Message Notes

INTERMEDIATE SUNDAY SCHOOL 1 OCTOBER 2023
STUDIES IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Text: Matthew 13:24-30

Subject: The Parables taught by the Lord Jesus

INTRODUCTION

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Matthew 13:24-30

1. The Parable of the Sower

a) The lessons are important

b) May they also be impactful

2. The Parable of Tares

a) This is closely related to the Parable of the Sower

b) The imagery of a Sower and the Seed is the same

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

1. This has been the focus of the Lord Jesus Christ

a) His Gospel message was about the Kingdom of heaven

b) He came to help people enter into God’s Kingdom

i) Through knowledge of the Lord Jesus

ii) Through faith in Him

2. The work of the Sower

a) He sows the seed

b) The seed is the Word of God

c) The Word of God is indeed “good seed”

THE WORK OF THE ENEMY

1. The Evil One is opposed to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ

2. He will try and do the following things

a) He can snatch away the good seed

b) He can affect the good growth of the seed

i) Through persecution

ii) Through temptation (Parable of the Sower)

3. He can also sow Tares

a) Tares are actually a weed

b) It can affect the growth of the wheat severely

THE DISCOVERY OF TARES

1. The servants of the owner discovers the presence of Tares

2. The owner explains that this was the work of the Enemy

3. What may be done?

THE SUGGESTION OF THE SERVANTS

1. To devote time to get rid of the Tares

2. This sounds like a good idea

THE EXPLANATION OF THE OWNER

1. Tares cannot be removed easily

2. The removal of the Tares will hurt the Wheat

WAITING FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

1. There will come a day when the Lord would send “Reapers”

2. The work of the Reapers

a) They will separate the Tares from the Wheat

b) The Tares would be burned

c) The Wheat would be gathered safely

OUR CHALLENGE

1. To know our Faith well

2. To be aware of false teachings

3. To reject that which is false

4. To hold fast to that which is good

5. Heeding the wise admonition of the Apostle Paul

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

2 Timothy 2:19

a) The Lord knows those who are His

b) Those who know the Lord must depart from iniquity