The Wheat and the Weeds

Memory Verse: “Let both grow together until the harvest.” – Matthew 13:30a

A Field Trip Surprise

It was a crisp fall morning, the kind where your breath fogs up in the air and kids can’t sit still on the school bus because they’re going somewhere other than math class. A father chaperoning his son’s third-grade field trip to a local farm—the kind with goats that nibble your jacket, chickens that look judgmental, and a farmer who clearly enjoyed his job, even if he’d rather be harvesting corn than herding children.

As the group wandered past rows of crops, the farmer—sun-hardened hands, overalls, and a smile as wide as a hay bale—scooped up a handful of green stalks in each hand. Holding them up, he asked, “Now, who can tell me which of these is wheat?”

The kids leaned in, squinting at the plants. One was a healthy stalk with a soft golden hue. The other looked almost the same, maybe a bit greener, a bit taller.

After a moment, one bold boy pointed and said confidently, “That one with the long fuzzy top!”

The farmer chuckled, “Nope. That’s cheatgrass. It’s a weed. Looks just like wheat when it’s growing, but it’s worthless. Can’t eat it. Cows don’t even like it. All it does is steal space and soak up nutrients. But you don’t really know it’s a weed until it’s harvest time.”

He let that sit for a second while the kids looked at each other with wide eyes. Now there is the point of what Jesus is getting at.

Jesus, in Matthew 13, tells a parable just like that. A sower plants good seed in his field, but while everyone’s sleeping, an enemy comes and plants weeds that look like wheat. As both grow together, it becomes harder to tell them apart—until harvest time.

Now this again isn’t just a lesson in farming. It’s a picture of the kingdom of heaven—a story about good and evil, faith and falsehood, and the patience of God. It speaks into our everyday world where we often ask, “Why is there so much wrong mixed in with what’s right? Why doesn’t God just pull up the weeds?”

And Jesus' answer might surprise you. He doesn’t give a strategy for weed removal—He gives a promise of harvest. He teaches us not just how to wait, but why we wait—with hope, with faith, and with confidence that the Sower knows what He’s doing.

I. The Sower Sows the Good Seed: Jesus at Work

Matthew 13:24–25 ESV

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

Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing. He tells us straight: “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.” That’s Him. Jesus is the Sower. And He’s not tossing corn or cucumbers—He’s planting the Word of God.

Luke 8:11 says it clearly: “The seed is the Word of God.” Paul adds in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.” So when Jesus preaches, when He heals, forgives, dies, and rises—He’s sowing. Every word from His mouth is a seed of life.

And He’s not stingy about it. Jesus throws His Word far and wide—into hard hearts, hurting hearts, distracted hearts. Any modern farmer might say He’s being reckless, even wasteful. But Jesus isn’t worried about wasting grace. He sows because He loves. He sows because He wants all to be saved.

And here’s the twist—He’s not just planting the Word in people. He’s planting people. “The good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom.” That’s you. That’s every believer. You’re not just a Christian. You’re a seed. Planted by Jesus right where you are.

Yes, sometimes it’s hard to be wheat in a weedy world. You try to live your faith and feel outnumbered. You show kindness and it gets mistaken for weakness. You wonder, “Lord, are You sure You planted me in the right spot?”

But He did. You are not an accident. You’re wheat—on purpose. And wheat, even when surrounded by weeds, grows. Maybe slowly. Maybe painfully. But it grows. Why? Because the Sower never plants without a plan.

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches… you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). His Word keeps working. His Spirit keeps nourishing. And even when all you can do is stand tall in the storm, He is the One holding you up.

So don’t compare yourself to the weeds. Don’t try to rip yourself up to prove your worth. Just stay rooted in Jesus. Because the Sower isn’t finished with His harvest yet.

While yes, the Sower is at work—faithfully, graciously, powerfully. But... if He’s sowing such good seed, why does the field still feel so messy?

Why, if Jesus is planting truth, do lies keep popping up? If He’s planting love, why is there so much hate? If He’s planting peace, why do we feel so anxious?

That’s where the parable turns—and Jesus pulls back the curtain on something we’d rather not think about… There’s another sower in the field. And he’s not planting wheat.

Let’s talk about this.

