Not of this World. Let s first read through the parable as recorded in Matthew the 13 th chapter. We will begin reading with verse 24.

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1 Not of this World Jesus taught using parables. Often he had to explain them to His disciples because they failed to see the intended lessons. This morning we will look at one of Jesus parables and read through His explanation. Then we might ask ourselves why God allows certain things to exist and get in the way of His desires. At the conclusion of today s message, maybe we will see that the reason is to allow us to reflect God in our lives so that others may see something different something they want. Let s first read through the parable as recorded in Matthew the 13 th chapter. We will begin reading with verse 24. Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? And he said to them, An enemy has done this! The slaves said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up? But he said, No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:24-30 NASB) This parable is one of several that are recorded in Matthew the 13 th chapter. They all have similar beginnings: The kingdom of heaven is like: wheat, mustard seed, 1

2 leaven, hidden treasure, costly pearl, and so on. You get the idea. Jesus is painting the kingdom of heaven in terms that ordinary people can understand. As mentioned earlier, we will look at just one of this series of parables. Again, His disciples come and want an explanation of this parable. We will pick up in verse 36 of the same chapter. Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. And He said, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43 NASB) Earlier, I posed a question that we might ask: Why does God allow evil things to continue? Notice the answer is revealed in this very parable and its explanation. God does not create the situation of evil among the good the enemy who sowed them is the devil. So why doesn t God just remove the evil? That is what the servants asked Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up? But he said, 2

3 No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. To root out the evil while the crop is developing would be too calamitous. God will sort out the evil from the good at a later date. Basically, when the crop is gathered. I researched the tares and learned that tares are weeds that start out looking like young wheat. It is not until the wheat forms the head with the kernels that the difference is seen. By that time, the root system is intertwined. One parallel we certainly may draw from this parable is that we live in a world that is filled with tares. Often, people around us are similar to us in many ways yet they are not children of God. This often leads to problems for us as we strive to live godly lives. Jesus knew this and spoke with His disciples about living in a world filled with ungodly influences. Consider John 15: If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (John 15:18-19 NASB) Later, in the 17 th chapter, Jesus is praying to God in a passionate prayer about the events that were unfolding just prior to His crucifixion. Jesus remembers that His disciples would be left in an evil world. He also mentions us (His disciples of today) as he prays to God. Let s read verses 13 through 21 of the 17 th chapter of John. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of 3

4 the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:13-21 NASB) Here Jesus prays not only for those who were with Him during His earthly ministry but for those also who believe in Me through their word. At the time of the harvest, the tares will be separated from the wheat and the tares will be cast into the fire. This is a graphic description of the judgement scene. The separation of the sheep from the goats or the wheat from the tares. We certainly understand the importance of being in the right group. There is an important point that we need to remember. Those of us saved by the blood of Jesus are the wheat. We must maintain ourselves and not become like the evil tares around us. Several of the writers of the New Testament caution us about being in the world but not of the world. We will look at just a few this morning. In 1 st John, John starts off by talking about our salvation. He tells us that the blood of Jesus, His son cleanses us from all sin. He then talks about abiding in God and His love. He tells us not to sin. Yet, he tells us that if we do sin, Jesus is always there to help us. 4

5 Then, in the 2 nd chapter, John cautions us about being drawn into worldly cares and concerns. Remember, we are wheat among tares and so we are among evil and it is easy for us to be misled. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17 NASB) In his epistle, James also calls for us to live differently than those around us. In other words, we are to demonstrate that we are wheat and not tares. What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:1-4 NASB) Paul, in his letter to the church at Rome, tells us that we are not to become more like the world but we are to be transformed into the godly person that is acceptable and perfect. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by 5

6 the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 NASB) The world has many alluring attractions. Satan has done a marvelous job of placing the glamor and enticements around us. The tares are growing among the wheat. Isaiah tells us that even when we face the day of harvest, we should not tremble or be afraid. The God in whom we trust is the God who will deliver us in the time of harvest. In Isaiah 44:6-8, we read: Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none. (Isaiah 44:6-8 NASB) 6

7 We live in a world filled with evil. We are often encouraged or drawn into evil situations. Let us always remember that as children of God, we are wheat living among tares and our job is to produce a crop and not become entangled in the tare (or cares) of this world. 7