PARABLES: A culturally relevant story “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth

WHY PARABLES: Spiritual truths requiring spiritual discernment by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: Where God rules and reigns (already and not yet)

• Are you in the Kingdom of Heaven?(John 1:12-13, John 3:1-21, Titus 3:3-7)

THE PARABLE OFTHE WEEDS AND WHEAT 🌾

Matthew 13:24-30 (ESV) 24He put another parable before them, saying,”The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

BREAKING DOWN WEEDS AND WHEAT- MATTHEW 13

[24] He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

• A man = Jesus (Matthew 13:37)
• In His field = world (Matthew 13:38)
• Sowed good seed = children of the kingdom (1 John 3:9-10)

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[25] but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

• His men were sleeping (Mark 4:27)
• His enemy = adversary and accuser of the brethren (1 Peter 5:8)
• Sowed weeds among the wheat = planted and grew from there (1 Corinthians 5:9-10)
• His enemy went away = limited (Job 1:12)

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[26] So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

• The “wheat” sprouted grain proving it was wheat = bearing good fruit(Galatians 5:22-23)
• The “weeds” became evident over time. (Galatians 5:19-21)

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[27] And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

• Servant of the Master (Luke 17:7-10)
• “Didn’t you plant good seed, God?!” = questioning the work of the Sower
• “How, then, did this horrible, unfair, and unjust thing happen?!” = trying to reconcile evil and God’s goodness
• “If you were truly good, then _______ would not have happened!” = Many keep themselves out of the kingdom of heaven by seeing their tragedies through only their eyes.

THE WEEDS AND WHEAT EXPLAINED 🌾

Matthew 13:37-43 (ESV) 37He answered,”The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. ____________________________________________________

[28] He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

• God’s perspective: It wasn’t Me; you have an enemy. (John 10:10)
• Servant’s solution: Let’s go fix it now! Sure seems like the natural thing to do.

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[29] But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

• God’s perspective: If we remove all the wicked now, we will lose some children of the Kingdom, too.
• Remove evil King Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-9) = No great King Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:1-7)
• God is not going to stop short of saving all who will call on Him. (2 Peter 2:8-9)

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[30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

• God’s solution: Allow them to both experience one another; faith sprouts/grows in hard times.
• God’s solution: Angels will come at the right time to clean house.
• God’s solution: Complete justice in the end for the unrepentant wicked—hell.
• God’s solution: The righteous will shine like the sun with God forever in Heaven. (Revelation 21)

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KNOW IT:

– Know God’s heart is for all people. (John 3:16)

– Know your enemy and his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

– God will work all things out in the end (see Romans 8:28), and He’s the only One capable of the task. Trust Him.

FEEL IT:

– God is well aquatinted with pain and suffering. You have a good friend in Him. (Hebrews 4:14-16 & John 15:15)

– God’s heart is for none to be lost. (2 Peter 3:9)

– Hurt for those separate from the Father. (Matthew 23:37 & Luke 15:11-32)

DO IT:

– Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44-45)

– Be sober and alert; not all who look like wheat are wheat. (Galatians 2:4-5 & 2 Peter 2:1-3)

– Go and proclaim the goodness of God to others. Know God is with you in carrying out His Kingdom business!