Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. “The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’ “‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered. “The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ “But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvesttime I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’” Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” Jesus replied, “The one who plants the good seed is the Human One. The field is the world. And the good seeds are the followers of the kingdom. But the weeds are the followers of the evil one. The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the present age. The harvesters are the angels. Just as people gather weeds and burn them in the fire, so it will be at the end of the present age. The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin. He will throw them into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Those who have ears should hear.” (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, CEB)
A landowner planted seeds but when the crop grew there were weeds there too. The workers asked how this happened, and of course, weeds grow…
But the workers ask if they should pull the weeds, and the answer is no. Because as we are in this age, there are things around us that keep us from doing God’s will, and those are weeds, and if all of them were removed, some of us that follow God might get swiped in the process. So we let them all stay together until the harvest or the end of the age.
But the interesting part to me was, “The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin.” All people who sin. Isn’t that all of us? I mean some of us try to love and follow Jesus and love everyone else, but we still sin. We still don’t get it right. Are all of us going into the fire?
No, we are not all going into the fire. God in the end will separate out all the bad stuff and the rest will remain in the eternal kingdom. So remain with the bad and focus on loving.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 