The Kingdom of God (12)
By Grace Eli
This study was first taught on February 12, 2013
Topic: The Kingdom of God (12): The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
(use the audio to study)
Background
Last week, we examined the parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14) which Jesus told to illustrate the kingdom of God. The parable tells of a king who had arranged a wedding feast for his son, and did send out his servants to bid those who were invited to the wedding to attend. Rather than honour the invitation to the wedding, the men gave excuses for they were not willing to attend. The king a second time, sent his servants to inform the invitees of the sumptuous banquet that was prepared and made ready for them with the hope that the invitees would change their minds to come to the wedding feast, but they made light of it and went their ways; one to his farm, one to his business, and the others seized the king’s servants and treated them insultingly, and killed them. The king was angry when he heard about this and sent his army to destroy those murderers and burn their city. A third time, the king commanded his servants to comb the highways and to bring in all and sundry, both good and bad, so that the wedding hall would be filled with guests; for those who were invited were not counted worthy; and his servants did so. But when the king went into the wedding hall, he spotted a man who was not properly clothed with a wedding garment, who was speechless when the king asked why he was dressed differently. This man was taken away, bound hand and foot, at the king’s command, and was cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus ended the parable by saying that many are called, but few are chosen! We saw from this parable, a similitude of the judgment of God that shall come upon all who refuse the invitation to become a part of God’s kingdom through salvation in the Name of Jesus Christ, God’s begotten Son. For it is through salvation, that we get invited to the wedding feast that shall take place in heaven at the end of the Age, and, all who come to Christ in this world are given the wedding garment which they should adorn when entering into the King’s wedding feast. This garment is the garment of righteousness, holiness, and purity, which is made after the nature of God, Who Himself is holy. This was the problem of the man whom the king spotted at the wedding feast who had not on a proper wedding garment. It is okay to come to God as we are (poorly clothed in dirty garments laden with sin, or even naked! (Revelation 3:17-18)), but it is not acceptable to God that we continue to live in sin and disobedience after we are born again; else, we shall suffer the same fate as the man that was cast out into outer darkness/hell for not having changed his garment! We concluded by saying that, it is not how long a man has been born again that matters; what matters is doing the will of God! So, an old Christian can miss heaven if he or she is not living his or her life according to the word of God, and, a baby Christian who is sanctified and well-pleasing to God can get ahead in the kingdom of God. And so Jesus warns us: “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; 2 Peter 2:1-22
Again today, we shall be looking at another parable used by our Lord Jesus Christ to explain the kingdom of God, as we study the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. May the Holy Spirit help us to receive understanding of the message to the Church in this parable in Jesus Name, Amen.
Mark 3:13-15 (Luke 9:1-2); Luke 10:1-3; Acts 1:8, 15; Luke 24:46-47 (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20); Matthew 4:23; 24:14; Galatians 1:6-7; Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-8; 4:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:1-8; Romans 16:17-18; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17-19; 4:14-15;Titus 1:10-14 (Matthew 23:1-36); 1 Corinthians 3:11-13; Matthew 3:12; 7:21-23; Titus 2:11-14; Psalm 19:7-11.
Further Reading: Jeremiah 23:9-40; Jude 1-25.
Conclusion
The parable of the wheat and the tares unveils a candid picture of a recurrent, age-long problem since the time God (through His prophets, wise men, scribes (Matthew 23:34-35), and today, by His word (Hebrews 1:1-2)), has been reaching out to reconcile man to Himself. God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, sows many sons of the kingdom (wheat) as good seeds all over the world, through His Church, to spread the Good news of His kingdom and bring in more souls into it; but while His labourers are unaware, the adversary, the devil, stealthily comes in to plant his own sons (tares/ sons of the wicked) to attack, compete, and upstage the gains made by the sons of the kingdom. This he does by propagating false religion, wrong doctrine, syncretism, convenient Christianity, traditions of men, etc. through his fake pastors, teachers, prophets, and so on. Today, we discover that this same pattern is prevalent. The vineyard of God is filled with a mixed multitude both in the clergy and in congregation. There is a mixture of wheat (sons of the kingdom) and tares (sons of the wicked one/agents of Satan) all claiming to speak for God or serving God! And even though the true labourers desire to uproot and do away with the tares, we see the Lord permitting both the tares and the wheat (fake and genuine believers) to operate and grow side by side, both in the church and in the world. His reason is so that by error of judgment, the genuine wheat will not be uprooted or destroyed. So, today, we observe people who are genuinely born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit in the church, as well as others who plainly exhibit or display various traits of carnality while claiming to be born again. In the end, Jesus tells us that on the Last day, the truth will be made known, for the tares/sons of the wicked one will be uprooted, bundled together and burned in the fire that quenches not, while His angels shall gather the wheat/sons of the kingdom into His barn/kingdom; and they will shine like stars forever! Therefore, every true Christian should: beware; be warned; not follow after the teachings and the workings of the sons of the wicked; but rather, hold steadfastly to sound doctrine and a life of true godliness which will guarantee your place in the kingdom of God at the end of the Age.
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