Subversive Peace

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine you grew up hearing the amazing stories about King Saul and King David.

Imagine having a childhood shaped and inculcated by the rich history of God’s miraculous activity.

The calling of Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans

The establishment of Israel as a special people, uniquely related to God so they might be a light to the nations.

The miraculous liberation from slavery to Pharoah in Egypt and subsequent conquering of the promised land.

Imagine having all of that glory as the foundational stories of you past and being presently oppressed by an authoritarian government who makes a mockery of your God and your faith.

Such was the case for the people of Israel during the time of Jesus.

Remember, Jesus was Jewish and his preaching and teaching was primarily to a Jewish audience. During Jesus’ lifetime the Jews were under the authority of the Roman empire.

Judea - the area in which Jesus was doing his preaching/teaching - was a province or colony under the Roman Empire.

Rome would elect Jews like Herod to deal with the daily grind of governance but ultimate authority was given to a prefect like Pontius Pilate.

This kind of arrangement was a far cry from the glory days of Israel in their past. A rich history of independence, prosperity and cultural advancements.

Kingdom Come

That oppression and injustice gave rise to groups like the Zealots who wanted to overthrow Rome through violent revolution.

And inspired an generation to eagerly anticipate the coming of Messiah who - according to the OT prophecies - would liberate God’s people and overthrow their oppressors.

In other words, Jewish people during the time of Jesus desperately wanted a life of peace. We ALL desire a life of peace.

But in their mind, that peace could only be obtained through a political revolution that overthrew the Roman Empire and reestablished the Kingdom of Israel.

So figures began to pop up saying, “I’m the Messiah… I’m the one who God promised… I’m going to deliver the peace we so desperately desire.”

And other groups were trying to take matters into their own hands and achieve the peace that they desired through other means.

Then Jesus comes upon the scene and he begins to preach his message. And his message was likewise a message about the “Kingdom of God.”

In fact, if I had to sum up the Gospel according to Jesus in two words the two words I would use are “Kingdom Come.”

Jesus came preaching, the time is at hand, “The Kingdom of God has come near” to which people would probably perk up their ears and say, “okay what solution does this guy have in mind to give us peace.”

But then Jesus followed that statement about the kingdom with a call for repentance. “Repent and believe the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

In other words, the Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus was something you could receive NOW even under Roman oppression and gives even greater joy, greater peace and greater hope than any earthly kingdom might give.

Already/Not Yet

And that’s what these Kingdom Parables are all about in Matthew 13.

Last week we looked at the first parable which was about the Sower and the four different types of soils.

We saw that the condition of our heart determines the object of our hope and only those who have ears to hear receive the hope of God’s Kingdom.

We also saw that HOPE in God’s kingdom is a surprising hope because it doesn’t always look/sound like what we think it should.

If last week was about hope then this week is about our Advent Peace.

Peace in God’s Kingdom looks different that what they were expecting peace to look like. The same is true for us today.

As many theologians have put it, The Kingdom of God exists today in an “already/not yet” tension.

Already the King has come and fulfilled God’s promise of eternal life and freedom from sin and hope that will not disappoint.

But not yet have we seen the completion of that promise through the establishment of a new heavens and a new earth that is rid of the sin and brokenness we see all around us today.

Which means the peace that we experience in God’s kingdom on THIS side of heaven is a Subversive Peace.

God’s kingdom marches forward but in a world still marred by sin. The light of Christ has come but there is still darkness all around it.

So how do we experience peace in a world where brokenness still continues?

That’s what today’s parable is all about.

READ THE PARABLE:

Matthew 13:24–30 CSB

24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ 28 “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him. 29 “ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”

Similar to last week this parable also has a farmer and seed. Except this time there’s not different types of soil. There are different types of SEED.

You’ve got one guy who sows good seed and an enemy who sows BAD seed.

The Greed word translated “weeds” is the word Zizania (ζιζάνια). Some translate it “Darnel” the KJV called it “Tares.”

The reason I point this out is because when most of us think “weeds” we think of those big nasty weeds in our back yard and that’s not what these are.

Darnel wheat is a weed that grows alongside of normal wheat and looks almost exactly like wheat until the point of the harvest where real wheat turns brown and the Darnel turns black.

Early on in the growth process you can hardly tell the difference between the two.

That’s why the master tells the servants, “Don’t uproot the weeds because you might uproot the wheat in the process.

Like many of Jesus parables, the crowd received the parable but only the disciples received an explanation.

And Jesus gives the explanation a few verses later.

Matthew 13:36–43 CSB

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

Main Elements:

Before we frame up this parable let’s define the main elements of the story.

