“The Kingdom of Heaven”
(Is Like unto a man which sowed good seed)

Matthew 13:24-30

Introduction

• The disciples came to Jesus and asked him… “Why speakest thou unto them in parables?”
• First of all, Christ told us back in Matthew 13:11…Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
• Jesus clearly brings to us a fact that the ability to comprehend spiritual truths is a gift of God. This gift of God comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit.
• What are the 7 mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven?

1. Verse 24…The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
2. Verse 31…The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed,
3. Verse 33…The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,
4. Verse 44…the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;
5. Verse 45… the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls
6. Verse 47… the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
7. Verse 52…the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

I. A Man Which Sowed Good Seed

A) The Field, Good Seed, The Man

• Note verse 24… Another parable put he (Jesus) forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
• Know this… “the field” is the world. “good seed” the children of God, and “the man” is the Son of God. (See verses 37,38)
• So interpreting this verse one could say this… “The Kingdom of God is God giving the world His children.”
• When a man sows (plants) good seed in his field, it will produce good food that enables man to eat, grow, and live.
• 25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
• 25a) The “men who slept” were men of God. They were the high priests, pastors, and lay men entrusted with God’s sheep who were sleeping on the job. In other words, they were not paying attention to what the kind of fertilizer (doctrines) that was being given to their tender plants (sheep).

 B) The Enemy

• 25b) “his enemy came” Come on now folks, we know who the enemy is of the men of God… Satan, the spoiler, the deceiver, or look-alike. He is not the real deal.
• 25c) and sowed tares among the wheat” This is a person who acts like a farmer but is not and he thinks only of himself and therefore plants something that looks like wheat, but is not wheat. In verse 38 “…the tares are the children of the wicked one.”
• There are those farmers that would not be as popular as others and so they would take tares (false wheat) and plant it in the fields at night to ruin the competitors yield on his crop so that their crop would be accepted and the competitors denied. Typically, this would only hinder weak plants.
• This is also a picture of “the church” where there are those who claim to be a Christian but are not. They look like one, act like one, but their heart is rotten and they ruin or disrupt the rest of the church, then leave after all the damage is done. True members will stay with the church. True strong plants will stay in the field. These are the ones who were well fertilized, nurtured and cared for. Get the idea?
• Satan wishes to mingle his children with God’s children to ruin the growth of the Kingdom of God.
• Now, here was the result of farmers (pastors) not paying attention to what was being taught…26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The very minute a plant started looking good and ready to produce it’s product… here grew a tare or weed beside it that ruined or destroyed the wheat. Isn’t this just like the church? Oh man, I have seen this many times. Just when you think your members are gaining ground in the knowledge of God’s Word, along comes some idiot proclaiming to know more than you do and encourages those tender plants (weak sheep/members) to follow them. This is why I believe that our deaf church has struggled with growth, because there are many deaf out there that think they know it all and pull the weak ones into their trap.
• The worst part of it all is that they follow other deaf to other churches and then quit going, and are not serving God in any church faithfully.

C) The Servants and the Householder

• Now look at verse 27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
• “the servants” are the men of God, the pastors. “the householder” is God of whom the servants serve.
• So here the men of God are coming to God and saying… “Didn’t you give me these sheep to minister to? And how is it that these false believers crept into our church?”
• A good minister of the Word will always go to God in prayer when there is a problem in the church. Because he will seek God’s direction in the matter.
• Now look at the “householder’s (God’s)” reply…. The first part of this verse is God’s answer the question… “Who caused this ruckus, this trouble in our church, this disease in our field that is ruining our crops, our members?”
• God said… “an enemy hath done this.” May I point out that the goal of an enemy is to destroy you at all costs. An enemy has no mercy. They come in different shapes, sizes and forms.

Example: An enemy of a farmers crops can be too much rain, a tornado, insects of all types (worms, grasshoppers, beetles, etc), deer, and humans.

Example: an enemy of the church can be a person from a cult or other religion, an addict to drugs or alcohol, government, and of course…Satan.

• Now look at this servant’s response to the answer in verse 28b) The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
• I hate to beat a dead horse to death, but again I have to say this reminds me of the sons of thunder when they were with Jesus in Luke 9, and the Samaritans would not receive Jesus and His disciples “they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them,”
• This is a typical action for those who are ministers of the word and consumed with the Spirit of God so much that they are very callous to those in opposition.
• We are ready to “burn them up.” Get rid of the troublemakers, get rid of those causing upset, they are ruining the life of the church.
• But notice the direction and the counsel of God in verse 29a) But he said, Nay; The householder (God) said… “NO!” don’t pull up the tare, No, don’t remove the problem right now. WHY? Here are the reasons why… 

1. “29b)… lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.” If you pull up false wheat (tare) then it will also uproot the wheat itself and ruin both. If you remove a problem maker in the church, there may be friends of theirs that go with them and become ruined by your actions. Remember God is in the “repair” business,  not the destruction business.
2. Verse 30a) Let both grow together until the harvest: Let them grow together in the field. Let the problem maker stay in the church so that they may learn from others and grow to love as Christ does.

However, sometimes a person that is too much trouble must be separated for a while until they have learned to behave.  

3. Verse 30b)…and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: In the day of the Judgment of God, We will throw all the enemies of God and Satan himself into the Lake of fire to burn forever and ever…PRAISE THE LORD!!! The “time of harvest” is “the rapture,” the gathering of the saints of God. 

4. Verse 30c)…but gather the wheat into my barn. The “wheat” are the true Christians. And when he says “my barn,” this is God’s storehouse for His wheat which is Heaven! I personally cannot wait to be stored in the barn!

• Friend, if you are a “tare” unsaved person, troublemaker in the house of God…today is the day of salvation. Jesus can heal all wounds, all disease, and all sin.
• Come to Him today and become “wheat” in His field.

Prepared and preached on May 17^th, 2015 by Ron Wilcoxson at SBBC