Grace Church Metropolis - Parables Message 3

Parable 3 – 4 – 5

The Wheat and the Weeds.

Matthew 13:24–30 (NLT) — 24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ 28 “ ‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “ ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. 29 “ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’ ”

iv. The good, bad, and the ugly of church.
1. My interpretation
  - i. The Farmer is Jesus
  - ii. The enemy is Satan
  - iii. The wheat is believers
    1. I’m right so far
  - iv. The weeds are the false believers
  - v. So in the church there are people you love Jesus. (Believers)
  - vi. But there are also people that are selfish and prideful people. (fake Christians)
    1. This is wrong
    2. Now there are fake Christians in the church no doubt.
    3. These imposters cause problems in the church.
    4. 2 Corinthians 11:13 (NLT) — 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
    5. 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NLT) — 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
    6. 2 Corinthians 11:15 (NLT) — 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
    7. But they are not the weeds in this parable.
2. Notice verse 38
  - i. Matthew 13:38 (NLT) — 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
v. The main characters
1. The farmer or Sower is Jesus.
  - i. This is a twist on the parable we studied in the last parable.
  - ii. The Sower could be Jesus, but anyone who shares the gospel.
  - iii. But here distinction here is the scripture.
  - iv. Matthew 13:37 (NLT) — 37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed.
2. The enemy! (weeds)
  - i. Matthew 13:25 (NLT) — 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.
  - ii. Matthew 13:28 (NLT) — 28 “ ‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “ ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
  - iii. It wasn’t uncommon to for rival to come sow weeds in their enemies’ fields.
  - iv. If you ruin the crop, then your enemy suffers.
  - v. Those listening would have understood this.
3. Field
  - i. Not the church
  - ii. Matthew 13:38 (NLT) — 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
  - iii. We live in the world but it’s a world full of weeds.
  - iv. Both the wheat and the weeds grow together.
4. Harvest
  - i. The harvest is the end of the age. (Judgement)
  - ii. Matthew 13:39 (NLT) — 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
vi. The Wheat and the Weeds.
1. What’s it does it mean?
  - i. Jesus plants and Satan corrupts.
  - ii. Good and evil will grow together.
  - iii. We can expect opposition.
  - iv. But don’t despair.
2. The mustard seed.
  - i. Matthew 13:31 (NLT) — 31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.
  - ii. Matthew 13:32 (NLT) — 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
  - iii. Here is some real-world application.
  - iv. We can have small beginnings – we can grow 30 60 100 times.
  - v. This small church may be small but the impact it has made cannot be counted.
  - vi. We will be confronted by the evil one but greater is he that’s in me.
3. Leaven (yeast)
  - i. Matthew 13:33 (NLT) — 33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
  - ii. A little leaven spreads throughout the whole loaf.
  - iii. The kingdom changes everything.
  - iv. Leaven is the gospel.
vii. Harvest time.
1. We will stand before God on Judgement Day.
  - i. Revelation 20:12 (NLT) — 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.
  - ii. Revelation 20:14 (NLT) — 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
  - iii. Revelation 20:15 (NLT) — 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
  - iv. The weeds.
  - v. Look what Jesus says
2. Sorting the wheat from the weeds.
  - i. Matthew 13:39–42 (NLT) — 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. 40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  - ii. Woe to the evil doer.
  - iii. Weeping and gnashing of teeth.
viii. The Book of Life
1. Confess and repent
  - i. God is not mock whatever a man sows that shall he also _____________________
  - ii. Is your name written in the Book of Life.