Jesus tells a parable about weeds in a wheat field, then explains it later to His disciples.
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
SERMON OUTLINE
“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat.’” (Matthew 13:24-25)
Elements of the Parable (Matthew 13:37-39)
The Present: Wheat and Weeds Together in the Field (Matthew 13:28-30a)
- The reality of good and evil intermixed in the world
- The witness of the good amidst the evil
- The strain upon the good amidst the evil
The Future: A Coming Harvest (Matthew 13:40-43)
- Waiting for the harvest
- The collection of the weeds
- The gathering of the wheat
Making It Real
- Live full life with God
- Recognize the tension
- Bless even when cursed
- Wait in trust
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Answer one of the following:
- What are you most looking forward to in the next several weeks or months?
- What is your favorite season of the year and why?
- This week we continue our series, “Stories of the Kingdom,” by looking at the parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30 and Jesus’ explanation in 13:36-43. Begin your study in prayer by asking God to speak to you through His Word. Then, whether you’re on your own or with others, read 13:24-30 aloud.
- Whether you’re studying the passage on your own or in a group, summarize what happened in this parable at face value. What sticks out to you most?
- Now read Matthew 13:36-40. Based on Jesus’ interpretation of the parable, particularly in 12:37-39, what does each element of the parable represent?
- What do you think is the significance of the wheat and the weeds coexisting in the field?
- When people of the kingdom live in the midst of people of the evil one, how might that be both and opportunity and a challenge?
- How have you or do you experience that in your own life?
- How does Jesus describe the harvest at the end of the age in verses 40-43?
- How do you normally think about the end of the age? Is it scary, reassuring, unsettling, hopeful, or something else? Why?
- What is one thing God is speaking to you through this study? If you’re on your own, write that down, pray over it, and share it with someone this week. If you are with a small group, share your answers with one another before closing in prayer.
DIG DEEPER
- Journal about this parable, expressing your thoughts about it, what God is teaching you through it, as well as your prayers to God about it.
- Draw, paint, or ink the parable as a way of reflecting on what Jesus is saying and praying about your own response to the Lord.
- Try to retell Jesus’ parable and its meaning to someone you know this week, discussing with them what it means for our lives.
- Consider reading this article: “Reading the Parables of Jesus–Kenneth Bailey”