Super Secrets Of The Wheat And Tares

SUPER SECRETS OF THE WHEAT AND TARES

Matt. 13:24-30,36-43

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: COMPLIMENT ON HIS SERMON

1. After a very long and boring sermon the parishioners filed out of the church, saying nothing to the preacher. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons.

2. “Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!” The pastor was thrilled. “No-one has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why.”

3. “Well,” the parishioner began, “it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!”

B. TEXT

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [KJV “tares”] among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” 36 His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 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. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Mt. 13:24-30; 36-43.

C. THESIS

1. When examined closely, this simple parable turns out to be a block buster and treasure trove of revelation that most expositors have passed over without noticing.

2. It answers several profound questions that trouble the modern world, “Where do good and evil come from?” “Why are there so many problems in churches?” “Why doesn’t God stop evil?” and “What will happen at the end of time?”

3. So the title of this message is “The Super Secrets of the Wheat and Tares.”

I. ANSWERS THE RIDDLE OF GOOD & EVIL

Unbelievers stumble at the idea that an all-powerful, all knowledgeable & all-good God could exist, yet the world is filled with evil & suffering. How could a “Good God” let that happen?

A. ORIGINS OF GOOD & EVIL

1. This parable, spoken by Jesus, makes it clear that sin & evil weren’t God’s intention. God confirmed that ALL He “planted” was good and that the source of the weeds was “an enemy.”

2. In Jesus’ day, sowing weeds in a neighbor’s field was a common way folks had of getting even with each other. Instead of spray-painting graffiti on the wall of the house or egging the neighbor’s chariot, they’d sow Johnson grass in the neighbor’s wheat or corn or barley. It had become such a common practice that the Roman government actually passed a law against it. [Philip McLarty]

3. ORIGIN OF EVIL? Ezek. 28:14,17 explains how one of God’s highest guardian cherub angels, Lucifer (Isa. 14:12-13), fell, after becoming proud of his splendor and thinking that he could occupy the throne of God. One-third of the angels were deceived by him, revolted, and were thrown down (Rev. 12:3-4, 7-9). That is the beginning of evil, along with the disobedience of Adam & Eve.

4. EVIL NOT OF GOD. James 1:13 NKJV says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” God, the ultimate holy Being, is incapable of inciting moral evil.

5. WHY DOESN’T GOD STOP EVIL RIGHT NOW? In this parable, the angels offered to do it (28b) – to pluck up the weeds – but God pointed out the problems: some of the wheat (future children of God) will be destroyed with the tares – possibly because they are still weeds until God saves them.