II. The Enemy Sows the Weeds: Satan at Work

Matthew 13:25 ESV

but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat it. He says, “While everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat.” Now that word “weeds” in Greek is zizania—most scholars say it refers to a plant called darnel. Darnel looks almost exactly like wheat until the very end, when the heads of grain mature. It’s not just unhelpful—it’s harmful, even poisonous.

Satan isn’t lazy. He’s active. He doesn’t just oppose God from a distance—he gets in the field, right in the middle of the harvest. He sows his weeds not on the outskirts of society, but among the wheat, among God’s people. He shows up in churches, in pulpits, in seminaries, in Bible studies. And he doesn’t sow glaring heresy most of the time. No—he plants things that look close enough. He specializes in counterfeits.

You see, the devil doesn’t always come dressed in red spandex with a pitchfork. He often comes robed in a clerical collar, quoting half a Bible verse, and offering something that sounds spiritual but is hollow. Satan knows that a poisonous lie works best when it’s wrapped in just enough truth to go unnoticed until it's too late.

Paul warned about this very thing in

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 ESV

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

He doesn’t mind churches—as long as they don’t preach Christ crucified. He’s fine with sermons—as long as they avoid sin and grace and stay focused on self-help. He loves when Christians fight each other over preferences instead of standing together in the gospel.

Let’s be clear: the enemy is not your fellow church member who sings too loud, or the person who questions a decision. The enemy is Satan, and his goal is to replace gospel truth with religious noise. He sows:

False assurance—“You’re fine just the way you are,” instead of “Repent and believe the good news.”

Moralism—“Try harder to be better,” instead of “Christ has done it all.”

Division—“You deserve better,” instead of “Forgive as you’ve been forgiven.”

A Christ-less Christianity—where Jesus becomes more of a mascot than a Savior.

And he’s subtle. One pastor called him “a theologian of almost.” Almost true. Almost biblical. Almost saving.

That’s why we need to be vigilant—not paranoid, but watchful and discerning. Jesus said the weeds were sown while everyone was sleeping. Sometimes the church gets sleepy—comfortable, complacent, content to drift. But Peter says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

And sometimes we ask, like the servants in the parable, “Wait—didn’t You sow good seed, Lord? Where did all these problems come from? How did this false teacher end up in that pulpit? Why does that church no longer preach Christ?”

And Jesus answers plainly: “An enemy did this.”

The presence of weeds doesn’t mean the Sower failed. It means there’s a battle. But it’s not a fair fight. The weeds may be growing, but the Sower still owns the field.

Now here’s the hard part—Jesus doesn’t say, “Go weed the field.” He says, “Wait.” That’s not what we want to hear, is it? We want to do something. We want to rip out anything that looks suspicious. But Jesus warns that we might uproot wheat in the process. That’s a sobering reminder—God knows the difference between wheat and weeds, but we don’t always.

So, we don’t trust our eyes—we trust the Word.

We don’t go on spiritual witch hunts—we go deeper into the gospel. We don’t pull up people—we lift up Christ.

And why the wait? Why not just deal with the weeds now?

Because God is patient. “He is not slow in keeping His promise... but patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He’s not just giving the weeds time to grow—He’s giving wheat time to ripen. Maybe even—just maybe—He’s calling some who look like weeds now, but in His mercy, will become wheat through faith in Christ.

So we hold to truth. We stay rooted in the Word. We preach Christ. And we trust the Sower—because harvest time is coming.

III. The Harvest Will Come: Judgment and Grace

Matthew 13:39 ESV

and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

Every good story needs a punchline—and this parable has one: The harvest is coming.

Jesus pulls no punches. He says the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Now that’s not exactly the sweet “Precious Moments” version of angels with harps and halos. These are serious, scythe-swinging, harvest-time angels. And their first job? Deal with the weeds. Jesus says they’ll gather the weeds and throw them into the fiery furnace. Judgment. Fire. Gnashing of teeth. Not exactly warm and fuzzy stuff, right?

At this point, you might be thinking, “Wow, Jesus—this got intense really fast.” And it did.

But here’s the good news: you’re not a weed. Not because you’re so awesome, or because you remembered to floss this morning, or because you came to church more times than you skipped. No—you’re wheat because Jesus made you wheat.

