Weeds

how many of you have some of these in your yard right now?

It's the tireless battle.

Unless, of course, you're my daughters.

In which case, this is a beautiful bouquet and a gift.

And please don't throw it in the garbage, Daddy.

As my grade 6 teacher used to say,

a weed is just a flower in a place that it's not wanted.

Well, this morning we're going to be looking at another parable of Jesus,

a parable about the kingdom of heaven,

in which he uses weeds as an analogy to make a point,

to tell us something important that we need to know.

Verse 24, let's listen in.

Jesus told them another parable.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

But while everyone was sleeping,

his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

When the wheat sprouted and formed heads,

then the weeds also appeared.

The owner's servants came to him and said,

Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field?

Where then did the weeds come from?

An enemy did this, he replied.

The servants asked him,

Well, do you want us to go and pull them up?

No, he answered.

Because while you are pulling the weeds,

you may uproot the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest.

At that time, I will tell the harvesters,

First, collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned.

Then, gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.

I want you to put yourself there,

as Jesus tells this parable.

There you are in the crowd listening in,

and Jesus opens his mouth and says those first few words,

The kingdom of heaven is like...

And already he's got our attention.

He's about to say something about the kingdom of God.

As we talked about last week,

kingdom of heaven is really just a figure of speech

that essentially means the kingdom of God.

Matthew is the only one who uses or records Jesus

as saying that expression.

The other two gospel writers,

they kind of translated the kingdom of God.

It's not so much a reference as to

where the rule and reign and kingdom of God is,

like the heavenly realm,

but as to whose kingdom it is.

It's the kingdom of heaven, of the God of heaven.

Jesus says,

The kingdom of heaven is like...

And then he tells this story.

He gives this parable.

And it's quite an intriguing story.

You can imagine sitting there listening.

Oh, who would do such a thing?

Charles, you're a landowner.

How would you feel if you found out this morning

that while you were sleeping last night,

some guy was dragging his cedar through your field,

seeding weeds?

It explains a lot.

Like the audacity in my land.

Who would do such a thing?

For the rest of us,

maybe you have a garden bed

or a flower bed.

How would you feel

if you found out that last night

while you were sleeping,

some guy came along with a pound

of Canada thistle seeds

and spread it all throughout your flower beds

and your garden bed

and mixed it in real good.

Like the audacity.

Who would do such a thing?

Someone who hates you.

An enemy.

But what makes this even worse

is that

there's a specific kind of weed

that Jesus is referring to here.

And we don't really see this

in our English translations.

Most of them just say weeds.

But actually,

the word that he uses is zizanium.

Or in modern day lingo,

I don't know if we have it here in Canada or not,

but darnel.

In some regions,

it's actually called false wheat.

And apparently,

this plant

is so similar to wheat

that you actually can't tell the difference

until the heads begin to form.

And the darnel

is worthless.

Oftentimes, it's poisonous.

It plays host to this fungus

which just

wreaks havoc.

And

you kind of

see

the

intrigue

in this story.

What's happened here?

This is not just some farmer

wakes up a few days

after he seeded his field

and,

oh,

there's some little broadleaf weeds

kind of in my field.

No,

look at

what he says

in verse

26.

When the wheat sprouted

and formed heads,

this is already months

after the seed's gone

in the ground.

The crop is growing

and only once

the heads start to form

do they look out

and realize,

oh boy,

the field is full

of zazanium,

of darnel.

where did all this

come from?

The servants are baffled.

They go to

the owner.

Didn't you

sow good seed

in your field?

Did somebody

sell you a bad

batch of seed?

Where'd you get

that stuff from anyway?

No.

I know,

I sowed good seed

in my field.

Well,

where did they

come from then?

Well,

it leaves only

one explanation.

An enemy

did this.

Says the landowner.

Well,

what should we do

about it?

What do you want us

to do?

Do you want us

to go pull

them all out?

No.

Because by now

the roots

of the darnel

and the wheat

are all intertwined

in the ground

and if you pull

out the darnel

you might uproot

some of the wheat.

And I don't want

to lose any

of the wheat.

Let them both

grow together

until the harvest

time.

And at harvest

time I'll tell

the harvesters

to first pull

the weeds,

deal with them

and then bring

in the grain.

It's an intriguing

story and here

you are sitting

listening to Jesus

tell this story

and I imagine

that the people

are wondering

where is he

going with this?

