Telling the Next Generation

Psalm 78:1-33

Some families like to pass down to the younger generations stories about the family’s past.  They will tell the stories about relatives from generations earlier who did famous (or maybe infamous) deeds, or how the family persevered during difficult times.  For many others, though, the past generations are quickly forgotten, little more than a name on a family tree.  Though it might be nice to remember the deeds of some illustrious ancestors, what is more important is whether the faith of believing ancestors is passed down to future generations, along with the accounts of how God moved and worked in their lives.  Our psalm for today, written by Asaph, a Levite who wrote several psalms, tells of the importance of passing on one's family past, particularly what God has done for them.  If we forget what God has done in the past, then it is all too easy for our faith to falter when faced with trials in the future.  Let’s take a look at the first half of this rather long psalm.

It’s nice to be able to pass along stories of family victories, however, it is equally important to tell of past mistakes and failures, too.  This way, hopefully the younger generation can learn from the mistakes, and not make them in their own lives.  God’s people must remember His works, obey His Word, and pass truth to the next generation, or they will repeat the same tragic cycle of unbelief.  Asaph sought to instruct God’s people that forgetting His works leads to unbelief, rebellion, and judgment, while remembering His mighty acts will strengthen faith and obedience.  Israel’s failures were recorded in Scripture so that believers today will not repeat the same mistakes (I Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4).

Asaph begins his psalm with a call to listen to what God wants to teach them (vs. 1-8).  This is not optional.  God demands our attention.  He tells us that it is vitally important that we teach our children about Him and His Word (vs. 5-6).  This instruction was specifically given in Deuteronomy 6:1-9.  The next generation must know God’s works, so that they will set their hope in Him, and not be like previous generations who were stubborn and rebellious.  Israel’s failure began when they forgot what God had done for them.  Forgetting the truth is never neutral.  It leads directly to rebellion.  We see this today.  Over the past several generations many believers have failed to instruct their children and grandchildren in the Lord, and thus churches sit empty.  This has led to society becoming more and more evil and morality becoming a cesspool.

The psalmist continues by showing a pattern: God would work, but Israel would forget, leading them to rebel (vs. 9-20).  One example was the tribe of Ephraim.  When they encountered their enemies they were armed, but because their faith was weak, they fled (vs. 9).  They had the resources, but because they had forgotten God, or were never properly instructed by the previous generation, they lacked faith.  Israel had a persistent problem with forgetfulness (vs. 10-11).  They did not keep God’s covenant.  They also refused to follow His law, and thus forgot His works and wonders.  This is the spiritual root of all of their failures, and is too often the cause today.

Asaph listed many of the miracles that the people had witnessed in prior generations, such as God dividing the sea so the people could escape slavery to Pharaoh, His leading them by cloud and fire, and splitting the rock so they could have water in the desert (vs. 12-16).  However, what was Israel’s response?  They sinned more and more, they tempted God, spoke against Him, and questioned His ability (vs. 17-20).  This was not innocent questioning.  This was rebellious unbelief.  God had shown them visible, undeniable acts, yet Israel still doubted.  This unbelief was not intellectual, it was moral.

The remainder of this section of Psalm 78 shows God’s provision, but also Israel’s judgment (vs. 21-33).  God was angry because they did not believe in Him, nor trust in His salvation.  Unbelief is not just a weakness.  It is a sin.  However, despite their rebellion, God opened the windows of heaven and gave them manna and meat in abundance until they were filled.  God’s grace continued even while they complained.  He also, though, did not withhold His judgment because they sinned, their hearts were not right, and rebelled in their unbelief.  There will be judgment because God is a holy God.  His patience is great, but it is not endless.

This lesson doesn’t just apply to Israel in the days of the Old Testament.  It can apply to us today, as well.  It is vitally important that we teach our children and grandchildren about the Lord Jesus.  The truth about the Lord does not pass to the next generation automatically.  The Bible must be taught intentionally.  Forgetting about God’s works will lead to spiritual collapse.  Christians must tell the younger generations about God’s faithfulness regularly.  Just because we have received some blessings from the Lord does not excuse rebellion.  God provided for them abundantly, but judgment still came.  God is both merciful and holy.  Grace does not cancel accountability.  Let’s be sure that we never suffer from spiritual amnesia.

