The Kingdom Movement

A Literary & Pastoral Study Guide to the Gospel of Matthew

The Inspiration of Matthew,

by Caravaggio

On the King's Errand

Devotional Reflections on Matthew's Gospel

Leadership Lesson:  Let the Mission Sift People:  Mt.13:24 – 43

^13:24 Jesus presented another parable to 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 tares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷ The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’’’

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.’ ³⁷ And he said, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then ‘the righteous will shine forth as the sun’ in the kingdom of their Father.  He who has ears, let him hear.

When I first met S* on campus, she wanted to meet with me and talk about her relationship with her boyfriend, her questions about her major, her past experiences with friends and church, and so on.  That’s fairly normal for a college student, and I was glad to sit down for lunch with her.  But during our second meeting a week or two later, I found myself feeling sleepy.  It was hard for me to tell what was really important to her, and my internal gauge for that was drowsiness – I was losing interest.  So I asked her if she could help me do evangelism by manning a large interactive display.  She was game for it.  She actually showed up to it a few days later.  She had conversations with non-Christians.  She realized that she didn’t have answers to questions they asked.  So that deepened our conversations.  She was up for doing it again, so we did.  She realized how much more she needed to learn, and to integrate Jesus into every part of her life and heart and mind.  She also learned how to ask other people good questions and listen much more attentively.  S* became one of the most dynamic student leaders I’ve ever worked with.  She became a much better listener, and good at asking questions.  She became a much better student of Scripture.  She became interested in the issue of modern day slavery and human trafficking.  She now cares about issues of race and culture from a Christian perspective.  She is one of the most insightful and effective evangelists and disciplers of younger Christians I’ve worked with.  And now, she totally energizes me whenever we talk.  No longer does she put me to sleep.

Tares are a type of rye-grass that looked a lot like wheat when it was growing.  But when it finished growing, there is no mistaking the two.  Tares are noticeably smaller than wheat, which has large kernels.  Tares have tiny black seeds instead.  If you eat those seeds, they make you fall asleep.  They might also make you nauseous.1

Now before you go looking with narrowed eyes at all the other Christians you know, wondering if they are really Christians, hold on.  Understand that Jesus told parables to illustrate one or two truths at a time.  He simplifies other parts of his parables.  So this stuff about the devil sowing tares in the midst of the wheat (13:38 – 39)?  It’s a figure of speech.  Surely the devil is involved as an influence.  But we do have choices about whether we are becoming wheat or tares.  That’s Jesus’ point here.  He tells the story to make his audience wonder, and ask him.

As a lesson in leadership principles, this parable is really practical.  Imagine yourself being one of Jesus’ first disciples.  One of the big questions you’ve got to be asking is, ‘So who’s going to really be in or out here?  Jesus, how can I tell?’  Jesus’ answer is this:  ‘You won’t totally be able to tell.’  That might be tough in some ways.  Notice church leaders often want some sure-fire marker of commitment, like baptism, membership, etc. but when has that always worked?  Never.  But part of Jesus’ answer is that he will tell, in time.  You don’t have to say who is a true Christian or not.  Jesus himself will make that determination, not us (13:40 – 41).  You just keep calling people forward into the mission, and investing in them towards that goal.  That is the context they need to become wheat, not tares.  Who do you see them becoming?  Wheat nourishes other people.  Tares poison them. 

So if the person has a self-centered spiritual life, be careful.  If s/he wants the church or the fellowship to just revolve around herself or himself (e.g. “But I don’t want this small group to divide up, even though it’s too big,” etc.), bring it back to the mission to non-Christians.  Perhaps they will find the strength in Christ to serve others.  If s/he really should go see a counselor but seems to want to relate to people using pity and problems, ask them to seek professional counseling and meanwhile contribute to the Christian community’s effort to care for non-Christians.  Perhaps s/he will do so out of love and respect, dealing with their brokenness in serious ways.  Or, sadly, at some point, maybe s/he won’t be happy putting her/his own need for recognition on the back burner.  S/he will start to leak out a sleep poison.  It’ll be gossip, or stone-walling, or complaining, or whatever.  Accept them.  Care for them.  But call them forward into Jesus’ mission, even if it’s in small steps.  It’s the only context by which they will be able to make a choice for Jesus so he could truly save them – from themselves.