What is this

story about?

What does it

mean?

you've got

this enemy

why would he

do such a

thing?

Is he trying

to get back

at this

farmer,

this landowner

for something?

Why did he

do that?

And as

Jesus tells

the story

we're probably

all wondering

is he going

to find out

who did it?

Is he going

to get justice?

Is he going

to get revenge?

Is this a

story about

forgiveness?

About loving

our enemy?

What's your

point Jesus?

Where are you

going with this?

And the

disciples,

they too

didn't get it.

They came

to Jesus

later after

he had

finished teaching

some of the

parables in

verse 36.

It says then

he left the

crowd and

went into

the house.

His

disciples

came to

him and

said,

explain to

us the

parable of

the weeds

in the

field.

We don't

get it.

You said

at the

beginning

the kingdom

of heaven

is like

and then

you told

this story.

Well,

how is it

like that?

We don't

get it.

And so

Jesus

explains.

He makes

clear what

this little

story,

this parable

means.

Verse 37,

he answered,

the one

who sowed

the good

seed is

the son

of man.

The field

is the

world and

the good

seed stands

for the

people of

the kingdom.

The weeds

are the

people of

the evil

one and

the enemy

who sows

them is

the devil.

the harvest

is the

end of

the age

and the

harvesters

are angels.

Jesus

breaks his

explanation

up into

two parts.

In this

first part

he just

kind of

explains

the various

elements

of the

parable

and what

they correspond

to,

who they

refer to.

Let's go

through it

a little bit.

The one

who sowed

the good

seed

is the

son of

man.

That was

one of

Jesus'

favorite

ways

to refer

to himself.

It's kind

of a curious

title,

the son

of man.

We know

that Jesus

was referring

to himself

because some

places it's

just so

obvious.

Probably the

one we're

most familiar

with is

Judas when

he comes

to betray

Jesus.

Judas,

are you

betraying

the son

of man

with a

kiss?

Jesus

meant

himself

when he

said the

son of

man.

But,

in many

cases,

like parables,

it was a

title that

people weren't

really sure

what he

meant by

that all

the time.

I'm sure

the Pharisees

and religious

leaders were

kind of

wondering,

is he

making a

claim to

be the

Messiah?

The son

of man

was used

in Psalm

8,

a son

of man,

just generally

to refer

to a

human

being,

emphasizing the

humanity

of somebody

compared to,

say,

the angels

or to

God.

Son of

man was

also what

God called

Ezekiel,

and he

was a

prophet.

So is

Jesus

claiming to

be a

prophet?

What do you

mean by

that title,

by calling

yourself the

son of

man?

And then,

of course,

Daniel,

in his

vision,

says that

he saw

one like

a son

of man

coming on

the clouds

of heaven,

one who

went before

the presence

of the

ancient of

days,

and glory

and authority

and sovereign

power was

given him

so that he

could rule

and reign

over a

never-ending

kingdom.

Clearly a

reference to

the Messiah.

And so

what did

Jesus mean

by that?

Difficult to

pin down

if they

wanted to

accuse him

of claiming

to be

the Messiah.

But Jesus,

as he

explains to

his disciples,

he's clearly

talking about

the Messiah

in that sense.

Look at

verse 41.

He says,

the son of

man will

send out

his angels.

This is

the son of

man who

has authority

and charge

over his

angels.

They're his

servants.

He will

send out

his angels

and they

will weed

out of

his

kingdom.

This is

the son

of man,

the king,

the Messiah.

That's

who Jesus

is talking

about here

when he

says son

of man.

That's

what the

one who

sowed

represents.

The one

who sowed

the good

seed is

the son

of man.

The field

is the

world.

This is

one of

those elements

that often

has been

misinterpreted.

People are

quick to

say,

well,

the field

is the

church.

The field

is the

nation of

Israel.

But this

is not a

story about

people in

the world

infiltrating the

church and

kind of living

among the

church almost

as imposters.

Jesus says

very clearly,

the field

is the

world.

As we're

about to

see,

this is a

parable about

the sons of

the kingdom

and the

sons of

the evil

one living

and growing

together in

the world.

Jesus goes

on to say

that the

good seed

stands for

the people

of the

kingdom,

literally the

sons of

the kingdom.

And here

again,

we've just

heard the

parable last

week of

the sower,

and there

the seed

represents the

word of

God.

But Jesus

is not

making the

same point.

