BEWARE OF THESE THINGS!

Kathi Pelton

Yesterday, during our church’s Mother’s Day celebration, we handed out roses to all of the women. But before they were handed out one of our young adults was in the back of the church removing all of the thorns from each long stemmed rose. As she did this I remembered a parable that Jesus told about thorns.

There are some things in life that just seem harmless. Such as the pleasures of this life. After all, Psalm 16:11 talks about pleasures,

“In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore”

Yet, when pleasures become what we live for to the point that they choke out the truth of God’s Word— then we need to beware.

Then there is the issues of “the cares of this life.” We all have more than enough of those! And, sometimes it is the pursuit of pleasures that create much greater pressures or “cares” that overwhelm people.

Almost everything in our western world is bigger and more elaborate than it should be. For instance, when I was a child a birthday party consisted of a homemade cake with a few friends and simple gifts— and maybe a game of “pin the tail on the donkey”. And we loved it! We played, laughed and enjoyed a simple backyard celebration.

Now, parents feel greater and greater pressures to provide parties that include live animals, elaborate cakes, expensive gifts and even renting venues so that their children’s friends won’t tell them on Monday morning at school that their party was “lame!”

And of course we must not forget the parents of daughters who now are expected to pay for weddings that cost in the tens of thousands of dollars for their “big day.” These are just a couple of things caused by over-inflated pleasures causing overwhelming cares.

Then there are riches. All of those pleasures and cares require riches. So the focus on riches to cover the “cares of life” and to provide for the modern day pleasures now take center stage in a person’s mind and heart.

This is why Jesus told the parable of the sower in Luke 8. One part of that parable talks about the seeds sown among the thorns. When the disciples ask Jesus to explain this, here is what he says.

First, he explains that the seeds are the Word of God. Every truth and every word in his WORD bears fruit in the life of the followers of Christ. Those who hear his Word and “hold fast” to all (not some) of it bear fruit. To “hold fast” to something means to maintain a firm grip, refuse to let go, or strongly adhere to a belief, principle, or goal despite challenges or pressure. Holding fast represents perseverance, steadfastness, and loyalty; often meaning to remain unmoved in one’s convictions.

Now, what does Jesus say that the thorns in the parable of the sower represent?

“And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ ‭

“And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬ ‭

It is not that God is against wealth and pleasures or that he doesn’t know that we will have cares. What he is saying is that when these things begin to usurp his Word and compromise our convictions that they will be thorns that will cause the fruit that his Word was growing in our lives to never ripen or mature. These things (pleasures, cares and riches), when exalted over the posture of “holding fast” to his truths and the fullness of his Word will choke out our growth and spiritual maturity until the point that our fruit falls to the ground and spoils.

The thorns will cause men and women to compromise the very convictions that they once believed in and the principles that they built their lives upon until corruption enters in and chokes out their very life.

WE MUST BEWARE OF THE THORNS!

We often view this parable as one that merely describes “salvation message seeds”. But, the thorns are a message to those of us who have already believed and received his message but are trying to bear fruit amidst compromise.

The good news is that we have the gift called repentance that transplants our lives into good soil and preserves us; allowing us to mature and grow in health.

God is removing the thorns from his people and he has prepared good soil to transplant them in so that mature fruit is produced. In that place we experience fullness of joy and true pleasures forevermore. We will prosper in fruitfulness and find that he cares for our every need (carrying our burdens).

“Lord, show us the thorns that have entangled us and kept us from maturity and joy. Rescue your people from compromise and help us to return to holding fast to your Word.”

Amen