Psalm 139:1–12, 23-34 • Genesis 28:10–19a • Romans 8:12–25 • Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

The theme for this week is Jesus is faithful to the end. The psalm proclaims a God who knows us fully and holds us fast, even as we ask to be searched and led (Psalm 139). In Genesis, Jacob discovers that God is present and faithful even in uncertainty, fear, and exile (Genesis 28). Romans names our present life as one of groaning and hope — caught between promise and fulfillment, weakness, and glory (Romans 8). In Matthew, we encounter a parable that explores Jesus’ faithfulness to fulfill God’s plan for his people.

Reminder: This introductory paragraph is intended to show how the four RCL selections for this week are connected and to assist the preacher prepare the sermon. It is not intended to be included in the sermon.

How to use this sermon resource.

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Jesus is Faithful to the End

Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 ESV

In today’s scripture reading, we find Jesus in the middle of sharing a series of parables about what the kingdom of God is like. Last Sunday, we looked at the parable of the Sower. We learned that Jesus, as the human who stands in for all of us, has been “sown” into the world. God the Father, the extravagant generous Sower, sent Jesus to reconcile the world to himself. Next Sunday, we will continue in Matthew 13 and hear Jesus tell five parables in quick succession.

Let’s have a quick review of what a parable is. A parable is a literary form that was common in Jesus’ day. It places two things side-by-side or parallel so that one sheds light on the other. (You can hear it in the words: parallel and parable.) Jesus’ use of parables was thought-provoking, dynamic, and transformational teaching. It invites the hearer into new insights or reflections. Parables are not a directive or instructive form of teaching. They are more like a short story that makes you take a second look at how you see the world.

As we hear our Scripture reading for today, let’s listen with a posture of curiosity and reflection. Let’s read Matthew 13:24–30, 36–40:

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, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 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.”’”

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “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. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 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 13:24–30, 36–40 ESV

Jesus’ audience would have been familiar with the seasons of sowing, growing, and harvesting. It was a society based closely on agriculture — that is, the work of growing food: preparing the land, planting the seeds, caring for the crop, and harvesting. Telling a parable using agricultural imagery created a point of connection from everyday life and knowledge into what Jesus was teaching.

Today, most of us are likely less familiar with agricultural practices and knowledge, so there are some helpful things for us to know. The weed referenced here is the darnel weed. It is a weed that looks just like wheat until the ears of the plant appear, or until it is almost mature. The weed is useless and can even harm the wheat crop, reducing the amount of wheat that grows. The grains of the darnel weed are poisonous, creating a drowsy effect if consumed.

While these weeds can spread on their own, they most often spread by mixing in with wheat seeds and being planted alongside the crop. Because of this, their spread is usually the result of human involvement rather than natural growth. Under Roman law, the presence of darnel was even seen as a sign of sabotage or revenge since it rarely appeared on its own and caused real harm to crops.

This weed is a stealthy counterfeit, a misleading imitation that spreads through infiltrating good seed, reduces crop yield, and has a poisonous effect if consumed. This is definitely not a weed a farmer wants in their wheat field!

In the parable, we’re told that good seed is planted or “sown” in the field — seed that has not been contaminated by darnel. And yet, as the crop begins to grow, weeds still appear. We can imagine the questions running through the servants’ minds: Did the landowner really use good seed? Was he honest with us? Is he going to blame us? Did we do something wrong?

They bring their question to the landowner. He confirms that the presence of the darnel weeds is from an enemy. It was sabotage. Someone opposes the landowner and works against the production of a good and healthy crop.

Do you ever feel opposed? Have you ever looked around and wondered where all these weeds came from? Maybe you did something you thought was good to later find out that something counterfeit or harmful came alongside your good intentions. Maybe you look around at God’s creation that he called good and wonder why natural disasters claim the lives of many. Maybe you wonder if Jesus really redeemed humanity because you still see so many evil deeds done in this world. Sometimes when you’re honest, you even come face to face with the evil desires of your own heart.

Have you ever looked around and asked yourself and God, “If you sowed good seed, then where did these weeds come from?” Maybe this question has even revealed some doubts. Is God really good? Is he truthful about his intentions and relationship with humanity? Am I doing this whole faith thing wrong? Is he angry with me? Has he left me? Left all of us?

It may feel comforting then to hear that the weeds are the work of an enemy. Maybe the landowner, maybe God, is trustworthy after all …

In response, the servants ask the landowner if they should remove the weeds. This makes sense. The weeds are from the enemy after all. They could impact the landowner’s crops! Standard practice of the time was what the servants suggested — remove the weeds as soon as possible to minimize damage. Remove them before the ears bear seeds that will mix into the wheat harvest and corrupt the next generation of grains.

This is where the parable takes what is likely an unexpected turn for Jesus’ audience.

The landowner says something different. He says to leave the weeds. Let them grow together with the wheat until the harvest. Why? So that none of the wheat is accidentally taken up with the weeds.

Instead, the weeds would be removed at the harvest. Burning the undesired vegetation was a standard agricultural practice of the time. The undesired weeds would be removed first, burned, and then the wheat would be gathered.

An enemy tainted the landowner’s crop, but the landowner did not panic. The actions of an enemy did not deter him. He had a plan; he stuck to his plan and saw it through to the end.