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Nehemiah 9:16-20

When we think of confessing sin to God, we generally think of confessing our own personal sins.  “I cheated on my test”, or “I lied to my parents”, or any number of other sins.  We don’t generally confess someone else’s sins to God.  However, several times in the Bible we see people coming before the Lord and confessing the sins of the nation to Him, asking for His forgiveness for the whole country.  Today’s Scripture is a portion of one such confession.   Let’s look into what this is about.

The Book of Nehemiah tells of how after a portion of the Jewish people returned to the Promised Land after decades in captivity, they began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  When the rebuilding was completed, the people gathered together and the Scriptures were read, followed by confessing of the sins of the nation and worship of the Lord.  It was for the sins of the nation that they had gone into captivity years earlier, and they were confessing and seeking forgiveness.  As we read this portion of that confession we see the stubborn rebellion of Israel, and how it is contrasted with the unfailing mercy, patience, and provisions of God.

This section of the confession focused on the sins of the people during the years of their wandering in the wilderness, following the Exodus from Egypt and prior to their coming into the land that God promised them.  The people, as a nation, had sinned and rebelled against God all throughout those years, however there was one particular occasion of sin that glaringly stood out above all the others, and that was the golden calf they made and worshiped.

As we begin reading we see that the people of Israel had become very proud (vs. 16).  Pride is the root of rebellion against God.  Pride blinds people to God’s authority.  They hardened their neck, which is just what an ox does when he doesn’t want to put on the yoke and submit to the farmer.  They had become stubbornly resistant to the Lord, and refused to listen to or obey Him.  This was not ignorant sin, this was willful disobedience.  It was not passive, but active rebellion.  They had God’s commandments, but their sinful heart resisted God’s authority.  We see this in the world today.  People know what God has said, but they willfully shake their fists at Him.

God had just weeks before delivered them from years of slavery in Egypt.  He had parted the waters of the Red Sea, allowing them to escape the army of Pharaoh, but now they were refusing to obey Him (vs. 17).  They were even appointing a leader other than Moses to bring them back to Egypt (Exodus 14:11-12; Numbers 14:4).  What was God’s response to their sin?  He was ready to pardon them.  God was gracious and merciful.  He didn’t give them what they deserved.  He was slow to anger.  God’s patience is long and His wrath is measured.  This is the same way He acts towards us with our sins.  He remains gracious and remains faithful to His covenant.  Salvation is rooted in God’s mercy, not in any merit of ours.

As we continue reading in verse 18, we read of one particular act of apostasy. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and the Law of God, the people rebelled against God and made a molten calf to worship as their god (Exodus 32:1-10).  This occurred immediately after God’s mighty deliverance of them from Egypt.  The people had replaced their true God with a man-made idol, a false god whom they attributed with their deliverance.  When we replace God with anything, whether it is a false god of another religion, an object, an idea, or another person, that is idolatry.

We see the love and mercy of God shown abundantly here (vs. 19-20).  You might think that God would destroy them all, or wash His hands of the people and let them perish in the wilderness.  However that is not what He did.  Despite their sin, God did not abandon them.  He continued to guide them through the wilderness with the pillar of cloud and fire.  His guidance continued.  God’s mercy towards them, and towards us today with our many sins, is abundant and overflowing.  He has great patience with His people, and is committed to His promises and covenant.  God gave His Spirit to teach them, along with manna and water.  God’s grace is not only forgiving, but sustaining.  He does not merely pardon, He shepherds.

Despite Israel’s sin, God remained merciful, patient, faithful, and present for them.  He does so with His Blood-bought children today, as well.  God keeps His promises even when His people fail.  God’s grace is greater than our sin.  As St. Paul said in Romans 5:20, “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

Pride is still at the root of all rebellion.  As believers, we need to cultivate humility and submission to God and His Word.  God’s mercy is our only hope.  His readiness to pardon us is the foundation of our assurance.  As we read in today’s Scripture passage, we see our own tendency to wander, and God’s unwavering commitment to bring us back to Him.  It reminds us that the story of redemption is not the story of human faithfulness, but is of divine mercy.  God’s grace is deeper than our rebellion.  His patience is longer than our stubbornness, and His kindness is greater than our sin.

