Sermon by Pastor David Prince

Present Reality
Matthew 13:24–30

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
Matthew 13:24-25

26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And 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?’
Matthew 13:26-27

28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
Matthew 13:28-29

30 Let 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.” ’ ”
Matthew 13:30

Confident Reality
Matthew 13:31-35

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
Matthew 13:31

32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Matthew 13:32

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Matthew 13:33

34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
Matthew 13:34

35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 13:35

Eternal Reality
Matthew 13:36-43

36 Then 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.”
Matthew 13:36

Sower = Son of Man (Jesus) – Matthew 13:37
Field = World – Matthew 13:38a
Good seed = Sons of the Kingdom – Matthew 13:38b
Weeds = Sons of the Evil One – Matthew 13:38c
The enemy = the Devil – Matthew 13:39a
The harvest = the close of the age – Matthew 13:39b
The reapers = Angels – Matthew 13:39c

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
Matthew 13:40

41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:41-42

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew 13:43