The Wheat And Tares Series

The Wheat and Tares

Matthew 13:24-30

What can we learn from this Parable/Story of Jesus?

We must be Perceptive vv.24-28

We have an enemy: Satan

His one goal is to oppose God, the people of God and the things of God with all his might.

He is powerful Jude 9; James 4:7

He has a strategy

To lie John 8:44

To blind 2 Corinthians 4:4

To accuse Matthew 4:1

To tempt Matthew 4:3 (

To devour 1 Peter 5:8

We must be Patient v.29

We can’t see everything

We can’t know everything

We must be Prepared. v.30

Prepared for the judgment Matthew 13:36-43 1 Peter 4:17

Prepared for the fight Ephesians 6:12-18

In the ancient Mediterranean world feuding families and feuding groups marked the social landscape of the first-century. Being born into a given family, a person normally inherited a ready-made set of friends and enemies. The scenario of the continued and mutual presence of weeds and wheat being left alone until harvesttime mentions the man’s enemy without explanation. A family’s enemies would make varied attempts to dishonor the family.

The parable we study this morning has that as a back drop. It’s another parable that Jesus tells to describe the dynamics of the Kingdom of God.

Let’s read the parable: Matthew 13:24-30 (on screen)

What can we learn from this Parable/Story of Jesus?

We must be Perceptive vv.24-28 (on screen)

We have an enemy: Satan

Here are some of the names Satan is called:

• serpent Genesis 3:1

• adversary Job 1

• Lucifer, meaning morning star Isaiah 4:12

• devil/accuser Matthew 4:1

• tempter Matthew 4:3.

• ruler of the demons Jesus called him ruler… in Matthew 12:24

• god of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 John 12:31 Jesus called satan the ‘ruler of this world’. What does this mean? The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions. God in His sovereignty has given satan a measure of power and influence. But God has also given satan limitations & boundaries.

• prince of the power of the air Ephesians 2:2

• dragon Revelation 12:9; 20:2

His one goal is to oppose God, the people of God and the things of God with all his might.

He is powerful

When you read those verses, you see that Satan has been given a measure of power unequaled by any earthly force. Don’t think that for a moment you can withstand his power and deceptions. He is much more powerful than you. There’s this popular notion out there that you can rebuke Satan. There is no biblical basis for that. The only instance of rebuking Satan Michael the archangel and even he didn’t. He said, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan!” Jude 9

We can and should resist him. We’re commanded to resist him and his schemes and deceits and ways. His evil spirits, demons whisper in our ears and appeal to our fleshly nature, conspiring against the redeemed, Christlike part of us. So we are commanded to resist him. James 4:7 “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

He is waay to smart for you. He can deceive you into making a small compromise here that will lead to another mistake 3 years later that will lead to a huge character flaw, addiction or tragic mistake 10 years after that.

He has a strategy

To lie John 8:44 (on screen)

To blind 2 Corinthians 4:4 (on screen)

To accuse Matthew 4:1 (on screen)

To tempt Matthew 4:3 (on screen)

To devour 1 Peter 5:8 (on screen)

In our parable, the enemy comes at night when everyone is asleep. We’re admonished to not to be lulled into sleep by this wily creature. Don’t get distracted. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel. We cannot, we cannot expect to resist Satan and walk in victory if we’re not wise to how he works. He will deceive us into thinking the things of this world satisfy and bring fulfillment. They will, for awhile. But then end of materialism, popularity, accumulation, sexual conquests, popularity and power—is more brokenness, more emptiness, more bondage.

We must be Patient v.29

We can’t see everything

Wheat and weeds look very similar in the early stages. You can’t tell them apart. The slaves wanted to try to separate them but that wouldn’t work because they look too much alike. It would not be humanly possible to sort it out.

Someone has abused you in one way or the other. Someone has taken advantage of you. Someone has abandoned you. And if you’re human, I want justice. Many times when we say justice we mean revenge. Truth is, in most of these instances, it is not humanly possible to sort it out; to figure out what should happen.