Five Kingdom Parables

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50

The Gospel reading for today from this week’s Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer presents five short, brief parables, each revealing a different facet of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Through these specific parables Jesus is teaching of the supernatural growth of God’s Kingdom, the transforming power of the Gospel, along with the surpassing worth of salvation, and then the final separation of the righteous from the wicked.  Some of these very short parables might be familiar to you, others not as much so.  Let’s take a look.

The first parable in this set is the Parable of the Mustard Seed (vs. 31-32).  The mustard seed is quite small.  Though technically not the smallest seed in the world, it would have been the smallest that Jesus’ audience would be familiar with.  Though tiny, the mustard plant would typically grow to 10-12 feet tall, with woody branches that birds would rest on.  This was an example of a small beginning to a large outcome, which also describes the early Church.  It started with just a handful of disciples and quickly spread all around the world.  The farmer plants the seed, but it is God who causes the seed to germinate and then grow to its size.  The Kingdom of God expands because God is at work (Acts 2; Matthew 16:18).  This mustard tree or plant is big enough that people easily see it, just like the Church’s testimony should be seen and visible by all.  Just as the birds come and rest in the mustard plant, the nations and peoples of the world can find refuge in the Kingdom (Ezekiel 17:23).

The second parable is the Parable of the Leaven (vs. 33).  Leaven is a substance like yeast or baking soda, which when added to the flour will make it rise.  Frequently in the Bible yeast symbolizes sin, but here Jesus uses it positively. to illustrate its influence and penetration.  Compared to the amount of flour, the yeast added is just a very small amount, yet it is very important to the making of bread.  The yeast works invisibly but thoroughly.  It makes all the difference in the world, for without it your bread recipe won’t work.  Likewise, the Kingdom of God works internally and quietly, transforming everything it touches.  God’s Kingdom changes hearts from the inside out (II Corinthians 5:17).  It permeates families, cultures, and societies.  Like yeast, the Kingdom works quietly, unseen, and slow, but it is always effective.  Once planted, it will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 55:11).

The next parable Jesus told in this series was the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (vs. 44).  In this parable a man finds a treasure in a field, so he sells what he has in order to have enough money to buy the field.  The treasure is so important to him that he is willing to give up his belongings in order to obtain it.  His sacrifice is not reluctant, it is joyful.  The value of being part of God’s Kingdom is like that treasure.  It is worth giving up all that the world considers valuable in order to obtain it.  Genuine salvation produces a willingness to forsake anything that competes with Jesus.  This man was happy when he bought the field.  Salvation is not a loss, but a gain (Philippians 3:7-8).  As believers in God’s Kingdom, we should treasure Jesus above all earthly possessions or ambitions.

The fourth parable that Jesus told at this time is the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (vs. 45-46).  In this parable a merchant was looking over beautiful pearls, and found one of great value.  Like the man with the field, he also sells all he has to obtain this pearl.  He doesn’t go after all of the pearls, just the one.  Likewise, there is only one true Savior, not many (Acts 4:12).  Jesus is not one option among many.  He is the only pearl worth our life.  This merchant was searching for a valuable pearl, just like those who seek truth and find Jesus.  Like this merchant and the man with the field, following Jesus requires surrender (Luke 14:33).  If we want to follow Jesus, we cannot be stuck on the things of this world.  It costs everything to follow Jesus, but once we do, we realize He is worth more than everything else.  Nothing this world offers will ever satisfy us as much as a relationship with Jesus.

The final parable is the Parable of the Dragnet (vs. 47-50).  In this parable Jesus uses a familiar fishing scenario for the people, one where fishermen throw a large net into the sea and after a brief while it is pulled in again.  The fishermen then sort out the catch, separating the good fish from the bad.  The Kingdom ends with the final judgment, with the eternal separation of the righteous and the wicked.  Jesus explicitly interprets this as the end-time judgment.  At this time the angels will divide the saved from the lost (Revelation 20:11-15).  There will be no second chances.  This judgment is irreversible.