The Farmer: Jesus (Son of Man cf Dan 7)

The Field: The World

The Wheat: Children of God

The Weeds: Children of the Evil One

Harvesters: God’s Angels

Harvest: End of the Age

Furnace: Hell

Enemy: The Devil

Plotting the Parable

The main idea of the parable is that God’s Kingdom exists today within an already/not yet tension.

In the world today, we see King Jesus who has already come, he has sown his good seed and the children of God are growing up and bearing fruit.

Also in the world today, we see Satan and evil, he has sown a counterfeit of the good seed and brought up children of his own who unleash wickedness and evil on this earth alongside the children of the kingdom.

In other words, “there are TWO KINGDOMS” in the world today. The kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the Evil One.

And according to Jesus, God’s plan before the end of the age is to allow both kingdoms to run alongside each other until the day of Harvest when they will be separated by the angels and distinguished for who they are.

The children of God will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom.

The children of the devil will burn in torment in where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Points of the Parable

From Jesus’ explanation of the parable we can learn three things about the surpassing peace of Advent.

We can find surpassing peace when we

are aware of the King’s Enemy.

agrees with the King’s patience.

anticipate the King’s judgment.

THE KING’S ENEMY:

To begin, we find peace by becoming aware of the King’s Enemy.

Initially, in the parable, the servants of the master are bewildered by the reality of weeds in the master’s field.”

They raise the natural and obvious question. “Where did the weeds come from?!” “Didn’t you sow good seed in your field?” (Matthew 13:27)

Today, the question might go something like this:

“If God is all good and all powerful and he created everything that we see and is sovereign over everything that happens, why is there so much evil and suffering in this world.”

Philosophers call it a theodicy. Otherwise known as “the problem of evil.” Different versions are trotted out in our day today but it’s the same basic question.

If God is good then why are things so bad?

Evil and suffering are inescapable realities of this world.

Answering Evil

It’s important to note that this problem is a problem for EVERYBODY. It’s a problem irrespective of your religion of your worldview.

No matter what you “believe about” this world you still must “live in” this world.

And when you live IN this world you realize very quickly it is FILLED with pain and suffering.

So how do we make sense of it?

Atheists deal with the problem by saying there is no God and it’s a disappointing - albeit brute - fact of nature.

Hindu’s/Taoism deal with the problem by saying evil is a necessary counter balance to good/God.

Buddhism says that evil and suffering are only real insofar as you’ve allowed yourself to be mastered by them. Enlightenment will bring Nirvana.

The Bible teaches that evil and suffering find their origin story in the Fall. Whether the fall of Adam in Genesis 3 or the fall of Satan before that.

Satan & His Seed

In the parable, the master tells the servants, “An enemy did this.” (Mat 13:28)

In his explanation Jesus says, “The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.” (Mat 13:38-39)

So if you pull the thread of evil and suffering and follow it to it’s origin you’ll end up in Eden with the serpent and his seed.”

The enemy is the devil.

I know we live in a modern world where these ideas are looked at with scorn. But I don’t understand how people make sense of our experience without a category for Satan and demons.

God exists and is the source of all truth, goodness and beauty. But in God’s plan he also allowed for the creation of free will and choice.

Satan used that choice to counterfeit God’s design and seek glory for himself. And we use that choice to reject God’s design and embrace Satan’s counterfeit.

Much peace can be found when you become aware of these facts. If you trace suffering to it’s source it culminates with sin and Satan.

Profiling Satan

Notice from this parable certain things about the King’s Enemy.

Satan is personified.

Evil has a name. It’s not just a force or some counter balance of nature. Evil is personified. A person!

This is important because trying to understand evil without this framework minimizes it’s danger and leaves us woefully unprepared to fight back against it. To beat you’re enemy you have to understand him. Satan is a person.

You’ll never have peace in your life until you begin to resist him in that way. Resist the devil and he will flee. Just like you wouldn’t engage in personal relationship with a bad person you should also resist the person of Satan.

Satan is also strategic.

Notice the enemy comes when people are sleeping. He sows among the wheat - mixing the truth in with lie.

Finally his counterfeits look like the real thing. Satan always masquerades as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14-15) You often don’t see the damage that’s been done until it’s too late. (Illustration Darnel Wheat)

Paul warned the church in Ephesus to “stand against the SCHEMES of Satan.” (Eph 6:11) He told the Corinthians “we will not be outwitted by his designs.” (2 Cor 2:11). Peter described Satan as a plotting “Lion seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan is strategic in his designs and until you start to live as if that’s true you’ll struggle to find peace on this side of heaven.

