Choking Weeds: Prioritizing Spiritual Growth Over Worldly Concerns

Devotional

Day 1: The Deceitfulness of Riches

Riches lie to us by promising that more money will solve all our problems. This deceit leads us to constantly seek financial gain, never finding true satisfaction. Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler (Mark 10) illustrates how material wealth can become a significant barrier to spiritual surrender. [06:59]

The pursuit of wealth can often lead us down a path of endless striving, where the promise of satisfaction is always just out of reach. The rich young ruler in Mark 10 is a poignant example of this. Despite his adherence to the commandments, his wealth became a stumbling block to fully following Jesus. The deceitfulness of riches lies in their false promise of security and fulfillment, which can never truly satisfy the deeper spiritual needs of the heart.

Jesus' call to the rich young ruler to sell all he had and follow Him was not just about the act of giving away possessions, but about removing the barrier that wealth had created between him and God. This story challenges us to examine our own lives and consider what we might be holding onto that prevents us from fully surrendering to Jesus. Are we placing our trust in material wealth, or are we willing to let go and trust in God's provision?

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV): "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself constantly seeking financial gain? How can you begin to shift your trust from material wealth to God's provision today?

Day 2: The Cares of This World

Worldly concerns, even those that seem good or necessary, can choke the gospel's effectiveness in our lives. These "weeds" compete for our limited resources, such as time and emotional energy, ultimately stifling our spiritual growth. [13:19]

The cares of this world can be insidious, creeping into our lives and slowly taking over our thoughts and priorities. These concerns can range from financial worries to family responsibilities, and even to hobbies and interests that, while not inherently bad, can consume our time and energy. When these "weeds" are left unchecked, they can choke the gospel's effectiveness in our lives, preventing us from growing spiritually and bearing fruit.

Jesus' parable of the sower in Matthew 13 highlights the danger of these worldly concerns. The seed that falls among thorns represents those who hear the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke it, making it unfruitful. This parable serves as a reminder to regularly examine our lives and identify the "weeds" that may be competing for our attention and resources. By doing so, we can create space for the gospel to take root and flourish in our hearts.

Luke 8:14 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What are some specific "weeds" in your life that are competing for your time and emotional energy? How can you begin to address these distractions to allow for more spiritual growth?

Day 3: Prioritizing the Eternal

Jesus teaches us to focus on the eternal rather than the temporary. By seeking God's kingdom first, we trust that He will take care of our earthly needs. This shift in perspective helps us recognize that our ultimate security and peace come from God, not from worldly possessions or achievements. [29:04]

In a world that often prioritizes the temporary and the material, Jesus' teachings call us to a different way of living. By focusing on the eternal and seeking God's kingdom first, we are invited to trust that God will take care of our earthly needs. This requires a shift in perspective, recognizing that our ultimate security and peace come from God, not from worldly possessions or achievements.

Jesus' words in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you," remind us of the importance of prioritizing the eternal. When we focus on God's kingdom, we are freed from the anxiety and striving that often accompany the pursuit of material wealth and success. Instead, we can rest in the assurance that God knows our needs and will provide for us in ways that are best for our spiritual growth.

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are currently focused on temporary, worldly concerns? How can you begin to shift your focus to the eternal and seek God's kingdom first?

Day 4: The Cost of Following Jesus

Following Jesus requires a willingness to give up our own way and take up our cross daily. This means prioritizing the eternal over the temporary, even when it involves personal sacrifice. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 16 emphasize the importance of this commitment. [32:02]

The call to follow Jesus is not one of convenience or comfort, but one of commitment and sacrifice. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 16:24-26 make it clear that following Him requires a willingness to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This means prioritizing the eternal over the temporary, even when it involves personal sacrifice and challenges.

Jesus' words challenge us to consider what we are willing to give up in order to follow Him fully. Are we willing to let go of our own desires, plans, and comforts in order to pursue a deeper relationship with Him? This commitment to follow Jesus may involve difficult choices and sacrifices, but it ultimately leads to a life of greater purpose and fulfillment in God's kingdom.

Luke 14:27-28 (ESV): "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you need to deny yourself and take up your cross to follow Jesus? What steps can you take today to make this commitment?

Day 5: Trusting God's Provision

When we prioritize God's kingdom, He promises to take care of our needs. This requires faith and trust in His provision, recognizing that He is aware of our concerns and will provide for us in ways that are best for our spiritual growth. [34:47]

Trusting in God's provision is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith. When we prioritize God's kingdom and seek His righteousness, we are assured that He will take care of our needs. This requires a deep faith and trust in God's character and promises, recognizing that He is aware of our concerns and will provide for us in ways that are best for our spiritual growth.

Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6:25-34 emphasize the importance of not being anxious about our needs, but instead trusting that God knows what we need and will provide for us. This trust in God's provision allows us to focus on seeking His kingdom and living out His purposes for our lives, rather than being consumed by worry and striving for material security.

Psalm 37:25 (ESV): "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread."

Reflection: What is one specific need or concern that you are currently anxious about? How can you begin to trust in God's provision and seek His kingdom first in this area of your life?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13, focusing on the seeds that fell among thorns. This parable illustrates how the gospel, represented by the seed, interacts with different types of hearts, symbolized by the soil. Specifically, we examined how the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches can choke the gospel, rendering it unfruitful in our lives. Jesus warns us that these "thorns"—the distractions and anxieties of life—compete for our limited resources, such as time, emotional energy, and relational bandwidth, ultimately stifling our spiritual growth.

We discussed how easily weeds, representing worldly concerns, can overrun our spiritual gardens if left unchecked. These weeds can be anything from financial worries to hobbies and even seemingly good things like family responsibilities. The deceitfulness of riches lies in the false promise that money can solve all our problems, leading us to constantly seek more, never finding true satisfaction. Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler in Mark 10 exemplifies this, showing how material wealth can become a significant barrier to spiritual surrender.

Moreover, we explored the concept of prioritizing the eternal over the temporary. Jesus' teachings in Luke 9 and Matthew 6 emphasize the importance of focusing on God's kingdom first, trusting that He will take care of our earthly needs. This requires a shift in perspective, recognizing that our ultimate security and peace come from God, not from worldly possessions or achievements.

In conclusion, we are called to examine our lives and identify the "weeds" that are choking our spiritual growth. By prioritizing the eternal and trusting in God's provision, we can cultivate a fruitful spiritual garden that glorifies Him.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Deceitfulness of Riches: Riches lie to us by promising that more money will solve all our problems. This deceit leads us to constantly seek financial gain, never finding true satisfaction. Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler (Mark 10) illustrates how material wealth can become a significant barrier to spiritual surrender. [06:59]
2. The Cares of This World: Worldly concerns, even those that seem good or necessary, can choke the gospel's effectiveness in our lives. These "weeds" compete for our limited resources, such as time and emotional energy, ultimately stifling our spiritual growth. [13:19]
3. Prioritizing the Eternal: Jesus teaches us to focus on the eternal rather than the temporary. By seeking God's kingdom first, we trust that He will take care of our earthly needs. This shift in perspective helps us recognize that our ultimate security and peace come from God, not from worldly possessions or achievements. [29:04]
4. The Cost of Following Jesus: Following Jesus requires a willingness to give up our own way and take up our cross daily. This means prioritizing the eternal over the temporary, even when it involves personal sacrifice. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 16 emphasize the importance of this commitment. [32:02]
5. Trusting God's Provision: When we prioritize God's kingdom, He promises to take care of our needs. This requires faith and trust in His provision, recognizing that He is aware of our concerns and will provide for us in ways that are best for our spiritual growth. [34:47]
### [34:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:19] - Introduction to the Parable of the Sower
[02:34] - Importance of Listening to Jesus' Teachings
[03:42] - The Thorns and Weeds in Our Lives
[05:02] - Weeds Competing for Resources
[06:22] - The Deceitfulness of Riches
[08:06] - The Rich Young Ruler
[10:32] - Jesus Confronts Our Affections
[13:19] - The Cares of This World
[18:59] - Paul's Burden for the Church
[21:56] - The Nature of Weeds
[24:30] - Jesus' Hard Teachings
[29:04] - Prioritizing the Eternal
[32:02] - The Cost of Following Jesus
[34:47] - Trusting God's Provision
[37:35] - Giving Our Worries to God
[39:11] - Managing Our Spiritual Garden
[41:03] - Prayer and Commitment
[46:21] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
[47:41] - Next Steps and Final Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the "thorns" that Jesus refers to in the Parable of the Sower, and how do they affect the growth of the seed? (Matthew 13:7, 22)
In Mark 10, what did Jesus ask the rich young ruler to do, and what was his reaction? (Mark 10:21-22)
According to Matthew 6:33, what should be our primary focus, and what does Jesus promise will happen if we do this?
How does the sermon describe the impact of "weeds" or worldly concerns on our spiritual lives? [05:02]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus describe riches as deceitful, and how can this deceitfulness impact our spiritual lives? [06:22]
How do the "cares of this world" compete for our limited resources, and what are some examples given in the sermon? [05:41]
What does it mean to prioritize the eternal over the temporary, and how does this align with Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6:33? [29:04]
How does the story of the rich young ruler illustrate the challenge of spiritual surrender in the face of material wealth? [08:06]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: What are some "weeds" or distractions that might be choking your spiritual growth? How can you begin to address them this week? [05:02]
The sermon mentioned that even good things, like family responsibilities or hobbies, can become weeds. Can you identify any good things in your life that might be taking too much of your time and energy away from your spiritual growth? [13:19]
Jesus asked the rich young ruler to give up his wealth to follow Him. Is there something in your life that you feel God might be asking you to surrender? How can you take a step towards that surrender this week? [08:06]
How can you practically seek God's kingdom first in your daily life? What changes might you need to make to ensure that your focus is on the eternal rather than the temporary? [29:04]
The sermon emphasized trusting God's provision. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to trust God fully? What steps can you take to grow in your trust and faith in His provision? [34:47]
Think about your current commitments and activities. Are there any that you need to reevaluate to ensure they are not hindering your spiritual growth? How can you create more space for God in your schedule? [17:33]
The sermon mentioned the importance of having a spiritual garden that produces fruit. What specific actions can you take this week to cultivate a more fruitful spiritual life? [41:03]

