Real or Fake?

Real or Fake? Next week we will talk about the parable of the soil. It deals with seed that is planted but does not take root for one reason or another. Seed that doesn’t take root is fairly easy to spot. You could also say that professing believers who produce no fruit or constantly bad fruit might need to evaluated themselves.

But today we will talk about counterfeits. Weeds that look like real wheat, but are empty.

A little background:

In chapter 11, John the Baptist is rejected. Warren Wiersbe makes this interesting observation.

There are 3 murders in the NT at the hands of the Jews.

John the Baptist, which is a rejection of the Father who sent Him.

Jesus, which is a rejection of the Son.

Stephen, who was stoned to death after a sermon about how they Jews rejected the Holy Spirit.

In chapter 12, Jesus is rejected. The religious leaders even claim that Jesus power comes from Satan. Jesus responds that first that their argument is illogical. How could Satan cast out Satan? He also responds that they have rejected the Spirit of God (blasphemy) by attributing the ministry and work of God to Satan.

So, beginning in chapter 13 Jesus begins to teach in parables.

He does this to conceal truth from the crowd who had rejected previously revealed truth.

He does this to reveal truth to the disciples who had accepted previously revealed truth.

Straight up: He taught in parables in front of the crowd, but he explained the parables in private to the disciples.

So let’s read this parable together

Matthew 13:24–30 HCSB

He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ “ ‘An enemy did this!’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him. “ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 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 store the wheat in my barn.’ ”

Matthew 13:36–43 HCSB

Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.” He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

7 elements of the parable

Jesus- sower of good seed

Field- World

Good Seed- Saved People

Weeds- Lost People

Satan- Sower of bad seed

Harvest- End of age

Harvesters- Angels

Anywhere and anytime God plants real Christians, the Devil will plant counterfeits.

The Lord is the only one who can sort the real from the fake.

God and You are the Only two who really know if you are real or counterfeit.

The purpose of this parable is to point out that there have been and will always be genuine Christians, an Counterfeits among the people of the world. We can’t tell them apart. We couldn’t separate the real from the fake without causing harm in our attempt. Its not our job.

But I don’t want to leave this parable without the application that you know if you are the real deal or not.

Illustrations of Randie Heaslett, Randy Mann, and James White

Question: Are you a well done, busy, involved counterfeit? The weeds grew AMONG the real deal.

Are you perfectly presentable phony?

I think sometimes the longer we go knowing that we aren’t the real deal, the harder it come clean and be saved. We are concerned with our reputation… What will people think? I’m very involved. I’ve been on the roll since… I do this I lead that. etc. But let me remind you what is at stake.

Matthew 13:41–43 HCSB

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!