The Parable of the Weeds
Mt 13:24-29 36-43
One way or another,
weeds are still herbs. Should a weed/herb be toxic to humans does not lessen
the value of its purpose or mission. There is a reason why that tare grew up beside
the plant you planted. Everything that God has created has some kind of value for
the earth. Too many times man’s own ignorant
reasoning’s are caused by our own simple lack of understanding and knowledge. For
isn’t Romans 8:28 still true when it says: “And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.” This is one reason I believe why
Jesus brought so many parables to those whose hearts were open to listen to His
truth.
Jesus was
divinely led by our Father God through the Holy Spirit:
“For I did not speak on
my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life.
So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."John 12:49-50.
Let’s you and I meditate upon this
parable:
Jesus told them another parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man
who sowed good seed in his field. But
while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat,
and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also
appeared.
The owners servants came to him and
said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds
come from?
“An enemy did this“ he replied. “The servants asked him, do you want us to go
out and pull them up?”
“No,” he answered, because while you
are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow
together until the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles
to be burned: then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”
Mt. 13:24-30 NIV
We know the earth belongs to the
Creator and all that is in it and yet, He chose to give it to mankind.
“The highest heavens
belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to mankind” Ps. 115:16
Jesus is talking about two classes of people
among the earth and a distinct separation of all men.
The other day while I was pulling weeds
among my garden I noticed how there were so many different kinds of weeds. What
I have noticed about weeds:
1. Most are very strong with
extraordinary roots.
2. Their purpose appears to multiply
quickly to crowd out the plant that you have planted, so that your plant will
be unable to bear fruit.
3. They believe in strength through
numbers.
4. They come in all sizes, shapes and
colors.
5. Many are quite edible.
Spiritually thinking about this, we can
look at these invisible forces:
1. Strength! Those forces in the
invisible realm are strong and they have a plan to kill, steal and destroy
everything that you have.
2. They seek out to convert others into
evolving into their twisted way of thinking. These are those who are attracted
to their lifestyle and what they say. They are products of this evolved way of
thinking and believe a lie. They seek to destroy the church this way.
3. They believe in multiplying. Numbers
mean more strength. Truthfully, they are out for even physical bloodshed and
will use any willing vessel who can be flattered into a war.
4. Looks have nothing to do with it
because these forces will take over anyone who is willing to fight the goodness
and love of God. They are blind to the truth.
5. But what the enemy intends to use to
destroy us, God can turn around for our good.
Picture a large field of wheat or fine
corn that has bountifully come up and ever pleasing to the farmers eyes. When
upon further examination the discovery of copycat weeds are growing alongside
the plantings. The farmer must now take great pains not to allow any toxic weed
to be harvested with the original crop. Copycats can resemble the wheat in such
a twin capacity, they can be hard to distinguish between the real from the
fake.
Through the eyes of discernment, when
we think of the tares as those who are unbelievers, yet act like believers it can become easy to think they are sincere until they spring up further, gaining
more momentum when the tare begins to tell on itself as being untrue and fake.
Remember the verses:
“15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them
by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree
bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot
produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that
does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will
know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20
We will know the tares
or the weeds by their fruit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit or Unholy Spirit. Are
they talking and showing love for the Body of Christ or are they corrupting
their names by slander and gossip? Holy behavior or unholy? Holy seed or Unholy seed? Seed sown by God or
by satan? Everything we do is scattering some kind of seed in our garden.
Jesus warned us that “an enemy” has
done this. And, the enemy continues to do this around the nations inside and
outside of Christian fellowships. In
fact, in times past when a neighbor had a grudge against another, he would sow
tares (darnel) in the field next to his to seek his jealous revenge. This even
happens today in some places.
I am reminded of the revengeful
behavior of keying a car as the perpetrator thinks that no one is seeing what
they are doing. How wrong they are because today, not only are there hidden
cameras everywhere but everyone is carrying a cell phone that takes videos
instantly. It seems very little can be gotten away with today.
Wolves (tares/weeds) in sheep clothing
can have the appearance of a believer through what they do and say.
They will:
Act like a believer
Pray like a believer
Dress like a believer
Claim to read the Bible like a believer
Weed or Wheat?
