Teachings – The Slothful Gardner

THE SLOTHFUL GARDENER

UNFOLDING FOURTEEN

WHERE WE ARE

We have been to the Garden of Eden, heard the curse against the ground, of thorns and thistles; found trees, old and young, transplanted into the house of God; went into the wilderness with the children of Israel and learned of manna. Now, we learn about sloth, and if we have learned anything about the toil that Adam faced and the gathering in of the manna, we know God graciously and freely gives, but we are expected to learn by applying what God has given us. 

SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 15: 9

“The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.”

Proverbs 24: 33

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:”

THE SLOTHFUL GARDNER
UNFOLDING FOURTEEN

“His day has come, his day is going, and he lets the hours glide by with no purpose,”

Thus, Pastor begins his discourse. The question he asks is,

“Am I employing the minutes as they fly? The man had a vineyard, but he did not cultivate it; he had a field, but he did not till it.”

The man did not use the opportunities that he had, and, 

“being bound to the performance of certain duties he did not fulfill them.”

The slothful farmer was unwise in that he had capacities, which he did not employ, 

‘Look at the sluggard’s land: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof.'”

“As for the sluggard in matters of his soul, he too is void of understanding, for he trifles with matters which seem until a man right and most pressing, but the way ends in death. Pastor asks,

“Hast thou never cultivated thy heart?”

Notice the thorns and thistles that give rise!

As for the heart of the slothful? He does not care about repentance and faith. 

“To think about his soul, to be in earnest in eternity, is too much for him.”

Pastor then asks about the sluggard’s house. Do he cultivate what grows there? Or is there thorns and nettles found there too between husband and wife, children and parents? 

So it is with our schools… the world.

“Unaided nature always will produce thorns and nettles, and nothing else.”

Always will.

THOUGHT GOING FORWARD

Everywhere we turn in America we hear about the homeless. They are the easy go to in applying this discourse, however, the homeless are not the focus here. There are sluggards in the body of Christ… those who do nothing… commit to nothing. They still want to share the bread and blood of Christ in communion. I dare say they risk bringing both the body and blood of Jesus down upon their heads. Let us then tend to our own souls first – asking for and through the power of the Holy Spirit – to address the brambles of our sloth through confession and repentance. Let us seek God’s favor to cultivate a workmanship in His Word, in prayer, fellowship and at home. Start here, and the Gospel in us will spread to the Samaria of our neighborhood… indeed, to the outermost corners of the world.   

IN TRIBUTE TO SPURGEON’S LOVE OF SHORT RHYMES

The soul unkept gives much that’s foul –
in stench to God and men.
With a little folding of the hands in sleep
the possessor wields no sword and trowel.