These parables present a full picture.  The Kingdom begins small, works quietly, is worth everything, and will end in judgment.  Knowing this, we need to live with eternity in view.  We need to be sharing the Gospel with urgency.  There are many in the “net”, but not yet among the redeemed.

Our Intercessor

Romans 8:26-34

Have you ever stumbled over your words, not knowing exactly what you wanted to say?  Perhaps you were on the phone with someone from the customer service department and you were having a difficult time trying to explain something.  You wished you could just hand the phone to someone else to handle it for you.  Maybe it was in school and you had to go speak to the well-known, renowned professor.  You wished you could send your much more eloquent and charming friend on your behalf.  There are times when we feel that way when we are praying.  Can we just hand it over to someone else to handle?  St. Paul gives us the answer to that in our Scripture passage today.  Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

We have had studies from the eighth chapter of Romans three times this month, and today is our fourth sojourn into this chapter, and next week will be our final one.  There is a lot of good, “spiritual meat” in this chapter.  Last week Paul had spoken about both creation and believers groaning with what they are going through, and today he adds a third groaning, that of the Holy Spirit on behalf of us (vs. 26). When does this happen? As I mentioned earlier, there are times when we face a very critical situation, or are carrying a very heavy burden, and we know we need to go to the Lord in prayer.  We want to go to Him in prayer, but we don’t know what to say.  It is then, as Paul says, that the Holy Spirit steps in and helps our human weakness, especially our inability to pray as we should.

Even when we can’t find the words to pray, the Holy Spirit is there, taking our requests before God.  He holds on with us, strengthening our prayers with silent, wordless intercession.  Rather than stumbling over our words, praying the wrong things, or just making a mess of our intercessions, the Holy Spirit’s intercession is perfectly aligned with God’s will (vs. 27).  Even when our prayers are confused, weak, or misdirected, the Holy Spirit prays rightly.

Next follows a verse that many people count as one of their favorites, and is often quoted when going through a difficult time.  Verse 28 assures us that whatever we are going through, the Lord will work it out for our good.  “All things” includes suffering, trials, persecution, weakness, and even our ignorance in prayer.  With how often we hear people quoting this verse, we might think that it is a cliche.  It is not, though.  It is a theological guarantee rooted in God’s eternal plan.

However, we must remember that this verse does not apply to everyone.  Paul stated that things work together for good to “those who love God”.  As we know, there are millions everywhere who do not love God, and this verse would not apply to them.  It applies only to believers, to Christians.  However, for Christians, whatever the reason for our trial, we can know that God has a purpose in that adversity, and that He has allowed it for our good.  When a bad event passes through God’s permissive will to affect us, He will bring good from it.

As we continue on in our Scripture passage we see that it is God’s desire that we are conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus (vs. 29).  It is God’s goal to make believers like His Son.  He is continually working to shape our character, conduct, and conversation.  Although God is the one who accomplishes the transformation, we have some responsibility in the process.  If we don’t cooperate with Him, the world will squeeze us into its mold, and we will miss the great plans God has for us.  As we are conformed to the image of Jesus, we will increasingly learn to be obedient to God and His Word.

The word “if” in verse 31 would be better translated as “since” because there is no question whether He might or might not be for us.  God is definitely for His children!  And since He is, no enemy - human, demonic, or circumstantial - can thwart His saving purpose for us.  God gave His Son for us, which is the greatest gift ever (vs. 32).  And because He did, He will “freely give us all things”, giving everything necessary for our salvation and perseverance.

