Wheat And Weeds

Wheat and Weeds

6/01/08 AM

Text: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-42

Introduction

Turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew. Do you know what Matthew is trying to get across in this gospel? Do you know the truth he was trying to share? Matthew wrote this book because he wants us to know this one basic truth: Jesus of Nazareth was the kingly Messiah of prophesy. When Jesus Christ came to earth, He brought the kingdom of God with Him. That’s the whole point of the book of Matthew.

It begins in Matthew chapter 1 where Matthew establishes that Jesus was born of royal linage. Jesus is the rightful heir of David’s throne. He is the King. In Matthew 2, we see Jesus called the king of the Jews and worshiped by the Magi. In Chapter 3 He is preceded by John the Baptist and in Matthew chapters 4-12, Jesus reveals both the nature and the power of His kingdom as He conducts His ministry preaching, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. When Jesus Christ came into the world, the kingdom of heaven came too. And because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, His kingdom remains in the world today.

But the question we so often face today is: “If the kingdom of heaven has come in Christ, why does evil abound?” Tell me why there are suicide bombers in the world. Tell me why children are misused and abused in the name of religion. Tell me why immorality is promoted as normality and Christian values are denounced as narrow minded and intolerant. We look around the world today and ask if the kingdom of heaven is here, why is evil still here too?

In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells a parable that helps us understand. It’s a parable that answers this very question, If the kingdom of God is here, why is there still evil? Let’s examine the parable of Jesus.

I. The Parable Explained

A.Unusual for Jesus to interpret parables. (Only two others)

1.The parables of Matthew 13 are parables that reveal truths about the kingdom of God. That’s why Jesus begins this parable with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like…

2.

3.So exactly what is Jesus teaching us about the kingdom of God here? What does this parable mean? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Jesus Himself explains this parable to us.

Read Matthew 13:36-42

4.Several symbols are identified by Jesus:

a.The Sowers

“The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way”

a) The Identity of the Sowers

v37 “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;”

v39 “but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil”

b.Field: In verse 38 Jesus tells us that the field is the world. This parable is not about the church. This parable is about the world at large.

c.The Wheat and the Weeds: “and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;”

d.Harvest: end of the age.

e.Reapers: angels.

f.The Servants: Not identified specifically but they serve the Master.

[Let’s see what lessons we may draw from this simple parable…]

II. The Parable Applied

A.This parable is about the world at large.

1.Now in the field of this world, Jesus says that there are two kinds of seed that get sown.

a.Christ, who is the Son of Man sows good seed. And the good seed represents the sons and daughters of the kingdom.

b.The children of the kingdom are those who acknowledge their sin, repent of their sin, and who put their trust in Jesus Christ and what He did for them on the cross.

c.If you are a believer, you are God’s good seed planted by Him in this world.

2.Unfortunately, there is another sower who works the field of this world.

a.He is the enemy of Christ. He is the devil.

b.He plants weeds and Jesus tells us that the weeds represent the sons of the evil one. These are all those people who will not repent. These are all those who will not follow Jesus.

3.And so the first thing we learn from this parable is that, for the time being, two kinds of people have been sown in this world. Today, the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the devil dwell together on earth. Yes, in Christ the kingdom of Heaven has come. But for the moment, the kingdom of the devil has not yet been put away.

B.Now we can answer our question. If the kingdom of heaven has come to this world, why does evil still exist in this world?