Remember what Paul says in Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 ESV

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

It’s not about how “wheat-like” you’ve acted. On your own, you were just as tangled in sin as any weed in the field. But Jesus, the true Sower, sowed Himself into the soil of death so that you would live. He was buried like a seed—and on the third day, He burst out of the ground, alive forevermore. Now you’re part of His harvest.

And look at how the story ends:

Matthew 13:43 ESV

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

Shine like the sun! That’s not just poetic fluff—it’s a picture of glory. You’re not going to just survive the harvest; you’re going to radiate in the presence of God forever.

So yes, there will be judgment. But for those who belong to Christ, there will also be joy, rest, and the overwhelming beauty of heaven.

Until then? We live in the “let both grow together” zone. That takes us to the final point…

IV. Life Among the Weeds: Living as Wheat in a Weedy World

Matthew 13:30 ESV

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.” ’ ”

Let’s be honest—being wheat in a world full of weeds is… not easy.

Sometimes it feels like we’re planted in the middle of a spiritual thistle patch. You try to live with integrity at work, and you’re mocked for being “too upright.” You try to raise your kids in the Word, and the culture calls you outdated. You try to be kind online, and someone still finds a way to argue with your Bible verse meme.

And it’s not just the weeds out there. Sometimes the weeds are in here—in our own hearts. Pride. Fear. Grudges. Impatience. We might look like wheat on the outside, but inside we’ve got some weedy roots trying to take hold.

So what do we do? How do we live as wheat in a weedy world?

1. Stay rooted in the Word.

Paul says in Colossians 2:7:

“Be rooted and built up in Him.” You don’t need to uproot the weeds—just make sure your roots are deep in Christ. When storms come, or weeds crowd close, your roots in the gospel will hold you firm.

2. Resist weed-judging.

Let’s be clear—we are not the angels. We don’t get to do the harvesting. And sometimes what looks like a weed today is actually a future stalk of wheat just waiting for the gospel to take hold. That grumpy neighbor? That skeptical teen? That co-worker who rolled their eyes at your invitation to church? The Spirit may be doing something you can’t see yet. So don’t pull. Pray.

3. Keep sowing.

Remember, we’re not just wheat—we’re also sowers now. Share the Word. Show mercy. Love generously. And yes, even something as small as a Scripture-filled comment, a word of encouragement, or a social media post can be like a seed blown into someone’s heart. Who knows what God might do with it?

And when the weeds feel overwhelming, remember this: God is patient. God is good. God is still sowing.

You’re not just surviving in the weeds—you’re growing, you’re shining, and you’re being prepared for harvest. And one day soon, you’ll be gathered home, where the weeds are no more, and the wheat shines forever.

The Sower Hasn’t Stopped Scattering

Jesus hasn’t stopped working. The Sower is still in the field. His nail-pierced hands are still scattering the seed of His Word into hearts all over the world—into hearts that look hard, into families that feel broken, into churches that feel weary. He is still building His kingdom, one gospel seed at a time.

And the weeds? Oh, they’re still there. Satan is still sowing too—confusion, compromise, counterfeit religion. The church will never be weed-free this side of heaven. There will always be false teachers who twist the truth, wolves in sheep’s clothing, and distractions that look almost holy—but miss the heart of the gospel.

But here’s the hope that holds us: Jesus is not worried. The Sower knows the harvest is coming. He knows exactly who His wheat is. He knows your heart because He gave you a new one. He watered it in baptism. He feeds it with His Word. He nourishes it with His body and blood. And someday—maybe soon—He will send out His angels, gather His wheat, and bring you home.

Until that day comes, you and I live in the middle of the tension. We grow alongside the weeds. We ache for clarity. We long for justice. We cry out for peace.

And Jesus says, “Let both grow together… for now.” Not because He’s ignoring evil. Not because He’s lost control. But because He is merciful. Because He is patient. Because He wants more wheat.

So don’t lose heart. Don’t let the weeds steal your joy. Don’t give up on your calling.

Live like wheat. Shine like the sun. Be rooted in Christ. Sow the Word freely. Trust the Sower.

And never forget this:

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

The Sower who planted you—He will not forget you. He will not leave you tangled. He will not let you fall. He will harvest you. He started the work. And He will finish it.

Amen.