GOOD AND BAD TOGETHER
Matthew 13:27-30 'The owner's servants came to him and said, "Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?" '"An enemy did this," he replied. 'The servants asked him, "Do you want us to go and pull them up?" '"No," he answered, "because while you are pulling up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn."' (NIVUK)
Jesus told a parable about an evil person who had sown seeds of weeds in a wheat field, while the farmer slept. The estate owner was told of the problem when servants found weeds shooting up among the corn: they wondered if the wheat seed had been contaminated. However the owner knew that he had authorized the very best seed to be sown, and therefore the weeds had been deliberately sown by an enemy.
What should they do? Should they go through the field and pull up all the weeds? If they did, they would trample the developing corn; and as the roots were intertwined, the wheat would be removed with the weeds. The owner was not willing to risk losing even one shoot of corn. He was so confident that the good crop was strong enough to survive the competition from the weeds that he ordered the servants to leave the field alone until harvest time.
And so, good and bad plants grew together. The sorting was done once both had reached their full potential (Genesis 15:16). The weeds could no longer be tolerated, their crop had no value. It would be destroyed. However the good corn would be carefully collected and stored in the owner's barn. The meaning is clear. The field represents the people of the world. Those who receive the good seed of the gospel are the children of God's kingdom, but the weeds are the children of the Evil One. Every person is either one or the other.
God allows both good and evil people to coexist in His world. Some say that a balance of good and bad is healthy - it is not. But the apparent vigor of evil will not last for ever. It has no value to God and will be destroyed, so that His eternal home will be completely free from all corruption. That will happen when Jesus Christ returns. Meanwhile, it is important to understand that the evil in the world is not from God, but from His enemy the devil. But Satan does not have the last word - God is the owner of the world and has the right to determine the destiny of every person. Only those who receive the good seed of the gospel and welcome Jesus will be welcomed by Him.
Prayer: Father God. Thank You for giving me new life in Christ. However, I am often troubled by the evil around me. Please forgive me for doubting Your goodness when I see the wicked prosper. Help me to know that You will deal with everybody according to how they have responded to Your gospel. Let that truth sink deeply into my heart, so that I will want to sow the seed of the truth about Jesus, praying that it will take root in the hearts of my friends and family; so that they may be saved when they face Jesus on Judgement Day. In His Name. Amen.
Jesus told a parable about an evil person who had sown seeds of weeds in a wheat field, while the farmer slept. The estate owner was told of the problem when servants found weeds shooting up among the corn: they wondered if the wheat seed had been contaminated. However the owner knew that he had authorized the very best seed to be sown, and therefore the weeds had been deliberately sown by an enemy.
What should they do? Should they go through the field and pull up all the weeds? If they did, they would trample the developing corn; and as the roots were intertwined, the wheat would be removed with the weeds. The owner was not willing to risk losing even one shoot of corn. He was so confident that the good crop was strong enough to survive the competition from the weeds that he ordered the servants to leave the field alone until harvest time.
And so, good and bad plants grew together. The sorting was done once both had reached their full potential (Genesis 15:16). The weeds could no longer be tolerated, their crop had no value. It would be destroyed. However the good corn would be carefully collected and stored in the owner's barn. The meaning is clear. The field represents the people of the world. Those who receive the good seed of the gospel are the children of God's kingdom, but the weeds are the children of the Evil One. Every person is either one or the other.
God allows both good and evil people to coexist in His world. Some say that a balance of good and bad is healthy - it is not. But the apparent vigor of evil will not last for ever. It has no value to God and will be destroyed, so that His eternal home will be completely free from all corruption. That will happen when Jesus Christ returns. Meanwhile, it is important to understand that the evil in the world is not from God, but from His enemy the devil. But Satan does not have the last word - God is the owner of the world and has the right to determine the destiny of every person. Only those who receive the good seed of the gospel and welcome Jesus will be welcomed by Him.
Prayer: Father God. Thank You for giving me new life in Christ. However, I am often troubled by the evil around me. Please forgive me for doubting Your goodness when I see the wicked prosper. Help me to know that You will deal with everybody according to how they have responded to Your gospel. Let that truth sink deeply into my heart, so that I will want to sow the seed of the truth about Jesus, praying that it will take root in the hearts of my friends and family; so that they may be saved when they face Jesus on Judgement Day. In His Name. Amen.
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