The Problem With Weeds
Jesus uses the parables to teach
about Kingdom of Heaven.
The disciples thought that His Kingdom
would be an earthly kingdom.
Jesus teaches them something different.
He teaches about a
1) Kingdom of the Heart
He begins each parable with,
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like….”
2)
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 among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
Today’s parable is:
Parable of the Weeds
(Parable of Tares & Wheat)
This parable was told
immediately after Parable of Sower
Both are stories about sowing seed.
As one who has been trying
to get grass to grow, I can identify…
This farmer is trying to grow wheat.
3)
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.’”
The servants offer to pull weeds.
Farmer says,
“No.
You might pull up the wheat, as well.”
Next, Jesus tells
-Parable of Mustard Seed
-Parable of Yeast
Jesus is:
-done teaching
-left crowd
-goes into house
The disciples don’t understand
Parable of Weeds,
& want explanation
4)
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. 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.
5) Main points:
1. Jesus= sower of good seed
2. Wheat= good people in Kingdom
3. Devil= sower of bad seed
4. Weeds= bad people in Kingdom
Jesus doesn’t pretend that everybody
in the church is good.
Nor, does he pretend that
they’re going to Heaven.
Just the opposite.
He’s pretty clear (vs. 42) that
“They will be thrown into blazing furnace (hell),
where there will be weeping & gnashing of teeth.”
6) The reality is:
There are bad people in church.
Many are disillusioned by this.
Jesus taught this early.
If we’re surprised by it,
it’s our own fault.
7) In the church, there are:
-mature Christians
-immature Christians
PROBLEM:
Immature ones think they’re mature.
8) Difference between two=
Fruit of Spirit
Developing fruit takes a LOT of work.
Mature spend time:
-Learning Word
-Prayer
-Being taught
Immature don’t make the effort.
One grows spiritually
Other doesn’t
9)
One seed produces wheat
Other seed produces weeds
One is saved
Other is destroyed
Many in church (including pastors) lose heart,
because of actions of a few.
It’s discouraging when you invest in others,
Only to be betrayed by them.
In the church, people get hurt.
When they get hurt, they quit.
Jesus felt the pain of others
One of his closest (Judas Iscariot)
-an apostle
-treasurer of his ministry
Was
-guilty of embezzlement
-betrayed him
All the while, he knew it would happen.
He ALLOWED it to happen.
WHY?
To show us how to deal with weeds.
Parable of Weeds= Parable of encouragement
10) It’s telling us:
1. Not to be surprised
2. Not to quit because of others
It’s hard to see evil behavior
(Lying, stealing, gossip, slander, etc..)
among God’s people.
What is sown in them
is from satan.
Remember, these are
the weeds among wheat.
Their destiny isn’t Heaven, it’s hell.
Which leads me to
next major point.
11) God Is the Only One authorized to deal with the Weeds
Vs. 28
“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.
God allows the weeds to live
Side-by-side w/ wheat.
In the church, we want to
take matters into our own hands.
We’re ready to pull the weeds.
That’s not our job.
If we try to remove weeds,
We’ll accidentally take wheat.
Only God knows someone’s heart
Only God knows someone's motives
Many well intentioned Christians
have destroyed wheat along the way.
Over the past few weeks,
I’ve gotten to know carpenter named Dan.
Dan has long hair
& rides a Harley.
When Dan grew-up (as a boy),
he had long hair.
He was told by church leaders
that he had to cut his hair.
He didn’t & hasn’t been back to church since.
Those church leaders pulled wheat.
They disobeyed Jesus’ command.
They intended to pull weeds,
& got wheat, instead.
God says:
“Let me do my work."
God allows the weeds to remain
until Harvest (Day of Judgment) for two reasons.
11.5)
1. To save the wheat
2. REPENTANCE
He knows that the Judgement is coming
& wants people to prepare.
12)
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God wants changed hearts.
He wants immature Christians to mature.
He wants repentance from evil.
He wants changed lives
13)
2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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