“Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. “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?’ “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 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.”
Matthew 13:24-30 NLT
This parable has always fascinated me. Weeds for the most part are pretty easily spotted. And in this instance they were. The workers recognized that something had happened and enquired as to its origin and what should be done about it. The wise Farmer/Owner knowing what had been done, identified the imposter but the advice He gave is what got my attention. Let’s read it again.
“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.”
Matthew 13:30 NLT
Why did He recommend they grow together? He knew who planted them but still He didn’t want them uprooted. Question. Who are we in the world? What is our role as believers in Jesus Christ? What was Jesus’ prayer over the disciples prior to His death? If you can answer those questions you’ll understand why He told His servant to leave them until harvesting. We are supposed to be influencing the world by the way we live. Tares are sown by the enemy to distract us away from what our intended purpose is. Jesus prayed in John 17 not that we be taken out of the world but that we be protected. By allowing the good seeds to grow up among the bad seeds, it gives us an opportunity to influence the evil among us until Jesus returns with His angels to harvest or make the separation.
We are sometimes oblivious to the devil’s schemes but discernment will expose him. God doesn’t want us doing the weeding because we are unable to safely separate hearts. The devil is a great pretender, remember he masquerades as an angel of light. We judge by appearances- God judges the heart. When harvest time comes it’s much easier to separate wheat from tares. The tender shoots may appear to be similar, but the mature fruit distinguishes one from the other. Children are easily distinguishable from adults. But the problem we’re encountering now is identifying a child of God (wheat) from the world (tares). So Jesus, the Lord of the harvest is allowing us to grow together until the harvest. The Bible speaks of imposters who have crept in among us Jude 1:4 people having a form of godliness 2 Timothy 3:5. I dare say the tares have taken over many churches.
Years ago I planted a flower garden in front of my office in Jamaica. I noticed nothing different from what I had planted, except for the fact that I had a dream that a pumpkin vine was growing in my garden. The following morning when I went to work I looked in my garden and saw a rather tall green plant that looked nothing like my flowers, so I pulled it up and threw it away. What I thought was a weed turned out to be a marijuana plant that the customs officer’s son had planted among my flowers. God revealed it in a dream and protected me from being implicated in an illegal activity. I had never seen that plant before so without the Lord and my obedience to the dream, I had no way of knowing what it was. Let’s read Jesus’ explanation of the parable.
“Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.” Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 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. 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. “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will remove from His Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Matthew 13:36-43 NLT
So can you tell the difference? Do you know who you’re worshipping among? Have you recognized the tares? Then they’re being allowed to grow up among us for a reason. If you’re being authentic in your walk with Jesus, it doesn’t matter who or what is sown among you, harvest time will expose the real from the fake. Jesus has sown you, be wheat among the tares. Let your light shine before men. You cannot hide who you are no more than the tares could hide from the trained eyes of the Lord’s servant. Be the difference maker where God has you in the earth. You’re there for a reason. He didn’t pray for us to be removed but kept and protected. Don’t pull them up, don’t try to be anything but wheat, be who you are. Satan can’t spoil the Lord’s harvest no matter how hard he tries. The wheat doesn’t work at being wheat, it just is, you don’t need to work at being a Christian, just be. Authenticity wins every time. The scripture says plainly that all creation is waiting for the revelation of who the wheat are. Let’s read.
“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.” Romans 8:19
My, my, if creation can’t tell who we are then no wonder Jesus says leave the harvesting to His appointed reapers. It’s time for the Church to wear its identity clearly. There must be a stark difference between wheat and tares. Don’t get uprooted with the world. They too desire to know who we are. Read the ensuing verses in Romans 8 when you get the chance.
I’ll close with this scripture: “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
Heavenly Father
Thank you that in Jesus Christ we are planted in You and You in us. Help us live victorious lives among the tares of this world. We’re called to shine as lights in this dark world. May we live to be harvested as wheats in the last days, avoiding the contamination of the world around us. May we be reminded that we’re in the world but not of it. In Jesus Name.
Everyone in churches aren’t saved and everyone not in church isn’t unsaved. Let God be the Judge. WT
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
Commentaires