January 22, 2012

You may not think so, but sump pumps are sort of interesting. You install a sump pump and you can reasonably expect it to work well, at least for the first few years. But after that you have to begin testing the pump every so often so that when the next flood comes, you know it will be working.

However, and this is where it gets interesting, you never really know if the test may have been the last time the pump will work. I mean you can test it, and the very next day, it may stop working. So as the pump gets older and you test it, you still hold your breath hoping it’s still working.

I imagine that most of us here today are professing Christians. We believe that God is active in our lives. We believe that God is active in our world. But do we not sometimes question whether or not God is really doing anything in our lives and in the world?

In fact sometimes, it seems that God is doing absolutely nothing in our lives and our world. And it greatly bothers us. This morning as we look at the parable of the wheat and the weeds, we learn that the Kingdom of God is powerfully working in this present age.

 

I. DO NOT BE SURPRISED AT THE PREVELENCE OF EVIL. Mt.13:24-28a, 38b-39a

What is the kingdom of heaven like? Well clearly Jesus wants us to understand that the kingdom of God or heaven is present in the world today. In v.38 Jesus says the field is the world. Now I want to stop here because it’s important to clarify what Jesus is not saying. Throughout church history there have been those who say that Jesus is talking about the church. And in the church you have wheat and weeds. You have believers and unbelievers. And of course this is true, but this is not what Jesus is talking about. Jesus clearly identifies the field with the world.

Now you remember that in the parable of the sower, the seed represented the Gospel message. According to v.38, the good seed in this parable stands for the sons of the kingdom. That would be believers. The weeds are the sons of the evil one. That would be the devil. In other words, Jesus is telling us that the kingdom of God exists alongside of the sin and evil found in the world.

Now this can be very disconcerting. How often have we witnessed some atrocity on the television news, shaking our heads, and wondering why God allows this stuff to happen? If God is so good why does he permit this? If the kingdom of God is here, why does sin and evil seem to have a free reign?

This past Monday I was reading Ps.73. In vrs.1-7 Asaph writes, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.” In v.11-13 he continues, “They say, ‘How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?’ This is what the wicked are like–always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

When Asaph noted that the wicked seem to thrive in the world he had a difficult time squaring that with the goodness of God. And here is Jesus saying that the goodness of the kingdom of God exists right alongside of sin and wickedness. Does that sound like a good God?

Another example is that of Habakkuk. When God told Habakkuk that he was going to use the Babylonians to punish his people, Israel, Habakkuk could hardly believe his ears. How could a good God use the wickedness of the world to chastise his chosen people whom he loves? This is a problem. Maybe you have wondered about this? Maybe you have wondered why it is that unbelievers seem to prosper while you don’t.

In this parable, Jesus is saying, “Don’t let this throw you. Don’t be surprised by sin and wickedness. God is well aware of the problem. Just because sin and evil abounds, does not mean that the kingdom of God is not active in this world. And don’t blame God for the sin and wickedness of the world. God is sovereign, but he is not the author of evil. In this parable Jesus tells us that it is the devil who sows the seeds of sin and evil.

Because Jesus has revealed to us the power and goodness of the kingdom of God, we can face the sin and wickedness of the world with hope and confidence. Our King has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

 

II. LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD’S KINGDOM IN THE MIDST OF EVIL. Mt.13:24-30a, 36-39

In these verses Jesus brings clarity to our present situation. While we should not be surprised by the prevalence of evil, nor should we succumb to the prevalence of evil. When Jesus came into the world, he revealed the nature and character of God in human form. If you want to know what God would be like if he were human, look at Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus reveals the kindness, the goodness, the grace and mercy of God towards sinners. Jesus reveals and makes possible the forgiveness of God and provides the way into the kingdom of God through his death and resurrection.

All those who look to Jesus in faith, repenting of their self righteousness and sin enter into the kingdom of God at the moment of their conversion to Christ. Now when we turn to Christ, Christ becomes the focus of our life and living. In Gal.2:20, Paul says, “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” In this parable Jesus tells us that he has sown the sons of the kingdom into the world. In other words, Jesus has placed us in this world to live for and represent the kingdom of God. This means that we must take our identity from our King, not from this world.

