February 12, 2016

HARVEST TIME: THE WEEDS AND THE WHEAT

Matthew 13:24–43

Brooks Chevaillier
Friday's Devo

February 12, 2016

Friday's Devo

February 12, 2016

Central Truth

Good and evil are at work alongside each other until the day Jesus Christ returns to gather His people to live forever with Him. So today, let's show those who are walking in evil how great the goodness of God is and hope they come and find Him. 

 

Key Verse | Matthew 13:30

"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." (Matthew 13:30)

Matthew 13:24–43

The Parable of the Weeds

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, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds 1 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants 2 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28 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?’ 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?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 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.”’”

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Prophecy and Parables

34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 3 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet

“I will open my mouth in parables;
    I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Footnotes

[1] 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed
[2] 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28
[3] 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet

Dive Deeper | Matthew 13:24–43

As I began to make my faith my own, I tried my best to surround myself with Christians only and avoid all the others who chose not to glorify Jesus in their actions. My exclusive and prideful lifestyle eventually caused me to grow frustrated and anxious when it just wouldn't work out for me to spend the weekend with my Christian friends. Slowly, Jesus began to break down my expectations, and He taught me my purpose as a believer, which is to go and "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). As I began to understand better what I was being taught, I saw that others who didn't know Jesus noticed something different in me, and they liked it much more than what they had seen in the past. 

I tried my best to play the role of Jesus and separate myself from unbelievers, but that obviously did not work out well. I wasn't living with the perspective that my whole life is a mission field until the day Jesus decides to come rescue us. Looking back, my favorite memories of high school were times I stepped out and was bold for Jesus.

When that harvest does come and the unbelievers and believers are split, we will realize our work as Christians will be rewarded in a way that we have never experienced before. We will go on to live in eternity with Jesus and find a joy that we have never felt before. But for now, let's offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) for Jesus, so that one day those weeds might become wheat.

Discussion Questions

1. In what area of your life are you surrounded by weeds? Do you see it as a positive or a negative opportunity?

2. Would people know that you were a believer if you were surrounded by a bunch of unbelievers? 

3. If so, how do you look different in your appearance or actions than those who act as if they are of the world?