Matthew 13 is familiar to students of the Bible. It concerns the parables of the Kingdom. The parable I wish for you to focus on today is found in verses 13:24-30 and 13:36-43. The first verses tell the story of the wheat and the tares. The disciples did not understand. After leaving the Pharisees, Jesus retires to a private home and while there he gives the interpretation to his disciples. Now would be a good time to stop reading this blog and read the portions of scripture mentioned already.

You have had time to read so let’s focus on one verse. Look at vs. 30. My comments will be taken from the latter part of this verse. As I focus on three words remember the whole story and ask yourself questions: Am I wheat or tare? Am I a child of the Kingdom or a child of the wicked one?

  1. “But” is our first word. It speaks of a separation. Both the tares and the wheat grew together. The ground had been broken up preparing the soil for planting. The harvest would still be months away, but the excitement of a new season abounded in the heart of the owner as well as his servants. The next day or two, while the ground was soft, the servants of the man who owned the field had taken the seed provided by the man. He had chosen good seed (vs. 24). The sun had set and now an enemy of the good man (Satan) sent his slaves into the very same field and sowed tares (vs. 39). When the seeds, wheat and tares, began to sprout the fruit from the ground, it began to show the difference between the seeds. The servants did not know what to do. 
  2. “Gather” is our second word. The gathering was not immediate. They are instructed to let the two grow together until the time of harvesting (vs. 30). The gathering would be done in possibly two ways. Some grain farmers used sickles, dropping the cuttings to the ground. The second method was to pull up the plant by the roots. Either of these methods would be effective in the gathering. It was then that separation would begin. Notice that there were two gatherings. First, the tares were collected and bundled to be burned (vs. 30b). Second, the wheat was to be collected and bundled. All of the bundles had a destination. The tares were to be cast into the fire and the wheat taken to the barn. There are two judgments found in the New Testament. The saved, the wheat, will be judged at the Bema Seat a.k.a. the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10). The unsaved, the tares, will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. Immediately after this horrible judgment the unsaved will be literally hurled into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 13:40-41). Have you asked yourself the questions posed earlier? Let me add another. Do you know of a loved one or friend that does not know Christ? Each loved one without Christ is a tare. According to the scripture they, like the bundles of tares, are headed to the fire. Let’s share Christ with those we love. Let’s do our best to get them into the barn which is our third and final word.
  3. “Barn.” Notice that the description given in verse 30 is “the” barn. It is singular. There is only one place for the wheat to reside, the barn. This is heaven. There are no secondary locations or temporary abodes. When the harvest is gathered, depending on whether the bundle is that of tares or stalks of wheat, it goes to the barn or the burn pile. I think that the gathering has already begun with the loved ones that have died in faith. That truth makes me long for heaven and the older we get the more we have to look forward to. On the other hand, the gathering of the tares has also begun. When the tares die, they go to a horrible place called Hell. The largest cult in the world in my opinion is the Roman Catholic Church. They have a doctrine of Purgatory. It is a teaching that was invented to raise money for the Catholic Church. Not a single verse in the Bible teaches of such a place. One of the well-known heroes of this church, Bro. Tetzel, made the statement, “As soon as a coin in the copper pot rings a soul from Purgatory springs.” No amount of money can have your loved one purged and heaven bound. The truth from the Bible is simple, Heaven or Hell.

If you have doubts about your salvation please get it settled. The Gospel is for everyone and that includes you and those you love. It is a choice you and they must make. To not make a choice for Christ is to remain a tare and to receive the eternal destination of a tare. If you have no doubt, that is wonderful, but what about your family and friends that have not trusted Christ? Let’s share the Gospel during these unique days in which we live. We might be surprised how receptive some might be.