Pentecost 8 (3YL)

Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

Introduction

The season of Pentecost is signaled by green stoles and paraments. The colors of the Church reflect the agricultural metaphors of Jesus' teaching. The Church is compared to a farming effort. The fields are white and ripe for harvest, and the Church is sent into the world to reap what God has sown. Once again Jesus teaches with a farming picture. During this season we are reminded that God is cultivating His garden, His people.

But how are we to understand the troubles of the Church and the opposition to the work of God? This parable gives us the tools.

I admit that I struggle at times to be an optimist. There are things happening in the world that leave me discouraged. Yet if we look a little deeper, there is also much reason for hope.

(Insert positive statistics here.)

And yet we also see the retreat of the Church in the West, the failure of democracy in parts of the Middle East, human rights abuses in Southeast Asia, and food insecurity here in the United States.

How do we make sense of both realities at once? Jesus answers that question in today's Gospel.

The Text

Matthew 13:24

"He put another parable before them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.'"

Jesus explains this later in the passage.

Matthew 13:37–38 says:

"The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man... The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom."

Again from last week, the Kingdom of Heaven is wherever the reign of God is reclaiming what was lost in Eden. This parable shows us what to expect as that Kingdom advances.

The sower is Jesus Himself, the Son of Man from Daniel's vision.

The good seed is the sons and daughters of the Kingdom—the Church.

The field is the world itself, the place where God's Kingdom advances in the midst of opposition.

Matthew 13:25

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

Jesus explains:

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

The farmer has an enemy. Satan opposes God's work, and the weeds represent those aligned with the evil one.

Matthew 13:26–27

"So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants... said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?'"

The servants are confused because both wheat and weeds are growing together.

Matthew 13:28–29

"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.'"

Jesus not only explains the presence of evil; He also forbids premature judgment.

There was a weed in the ancient world whose roots intertwined with wheat. Pulling the weeds too early could destroy the crop.

Likewise, the gathering belongs to God's angels—not to us.

A brief note about angels: the word angelos simply means "messenger." The emphasis is not on what they look like but on the fact that they are God's servants carrying out His will.

Matthew 13:30

"Let both grow together until the harvest..."

Jesus explains:

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

Whenever Jesus reveals the end of history He is giving us an apocalypse—a revelation of the end.

The weeds face destruction.

But Jesus goes further by explaining exactly what this means.

Matthew 13:41–43

"The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers..."

Talking about heaven is easy.

Talking about hell is much harder.

Yet no one speaks more about hell than Jesus Himself.

He teaches that those who reject God remain separated from Him forever.

We should also remember that this was once our destiny.

The Law shows us that we are lawbreakers.

The Gospel announces that Christ has transformed us from weeds into wheat through His saving work.

There are ultimately only two ways: the way of Christ or the way of death.

Application

1. Expect both growth and opposition.

There will always be places where the Gospel brings life, healing, reconciliation, and hope.

There will also be places where Satan continues to destroy.

Do not be surprised by either reality.

2. Let your heart break for those far from God.

Pray for them.

Invite them.

Long for them to become wheat rather than remain weeds.

Invite them to know Christ and receive Holy Baptism.

3. Judgment belongs to God.

The angels gather.

God judges.

We are not called to be instruments of God's judgment.

We are called to be instruments of God's love.

As we love others faithfully, God uses us to bring people into His Kingdom.

Invitation

Friends, Jesus reminds us that wheat is a seed that must die in order to bear fruit.

We follow Him into difficult places because He has gone there first.

Today He gives us His own body in the wheat of this Communion table.

His body was broken for the forgiveness of sins.

His blood was poured out for us.

Come and receive Christ, who went first so that we may follow Him into life.

Introduction Statistics (Optional)

Global life expectancy has increased from roughly 31–32 years in 1900 to about 73 years today.

Child mortality has fallen dramatically; more than 95% of children now survive to age five.

Billions more people have access to healthcare than a century ago.

Since 2000, 2.2 billion additional people have gained access to safely managed drinking water.

Global literacy has risen from roughly 20% in 1900 to nearly 87% today.

Extreme poverty has fallen from about 90% of humanity in 1820 to under 10% today.

Across Africa, life expectancy has increased by nearly twenty years since the 1970s through improvements in medicine, sanitation, nutrition, and clean water.