When Jesus walked upon the earth
ministering and working his miracles; he could read men’s hearts and it was the
religious men of the day whom he mostly went after. Jesus did not waste any time
rebuking them for their jealousies, hypocritical backbiting, vain imaginations,
instigating evil schemes or cheating the people. Jesus went after the tares in
his day. He went after the religious people; those, who had high positions in
the Synagogues, and those who had power who were high-minded and prideful. They
were the ones who needed to feel important and desiring to be noticed when they
prayed on the street corners wearing their phylacteries. They
wanted all men to think of them as holy, when their hearts were far away from
the God of Abraham.
Unfortunately, their desire to be literally
seen as holy (look at me, I pray!) and have the approval of men were much more
important than in God’s eyes. Were they tares? They lived by the law and knew
Jehovah God, yet; what type of fruit did they bear?
Today, much of the same thing is here;
there are those who must have drama in order to be recognized, seen and praised
by men. Instead of praising and glorifying the King of Kings, they crave the
praise for themselves. Tares among the wheat!
Just as God’s seed which is the Word of God changes men’s hearts into a
brand new person; so too does the seeds of the enemy sow twisted and deceiving
words into the hearts of those who strive for self-glorification. Just as there
is a Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit there is also an Unholy
trinity of the world, flesh and satan.
Politics are also rampant in the
church. Many are doing works not because they are using their faith but because
they know they just might get a permanent position in the church and be able to
work their way up the ladder in that organization. If you happen to know
someone in “high places” also helps.
One of the differences between wheat
and tares are their motives. The longer you listen to a talker the more you
will discover what is in their heart and you will easily learn what is most
important to them.
“A good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil
things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the
heart is full of.” Luke 6:45
Learn to listen to
others. Your discernment will expose the truth through the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that, “while everyone
was sleeping the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went
away.” Sleeping, while everyone was
sleeping the enemy came.
There are times when the enemy can come
through the back door of our house without us realizing it because we think of
the back door as being safe. Then, we begin to get comfortable and start to
assume the door is locked and by that time the enemy has already entered into
your house.
Sleeping can also mean, not staying
alert or sharp. Why oh why do we accept even a smidgen of ruling from an
immoral government that betrays God’s commandments?
Sleeping! Apathy! Complacency!
The beautiful field of wheat that
glitters like gold can be compared to a crop duster plane spraying heavy toxins
over acres of the wheat to “prevent” bugs from destroying the wheat. What was
once so beautiful and pure has been fumigated with chemicals. An “enemy has done this!” Is right!
And so, we all work side by side. We
ride the trolleys together, catch cabs, pass each other on the street and eat
in the same restaurant together. We all 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.” vs 30
Because we are living in a time of
instant knowledge, instant food, instant answers; we do not think of the possibility
of the bundling happening before our eyes, even for many years now.
God’s angels are always busy and
working, doing His will every day.
Have you not noticed how many
like-minded individuals are gathering more and more together? They have clubs
with meetings, they are in high places, low places and some talk a good talk
justifying their “truth,” - “birds of a feather really do hang out together.”
There has been an ongoing separation
from the crème of the crop going on for many years now.
Whose side do you belong?
It is this writer’s opinion that the
bundling has been happening for quite some time as many rush to hear the cushy
words that rationalize a sinful lifestyle. The tares have been coming out from
the wheat and beginning to gather together.
But what did Isaiah say about twisting
and perverting the Bible?
“Woe to those who call
evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who
put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20
I say:
To accept the unholy rule
of men, is like signing a legalized document assuring your special appointment
with judgment.
Whose side are you on?
Will you choose to be strong and have courage in these days of bundling? Will
you continue to pray for those who ridicule you? Despitefully use you?
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
We praise you today! We
want to say “glory glory glory, to the most high!” What would we do without
your love and great faithfulness? We choose to continue to trust in you with
every area of our lives. We choose to magnify your son’s name in the tasks we
do today! We choose to be the overcomers you have called us to be because you
said “we are more than Conquerors!” No, nothing can separate us from your love.
Not one thing!
Help our faith, help us
to love in the way that would please you. Show us the “how to’s” and we ask
that you would continue to open up your teachings so we can walk closer to you.
In Jesus we pray,
amen
