This is a most important and most interesting set of parables. Last week we talked about the Parable of the Sower. This week we will look at the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. And it’s interesting because the Parable of the Sower first addresses the seed and then the soil. The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares will incorporate both the soil and the seed but will also address the crop. What’s the point?

You’ve got to understand this and know this and I pray that for you, (because certainly not for all, perhaps not even for many), but I pray for you (your choice), is that you do more than see this, understand this and know this, but that you take action…because at every stage, at every place, at every opportunity, the enemy is looking to strike you. Get the upper hand on you and man the truth is that if he is able to get at you time and time again…freedom is lost, joy is lost, faith is lost, families are lost, churches are lost…fields are lost.

So first, in your life…protect the seed. Then, guard the soil and finally defend the crop…The hardworking farmer of 2 Timothy…ok, all of that will make more sense after we look at the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 24 – 30

• It’s an engaging scene because it opens with the good seed being sown. And that is the work of God not only on this earth but also in your heart and in mine. That word “good” in the Greek is the word ‘kalos,’ and it literally means (and I love this), “Beautiful, excellent, surpassing, great in nature and characteristics and therefore suitable and well adapted to its end.” It means, “Genuine, competent, noble, comforting and confirming…such as one ought to be.” I just love that!
• That is the work of God in your heart, soul, mind and strength. As you believe on Him and walk with Him, decision after decision in alignment with the wisdom of God, this good seed is received and received and received…notice this though…, “While men slept…the enemy came and sowed tares…”
• This word slept is ‘katheudo,’ and it means, “To yield to laziness and slack…to be indifferent to right/wrong…to take the wide and easy path.” Wow! While men slept, the enemy sowed tares…and notice this…, “Went his way.” God seeks to abide in you, abide with you, for you to know and live-out that He will never leave you nor forsake you…, but not the enemy…he seeks to take the money and run…to mess you up and escape before he is even discovered…get at you and then hide so that you blame everything but the fact that you have not protected your field…
• How do you do that? Protect your field…Well, number one, don’t sleep. Understand, know and armor up about and against the fact that at every stage, at every place, at every opportunity, the enemy is looking to strike you…and his strike is always anything…anything that goes against the word of God. Number two, you have to know and abide in His word. John 17: 16-17, Jesus said, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
• Ah a little tare here, a little tare there…what’s the problem…I mean, “I love Jesus but I still cuss a little!” HA! I actually saw someone post that this week on social media! Here’s the thing, man! The roots grow together…that’s the thing…that as the tares are sown and they grow they steal sustenance from the soil…they intertwine even with the good roots…So that if you pull them, well if you turn from that sin that you’ve allowed, there will be consequences that even rip out good things in your life…it’s such a sick trap, man.
• But ultimately, at the end of the age, at the time of the ultimate harvest, and Jesus will tell us more later what that is and when that will be, He will do that in His field…which is this world…let’s keep moving.

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 31 – 32

• Now this is an interesting one too because we will learn in just a minute that the field is the world and yet the mustard tree is something planted in the world and so most Bible types believe, and I agree, that this is a picture of the church…faith on earth as Jesus used the mustard seed as a picture of faith elsewhere in the scriptures…but here’s the problem…mustard seeds don’t make trees, they make bushes…

• What this means is that the church will grow abnormally, into something it ought not to be and notice what happens, the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. Aside from the dove scene with the Holy Spirit, birds are always a picture of evil in the Bible. And so God started this thing called the church, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, so very simply. One small seed of faith. Simple, unified and pure and yet something has happened…
• Notice, the birds OF THE AIR…what is the enemy called? The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), they have come and they have nested…bringing with them the doctrine of demons Paul says in the book of Galatians…anything outside of the simple gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear teaching of the Word of God…
• But isn’t that how it always happens? First, they come…and then they nest…That word for “come” in the Greek also means, “They find influence, they pursue or follow.” Listen, when the birds of the air come into your heart, into your mind, into your field…get them then…before they get you…and make their nest…know what I’m saying?

Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 33

• A final small one-verse parable and a mysterious one at that. There are several perspectives on it but leaven is always a picture of corruption or sin in the Bible. Leaven is basically yeast which is actually a fungus. Three measures of meal is a huge amount by the way…enough to feed upwards of 100 people…This parable most likely points to the coming growth of corruption in the church and hearts of men…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 34 – 35

• What’s the secret by the way? The secret kept from the foundation of the world? It is the church. The body of Christ, the kingdom of God on this side of eternity. Ephesians 3:4-11.

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 36 – 38

• Real quick…how do you know which you are? A child of God or a child of the wicked one? Well, we don’t have time to go through these but write this down and check it out later. First, have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? John 1:12. “As many as received Him, He gave the right to become children of God…” Second, Romans 8:16, do you have the Spirit of God within you? Third, again Romans 8:16, are you willing to suffer for the Lord? Fourth, do you shine as a light in this dark world? Are you different or do you fit in this world? Philippians 2:15. Finally, are you like Him? Children reveal their parents. 1 John 3:10. It’s pretty obvious whose daddy is Link’s! HA! Just check out his Nikes, his Jordan shirt, his crazy energy and his silly-thick affectionate nature…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 39 – 43

• The parable is clear now, isn’t it? Running low on time so let’s move and we’ll pull this all together as we close…as harsh and black and white as this parable is though, check this out…Jesus will reveal His heart in these final three parables…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 44

• Know what that treasure is? It’s the children of God. The bride of Christ. Know who that treasure is? I so hope it’s you. I have said, “I do.” I know it’s me…God has sold His all to save the treasure, the beautiful, His church…anyone who would believe on Him…why buy the field? The whole world? Because if you find treasure in a field owned by another and you dig it up…who owns it? The field owner…to have the treasure, you must have the field…and so God died for the sins of the whole field, the sins of the whole world…it’s us who make ourselves either treasure, or trash…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 45 – 46

• Man I love this! Don’t miss this! Look at this word, “One!” For you and only you…even if it was only me, even if it was only you, just one…God would have given His all…so amazing!

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 47 – 50

• The Word of God cannot be clearer. The Lord cannot be clearer. Folks the truth cannot be clearer. The only thing that can or cannot be is whether you believe or not. Four times in these scriptures alone that we have covered this morning Jesus has mentioned the furnace of fire…weeping and gnashing of teeth. There is no Universalism…there is no Annihilationism…there is heaven or hell. That’s it…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 51 – 52

• Jesus commissions them to share their understanding mixed with their learning from old…faith old and faith new. Old Covenant teachings with New Covenant understanding and enlightenment…and thus unlock the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…

Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 53 – 58

• From this we must conclude that Jesus had a very modest and normal upbringing…No notoriety…no crazy miracles…and so many of the weird extra-biblical writings such as the Book of Adam and Even or the Book of Enoch all speak of Jesus being widely known in His youth and performing miraculous signs and wonders…not so…

• And notice this…Jesus did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief…it’s so very true that skepticism leads to unbelief…bad soil…tares…The work of God was before them…God Himself was right there…yet they turned…allowing seeds, soil and crop to be stolen…

• And so the enemy is relentless. He first attacks the seed…the Word of God…then your heart…the soil, planting skepticism in your mind towards the truth and superiority of God’s Word, and finally the crop…what you life is…what has become of your life…you…your crop. John Chapter 10, Jesus said that the enemy has come to steal (the seed), kill (the soil), and destroy (the crop). But Jesus said, “But I have come that you might have life…and have it more abundantly.” The end of the age is coming…the harvest is at hand…which will you choose to be? Treasure…or trash…God’s Son upon the cross, His payment for the one treasurous pearl…proves that He counts you already…as treasure…what say you?