Finally Satan’s seed is scattered everywhere.

The last thing we learn about God’s enemy from this parable is that he has seed scattered everywhere. If the field is “the world” then Satan has children scattered all throughout.

There’s not one square inch of this world that doesn’t have some of Satan’s evil influence shaping it’s impact. Even in the local church Satan has some of his kids running around.

There are no safe places. No neutral moments. Every place in the world is a war zone between good and evil, the children of God and the children of Satan.

When you become aware of the King’s enemy you’ll no longer be surprised by life’s suffering.

And the greater your awareness the greater your peace. Because God’s enemy CAN be resisted.

In fact, according to Jesus’ brother, Satan doesn’t even care to put up much of a fight. Resist the devil and he will flee. (James 4:7)

He goes after easy bait and soft targets. If you’ll arm yourself with awareness and readiness then you’ll experience greater and greater levels of peace.

THE KING’S PATIENCE

The second source of Advent peace is learning to “agree with and even appreciate the King’s patience.”

In the parable, when the servants learn of the enemy’s sabotage they ask the Master, “Should we go pull up the weeds?” (Mat 13:28)

And the response of the master is to prohibit such action. Why? Because “when you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.” (Mat 13:29)

Instead, they were to “let both grow together until the harvest.” (Mat 13:30)

This is a natural question for the servants to ask and a wise response for the master to give.

On Pulling Weeds

When you see a weed in your yard what your natural inclination? (walk past and pretend it’s not there! No seriously.)

Typically when we see a threat to something we’re trying to build and produce we remove the threat.

You could liken the desire of these servants with the desire of Jewish people in that time to rid the world of Roman oppression. Get these people OUT!

But Jesus is saying, “that’s not how God’s kingdom really works.”

The master tells his servants to BE PATIENT. He tells them to wait.

The master actually gives TWO reasons for why the servants need to be patient in pulling up the weeds.

The first reason is because “now is not their time.”

The second reason is because that “that’s not your role.”

Not Their Time

When Jesus says “now is not their time” he’s not saying there will NEVER be a time when the weeds won’t be pulled.

God is holy and he will not tolerate evil in his kingdom. It’s not that the weeds don’t need pulling. And it’s not that the weeds won’t be pulled.

It’s just that now is not that time.

2 Peter 3:9 discusses the second coming and the day of judgment when God is going to pull up all the weeds but says in this season God is PATIENT towards us. He’s not willing that any would perish but that everyone would come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

He allows both wheat and weeds to grow together until the time of harvest.

Why? Because at the day of harvest it’s much easier to determine whether the plant is wheat or a weed.

Not Our Role

Witch is the second reason Jesus gives for being patient. It’s not our role.

In fact, if we make it our role before it’s time then we’ll end up doing damage to the wheat.

Remember, for Darnel Wheat the similarities between the wheat and the weeds was nearly indistinguishable. You might think you’re pulling up a weed when you’re really pulling up the wheat.

Historically, when the Church has taken it upon themselves to rid the world of evil doers we have ended up becoming the evil we profess to remove.

The Crusades of the 11th-15th Centuries are marked by this kind of foolishness.

Christians are encouraged to hold other CHRISTIANS accountable for their behavior. But it is NOT our place to judge the world for living like the world.

Remember, in Jesus’ parable the field isn’t the CHURCH the field is the WORLD.

Paul gives a helpful clarification on this topic in 1 Corinthians 5 when he’s dealing with church discipline. They had become judgmental, harsh and isolated from the outside world but were letting sin fester in the church. Paul says, reverse it!”

1 Corinthians 5:12–13 CSB

12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.

Our job is to water. God’s job is to sort out the weeds. At the proper time and through the proper means he will do just that.

THE KING’S JUDGMENT

Which leads to the third source of peace in God’s Kingdom.

Be aware of the King’s Enemy.

Agree with the King’s Patience

Anticipate the King’s Judgment.

Did you notice that last verse in Jesus parable the word “until.” Matthew 13:30

Matthew 13:30 CSB

30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”

I love that word, “until.”

Until what? Until the harvest. I love that word too. There’s a harvest coming. A great harvest.

The book of Revelation talks about this harvest in Revelation 14.

God sends the angles to and fro throughout all the earth. They have a sickle in their hand and they reap, reap, reap.

I think it’s actually two harvests.

A harvest of the redeemed appointed for eternal life (Rev 14:14-16)

and a harvest of the wicked appointed for God’s judgment (Rev 14:17-20).

This is exactly what Jesus describes in his explanation of the Parable. Mat 13:41-43

Matthew 13:41–43 CSB

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

Love and Judgment

Question: Is this good news or bad news? I guess it depends whether you’re wheat or a weed.