Sermon Clips

1. "We also talked about the idea that our roots don't need to be deep if our roots are connected to other people and their roots as well. That is not sufficient for us to be totally healthy, but it is, it'll keep us secure. It'll keep us in place. We need to be in community." [01:19] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Weeds grow quickly and what Jesus is describing are these weeds and thorns that are invasive to the gospel, they get in the way and here's what we know about weeds that invasive weeds actually prevent plant growth because they compete for space and they compete for resources. And if they're left unchecked, weeds can cover an entire garden and they actually will kill the neighboring plants." [05:02] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We are limited in what we have. And the demands and the cares of this world are making demands on all of our resources. And it's sucking up the life and the nutrition and the resources that we have. And ultimately, what we find is that our spiritual life is like a garden that's supposed to be tended to and cultivated and is intended to produce life and produce fruit." [05:41] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The idea of riches is deceitful. In fact, I think there's a specific lie that it tells. And the lie is this, that every problem is fixed with money. Think about your own life. How many times in your life have you thought, man, if I just had, if I just had 10,000 more dollars, if I just had 500 more dollars, if I could just get that promotion, if we could just hit the lotto, right? Then my life would be better." [06:59] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Jesus has a habit of confronting our affections. And we think Jesus is sweet and nice and cuddly and oh, he's my savior. Yeah, that's true. But that's incomplete. Because Jesus, Jesus is hardcore. Jesus is a gangster. Now, I'm not cool enough or young enough to say gangsta. So he's a gangster for sure. But he is hard. And he looks right at this man's heart and he can identify and go, you know what? I think he's moral. I think he's trying. But I can see what his garden looks like." [10:32] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "The problem is when those things, which are all temporary, all those things we're talking about are temporary, they start to encroach on the things that are eternal. And the gospel is an eternal thing. And what's happened is this gospel's been planted in our hearts. And what happens is the cares of this world, and these cares, some of them are very good and there's nothing wrong with them. But they begin to encroach on the gospel, which is eternal." [15:03] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "When we put God's kingdom first God takes care of the things that we think are important or he helps bring to light what's actually important and the implication is this man thought he needed to handle things that really if he would have left them God could have handled for him." [30:41] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Seek the kingdom of God above all else. And live righteously, and he'll give you everything you need. Seek the kingdom of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. What he's saying is, if you will prioritize the eternal, I will take care of the temporary. All the stuff you think is so important, I got you if you will just trust me." [36:09] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "When I put God first, he takes care of me. I've never seen God abandon people who put him first, and I've never seen their kids begging for bread. He's always provided for them and taking care of them. So here's what I know. As an old man, I didn't know this when I was a young man, but as an old man, I understand now God is faithful. And if I put him first, he'll take care of me." [39:11] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "What are the invasive weeds and thorns that you've allowed to overgrow your garden? I believe the Holy Spirit's going to show you some things. And start to point some things out and go, this is something that's not sinful. It's not evil. But it's taken too much of your affection, too much of your time, too much of your money. And it's robbed the eternal from being able to produce fruit in your life." [39:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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