Storyteller: The Parables of Jesusනියැදිය

Two Realities (The Parable of the Weeds)

There is precision in the way Jesus teaches; it is not haphazard. He intentionally builds one foundational principle upon the next, offering us a broad picture of His Kingdom. When the parables of Jesus are applied side by side, we begin to capture a vision of His heart and understand both His mission and our opportunity to cooperate with Him in it.

As Jesus presents His Kingdom, He is careful to point out that Satan, His enemy, the impostor king, is continually at work trying to oppose Him. In fact, Satan hates God, His Kingdom, and those living within it. He is always actively working to destroy it, deliberately sowing a counterfeit kingdom and counterfeit Christians, aiming to deceive and lure people away.

Therefore, Jesus tells this parable to help us distinguish between these two kingdoms and to encourage people to find their place within His Kingdom.

In the agrarian culture of Jesus’ day, people would have understood how wheat closely resembled the poisonous weed darnel. Both take on a similar appearance, especially in the early stages of growth. Darnel threatens to choke the life out of the wheat as their roots become intertwined. It is not until they reach full maturity that the difference becomes obvious. At that point, the wheat can be uprooted without harm from the weeds.

So it is with each kingdom reality. While Jesus offers His loving and caring leadership over a Kingdom far superior and attractive, the enemy cunningly appeals to human nature, which tends to believe we do not need God. We imagine we can live happy, autonomous lives apart from any authority, creating kingdoms of our own based on terms we can control.

For a time, both the wheat and the weeds grow together, competing for resources and nutrients. But we all know both cannot thrive, and one will have to die. Similarly, in each reality, both may seem equally powerful, but in the end, only one reality will stand and be victorious, and only one Kingdom will reign eternal: God’s everlasting Kingdom where Jesus sits on the throne.

A harvest is coming, a time when we will experience a world without brokenness.

While these things are already true of His kingdom in part, they will not be fully and permanently established without opposition until Jesus returns. In the meantime, two realities vie for the hearts of all people, allowing ample time for everyone to respond favorably to the Lord’s gracious invitation. Jesus is patient, wishing that all would come into His Kingdom. Yet there are some who do not fully understand it, who have their own agendas, or who deliberately reject Him.

The important thing to remember is that, like farming, there is a process, and it takes time. But the hope remains that we grow and help others grow toward God’s Kingdom. After all, visible growth, often characterized by bountiful fruit, is the evidence of an authentic follower of Christ, versus someone who is a counterfeit, planted by the enemy.

The good seed represents those of us who have accepted the powerful Word of God (as seen in the Parable of the Sower) and have arranged our lives under His sovereign rule. We become a people radically aware that Jesus has paid the price for our sins with His own blood, bringing us from death into life. As a result, we humbly give ourselves in His service by sharing that message throughout the world as His glorious reflection, drawing others to join us in the Kingdom.

However, it is not for us to judge who will or will not choose to enter the Kingdom. It is not for us to determine who is an authentic Christian and who is a counterfeit, for God has set His love on all, and all of us are sinners in desperate need of His rescue. What we do know is that we are commanded to go and tell others what He has done in us.

Ultimately, there will be a sifting, when the weeds are consumed by fire and the wheat will flourish. God will come to consummate His Kingdom reality and bring His faithful followers into His eternal light. Conversely, those living in the opposing reality and have rejected Him will be cast into utter darkness.

God graciously lays out two realities before us: life and death. It is up to us to decide which one we will choose. We are not under compulsion either way, but we are invited to see God’s way as far superior to the rest.

Prayer

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. (Psalm 25:8-10, ESV)

Jesus, guide me, and give me wisdom and courage to follow the path where You lead me. Amen.