Satan is right there, though, trying to bring accusations against us to God (vs. 33).  Scripture calls him the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), but his accusations cannot stand because God justifies us.  There is no higher court in existence which can overturn His verdict!  There are four reasons why no one can condemn a believer (vs. 34).  Jesus died, paying the penalty for us.  He rose again, conquering death.  Jesus is now at the right hand of God, holding the place of authority.  And He is there making intercession for us, continually pleading our case.  As we see now, we have both the Holy Spirit praying for us, and also the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

A Godly Life in an Ungodly World

Psalm 119:121-136

This world is not an easy place, especially for a genuine believer, one who truly wishes to faithfully follow God and His Word.  If one isn’t following along with what popular society says, not only will there be harsh ridicule, but in many places there can be actual oppression.  Our psalm for this week is a portion from Psalm 119, the longest psalm, and actually the longest chapter in the Bible.  In this passage of Scripture we read the cry of a righteous servant living in an unrighteous world, clinging to God’s commandments as his only stability.

In the first half of this portion of the psalm the unknown author appealed to God’s justice, and asked Him for deliverance from his oppressors. The psalmist was a committed believer who was afflicted by those who opposed God, yet he remained faithful.  He was persecuted, yet he kept himself anchored in God’s Word.

As our portion of this psalm begins, the author asserted his integrity (vs. 121).  He wasn’t trying to say that he was sinless or perfect in God’s, or even his own sight.  He was appealing to God based on the fact that he knew that God was faithful to His covenant, and that he was committed to try and walk in obedience to the Lord.  Because he was committed to Him, he pleads with the Lord that He not abandon him to his enemies, who were also the enemies of God.  This oppression is serious, and he asked God for a pledge or guarantee that He will rescue him (vs. 122).

God doesn’t always answer our prayers immediately, the moment we pray, and that was also the case with our psalmist.  He was waiting, actually exhausted from waiting for God’s answer (vs. 123).  This is an example of the faithful endurance of a believer longing for God’s deliverance in a hostile world.  He doesn’t point to anything good in himself to deserve God’s help.  Instead he appeals to God’s mercy (vs. 124).  It is only through His grace and mercy that we receive anything good.

In the middle of his prayer for help, our psalmist declares how he loves God’s Word (vs. 125-128).  God’s people are aliens in enemy territory, and only the Bible can protect them from the lies of the oppressor.  However, we must accept all that God’s Word says about all things.  If we love the truth then we must also hate the false (vs. 128).  Today, just as in the psalmist’s day, evil has become so rampant that divine intervention is urgently needed.  We see morality collapse all around us, and long for God to act (vs. 126).

In the second half of this portion of Psalm 119, we read of the psalmist’s wonder at God’s Word, and how he prayed for spiritual illumination and God’s mercy.  God’s Word, the Bible, is our light in this increasingly dark and sinful world (vs. 130).  Earlier in this psalm, the author has told us how the Bible is a light for our path (Psalm 119:105).  Just as we need light to see where we are going so that we don’t trip, if we follow God’s Word we are less likely to trip and stumble through life.  The Lord Jesus called Himself the Light of the world (John 8:12).  With Him we never need to walk in darkness.

The Psalmist also speaks of how he longed for, even panted for God’s Word, like someone who is desperately hungry or thirsty (vs. 131).  This is reminiscent of Psalm 42:1-2, where the Sons of Korah spoke of how they longed for God, just as a thirsty deer longs for the cool water of a brook.  He depends on God’s mercy, and asks for the Lord to guide each step of his throughout life (vs. 132-133).

Again, he prays for the Lord’s deliverance from persecution (vs. 134).  We need this to be our prayer, as well, as we seek to stand for truth in a world that is increasingly hostile to Biblical authority.  The psalmist prays for God’s favor to fall upon him, just like a king’s benevolent face would turn with a smile upon a subject that he will bestow an honor upon (vs. 135).  This echoes the priestly blessing that Moses instructed Aaron and his sons to give to the people of Israel (Numbers 6:22-27).  The psalmist closes this portion of the psalm by recording how he weeps over sin, not just his own, but the sins of others (vs. 136).  This is the heart of a godly person, that they grieve over the world’s rebellion against God.

As we look back over this Scripture, we see that a godly Christian who seeks to follow the Lord will stand firm in righteousness, even when he is surrounded by evil.  The psalmist lived faithfully despite oppression, and so must we today.  We, like him, must love Scripture more than earthly treasures.  Gold will fade, but God’s Word endures forever.  We should be praying for God to act in a sinful world, praying for revival, justice, and for Christ’s return.  In doing so, let the sin we see so rampant in society break your heart.  A tender heart is a mark of true holiness.  This whole psalm, Psalm 119, is a model of a godly life in an ungodly age.

