Proper 11A (Pentecost 8) 2023

Text: “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. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:41-43).

This is a bit of a challenging parable from Jesus. Other parables are quite clear as to what you and I are intended to learn from it. This one is not quite so clear. It is a brief story, if you will, of a man who planted, of an enemy who sowed weeds, and the farmer’s decision to wait until the harvest to separate the weeds from the wheat. Jesus, Himself, clarifies who the different people represent. “37 The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels” (Matthew 13:37-39).

Still, we are left to wrestle with the question of what we are intended to understand here. What point is Jesus trying to make?

Certainly the first point that we need to notice, today, is simply the fact that there will be a judgment. Some people will be gathered into heaven and others will be cast into the fires of hell. We must start by acknowledging that simple fact.

Just the other day, a news article declared that fewer Americans believe in God and the devil and hell. In fact, some claim that the message of love that Jesus preached proves that God will not judge; that He would not cast people into hell. But Jesus, Himself, is clear, here, that Judgment Day is coming and that, on that day, some will be gathered into paradise and others cast into hell. This is not an interpretation that the church is forcing onto Jesus. We’re not putting words into His mouth when we warn sinners against the coming judgment. Jesus, Himself, is saying it.

Actually, we can go a step further. Jesus, Himself, will be doing it. He, the Son of Man, will send His angels who “41 ...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 ).

This is one of those times when we might wish that the opponents of true, biblical doctrine were right, isn’t it? I hope we take no joy or satisfaction from the knowledge that some will be saved and others will be cast into Hell. It really would be wonderful if we could just say that “everyone is ok” just as they are. But not only has Jesus, Himself, said that it will happen, He, Himself, will be the judge on that day.

But, at the end of the day, that really shouldn’t be a surprise. I understand that many seem to struggle with the idea of a loving God sending people to hell. But, at the same time, how could a loving God allow the evil you see around you every day to go unpunished? He loves you too much to allow the sins that others have committed against you to go unpunished. And He loves others too much to allow the sins that you have committed against them to go unpunished.

The first thing that we, as 21st century, American Christians should notice here is that, according to Jesus, Himself, there will be a judgement.

But what our Lord really means to emphasize is not the fact that there will be a day of judgment, but why the day of judgment seems, from our perspective, to be delayed.

Our reading from Isaiah 44 this morning celebrates God as “the first and the last” (Isaiah 44:6); He has shown that He alone both knows and controls the future; there is no other god besides Him. He has demonstrated His power over nations and over individuals countless times in countless ways. Why has the judgment not yet come? Why does He allow evil to continue?

To put it simply, the judgment has not yet come so that you could be saved.

I’ll be curious to hear, in Bible study in a few minutes, what you think of this parable. Not only are a number of you farmers, but you’re organic farmers. How much time and energy— and money, of course— do you spend dealing with weeds? It seems to me that it is a lazy farmer who simply says, “I’ll deal with sorting out the weeds from the wheat at harvest time.”

That would be true for you and me, but not for God. The reason why the weeds and the wheat here are hard to tell apart is that God is in the business, so to speak, of turning weeds into wheat. Jesus, Himself, came to turn weeds— fruitless plants that produce nothing of any use to anyone— into wheat— a plant that is the very source of life, that produces one of the most basic foods that sustain us.

The reality is that it’s not so easy to tell the good from the evil in this world. You and I often look a lot like weeds. If you and I look at ourselves, there’s a real question about whether you will be gathered into the barn— into God’s kingdom— or gathered and burned. Even when you strive to live fruitful lives, it’s never enough to give you confidence for the day of judgment. In fact, the more honest you and I are, the clearer it is that you deserve God’s wrath and judgment.

No matter how hard you try, you can not squeeze clean water out of a dirty sponge. As we noted a few weeks ago, even when you do the good you know you should do, it ends up being about building up your reputation.

But Jesus came into this world to transform weeds into wheat. He took the sin that makes your life fruitless and of no use to anyone and gives you the credit for the fruit of His perfect life. He went to the cross and put Himself under God’s just wrath for your sin so that you might know that you have been made new.

If you want to know if you are one of those who have been made alive again, who have been transformed from weeds into good, productive wheat, look to Jesus, to His cross, and His empty tomb. That was for you. Remember your baptism. There, in that water, you were given life by the Holy Spirit. Come and receive the bread and wine, that is His body and blood, in order to strengthen that new life— to strengthen you to bear good fruit each day and to prepare you for the day of His return. Your confidence for the day of judgment does not lie in yourself, but in the One speaking this parable. Even as He sits in judgment, He will still bear the scars from taking God’s wrath in your place.

The same is true for those around you. You never can tell when weeds might prove to be wheat in the end. Take any of the most strident atheist, the most vocal gay activists, the most hardened sinners. Any of them could prove to be wheat in the end if they are brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ like you and I have been. That is the power of the cross, the power of baptism, the power of the Word. Turning evil people like you and I and them into God’s people. Clothed in His righteousness, you will shine like the sun in his Kingdom.

That is why we gather, why we continue to preach the word and administer the sacraments—so that we can be sustained as sons of the Kingdom and so the seed of the Word can continue to be sown in this world, transforming hearts and minds.

“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. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:41-43).