Though we live in the assurance that the reign of God is happening now, much in our lives causes a longing for what has not yet come to pass.
Another parable with another interpretation by our Lord. Building off the themes of last Sunday’s engagement with the Parable of the Sower, we are once again presented with a story that speaks about the reality of the Kingdom of God. It seems to anticipate our questions regarding why the rule and reign of God appears so strange, often superficially devoid of power and glory. The tension built into this parable and the explanation is between the present realities of God’s work and the not-yet promise of what is to come. Certainly, such a tension is felt in the lives of your hearers, so preaching on this text ought to deliver great comfort.
An effective way to begin a sermon on this parable is to explore the very tension in your people’s lives. How do they experience the love and compassion of God? Certainly, they hear the Word and receive His gifts, but the truth of those promises is tested in lives lived outside the walls of the church. The treasures of God’s active reign seem to pass unnoticed by the news of the day. In fact, the trials individuals experience may cause them to doubt the promise. Though we live in the assurance that the reign of God is happening now, much in our lives causes a longing for what has not yet come to pass.
For what we have now is a field sown with good seed by our Lord. That seed is the sons of the Kingdom. Yet, this good seed is intermixed with weeds. As our Lord teaches us, the weeds are the sons of the evil one, sown by the Devil. These are allowed to grow together. This is the reality we all experience. It is the reality of the Church situated in the world and even within the walls of the local congregation. The Kingdom of Heaven looks messy and confusing. The visible church is not free from hypocrites and abusers. Yet, pulling up the weeds before the appointed day would risk destroying the good seed as well.
It has been pointed out, and may prove useful in a sermon, that there is a tension between the parable itself and our Lord’s interpretation of it. The parable focuses the hearers on the master’s refusal to pull the weeds. He does not seem motivated to remedy the situation at the present time. However, the interpretation of the parable focuses on the final day when the problem will finally be solved, when the Son of Man sends out His angels to gather His harvest and finally destroy the weeds. This tension arises from the different audiences who hear our Lord’s words. The parable is given to the crowds, while the interpretation is given to His disciples. This tension can work as an outline for preaching the text.
The parable focuses the hearers on the master’s refusal to pull the weeds. He does not seem motivated to remedy the situation at the present time.
First, examine the lives of your hearers as they struggle to live in the Kingdom of God amidst the weeds. Then, you can focus the first part of your sermon as a sort of defense of the faith to the crowds surrounding the Church. In allowing both the weeds and the wheat to grow together, our Lord is demonstrating His patience and long-suffering compassion. Perhaps, you will emphasize the constant sowing of the seed, the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the Sacraments. These continue even as the weeds may seem to dominate the scene. The Gospel will do its work here and now as we endure together through the struggles of this age. This is very much a church militant move. God is not deterred by the work of the evil one. Disciples are still being made and hope still remains.
Now, in the explanation of the parable, you can focus on the household of the faithful. You concentrate on God’s words for those who would love more than anything to start ripping out the weeds. The message is how this situation will not remain forever. The day will come; the harvest will happen. All causes of sin, all the lawbreakers, will be gathered up and cast into the fiery furnace. The goal, here, is to remind and comfort your hearers with the promises that the present sin and evil which consume our social media and day-to-day activities are just that: The presence of sin and evil. And the day will come when it will be done away with. The day will come, there is an appointed time, and God will do the work.
So, we have hope. We have the encouragement to press on day after day in the present gifts of Christ as we await the not-yet age to come. God bless your preaching!
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
