His Days Are As Grass

Ps. 103:15 

• Intro:
  • The Bible says, As for man, his days are as grass. 
  • When you think about the way grass grows and how we must maintain grass to keep it alive and well groomed, we find some interesting parallels between men and grass. 
  • By studying a few obvious things about grass perhaps we will “see” spiritual connections to things in our own lives. 
  • Sometimes it is easier to see a spiritual truth in a type or in a parable than it is to see it spiritually.
  • Now, for this comparison, I am thinking about St. Augustine grass or what we used to call “carpet” grass.  
  • Notice these things that are true about carpet grass that are also true about men.
• Grass needs to be watered –
  • Grass must maintain an adequate amount of moisture for the time of year and the weather conditions [i.e., it needs more water in the hot summer] –
  • Can you see some applications here –
  • The Holy Spirit is likened to water in the Bible [Jn 7:37-39] –
  • Therefore, when you are filled with the Spirit you are adequately watered –
  • When you are not, you are dry –
  • And no one knows better than the Spirit himself just how much you need – furthermore, grass responds much better to rain water than it does to treated “city” water –
  • The word of God is likened to water in the Bible [Eph 5:26] –
  • Men’s use of “treated” water [modern Bibles] will not sustain you nearly like the “rain” of the true words of God [King James Bible, Is 55:10-11].
• Grass needs to be fed –
  • Generally there are two good time to fertilize carpet grass –
  • There is the spring feeding and there is the winter feeding –
  • These are different fertilizer combinations to feed the root system during the dormant winter months and to feed the blade during the spring and summer growing seasons –
  • Can you see an application here –
  • This seasonal fertilizing is like having a special revival meeting –
  • When you get a big dose of spiritual food to carry you through a season.
• Grass goes through seasons of growth –
  • During the winter, grass is generally dormant and in the spring it starts to grow and grows well until the late fall, at which time it becomes dormant again –
  • Can you see the application here –
  • You are going to go through seasons of spiritual growth at certain times and at other times you are going to be dormant –
  • These times of dormancy are important for your spiritual health –
  • They make you stronger for your next season of growth –
  • So don’t get upset when you “plateau” from time to time.
• Grass grows by spreading out –
  • Carpet grass sends runners out and spreads by covering soil and by covering itself to make a thicker lawn –
  • Can you see an application here –
  • We grow by spreading out to our neighbors and friends and by growing thicker in our families and relatives.
• Grass needs to be mowed –
  • In order to keep the grass healthy and well groomed it needs to be mowed regularly –
  • Can you see an application here –
  • Mowing is like coming to church each week –
  • You get mowed and groomed!!
• Grass needs to be weeded out –
  • There are weeds that show up in the late winter and early spring and then there are some weeds that you have to deal with all year long –
  • Interestingly those winter weeds show up at a time when the grass is really getting ready to grow –
  • Can you see an application here –
  • Weeds are like sins in your life –
  • And so we understand that during seasons of growth in our lives we also generally have to deal with more sin in our lives –
  • You wouldn’t think that would be so –
  • But after a few growing seasons you’ll see the trend in your life and you’ll have to be on guard against those sins –
  • To get rid of these weeds you have to pull them up by the roots and, like sin, you have to deal with them consistently –
  • If not they will overtake sections of your lawn like sin will overtake parts of your life.
• Grass needs to be treated –
  • That is when grass gets attacked by bugs or by fungi you have to treat it to kill off what’s attacking it –
  • Can you see an application here –
  • The devil attacks us just like bugs and fungi attack grass and so you need to fight him with your spiritual armor –
  • You can tell when grass needs to be treated because it starts showing signs of unusual stress –
  • Likewise you will show signs of spiritual stress –
  • You may need to take a sample of your grass to the local nursery to determine the cause of the stress and you may need some help from a spiritual counselor to determine the cause of your spiritual stress –
  • Oftentimes, the stress can’t be found until you get down to the “roots” where the problem starts.
• Grass needs good soil –
  • The better the soil the better the grass grows –
  • Can you see the application –
  • A good heart is likened to good soil [Lk 8:15] –
  • The better your heart the better your spiritual growth.
• Conclusion:
  • If you don’t want to hassle with all of this then you can just have artificial turf – and that is the case with many so-called Christians –
  • They have an artificial Christian life!