a language his audience readily understood. By the time the wheat and weeds were distinguishable their roots were so intertwined that to uproot the weeds was likely to pull out the wheat. Eventually, however, they would have to to be separated for the weed, likely called, Darnel in Jesus' day was slightly poisonous and would spoil the harvest.
So, it is today. And clearly God, the head gardener, understands the danger for our world, his garden of creation.
Here, the story says at least 2 things. First, it teaches us to not judge others, since just as the wheat and weeds cannot be distinguished until just prior to the harvest so can we not distinguish between those who do good and evil. As Jesus said in his sermon on the mount. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged”. Do we remember the tragedy of Harold Shipman? Many of us, some 8 years ago, would have though Harold Shipman was a good man. After all he was a doctor and to all intents and purposes a respected man in the community. A 2002 report following his imprisonment concluded that he had killed 215 of his patients between 1975 and 1998.
The second thing this story teaches us, and I was relieved to see this mentioned in the NETWORK sheet, concerns the patience and compassion of our God. Characteristics that are guided by his sovereignty in tending to his world that per haps, for many, will be deeply frustrating, a source of anger, and as illustrated in v27-28 not how we would tend the garden. The owner's servants ask “Do you want us to go and pull them up” - the weeds?
How many times have we acted hastily only to regret the consequences thereafter? I am not totally convinced, but offer the question, did the war in Iraq illustrate this danger? In seeking to do good and bring peace and stability to the Middle East, large numbers of innocent people have lost their lives and been displaced. Moreover, the consequences have reverberated throughout the Middle East and beyond. Reminding us of the interconnectivity of God's creation and the need for patience, compassion, and wisdom.
How many times have we lamented to God, why do you not do something? Be assured God, as we speak, is doing plenty as revealed in his story.
Jesus responds “No” in v29 knowing the danger of displacing the wheat when drawing out the weeds. I have wondered whether this is one of the reasons why our Archbishop Rowan Williams, at this time of deep stress for the Anglican Communion over, e.g., issues of human sexuality, examples a Christ like patience, compassion, and tolerance. Knowing that to act and speak hastily could be to rip out the wheat with the weeds within the Anglican communion, and not give time and space for Christ's ongoing reconciliation of this world to himself.
God's compassion, on the other hand, knows no bounds giving time and space for forgiveness in a broken world. Calling us to communion and reconciliation in and through Christ's life, death and resurrection. We have a God who seeks the return of the lost Sheep (Mat 18:10-14). A God who deliberately goes out to those marginalised and detested by society. For Jesus these were the tax collectors and prostitutes, who are these people for us? We have a God who wants to continue to plant new, good seed, people, in his garden right up until the harvest – the blooming of the garden. Let us return to the Cross, where Jesus hung between 2 criminals (Luke 23:39-43).
“One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying , “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong”. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.””.
It was not too late for one of the criminals to be planted into Jesus' new creation or garden. It is not too late for us.
Perhaps Jesus' compassion and patience is in part motivated by the gravity of the final consequences for those who do evil and cause sin. We finally reach the furnace of fire and the weeping and gnashing of teeth, v42. Here, we are challenged to example Christ's compassion and patience for those who reject and work against him. To proclaim and live the Gospel message and thereby participate with the gardener, Jesus Christ, in planting new, good seed here and now.
So, let me conclude with some questions for us as a community. Will we participate in contributing to the glory of God's transformed, splendid garden of creation – the one that wins the Chelsea flower show? Will we not judge but rather have patience and compassion in a world bereft with evil and suffering? A compassion that seeks to point people towards God, is marked with a deep love for our neighbour, and is energised by not wanted to see anyone lost to a life without God. Will we rejoice in the hope, expectation with confidence, that Christ in his mercy offers and bestows upon us. “For in this hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24). A hope that enables us to bear patiently with the realities of our everyday live's. Continuously remembering that his rule on earth has already begun and will be consummated “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear”. Amen
