Matthew 13:36-39
The church, as God designed it, and as the
Bible describes it, is an amazing, dynamic, world-changing force. It is, in
fact, a kind of invisible government that is influencing the visible things of
this earth. Because of the powerful influence of the church – God’s Holy Spirit
working in and through kingdom people – we are able to experience the benefits
of social stability; law and order; justice and peace. Now, some may say; “I
don’t think he is living in the same world I am”…and, yes, this world is
troubled and sinful, and violent and in turmoil, but we haven’t seen even a
fraction of the tribulation that would take place if – and when – the church is
taken out of this world.
When it comes to Satan’s whispers of
deception and delusion, chapter 13 of Matthew helps us to know that much of
Satan’s work is in the church…right in the midst of the kingdom. He works in
the attitudes and deeds of kingdom people. Jesus calls them the “sons of the
kingdom.” But, in speaking of the weeds or tares, He says they are “sons of the
evil one.” In the first part of Matthew 13 – just previous to our scripture for
today - we find the parable of the Sower; in that parable the “farmer” who sows
the seed represents Jesus and those called to preach and teach God’s Word which
is of course, the seed. In this parable of the weeds however, the man who sows
is Jesus, and “born-again” - fruitful Christians are the seed. I should also point out that in His explanation of this parable, Jesus says that the “field is the world”…but, in verse 41 He says “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” His kingdom is the church! I would take that to mean that there is true and false in the world…and there is true and false in the church as well.
The weed which is called the darnel, is a weed that looks like the real thing, it has some of the character-istic of the real thing, but it is not the real thing. This darnel, like the wheat has also been planted by a sower …but the sower is Satan. It grows in the same field as the wheat does; it receives the same water; it receives the same sunshine; but it never produces any fruit, and that’s what gives it away in the end. While we may not be able to tell the difference between the true and the false, you can be sure that Jesus knows!
The weeds being sown by Satan many times will be the cause of much of the trouble in the church. The weed is often the one who would rather spread gossip in the church rather than spread the good news of what God is doing in the church! The weed is the one who would rather cause trouble, dissention, and division, rather than do what it takes to bring unity! The weed is the one who would rather maintain the status-quo, even if it is not working and hasn’t worked for ten or twenty years, in order to maintain control. The weed is one that can go without reading the Word of God – even though he carries a Bible - for he does not think he needs spiritual nourishment. The weed is one that can miss church for no good reason, and it really doesn’t bother them. The weed does not have much of a prayer life except when seen of men. The weed is one that has no real hunger for the things of god. The weed is in the world and the weed is in the church…professing to be a Christian, but in effect is false, counterfeit wheat.
Outwardly they look like the genuine thing, just like the darnel looks like wheat, and it’s hard to distinguish one from the other. The darnel is among the wheat, but not of the wheat.
Satan does not sow thorns and thistles he sows imitation wheat! If he did sow thorns and thistles it would have been easily detected, and there would be no difficulty in distinguishing the false from the true. But, Jesus says he sowed "weeds," or "darnel." Darnel cannot be distinguished from the wheat until the wheat begins to bear fruit. You will only recognize the counterfeit - not by what they say - but by the fruit they bear, or don’t bear. Jesus also said in another scripture “by their fruit you will know them”…the fruit he speaks of is the fruit of the Spirit; “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” good fruit! A good tree will produce good fruit, but a bad tree will produce bad fruit; “impurity, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy”…you can read all about it in Galatians chapter 5!
When the "servants" of the Sower discovered what the enemy had done, they wanted to root out the darnel (v. 28). He told them not to. If they root out the darnel they will uproot the wheat (v. 29). It is only when the wheat is harvested can the wheat and darnel be safely separated.
The gathering of the wheat corresponds with 1Thessalonians 4:16, 17…“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the arch-angel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” I believe it is the rapture that is the great harvest where the wheat and the weeds are separated. That revelation day will unveil the truth about those who have professed Jesus Christ, yet they have never possessed him! Or perhaps I could say He never possessed them. “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven…I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:21)
This parable exposes Satan’s method of operation. He seeks to destroy God’s testimony on earth by introducing a false Christianity, a clever imitation of the real thing. And this parable reveals that he works from within: he sowed the "tares" among the wheat.
This is clearly implied in the solemn warning given in 2nd Corinthians 11, where we are told "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.”
Now, our goal as Christians is not to go on a “seek and destroy” mission against those we may think are weeds… but rather, we are to do everything we can to make the true wheat in the church so strong and healthy that the weeds are powerless to damage it! And, the wheat in the church need to rise above the subtle lies, and whispers, and confusion - and weeds - that Satan may try to plant.
I know this is a real downer of a teaching…but, it is not meant to condemn nor to point any fingers, nor to bring conviction or guilt, that’s the Holy Spirit’s job. It is only meant to awaken us to Satan’s schemes and tactics that can destroy the work of the church.
One thing I know about weeds is that weeds will always produce more weeds…but wheat produces fruit that will feed the world. In the end, we are told that Satan will be permitted to bring forth an imitation Christ. This will be his crowning masterpiece. Much is said in Scripture concerning the Antichrist. It says multitudes will be deceived by him so that the entire world will follow after him. That’s Satan’s way… Church, let’s not be deceived.
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