Removing the weeds immediately was the best move as a wise farming practice. But in the parable — the landowner chooses differently. Parables often do this. They create tension; they take something we think we know and flip it on its head.

And this is where we are invited to reflect how the kingdom of God is different than our world. We’re invited to lean into the mystery of God’s kingdom. How does the kingdom of God work differently than we would expect? How does God do things differently than we do?

This parable casts an image of the kingdom of God. It’s like a man who sowed good seed and has confidence that the crop will do just fine, that the harvest is sure. He is not shocked or frightened by the appearance of weeds. He has absolute assurance that his good harvest of wheat is secure.

What might such an image of the kingdom reveal to us about Jesus? One thing we can receive from this parable is that Jesus is faithful to the end.

Then the disciples ask Jesus for an explanation. The Sower is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed is children of the kingdom, weeds are deeds of evil, the enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age.

We see the story arc of God and humanity.

• • God created the heavens and the earth and humanity and called it GOOD. He sowed good seed.
  • The fall of humanity and entrance of sin came through deception. Something that looked like wisdom but was a counterfeit to the good that God had already given to humanity. God’s good creation was distorted and a season where evil exists alongside good begins. Weed is identified amongst wheat.
  • Jesus creates a path of redemption where all evil is defeated and humanity made new, restored to goodness, God’s original purposes, and brought into the fullness of the kingdom. The weed was separated and the wheat was harvested into the barn.

Jesus is faithful to the end.

There is a phrase used to describe this present moment in God’s story with humanity. The “now but not yet” or “already but not yet.” It’s this weird, messy, in-between time where Jesus has established his kingdom on earth, but it’s still not yet in fullness. It has not come into maturity in this world.

We are still in a version of the world where weeds crop up in the wheat. We are in a time when the kingdom is here — but not yet fully as it will be.

And isn’t this an honest reflection of our experience? Weeds among the wheat. Weeds in our minds, our hearts, our relationships, our communities, our systems, and our world. We talked two Sundays ago about our divided hearts.

This parable describes a day when the weeds will be separated, and the wheat brought into the safety of the barn. In the “already, not yet,” this day has already come. Because of Jesus’ saving acts, the weeds — the power of sin and death, are already destroyed. The wheat — humanity is already joined to Jesus and taken to the Father. In Jesus, we are already safely gathered up in the barn.

But we do not yet experience the fullness of the kingdom subjectively, meaning we don’t always experience or perceive the reality of the present kingdom. One day, every bit of weed will be destroyed. Every cause of sin will be defeated, to the point of non-existence — just like the burning of unwanted vegetation. From every whisper and shadow of a sin hidden deep within our hearts to the worst atrocities of this world will be cleansed, burned away. And we will experience our glorified, redeemed humanity in Jesus.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matthew 13:43 ESV

This parable invites us to consider something very important:
the presence of the weeds does not mean that God intends for evil. Neither can evil overcome good.

Notice it was the disciples who named this parable the parable of the weeds in verse 36. Imagine Jesus thinking, “That’s what you got from my parable? Why not call it the parable of the Man who sowed good seed? Or the parable of the secure and safeguarded wheat harvest?”

Are we ever tempted to do this? To focus more on evil than the righteousness secured by Christ?

Let’s hear, loud and clear, the good news of this parable, namely that it points to one central truth:
In our present circumstances where evil exists, evil has no power to stop or thwart God’s plan of reconciliation and redemption.

There’s not enough darnel in the world to stop the fruitfulness of what God has sown. This is the mystery of the kingdom.

Jesus is faithful to the end.

As children of the kingdom, what do we do with this extravagant story of grace? We scatter this good news like we’re tossing out seeds — everywhere, generously to the point of wastefulness.

The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus give us confidence that Jesus has been, is, and will be faithful to the end. In Jesus, God has committed himself to us as one of us. He lives out the story of humanity on our behalf.

In his incarnation, Jesus became one of us — human, living flesh, a person of the kingdom on this earth — sown as “good seed.”

In the power of the Spirit, he lives a life faithful to God the Father, growing into healthy and mature “wheat.”

In his death, he redeems humanity from sin. He separates and burns all of the weeds.

In his resurrection and ascension, Jesus brings humanity into the kingdom of God. He becomes the first fruit of the good harvest.

He cannot forget us any more than he can forget himself. According to the will of God the Father, by the power of the Spirit, Jesus the Son has become one of us. And he brings us into his kingdom and into his own relationship with God the Father and the Spirit.

And we find comfort because Jesus knows what it is like to live in a world where wheat and weeds exist at the same time. We are loved and redeemed by a God that does not just sympathize from afar, but that knows from within. He shares our pains and our burdens.

When we feel overwhelmed by the weeds, we can trust that the weeds do not have the final say. Jesus does. When we are discouraged by the weeds that grow in our own minds and hearts, we can find comfort in Jesus’ promise of full redemption. When we feel alone or forgotten among the weeds, we find hope because Jesus became wheat just like us so that he could show us the way home.

In this beautiful and messy, confusing, scary, joyful, and dark world, we are not forsaken. Jesus is faithful to the end.

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