The Walls of Jericho

Joshua 6:1-25

We like to think that we are intelligent, rational, and logical people.  If we have a goal, job, or project that we need to accomplish, we will think out the most rational and logical way to complete that goal.  So if someone comes along and suggests something really bizarre, really outlandish as a way to achieve this job or project of ours, we are not likely to set aside our logical way to follow their crazy ideas.  In our Scripture today, though, we read of a skilled military leader who set aside all normal battle plans for something that anyone, military or not, would consider rather peculiar to say the least.  Let’s take a look at this account in the Old Testament.

The forty years of wandering in the wilderness after the Israelites dramatic exodus from Egypt was ending, and the people were now prepared to enter and take possession of the land the Lord had promised them.  In the earlier chapters of the Book of Joshua, the people had crossed the Jordan River, and they were now camping near the first city that the Lord had told them to take possession of, the city of Jericho.  God had chosen Joshua to follow Moses as the leader of the people after Moses’ death.  Joshua was also a skilled military man, and was the leader of their armies.

Shortly before our Scripture passage, Joshua had sent two spies into the city of Jericho to find out about the city and its people.  There they met Rahab, and learned that the people of Jericho feared them (Joshua 2:8-11).  Now, as they were preparing to enter the land, this walled city was “securely shut up”, meaning that it was locked down in fear (vs. 1).  Fortified cities at this time often had walls that were a dozen or more feet thick, were several stories high, and had massive wooden doors leading in and out of the walled city.  The people of Israel would have been afraid, too, as this was their first battle in the Promised Land, their first city of conquest.  Would they succeed or be soundly beaten?  They were dependent upon God.

Joshua came to the Lord in prayer before they set out to do battle, and this was when He gave Joshua the orders of how they were to go about conquering Jericho (vs. 2-5).  These orders must have sounded so bizarre to this military leader that he must have wondered if he heard correctly!  They were to march around the city once per day for six days.  There were to be seven priests carrying seven trumpets of rams’ horns.  On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times.  Then the priests would blow the trumpets, the people shout, and the walls would fall.  Why such a strange method?  Why not just batter down the gate, enter, and start fighting the people, like every other battle was done?  This strange way was given to show both the Israelites and all the Canaanites of the land that this victory was totally from God, not the people.  This was to show everyone that Yahweh was Israel’s God, and He was giving them the land.

Notice here in verse 2 that God speaks of the victory as if it is an already accomplished fact.  In God’s eyes, the victory was already won, and they were to think that way, too.  However, they were to obey even when the command seemed irrational.  God’s commands are not suggestions.  Obedience is required even when His ways defy human logic.  When the Lord calls us to a task that seems unreasonable, we have two options.  We can obey Him, even though we don’t understand what will happen, or we can become fearful and attempt to find a way out.  Joshua trusted the Lord, disregarding all of his military experience, and adopted God’s bizarre battle plan.

Joshua relayed God’s instructions, and Israel obeyed without complaint (vs. 6-14).  The people of Jericho were probably laughing at what these seemingly silly people were doing.  But God was making something dramatically clear - both to the Canaanites and to Israel.  These were His people, and He alone was giving the land to them.  On the seventh day, Israel marched seven times, and when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua commanded the people to shout (vs. 15-20).  Instead of shouting in jubilation after God gave them their victory, the Israelites shouted in faith before the walls fell.  This is not a myth or a metaphor.  It is a literal, historical miracle, demonstrating God’s power.

Why was there such severe judgment? (vs. 17-21).  The wickedness of the Canaanite people was extreme (Leviticus 18; Deuteronomy 12:29-31).  God is holy and He judges nations.  Israel was not acting out of cruelty, but in obedience to God.  Sin is serious, and God’s holiness demands judgment.  Rahab and her family were spared because she believed God’s Word and also she had sheltered the spies (vs. 22-25).  God saves those who believe, regardless of their background.  Rahab became part of Israel, and she was in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).  Even in judgment, God extends mercy to those who believe.  Salvation is always by faith.

