The Kingdom of GOD

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

C.I.: The Kingdom Under Attack

Last week we began…. – Kingdom of Men ( 4:8 ), …of Satan ( 12:26 ), and of God (heaven – 25:34 , church – 16:18-19 , individual believer – 5:3 ). – Satan is not satisfied w/status quo – but wants to undermine God's Kingdom.
Earlier in this chapter we see him – try to prevent people from becoming Christians “…snatches the word from their hearts,” ( v. 19 ). – If that fails he goes to “Plan B.” – Today we will see “Plan B, ” The Kingdom Under Attack!!!

I. The Parable of the Tares, (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

A. The Information in the Parable, (vs. 24-30)

1. The discovery by the sower
a. ( vs. 24-25 ), “He 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 men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed
tares among the wheat and went away.” - “Tares” = weeds that resemble wheat but without the kernel.

b. Satan is a great imitator. – God sows seed, Satan sows seed. – But Satan's harvest is all counterfeit!
1) Counterfeit Ministers, ( II Cor. 11:13-15 ), “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. – And no wonder, for even Satan… Therefore it is not
surprising if his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.”
2) Counterfeit Gospel, ( Gal. 1:6-9 ), “I am amazed, my brethren that you are so quickly deserting…”
3) Counterfeit church, ( Rev. 2:9 ), “I know your tribulation & poverty… - and the blasphemy by those
who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” –
4) THE KINGDOM IS UNDER ATTACK!

c. According to the text - this happened, “while men were sleeping” ! – We've been warned… ( I Pt. 5:8 )!!
1) We need to be alert in a number of areas: marriage, family, ourselves!!! – Also in the church...
2) We need to also be alert in the church: Worship to please people/not God, organization to
please people/not God, salvation which pleases people/not God, outside influences - Oprah…!
3) Be alert to false leaders, ( Acts 20:29-30 ), “I know that after my departure savage wolves….”
4) False teachers, ( Rom. 16:16-18 ), “ …keep your eye on those who cause dissensions & hindrances
contrary to the teaching which you learned & turn away from them. – For such men are slaves, not of our
Lord Christ but of their own appetites – and by their smooth & flattering speech they deceive the hearts…
5) THE KINGDOM IS UNDER ATTACK!

2. The Decision by the Sower, (vs. 26-30)

1. “The servants of the landowner came to him and said, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then
does it have tares?' – He said, ‘An enemy has done this!' The servants said, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and…?”
a. When there are problems in the kingdom (church) – Jesus didn't cause them!
b. It is not our job be weed-pullers – but seed-sowers, ( II Tim. 3:16-17; 4:2 ).

2. ( vs. 29-30 ), “No; lest while gathering them up you uproot the wheat with them. – Allow both to grow together
until the harvest; then I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather the tares and bind them in bundles and burn them; but
gather the wheat into my barn.”

C. The Interpretation of the Parable, (vs. 36-43)

1. The disciples acknowledgement of ignorance shows wisdom. – But “stupid” goes to the bone!
a. ( v. 36 ), “His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.'”
1) Being aware of our areas of weakness – and striving to strengthen them – shows wisdom.
2) ( Pro. 12:15 ), “The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.”

2. The various parts of the parable, (vs. 37-39)
a. “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man”
1) Jesus, giver of every good gift, ( Jms. 1:17 ), “…every perfect gift is from above…”
2) Jesus has given gifts to His church, ( Eph. 4:8 ), “He gave gifts to men.”
3) These gifts were to bless His church/kingdom, ( Eph. 4:11-12 ), “And He gave ….” .
b. “The field is the world” = This is the believers “Mission Field” and also “the field of battle”!
1) ( Eph. 6:12, 17 ), “Our battle is not … Take up the sword of the Spirit which is the….”
2) ( Mk. 16:15 ), “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all creation.”
c. “Good seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom.”
1) When others believe the truth they will be saved, ( Mk. 16:16 ), “He who has….”
2) This is how we become sons of the kingdom, ( Gal. 3:26-27 ), “For you are all….”
d. “The tares are the sons of the evil one.”
1) When we believed Satan's lies & lived by them – we belonged to him!!
2) ( Eph. 2:1-2 ), “You were dead in your trespasses & sins….”
3) ( I Jn. 3:10 ), “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious…”
e. “The harvest is the end of the age & the reapers are angels” = Says what it means.

3. There are only one of two things – that will happen at “the harvest”…
a. ( Matt. 13:40-42 ), “Therefore 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 cast them into the furnace of blazing fire; in that place there shall be
weeping an gnashing of teeth.”
1) Notice, these tares (sons of the evil one) are found in God's kingdom (church).
2) Satan seeks to destroy God's people – not only from the outside – but also from the inside.
3) “Weeping” = emotional pain being eternally lost, “Gnashing of teeth” = physical pain of hell.

b. The second option is the one we should all desire…
1) ( Matt. 13:43 ), “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. – He who
has ears to hear, let him hear.”
2) Remember, Jesus is talking to His disciples in this section.
3) Thus, we need to be sure that we truly are citizens of the kingdom of God…
a) If we are not allowing God to rule in our lives, ( quote Matt. 5:3 ),
b) And if He has not added us to His church/kingdom, ( quote Mk. 16:16 ),
c) Then we will not be one of those who is “shining forth as the sun in the
kingdom of our Father” – i.e., HEAVEN!!!