We can get a feel for what this means but reminding ourselves of the parable of the soils from last week. The world says, “Save your life at all costs.” And so there are some who receive the gospel, but when trouble or persecution comes, they do everything they can to hold onto their earthly life and they abandon Christ. The world says, “You need to be successful and make as much money as you possibly can, so that you can have the things that you want. You need to secure your life because no one else is going to secure your life for you.” And so, there are some who receive the gospel, but their dreams and goals in life take precedence above Christ and his kingdom.

Christ has a whole different agenda for your life than that of the world. He wants us to live in the world according to his values and commands. God is not against success and achievement. But the successful believer recognizes that his success comes from God. The successful believer will strive to achieve success in a Christ like way. And he will honor the Lord with his success.

What is more, those in the kingdom of God will understand the incredible importance of worshipping and serving with the people of God in the local church. Church is not a priority for the people of the world. It is a priority for believers.

When you sow seed, you are looking for a specific result. If you plant tomato seeds you expect to reap tomatoes. Jesus has sown good seed which represents the sons of the kingdom. He expects that the sons of the kingdom will live according to the values and commands of the King. So if you profess to be a son, a daughter of the kingdom, does your life reflect the King?

 

III. BE CONFIDENT THAT A DAY OF JUDGEMENT IS COMING. Mt.13:30; 39b-43

There is a particular weed that most New Testament scholars identify as being the weed Jesus is referring to. It is the weed known as Darnel. According to Wikipedia, “Darnel usually grows in the same production zones as wheat and is considered a weed. The similarity between these two plants is so extensive that in some regions, Darnel is referred to as “false wheat”. It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears. The ears on the real wheat are so heavy it makes the entire plant droop downward, but Darnel, whose ears are light, stands up straight. The wheat will also appear brown when ripe, whereas the darnel is black.” It’s in the early stages of growth when it is the most difficult to discern which is the wheat and which is the weed.

In the parable, Jesus tells the workers to not pull up the weeds until the harvest. In Jesus’ interpretation of the parable, he tells us that the harvest refers to the end of the age. He tells us that the harvesters are his angels. And he makes it clear that at the end of the age, a time of judgment will come. At that time, his angels will weed out of the kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. These will be thrown into the fiery furnace. If you are not a follower of Christ, then you are not in the kingdom of God. You are one of those who will be gathered up and thrown into the fiery furnace.

You say, “Pastor Dave, how does this show the kindness and mercy of God?” Well it doesn’t. It shows the justice and judgment of God. God has done everything necessary to make it possible for anyone and everyone to enter into the kingdom of God. The opportunities are many. In the United States, there are so many opportunities to hear the message of salvation. There are thousands of books explaining the way to know Christ. There are radio programs and television programs explaining the way of Christ. God is patient. He could bring his judgment at any time, but he waits. He waits for you to embrace Christ. But a day will come when it will be too late. This is why Paul writes, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

But there’s something else here. Until this time of judgment comes, what is to be our response to sin and evil? Is Jesus saying that we should just let sin and evil go on unobstructed until the end of the age? Should we not do anything about sex trafficking and pornography? Should we just not worry about corruption in government? Should we turn a blind eye to co-workers who lie, cheat, and steal from the company?

It seems to me that as sons of the kingdom, we must do our very best to live lives of Christ like integrity and character. It seems to me that we must stand against all these kinds of evils and do our best to rescue those who are victims of such evils. We must seek the Lord’s wisdom in each situation, and we must be careful that we do not become evil ourselves. What we must never forget, and what I believe this parable makes clear, is that we will never eradicate evil.

Rather, we must wait in hope for the Lord to weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil at the end of the age. That day will come when there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.. Only the Lord can judge the thoughts and intents of the heart. Only the Lord, truly knows those who are his. He will have the victory and his victory is our victory. We will be victorious in Christ if we remain with him until the end.

 

Jesus ends the parable with the words, “He who has ears, let him hear.” What are your ears listening to this morning? Do you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? Are you in the kingdom of God? And if so, are you living like a son of the kingdom? Does your life reflect the values and character of Christ?