He's using

the farming

analogy again,

yes, but

the seed

does not

represent the

word of

God in

this parable.

He's making

a different

point.

He says

the seed,

the good

seed,

represents

the sons

of the

kingdom.

The son

of man

is going

to, he

comes into

the world,

into his

field,

and as a

result of

his labor,

there will

be sons

of the

kingdom.

people,

children of

the kingdom.

The weeds

are the

people of

the evil

one,

and the

enemy who

sows them

is the

devil.

At this

point,

some of us

might feel a

little

uncomfortable.

Jesus is

pretty black

and white

here.

There really

only seems

to be two

options,

sons of

the kingdom

and sons

of the

evil one,

sons of

the devil.

That thought

makes some

of us

uncomfortable.

And it's

not the only

time that

Jesus talks

like this.

I mean,

is that what

we're meant

to see here,

that the

world really

only is made

up of two

different kinds

of people,

sons of

the kingdom

and sons

of the

evil one.

Well,

Jesus,

on another

occasion,

he had a

conversation

about where

he talked

about this

with some

Jewish people

who at first

seemed to

believe what

he was

saying,

John chapter

eight.

And it

came up in

the conversation

about,

they said,

well,

we're descended

from Abraham.

Abraham.

We've got

credentials.

And Jesus

challenges that.

He says,

if you were

Abraham's

children,

then you

would do

what Abraham

did.

You are

doing the

works of

your own

father,

he said

to them.

And they

were offended.

It says,

they protested.

We are not

illegitimate

children.

The only

father we

have is

God himself.

Jesus said

to them,

if God

were your

father,

you would

love me,

for I

have come

here from

God.

You

belong to

your father,

the devil,

and you

want to

carry out

your father's

desires.

He was a

murderer from

the beginning,

not holding

to the truth.

So we

see in

this case,

Jesus

making this

distinction.

Children

of the

devil,

children

of God.

But,

not

everybody

who's

a son

or a

daughter

or a

child

of the

devil

thinks

they are.

They're not

people who

would say,

well,

I'm a

Satanist,

or I

worship

the devil.

It's kind

of something

that they

seem to

fall to

by default

because they're

not children

of God.

They're on

the side

of the

devil.

There's

only two

families

here.

The

family of

God

and the

family

of the

devil.

Two

factions.

The

kingdom

of

God,

the

kingdom

of

the

devil.

Jesus

kind of

frames it

that way.

And

the people

who are in

the camp

of the

devil,

they don't

think they

are.

In fact,

they probably

would have been

offended and

disgusted

even at the

thought,

at the

suggestion that

you belong

to your

father,

the devil.

And yet,

that's what

Jesus says.

The devil,

he was a

murderer.

And you

guys here

listening to

me in this

conversation

that Jesus

is having,

you want to

kill me.

You want to

murder me.

He had a

problem with

the truth.

He didn't

hold to the

truth.

And you

guys have a

problem with

the truth

that I'm

saying to

you right

now.

there are

only two

families.

There are

only two

kingdoms.

The sons

of the

kingdom and

the sons

of the

evil one.

That's the

way Jesus

paints it.

And while

we're on the

subject of

this, I

heard someone

this week

say to

me,

they had

heard somebody,

some people

had done some

terrible things

and they

said,

those people

are children

of the

devil.

The thing

that they

did was so

wicked.

How could

you do

that unless

you're a

child of

the devil?

Just a

couple things

I want to

say about

that.

First is,

the devil

doesn't make

us do

anything.

What does

James say

in his

little letter?

he says

that each

one

is tempted

when they

are dragged

away by

their own

evil desire

and enticed.

Then after

desire has

conceived,

it gives

birth to

sin.

It's our

own evil

desires,

more often

than not,

that lead us

to sin,

the reason

that we

sin.

And even

when the

devil is

tempting

or his

minions are

tempting us,

it's our

choice to

listen and

to do it.

And we're

responsible for

that.

The devil

doesn't make

us do

anything.

He's not

the reason

why some

people seem

more wicked

than others

or why some

people do

terrible things.

We're quite

capable of

that on our

own.

That's what

James says.

So I think

as Christians

we should not

when we hear

of a terrible

thing,

we shouldn't

be quick to

say,

well,

they're

children of

the devil.

That's where

we all

start.

We all

have the

same sin

problem

inherited

from Adam.

We all

start as

children of

the devil.

The second

thing I want

to say is

more often

than not

when people

speak of

others as

being children

of the devil,

it's with a

tone or an

attitude of

self-righteousness.

those children

of the devil.

I'm not

one,

but you

guys,

you're

especially

wicked.

Or kind

of a

vindictiveness,

you know,

maybe sometimes

even name

calling.

You're a

child of

the devil,

you know.

You want

to know what

people hear

when we say

that to them,

especially if

they have no

religious background

and haven't

been in the

church?

this is what

they hear

when we say

things like

that to

them.

You're

despicable.

You're

disgustingly

evil.

You're as

evil as

the devil

himself.

Is that

what we

mean to

communicate?

If we

take up

the language

of children

of the

devil,

it better

be because

like Jesus,

we are

having an

honest and

thoughtful

conversation

about the

spiritual

reality of

our world.

So the

weeds in

Jesus'

parable,

he says,

represent the

sons of the

evil one,

the devil.

The harvest

is the end

of the age

and the

harvesters

are angels.

So Jesus

has made

his correlations

to reality

from the

story and

now he's

going to

draw out

of that

and give

us the

point and

tell us

what this

little story

is about.

And so he

does,

starting in

verse 40,

he says,

as the

weeds are

pulled up

and burned

in the

fire,

so it

will be

at the

end of

the age.

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.

They will

throw them

into the

blazing

furnace

where there

will be

weeping

and gnashing

of teeth.

Then the

righteous

will shine

like the

sun in

the kingdom

of their

father.

Whoever

has ears,

let him

hear.

This is

Jesus'

own

explanation

of his

story and

what it

means.

And I

think one

of the

first things

to notice

is what

he doesn't

explain.

I mean,

the initial

parable that

we heard,

it talked

about how

if we

deal with

the weeds

early,

then the

wheat will

be uprooted

or be hurt.

Jesus doesn't

say anything

about that

in the

explanation.

We notice

that a lot

of these

elements of

the story

have something

they represent.

Jesus kind

of lists

them all

out for

us,

but who

are the

servants?

Are they

the disciples?

Are they

the angels?

What about

the gathering

into the

barn?

Jesus

doesn't say

anything about

that.

He just

says the

righteous

will shine

in the

kingdom.

Is it

implied that

they were

gathered?

We don't

know.

And the

reason why

I bring

these things

up is

because we

need to

follow Jesus'

lead on

what his

own story

means.

It's easy

for us to

look at the

various things

that he

kind of says

mean this,

this means

this,

this means

this,

and then to

want to jump

in there and

start saying,

yeah,

and these are

the things

that he

didn't explain

mean this,

and this,

and this,

and this.

But just

like when

any of us

gives an

analogy,

if you

press every

single detail,

eventually the

analogy breaks

down.

We're kind

of in the

realm of

speculation

when we

do that.

So I think

it's important

that we

listen to

Jesus and

acknowledge

what's here.

What's his

explanation

for this?

What's his

main point?

And almost

all of it

has to do

with the

weeds.

Most of

it.

All the

detail,

all the

emphasis

seems to

be on

the weeds.

And so

what does

Jesus say

it means?

What's his

explanation?

The first

thing that we

notice is

this.

The end

of the age

is coming.

Just like

the harvest

is coming

for the

farmer,

the end

of the

age is

coming.

There will

be a

time and

it's

time.

It's

happening.

And what

will happen

at the

end of

the age?

So will

it be at

the end

of the

age.

What?

The weeds

will be

pulled up

and burned

in the

fire.

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.

Jesus

gives

two

kind of

references

to the

sons of

the evil

one.

He

describes

them in

two

different

ways.

As

stumbling

stones,

those who

cause

others to

sin,

and as

those who

do evil,

literally

those who

practice

lawlessness.

Jesus has

already said

a word about

those who

practice

lawlessness.

If you

remember back

to the

Sermon on

the Mount,

did we

not do

this and

this and

that and

this and

this in

your name?

And I

will tell

them,

depart from

me,

you who

practice

lawlessness.

I never

knew you.

let's

not miss

the truth

that the

weeds are

not just

flowers that

are innocent,

that just

happen to be

planted in

the wrong

place at

the wrong

time.

No.

They are

generally

those who

cause others

to sin

against God,

who incite

rebellion

against God,

and those

who themselves

practice lawlessness,

who live

without regard

for God

and what

he has

commanded

and said.

They ignore

it as a

practice,

as a habit,

as a way

of life.

They have

been people

who lived

in rebellion

against him.

Those are

the weeds.

And Jesus

says,

at the end

of the age,

they,

the sons

of the evil

one,

will be

gathered,

they will

be weeded

out of

his kingdom.

They have

no place

in his

kingdom.

They will

be gathered

and thrown

into the

furnace of

fire,

the blazing

furnace,

where there

will be

weeping

and gnashing

of teeth.

Jesus is

talking about

hell.

And it's

not the

first time,

it's not

the only

time.

He talks

about hell

in many

places.

And the

words that

he uses

are awful.

The images

that come

to mind,

people being

thrown into

a furnace,

being burned

alive,

a place

of weeping,

gnashing of

teeth,

a place of

anguish

and torment.

torment.

This is

what Jesus

says will

be the

fate of

those who

are not

sons of

the kingdom.

He will

send out

his angels

and they

will throw

them into

hell.

hell.

That's

heavy.

Some of

our minds

might be

thinking,

how could

God do

that?

Oftentimes,

though,

as I've

said before,

we tend

to downplay

our sin

and our

rebellion

against God.

we minimize

it.

But God

is just.

He sees

that the

punishment

fits the

crime.

And so,

if that's

what the

punishment

is,

then what

does that

say about

the crime?

What have

I done

against the

God of

heaven?

Have we

caught and

understood the

seriousness of

my offense

against this

glorious,

good,

righteous

God?

it's a

terrible

punishment

for a

terrible

crime,

for terrible

sin.

The

mercy and

the love

of God

is not

seen in

his

willingness

to break

the rules,

to bend

the rules

and just

let them

get off

scot-free.

the mercy

and love

of God

is not

seen in

his

willingness

to pervert

justice and

just give

them less

than what

they deserve.

The mercy

and love

of God

is seen

in his

willingness

to let

someone come

and suffer

the wrath

that they

deserve,

the punishment

they deserve

in their

place.

Jesus

rescues,

saves us

from the

coming

wrath,

as we

talked about

earlier.

That's what

happened when

he died

on the

cross,

so that

we could

be spared

what we

deserve.

Why is

this parable

here?

Why did

Jesus tell

this parable

of the

weeds?

Was it

just to

give us

information

about the

spiritual

reality of

our world?

Just to

let us

in a little

bit behind

the scenes,

backstage

pass,

FYI?

Or does

Jesus expect

some kind

of response?

I don't

believe that

Jesus just

gave us

this parable

as an

FYI.

Here's how

things are.

And I

don't

believe that

the point

of the

parable is

some kind

of hopeless

fatalism.

Well,

you're either

a son of

the kingdom

or a son

of the

devil,

and it's

not really

up to

you which

one you

are,

and this

is what's

going to

happen to

you at

the end.

I don't

think that's

what Jesus

meant.

Why did

he speak

this?

Why does

he say

these things?

That those

who are not

sons of the

kingdom will

be thrown

into hell,

what is

that meant

to do

in our

hearts?

To stir

up inside

of us?

I believe

Jesus gave

this as a

gracious

warning.

This is

the fate

of those

who are

not sons

of the

kingdom.

A

gracious

warning

which is

meant to

cause us

to ask

the question,

am I

of the

wheat

or am

I of

the

weeds?

Whose

camp am

I in?

Am I

in the

camp of

God

or the

camp of

the devil?

Whose

side am

I on?

Do I

wholeheartedly

have my

allegiance to

the Messiah,

to the

Son of

Man,

to the

kingdom

of God,

God,

or do I

default to

the other

side?

And along

with that

is,

it's not

stated here,

but the

analogy breaks

down if we

go here,

because weeds

don't change

and become

wheat,

not in

ordinary

life,

but the

unspoken

thing that

goes along

with all

of this,

that Jesus

has been

saying throughout

all of his

preaching about

the kingdom,

what has he

been saying

about the

kingdom?

Mark gave

it to us in a

nutshell right

at the

beginning,

we talked

about it

last week,

the time

has come,

the kingdom

of God

is come

near,

repent,

and believe

the good

news,

you're not

doomed to

be a

son of

the evil

one,

repent,

acknowledge

that you

have blown

it against

God,

seek his

forgiveness

and you

can become

a son of

the kingdom,

that's why

the kingdom

is good

news,

because some