FURNACE by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: I love cartoons about heaven. I don’t like jokes about hell. There’s nothing funny about hell. It is a place of eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I didn’t say that. Jesus did. When we reject God’s plan of salvation through Jesus, we condemn ourselves to this eternal furnace. That’s the title of our message today – “FURNACE.”
Matthew 13 24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So 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?’ 28He said to them, “An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let 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.” ’ ”
Question: There’s only 2 groups of people: the wheat and the tares. Which group do you belong to? How do you see God’s delay in judgment? Are you confusing his compassion for complacency? Are you saved?
Pray: Holy Spirit – We are talking about the dreaded subject of Hell. Satan and his hordes of evil angels know that this is their final destiny. Cover us with your protection and grace. Save those who are headed to hell today.
Context:Before we jump into the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, let me remind you once again the reason why Jesus spoke in parables. If you remember from last week’s message – Parables were much more than stories given to illustrate a point; they were stories used by the prophets to confront the people of God regarding hidden sins in their lives. You have to think of parables as a mirror. You look in a mirror to see your physical condition. You look into parables to expose your true spiritual condition. When you read a parable, your question should not be as much “I wonder what principle is behind this story” as much as “I wonder what character I am playing in this story.”
With that in mind, let’s look at the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. To start with, this is one of the most misunderstood parables of Jesus. I know what some of y’all are thinking – “Well, Pastor Shah, tell us what this parable is truly about.” I’ll do even better. I’ll let Jesus explain the true meaning of this parable. Out of the many parables of Jesus recorded in the gospels, 3 are actually included along with Jesus’ explanation. This happens to be one of them. The explanation is given in Matthew 13starting in verse36Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”The way we will tackle this is by looking at some of the common misunderstandings of this parable and compare it with Jesus’ explanation:
#1 Some people assume that this parable is about the CHURCH. They think that the wheats and the tares represent the two categories of people in the church: the wheats represent the saved and the tares represent the lost. Is this true or false? FALSE. Listen to verse 37He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world…”
#2. Some people assume that this parable is to warn us about POSERS, false Christians hiding among true Christians. They think that the similarities between the wheat and the tares was given to illustrate how false Christians look just like true Christians.Is this true or false? Well, this is PARTLY TRUE AND PARTLY FALSE. Yes, it is true that the “tare” or the “darnel” is an annoying weed that looks very much like the wheat in the early stages.But, when fully developed, the leaves of the wheat are 6-12 mm wide but the leaves of the tare are only about 3 mm wide. So, in the early stages, they are indistinguishable but later, they are different. The reason the servants came to the landowner and complained is because they noticed the tares among the wheat. In the early stages, it may be hard to distinguish a fake Christian from a true Christian but in time, it will become clear. You cannot hide forever. Your fruits will expose your true identity.Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 7 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, norcana bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”Question: Are you a wheat or a tare? Do you see yourself in the story? You cannot hide forever. Nicole got saved under this parable. In time, it will become clear what you are by your fruits. No Fruit = No salvation. Having said that, posers are NOT the main purpose of the parable.
3. Some people assume that this parable is a warning not to JUDGE but to TOLERATE false believers and even the evil around us. They quote what the master told the servants when they asked him if they could uproot the tares –29“No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.” Some people think that it meant that Jesus did not want us to judge false believers because that would do more damage to the true believers. Is that really what Jesus meant?In reality, Jesus didn’t shy away from calling people out. Repeatedly he called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” “fools,” and “blind guides!” Not just the religious leaders but even those who were trying to follow him, he called into question their lack of commitment. Matthew 10 37“He who loves father or mother more than Me isnot worthyof Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me isnot worthyof Me. 38And he who does nottake his cross and follow after Me isnot worthyof Me.”
Is Jesus telling us not to stand up for what’s right and oppose what’s wrong in our society because it would be bad for us believers?Are we only to sit back and patiently and meekly take the beating? If anything, he told us to do just the opposite. In Matthew 5: 13-14, Jesus commanded us to be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.
So, what was the real reason for the parable? The reason behind all 3 parables in Matthew 13is the question that even John the Baptist had in Matthew 11 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”How odd? Why would John ask such a question? This was the same question that was on the mind of many of Jesus’ followers. Why, if Jesus is the Messiah and the kingdom has come, is there still so much evil in the world?
- For starters, why is John the Baptist still in prison?
- Why are the Romans still in charge?
- Why are many in Israel, especially the religious leaders, rejecting Jesus?
- Why has there been no separation between the righteous and the unrighteous?
- Why has judgment not begun?
To answer that, Jesus gave the parable and then it’s explanation in Matthew 13 37He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wickedone.39The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Nowadays, many Christians do not believe in a literal hell as a place of fire and burning. Jesus did. Listen to these verses:
Daniel 12:2“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shameandeverlasting contempt.”
Mark 9 42“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44where‘Their worm does not dieand the fire is not quenched.’” (Quoting Isaiah 66:24)
Luke 16 23And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’”
Jude 7“suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Revelation 20:10“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophetare.And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Why hasn’t judgment begun?
2 Peter 3 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue asthey werefrom the beginning of creation…7But the heavens and the earthwhichare now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one dayisas a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning Hispromise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Hebrews 9 27And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,28so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many….”
Invitation:Are you ready for the judgment that is coming? Are you saved?
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