The world will say that we are crazy for following what God tells us in His Word, the Bible.  However when we do, He will ensure that we get the victory.  Jericho fell exactly as God said it would.  Like Joshua, we need to be listening to what God is telling us to do.  Read and study His Word, and pray.  Then do as instructed.  Obey the Lord.  He always honors obedience.

The Wheat and the Tares

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

An imposter has infiltrated the organization.  That is sometimes the plot of suspense movies or books.  Sometimes that happens in real life, too, with enemy agents spying on government agencies, getting into major corporations to attempt a takeover, or just sneaking into clubs where they don’t belong.  In today’s Gospel reading we see an infiltration, one sent by a specific enemy, and what our Lord has to teach us about it.

In our Scripture, Jesus told His disciples the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, in which He explained what will happen within the kingdom as the Gospel spreads throughout the world.  In this parable the Lord spoke of a man who sowed his field with good wheat seed, but in the dark of night his enemy comes and sows tares in the field (vs. 24-30).  Tares are a noxious, poisonous weed that looks very similar to wheat in the early stages, but is distinguishable when mature.  After the plants start growing the workers see that there are tares among the wheat, and ask if they should pull them out.  The owner tells them to wait until harvest, so that the good wheat won’t accidentally get pulled out along with the tares.  At that time the wheat is gathered for the harvest, but the tares are gathered and burned.

Jesus then proceeded to tell the disciples the meaning of this parable (vs. 36-43).  The Sower is God and the wheat seeds are Christians which are planted all over the world.  The enemy is Satan, who plants counterfeit believers, who are actually unbelievers, in among the true believers.  Satan opposes the work of Jesus, and is trying to undermine the work of the Church by placing his own people, the tares, among the good wheat, the true believers.  These tares, though, will be cast into eternal punishment, whereas the true believers will shine in God’s eternal kingdom.

What does this parable mean to us today?  Jesus wants us to know that Satan is intentionally trying to corrupt the Church.  He intentionally plants people who make false professions of faith, counterfeit Christians into the church, planting deception, and attempting to guide true believers down a wrong path of false belief and practices.  This is done subtly, not openly or obviously.  One such false belief is that Satan doesn’t really exist, but Jesus makes it very clear here, and throughout the Gospels,  that he does exist and is an active enemy.

The workers in God’s field asked whether they should go in and pull up these tares right away before they cause damage to the good wheat.  They want to purify the field immediately, but Jesus forbids it.  Just as tares are often very difficult to distinguish from the wheat, so too unbelievers who are falsely claiming to be Christians, who go around subtly trying to spread false beliefs, are often difficult to tell apart.  However, in the end they will be revealed, and God will separate them at the end.

Satan has been, and still is currently sowing weeds among the good seeds in God’s garden.  There are weeds in the church today!  They closely resemble the wholesome wheat, but are planted by Satan.  His purposes are always to do damage and destroy God’s purposes, and we should be aware and prepared.  We need to be like the Christians in the Berean church, checking every teaching we hear with the Scriptures (Acts 17:10-12).

The Lord does not want us to be the ones who do the weeding, as we might pull out what we thought was a tare, but it was really wheat.  Though we need to be careful with whose teachings truly line up with the Word of God, only God knows the human heart.  He alone can make a true judgment.

We may wonder why God does not weed out the wicked people and evil from His world, but we can be thankful that He is more intent on preserving His people until the harvest.  The presence of tares does not hinder the wheat from growing.  The true wheat will survive despite the tares being mixed among them.  There are pretenders in the church, and we must not let them influence our faith.  Instead, we should be influencing theirs.

Not everyone who says they are a Christian really is one.  There are false “Christians” that Satan has planted inside our churches.  We need to be careful of them, but leave the final judgment to Jesus.  He will send His angels to separate them, and then the wicked will face eternal fire, but the righteous will shine in glory.  This parable is both a warning and a comfort.  God sees, God knows, and He will judge perfectly.  Jesus closed this parable as He did many parables, with the statement “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”  Are we listening to Him?