St. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The church was formed amidst conflict. God's kingdom seems to be
continually threatened. The world and church are strange bedfellows,
and Jesus gives us a parable for diagnosing and understanding the
strange connection between these two. Today we hear the parable of
the wheat and the tares. As usual, Jesus speaks in parables and,
again, as usual, the people don't understand what He is saying. He
has to then teach to explain the parable.
We hear of the man who sowed good seed in his field. While these
good sowers slept, his enemy came by night and sowed tares among the
wheat and then went his way. What a strange thing to do, it may seem.
The wheat grew but so did the tares, and the tares threatened to
choke out the good wheat. The tares competed for the soil and its
space.
The wheat is more delicate, the tares are very strong and enduring.
The servants of the owner knew the dangers of the tares growing amidst
the wheat. Some of the wheat would be lost. The servants wanted to
pull the tares, but the owner knew that it would have a cost.
So, the owner says that the field must remain with wheat and tares
until the harvest. We are told in St. Matthew that the sower is
Jesus. The field is the world. The tares are the sons of Satan.
Satan is the one who sowed the tares by night. The sower expressly
says that the tares will be burned by the reapers at the judgment. To
understand why the owner of the field says to hold off on pulling the
tares is interesting.
As usual, we must go back to the Greek to understand. The Greek word
for tares is zizania. It resembles wheat, particularly when the wheat
and the zizania are young. So closely do they resemble one another
that they are easily mistaken for one another. If a gardener were to
go to pull the tares, some of the good wheat would be pulled.
When the wheat and the tares are young, they are indistinguishable.
To even attempt to pull the tares while they are young would mean that
much of the wheat would be pulled and perish. The Son of Man does not
want that to happen.
But as the wheat and the tares, or, zizania begin to mature, then
things change a bit. As they mature, then seeds begin to appear. The
wheat is known for its beautiful gold color. The tares mature and
grow black seeds. Only at maturity are they distinguished. The time
of maturity is the end of the age. It is the coming of the judgment.
This can be difficult to understand or reason, but it teaches us
something about the world and the church.
The church on earth is full of people. They may all look the same.
They go to church, go to the sacrament, hear the word of God, but some
shall fall away from Jesus. When we are young in the faith, we are
more fragile, more tender and vulnerable.
Over time, Jesus brings spiritual maturity to His own. Likewise, in
time the works of darkness make themselves known in the wicked as
well. This is why the church isn't always a perfect, peaceful place.
History shows that men have risen to positions of authority in the
church who have been absolutely evil. This reality has been
devastating for some, but we need to keep things in perspective.
I think that the difference between the wheat and tares demonstrates
something else for the church. The black seeds of the tares are also
poisonous. To eat of it is deadly, but the color gives it away. The
black seeds mark malignant intent, whereas the gold of the wheat gives
forth a beauty which is reminiscent of heaven.
We in the church do not look at external beauty as the mark of God's
grace. Rather, the heart gives forth either the blackness of Satan's
poison tares or it gives forth Christ's beauty that attracts us to it.
What is this beauty that the church possesses? The beauty that shines
forth like the gold of the wheat harvest is the love of Jesus. Those
of us in the church know what we need. There is something that draws
you to the church and keeps you coming back.
It is the love and mercy of Jesus Christ towards you. What will make
this church an inviting place for others is the love of Jesus Christ
for those who enter into this church through the doors in the narthex.
People seek the love of Jesus in the scriptures. This love is also
found in Holy Baptism, and in the Lord's Supper. The love of Jesus is
proclaimed in Holy Absolution.
The love of Jesus is also demonstrated in you. This is what we all
need. St. Paul says it: "And now abide faith, hope, and love, these
three: but the greatest of these is love." This love is a self-less
love. This love is a merciful love. It is understanding and
patience. It is kindness and concern. It is extending ourselves to
others. We need this as much as the next person.
We could not know what this feels like, were it not for Jesus and His
love poured forth to us on the cross. When we really battle sin in
our lives and we are told that Jesus does not consider our sin any
longer but forgives us freely, it is then that we know what love and
mercy is. This is your reality.
You may listen to this sermon and think to yourself that you
sometimes wonder if you are not one of the tares, but do not think of
that any further. You are living in this love and mercy right now.
Whatever troubles you, let it be gone. Jesus has taken away your sins
and proclaims His love upon you.
There is no condemnation for those who live in Christ. The beautiful
gold of the wheat that shines forth from us is the love of Jesus. You
shine brightly like a beautiful field of wheat because Jesus extends
His rays of beauty upon you. So, how does one distinguish himself
from the tares? By living a life of repentance and simply basking in
the rays of Christ's love. If we are to mature into this beautiful
gold wheat, then we must let Christ, the owner of the field nourish us
and water us with His love.
To be nourished by His love is to be in church studying God's word,
receiving the sacrament and confessing our sins. The love of Jesus
must continually cover us and that is God's intention for you. He
planted you in His church through Holy Baptism and He loves you
dearly. He shines His rays of love upon you in order to care for you.
Jesus died for everyone and desires that all will come into
His blessed kingdom, and He calls, grows and keeps the wheat through
the precious means of grace in Word and Sacrament, and the receiving
of these gifts is the sign and seal of your coming entrance into the
kingdom of blessedness and love. Amen.
--
Rev. Chad Kendall
www.frchadius.blogspot.com
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lowell, Indiana
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