Parable of the Tares
Parable of the Tares
Introduction:
1. It is possible that the 6 parables following the parable of the sower all reference back to it.
2. The parable of the tares immediately follows the parable of the sower.
3. As a result there is a great deal of influence to suggest that this parable sets for some great principles about the weedy soil .
4. Jesus taught in parables in order to reveal religious truth concerning the hearers.
5. By doing so Jesus fulfilled prophecy: "I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old." ( Psalm 78:2).
6. As Jesus opened his mouth concerning the parable of the weeds or tares his chief point was that in this world there will be a mixture of good and bad but at the end of the world there will be a complete separation.
7. Let us consider this parable as it relates to the kingdom of God; that is the divine spiritual body of God.
I) Two Sowers
A) The Son of Man sowed.
1. The Son of Man is Jesus.
2. It is expressive of his humanity.
a. Matthew 1:23 - Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
b. God is with us represents a unique station which God is willing to accept.
c. God is participating in his creation to utmost degree.
d. He not only says that we should do as he says.
e. But that we also must do as he did.
f. Leadership by example can be one of the greatest motivators for humanity.
g. The example that God gave was the perfect sacrifice of His only begotten Son.
3. It is also expressive of the offer of salvation to the entire world.
a. Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
b. Jesus was the Savior not only of the Jews but also the Gentiles as well.
c. Jesus' search was for the lost in the entire world.
B) The Devil sowed as well.
1. He is identified in this passage as the enemy.
2. Satan has always opposed the work of Christ.
a. Genesis 3:15 - And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
b. The conflict is an ancient one.
c. Yet God will prevail.
3. Jesus acknowledges the Devil here in these verses.
b. Jesus' acknowledgment should prepare us to acknowledge him as well.
(i) We must be able to recognize his attacks.
(ii) We must be able to fend off his assaults.
(iii) We must also realize that his cause is divinely lost.
c. Despite this acknowledgment there are those who seem to think Satan a myth.
(i) Revelation 12:9 - And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
(ii) 1 John 3:8 - He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
II) Two Seeds
A) The Son of Man sowed good seed.
1. The good seed is the pure Word of God.
a. Just as it is the seed of sower from the previous parable this seed identifies itself with the one doing the sowing.
b. The good sower sows good seed.
c. Thereby we can see that God identifies goodness with the quality of the seed.
d. If the seed being sown is good seed then one is a good sower.
e. Therefore, we must understand that God determines our goodness based upon the seeds we have sown in our hearts and in the hearts of others.
2. That good seed produces eternal fruit.
a. 1 Peter 1:23 - Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
b. Man therefore cannot be corrupted by obtaining life from good seed.
B) The Devil sowed bad seed.
1. The bad seed are tares or fake wheat.
a. They are false doctrines, immorality, secularism amongst many other things.
b. The term tare is described as a darnel.
(i) This seed resembled wheat but was in fact a weed.
(ii) The only distinguishing factors are the colors of the seed and the fruit found at the top of the wheat stalk.
(iii) It has been described as a weed of a poisonous nature.
2. The enemy is bad because of the seed he is sowing.
a. In himself he has put himself against God.
b. He has established himself to put others against God.
c. The fruit of his labor is dastardly.
III) Two Results
A) The good seed produced good wheat.
1. The fist law of nature is that a seed produces after its kind. ( Genesis 1:11).
2. We can be assured of the good fruit that comes from a good seed.
3. It will produce "children of the kingdom." ( Matthew 13:38).
a. Let us read that whenever the gospel was sown it produced the church of Christ.
b. Acts 18:8 - And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
c. 1 Corinthians 1:2 - Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
d. We must then conclude that whenever the gospel is preached today it will in the hearts of honest men produce members of the church of Christ.
B) The bad seed produced fake wheat.
1. Matthew 13:38 also reveals the children of the bad seed, children of the wicked one.
2. The Devil has children just as does God.
3. These children are enemies of God.
a. 1 John 2:18, 22 - Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time....... Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
b. These are those that are against God, anti means against.
c. Notice that there is not just one anti-Christ but many who are enemies of God.
d. Have we not read that the tares spread copiously throughout the garden.
IV) Two Destinies
A) The good wheat will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of the Father.
1. The children of God will be gloried.
2. It should be noted that not only are we going to receive tremendous treasures in heaven but God will glorify us.
a. The glory provided to us comes from the fact that in remaining faithful until death we receive a crown that Jesus wears.
b. We share in the glorious inheritance God gives to Jesus.
c. Romans 8:17 - And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
d. God truly grants us salvation when we are able to produce fruit from the good seed, the Word of God in ourselves and in others.
B) The fake wheat, tares, will suffer conscious torment.
1. Once that tares are intermingled throughout the wheat they indistinguishable until the head is formed.
a. From the perspective of man we cannot know one another until the fruit is revealed.
b. A man is judged by his deeds.
c. Yet the righteous judgment takes place not while here upon in the world but at the end of it.
d. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 - And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
2. Just as the servants of the field are able to recognize the good wheat from the bad; man can see the good man from the bad man.
a. Yet passing judgment concerning the punishment of those that are against God falls into the Lord's authority.
b. It becomes our duty to continually seek those that can be saved from the bad seed.
3. The eternal destiny of the tares is a furnace of fire.
a. That furnace will produce conscious torment of both emotional and physical pain.
b. "Weeping" suggests emotional agony at the absence of the presence of God.
c. "Gnashing of teeth" reveals the physical torture at the void God once occupied.
Conclusion:
1. Matthew 13:43 - Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
2. There is much evil in the world.
3. We must be able to overcome the temptations and trials that exist within the world.
4. The sower of bad seed is our enemy.
5. 1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
6. In the face of our daily battle we must emulate Christ and become the sowers of good seed.
7. It is therefore that I ask you if you are sowing the good seed in yourself and in others.
8. Have you put on Christ?
9. Have you hid the good seed in your heart that you might not sin against God?
10. The good seed has been sown and all you have to do is plant it and cultivate it and you can be called the son of God.
Posted in: Passage Study, Sermon Outlines