YOUR BEST LIFE IS NOT RIGHT NOW!!!!!
24He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Matt 13
What are tares you may ask? Tares are weedy plants that are unwelcomed and objectionable elements. In this parable the Lord revealed a great truth to me that I hope will encourage you too. Upon reading this I had several questions, each one so faithfully answered by Jesus Himself in verses 36 - 43
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.38The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Who is the man? The Son of Man...Jesus.
Whom are the good seed? The sons of the kingdom
Who are the tares? The sons of the wicked one.
Who is the enemy who sowed them? The devil.
What day is the harvest? At the end of the age.
Who are the servants (reapers)? His angels.
Whom is the field? The world.
So then if the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom, then what of the wheat that sprouts forth from it?
In John Jesus tells His disciples, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
The wheat that sprout out from the good seed represents the fruitful life that was produced from the death of the broken seed! Notice that the good seed has no choice on where it will land in the field (the world) and that it is the sower (Jesus) who appoints where it lands. Yet it is the good seed (son of the Kingdom) that has the choice to die.
What does this mean? Jesus says quite plainly in John 12 verse 25...”He who loves his life will lose it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
Do you see what Jesus is saying? All of us have a picture of how we want our life. And naturally we desire less tribulation and more ease. We want more pleasure and less persecution. We want instant rewards over longsuffering. Yet when a man gets what he wants (and loves his life) Jesus says he will eventually lose it. (Did not Solomon once describe mans life is but a shadow?). Oh but the man who hates his life (never seems to get what he wants, always has to climb a little higher than everyone else, always seems to get the shorter end of the stick, is always seeming to be last in line........) IT IS THIS MAN WHO when all his desires eventually die (when Jesus increases and we decrease to almost nothing) that a bountiful stalk of wheat is produced. And yet we know it does not occur quickly but slowly and gradually it is produced....and the reward?
Jesus says in verse 26, “26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Jesus says, “THE FATHER will HONOR him!” There is another parable about three men whom a master entrusted certain talents to. And to the faithful stewards the masters words always echo in my ears, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
(Notice that in the parable in Matt 12, during the time of harvest, that the wheat is gathered and brought into his barn.)
Be mindful that it is the enemy who had sown tares (sons of the wicked one) among the wheat, so that explains the battle of the life of the sons of the kingdom verse the sons of the wicked one. Yet we know to the one that is yielded to Jesus (Abiding in Him) he shall bear much fruit...it is promised.
Are you willing to die to your ideal life?
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