1. Trying to Tell Who’s Who Matthew 13:24-43 FBC O’Fallon June 29, 2008

2. 24 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares (zizavnia) also

3. among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it

4. have tares?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ And the slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Allow both

5. to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

6. 36 Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 And He answered and said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is

7. the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are

8. angels. 40 Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit

9. lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

10. The 2 Groups in Any Church:

11. The 2 Groups in Any Church: Inside Insiders

12. The 2 Groups in Any Church: Inside Insiders and Inside Outsiders.

13. 1. What does an I. O. look like?

14. Amazingly like an I. I. (wheat).

15. Ultimate difference is: What’s produced!

16. More developed root system than I. I.’s.

17. The most dangerous people in the church: Matthew 13:41 –... stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness...

18. Their future prospects don’t look good:

19. Matthew 13:40b-42 – “So shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

20. 2. So what do we do with the I. O.’s?

21. What we want to do: Get them out! Matthew 13:28 – And the slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’

22. But it’s tougher than you think to judge accurately.

23. Plus, it’s risky business: Matthew 13:29 – But he said, ‘No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.’

24. God’s got a better idea: Matthew 13:30 – “Allow both to grow together until the harvest... ”

25. God’s got a better idea: Matthew 13:30 – “Allow both to grow together until the harvest... ” (By the way, Matthew 18:15-20 still stands.)

26. 3. An appeal to the I. O.’s here:

27. Ask yourself: “What has Christ produced in my life?”

28. Why not stop pretending?