Kingdom Talk

The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
Mathew 13:24-30, 36-43

Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (Matthew 13:40-43)

When we think of the kingdom of God (of the kingdom of heaven), we often think in terms of the afterlife. We think of some austere city in the clouds galaxies away far beyond our tiny planet. We have heard descriptions of heaven in terms of golden streets and pearly gates. They say everybody gets a mansion.

When Jesus was talking about the kingdom of God He wasn't so much thinking about a far away place. Just the opposite; He proclaimed the kingdom of God was near, close at hand. 

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

Another way to read the last statement is, "the kingdom of God is within you." Both ideas are adequate for describing the kingdom of God. The reign of God is both spiritually within and socio-politically among us. 

The concept of the good government of God goes back to the early books in the Old Testament. God established a covenant relationship with Israel through Moses. The covenant defined the laws by which Israel would live as the chosen nation of God. God functions as the ruler over Israel who serves God by living according to the laws set by their sovereign. In exchange for Israel's obedience, God promised blessing. The kingdom of God would mean God would dwell among His people. God's holy presence meant blessing. The people of God would enjoy righteousness, justice, and peace, plenty and health.

When Israel asked the prophet Samuel to set a king over them, God told Samuel they were rejecting God as king.

...they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. (1st Samuel 8:7b-8)

Israel followed with a long history of bad kings and good kings. Some kings led them into idolatry. War, injustice, disease and famine followed their apostasy. The great hope of the prophets was that Israel and its kings would return to righteous obedience to the Lord. By returning to covenant faithfulness, God would restore the people.

During the exile in Babylon prophets like Isaiah wrote to encourage the punished people of God with words of hope. God wouldn't forget them. He would bring back to Jerusalem a remnant and renew Israel. The images often include the wealth of the nations being brought to Jerusalem as tribute for the God of Israel. The restoration of the nation includes the healing of the people and the liberation of captives. Orphans and widows are cared for. Wars come to an end forever. The kingdom would be free of evil, too. (See Isaiah 60-61)

In the passage above Jesus speaks of the end of the age by way of a parable. At harvest the farmer separated the wheat from the weeds. In the same way God will separate the evil from the righteous. The evil will burn like the weeds. It's common to get fixated on the hellish extermination or punishment of the wicked, but look what Jesus says after the Judgement!

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43)

Accountability to God is a consistent theme when it comes to talking about the end.  The purpose for this separation of righteous and wicked people is so that the kingdom of God will be pure and completely sanctified. Jesus says the righteous will shine! It's a way of saying the righteous will be glorious like God is glorious. The separation of the righteous from the wicked is not unlike God separating light from darkness, or the primordial waters from the earth, so that life could flourish.

Note, however, that Jesus told the parable of the wheat and weeds, not simply to give hope in the sanctified (completely pure and holy) kingdom, but to explain how the church dwells in the midst of a dying age where good and bad people live. The good are referred to as children of the kingdom. Other places the good are called the children of God. The bad people are called children of the evil one. Other places, they are called children of the devil. 

The church is like yeast within dough. A small pinch causes the whole batch to rise. The church is like light to darkness. Even a small birthday candle causes darkness to flee and lights the way. What is darkness, but the absence of light?

Our task as disciples of Jesus is to be light for the dark, in hope that those trapped in darkness (those held by the evil one) might come to the light (to the God of our gospel). Jesus' parables about the kingdom teach us that the growth of the church is gradual. God's reign grows gradually in our hearts. We grow in faith and deepen in love. The number of people to bow at the name of Jesus grows gradually. 

Within the church there are some who are still trapped by the evil one, not fully freed by their growing faith in Christ. The parable of the wheat and weeds in Matthew 13 tells us that we are to coexist with those trapped in sin. We are not to weed them out of our congregations. Instead we are to journey with them, pray for and encourage them as we wait for the completion of God's redemptive work in us and the whole of creation.

It is through hope, faith and love that the children of the kingdom (that is the church), continue to pursue perfection in loving God and people. As God sanctifies the church, the church becomes a cleansing and life-giving presence in the world. The world is transformed by the church, because the church brings the light of salvation.