StoneBridge Community Church
Senior Pastor Jon Saur
Matthew 13:24-30 NRSV
Sermon Outline
I. The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
A. Recap of parable
B. Recap of Jesus' explanation
II. Who are the Wheat?
III. Who are the Weeds?
IV. What do we do with both?
A. The House Ruler's Response
B. John Calvin on the visible church and invisible church
C. The pressure is off.
D. Potential tension?
V. So what do we do?
Invisible Church
One key idea in the theology of John Calvin was the "Invisible Church" vs. the "Visible Church." According to Calvin, the "Visible Church" included the institutions of the church, official church membership, etc. These were signs of the earthly church that could be measured and quantified.
The "invisible church," however, included all those who had been chosen for salvation. This group, Calvin asserted, was unknowable. We humans cannot know whom God has selected for salvation. So, trying to discern the membership of the invisible church made no sense for Jesus' followers. That is a decision by God, left up to God.
The parable of the Wheat and Weeds affirms Calvin's teaching. We humans aren't ever in a position know who exactly is wheat and who is weed. Jesus will sort that out. We are called to trust Jesus to figure it all out and to be faithful to him.
NEXT STEPS:
1. Identify someone you've written off as "weeds."
2. What made you think that they are "weeds?"
3. Pray for that person, that God would redeem them.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Who do you think qualifies as "wheat" in this parable?
2. Who do you think qualifies as "weeds" in this parable?
3. Can we know the difference? If so, how? If not, why not?
4. What do you think the owner of the field's response indicates? What is Jesus getting at with this character's response?
5. What kind of tension does this parable bring up for you, if any?
6. How do you see God's grace in this parable?
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