7/18/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 13:24-30.

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, “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.”

This parable speaks of the world as a field containing good and evil. If we are honest with each other, no one is completely good, and few are completely evil, as are the wheat and weeds in the lesson. However, Jesus wants us to see that when the harvest comes, we must be counted with one or the other.

We must be sure we are on the “good” side when the harvest comes, right? While that is true, the hope that Jesus has for us is that we would follow His teachings all our lives, loving God and each other, and telling the Good News to everyone. If we do this, we need not worry about when the harvest comes.

This is the problem that those who think only of jumping over to the “good side” when the time comes face is we do not know when that will be. Jesus told us in Acts 1:7 “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority”. The apostle Paul warns us all “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). We must always be ready!

Loving Lord, we know You plant us as good seed and want us to be the good crop You intend. Help us to grow in Your love and share it with all the world. Amen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *