End-Time Instruction
Matthew 13:24-30
INTRODUCTION
A. Little boy petting a beagle dog.
1. Mother remarked, “That dog sure has a sad face.”
2. Boy, “Yep, he sure does.” Saw the tail, “But mommy, he has a happy ending.”
B. Life in this world is often difficult.
1. We face hardships, turmoil, sadness, and tribulations.
2. We look forward to a happy ending.
3. James wrote, “Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains…As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.” (5:7)
C. California newspaper ran a story of a lion who escaped from the carnival.
1. People ran to protect their children.
2. They expected the lion to run for the tall grass.
3. He had been in captivity so long that he returned to the cage.
D. We feel the same way sometimes-caged up.
1. The parable speaks of a time when there will be a better place.
2. A place where we much of what we experience on earth will be eradicated.
I. WITNESS UNTIL THE END
A. Man who sowed good seed in his field.
1. While he was sleeping, his enemy sowed weeds.
2. Wheat and weeds sprouted.
3. Servants asked him about this, and he said it was work of enemy.
B. Explanation found in verses 37-39
1. “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom (believers). The weeds are sons of the evil one (unbelievers), and the enemy who sows them is the devil.”
2. Emphasis is on what happens to the bad seed.
3. Assumed good seed would fall on good soil, prepared properly, take root and grow into productive grain.
C. Tares
1. Comes from a word that refers to a variety of darnel weed.
2. Looks almost like wheat except the grains are black.
3. Impossible to distinguish until wheat ripens and bears grain.
D. Often done in ancient times out of spite or as a source of revenge.
1. It would destroy the crop or reduce its value.
2. It was a common practice. Romans had a law against it.
3. Not uncommon to have a few tares.
E. Explanation
1. Field is the world and Jesus sows the good seed.
2. Good seed is believers, collectively the church.
3. It pictures the church existing until the end of the time.
F. Satan is the temporary ruler of the world.
1. God still controls and it belongs to him.
2. Will redeem it at the end of time and control it.
3. “The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:21)
G. God places us here for a purpose.
1. Here on divine assignment.
2. We are to be permeating influences.
3. One has said, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
4. We are to grow and mature and reflect his will and standards.
H. During Bolshevik (Communist) Revolution, beginning in October 1917, there was a campaign against illiteracy.
1. Declared war on illiteracy.
2. Thousands joined to launch this campaign.
3. People came from all over to teach others in Russia to read.
4. Two young nurses wrote, “We know that across the great expanse of the Russian land there are those corners where people have not yet heard the voice of a person who can read and write. That’s where we want to go.”
5. Immensity of the task was overwhelming.
6. Within 2 years, more than six of 10 over 8 could read and write.
I. Need enthusiasm to be involved.
II. THERE WILL BE A SEPARATION AT THE END OF TIME
A. Servants wanted to pull up the weeds.
1. Master said no, might pull up the wheat.
2. Let both grow until the harvest.
3. Gather weeds first, tie in bundles and burn.
4. Gather wheat into the barn.
B. Jesus interprets, “The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
C. Servants had reason to be concerned.
1. Weeds could weaken or destroy the crop.
2. Landowner knew more damage would be done by pulling up the weeds.
3. Plant roots would be intertwined so they needed to wait.
D. Harvest is the judgment at the end of time.
1. Angels will execute the judgment.
2. The judgment is on those who refuse Christ.
E. Fruit will distinguish the believers from the unbelievers.
1. Wheat would bear grain but the weeds would not.
2. Difference could be observed at harvest time.
3. Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:15ff)
F. Not up to Christian to distinguish between believers and unbelievers.
1. Not to the point that we carry out judgment.
2. This is the age of evangelism.
G. History gives warnings of Christians trying to judge unbelievers.
1. Fourth century Roman emperor Constantine required everyone to profess Christ.
2. Killed those who refused and put to death Christians who refused his superficial Christianity
3. Crusades of the Middle Ages.
4. There was brutality against unbelievers, especially Muslims and Jews.
5. There was also the Inquisition that came as a reaction to the Protestant Reformation.
6. Christians were tortured, imprisoned and executed for refusing to submit to Roman Catholicism.
H. We are not to carry out God’s judgment on unbelievers.
1. Separation will come at the end of time.
2. We should speak words of grace and forgiveness.
3. We are agents of grace and truth, not avengers, judges or executioners.
4. We make judgments against sin but judgment on sinners is God’s responsibility.
I. We exist side by side now.
1. Go to same schools, work in same places.
2. Go to same stores, churches.
J. Separation at the end of time.
1. Will be carried out by angels.
2. Jesus, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27)
3. Unbelievers will be assigned to hell. The torment will be separation from God and enduring passions they cannot fulfill.
4. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
K. Dante’s Inferno
1. It is an allegory telling of the journey of Dante through what is largely the medieval concept of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine circles of suffering located within the Earth.
2. He and his guide approach the 7th circle in lower hell.
3. They encounter a great plain of burning sand upon which descends an eternal slow rain of fire.
4. Finds the blasphemers, Sodomites, and Userers all scorched from below and above.
5. Dante says, “Enormous herds of naked souls I saw, lamenting til their eyes were burned of tears; they seemed condemned by an unequal law, for some were stretched supine upon the ground, some squatted with their arms about themselves, and others without pause roamed round and round. Most numerous were those that roamed the plain. Far fewer were the souls stretched on the sand, but moved to louder cries by greater pain. And over all that sand on which they lay or crouched or roamed, great flakes of flame fell slowly as snow falls in the Alps on a windless day.”
III. BELIEVERS WILL BE REWARDED
A. Jesus said, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:43)
B. Daniel said, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” (12:3)
C. The righteous will be separated for eternal blessings.
1. The evil are separated to eternal curses.
2. Evil people-because of their thoughts and deeds will be banished.
CONCLUSION
A. Witness until the end, prepare for the separation, believers will be rewarded and unbelievers punished.
B. Chaucer’s Everyman
1. Treatise showing how the Father of heaven sends death to summon everyone to give an account.
2. In the end, Everyman commends his soul to the Lord to enjoy the abode of the blessed.
3. Angel said to him, “Come, excellent elect spouse to Jesu! Here above thou shalt go Because of thy singular virtue. Now the soul is taken the body fro, Thy reckoning is crystal clear: Now shalt thou into the heavenly sphere-Unto the which all ye shall come That liveth well before the day of doom.”
4. Similar to Jesus’ words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)