Many people hear a passage like this and say, “Wow. What an angry and vengeful God.” But that’s not actually the way I think it’s meant to be understood.

Remember, this is the Farmer’s field. He owns it. He has the absolute right to do whatever he wants.

This act of judgement by God is just.

Just as it would be unjust for a judge to allow evil to go unpunished so also is it unjust for this farmer to let weeds destroy his field.

And in that way, God’s judgment on the wicked isn’t coming from a place of hate or unbridled rage.

Ultimately God’s judgment flows out of his love.

It would be UNLOVING of God if he allowed weeds to destroy his field without eventually putting it to an end.

God’s judgment is not in conflict with his love. God’s wrath is not in conflict with his mercy.

Eventually, at the right time and through the proper means they function together to bring about peace in this world.

It is God’s judgment in the future that can give us peace in the present.

I often see the signs “No justice. No peace.” And I agree. But true justice can only be enacted by a perfect judge and that judge is the Lord Jesus Christ.

While governments can provide an imperfect attempt at punishing evil on this side of heaven. It is only the hope of advent that can bring about true peace in this world.

THE KING’S PEACE

So why does the Lord wait? Why is God so patient in allowing evil to continue growing in this world alongside of his wheat?

I think the answer to that question is found when we look back to the cross. Because at the cross we see God’s wrath and mercy in perfect union with each other.

We see God’s love and justice poured out on the cross.

In God’s great love for us he has sent Jesus into this world.

The FARMER who OWNS THE FIELD - allowed himself to be planted into the ground. He took on flesh. And he grew up and experienced the same sufferings and hardships that we do.

Then, in obedience to his heavenly Father he laid down his life as an atoning sacrifice for you and for me.

Why? Because if we had to stand before God in our own righteousness we’d all be toast. So he became for us what we could not be for ourselves. He took our punishment and gave us his righteousness.

And this season between the death of Jesus on the cross and his second coming to establish his Kingdom is a season of forgiveness.

Season of Forgiveness

On of the most fascinating discoveries in my study for this sermon is the Greek word used in verse 30 “let both grow together.”

The word translated “let” is the Greek word for “forgiveness.”

Essentially what Jesus is saying is that this “meantime” between his cross and his second coming is a season of forgiveness.

A harvest is COMING. A harvest of righteousness and a harvest of judgment.

You will be in one of those two harvests.

If the difference between the wheat and weeds early on in the growth process is identical. Then how do you know that you’re wheat and not one of the weeds.

The answer to that question is forgiveness.

The wheat and weeds may look similar on the surface. They may both struggle with sin - at least early on until the Holy Spirit does his transformational work in their life.

But the main difference is that those who repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus as Lord receive God’s forgiveness in their life and the gift of the Kingdom.

Today, advent peace is found through forgiveness.

Have you received that forgiveness into your life?

If not, today the Holy Spirit is extending that offer to you. Do it today before it’s too late.

We can also find peace through our forgiveness of others.

In fact, the ONLY WAY to a life of peace in this broken world is through the door of forgiveness. The world is too broken to keep a record of wrongs. It’s not our job to right those wrongs and even if it were we wouldn’t be perfect at bringing about justice.

That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive us of our trespasses even as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Why? Because YOURS is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Subversive Peace

That’s what makes the kingdom of God so different from the kingdom of this world. God’s kingdom doesn’t advance TODAY through violence and force. It advances through humility and love.

There will come a day when Jesus establishes his kingdom. And on that day, the wicked who resist his rule will be physically destroyed.

But the ONLY person who gets to fulfill that job is JESUS and his Angels. Not his servants. We just sit back and watch.

Our job is the subvert the kingdom of the Evil One world through the values of King Jesus.

Values of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

We subvert evil in our world through the values of the King.

I wish I had time to show you but that’s the exact point of the parable Jesus gives between the Parable of the Wheat/Weed and the explanation in verses 31-33.

Matthew 13:31–33 CSB

31 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.”

Gradually and slowly the yeast of God’s kingdom is working its way through the brokenness of this world.

Small as a mustard seed but mighty in it’s maturity so is the Kingdom of God when it blooms.

Love. Patience. Forgiveness. Service. These are the ways we triumph over the world. And in the process God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

What relationship in your life needs the peace of God through forgiveness? Will you submit yourself to the king’s patience as you wait for the King’s judgment.

He has forgiven them in Christ and you can do the same. What THEY do with God’s forgiveness not for you to control. What YOU do with God’s forgiveness is totally up to you.