January 16, 2011

Tares: January 14, 2011

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 14, 2011

TARES

DEFINITION:

A weed; vetch

SCRIPTURE:

“But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.” Matthew 13:26.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Jesus came into this world to begin His Kingdom on earth in the hearts of those who would believe in Him. The disciples would have the responsibility of growing His Kingdom after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Today we are talking about the TARES in a parable told by Jesus. The purpose of the parables in Matthew 13 was to teach the disciples about the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus used the parable of the tares as written in Matthew 13: 24-30, when He was sitting in a boat on the sea of Galilee preaching and teaching the multitudes sitting on the shore line. Jesus, in this parable, was talking about the kingdom of heaven on earth and compared it to a man who sowed good seed in his field. He went on to say that while the man slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. When the grain sprouted the tares also appeared. The servants of the owner came to him and said he planted good seed so where did the tares come from? The owner told the servants that an enemy had sown the tares.

The servants then asked the owner if he wanted them to pull up the tares? The owner told them to let them both grow and at the harvest they would collect and burn the tares and harvest the wheat and put the wheat into his barn.

Later, when Jesus was alone with the disciples (verses 36-43) He explained the message of this parable. The Lord is the sower of the good seed and the field is the world. The good seeds are the children of God but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are the angels.

Just as the tares are gathered and burned, so it will be at the end of this age. Judgment will come and God will be the judge.

In this world believers live among non-believers just as the wheat exists among the tares. When the wheat and tares are immature and growing mingled together, it is hard to distinguish between the wheat and the tares. When wheat becomes mature it becomes apparent that it is wheat and not a tare. At the time of harvest the wheat can be separated from the tares.

As believers we will be living with unbelievers in situations like school, church, our neighborhood, in our workplace and even in our own family. As a believer in Jesus Christ it is important that we grow into mature believers so that we are distinguishable from non-believers. It is not the believer’s role to separate the wheat (believers) from the tares (non-believers). We are not the judge. God is. However as believers we must use good judgment in all we do.

We are told that each one of us make about 300 situation decisions a day and about 10% affect our future. Therefore we need to make wise judgments on our own situations. God will be the judge and take care of those that are evil in our world.

It is very important today for parents to teach their children how to make judgments that honor God. Children learn best by watching their parents, siblings and peers. They are influenced by what they see. Parents have the responsibility to guide their children to become mature believers.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 27:1.

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?

PRAYER:

Give me the wisdom and strength to plant good seeds with my family and friends so that they may see Christ through me. Help me to teach my children to become mature believers and to use good judgment in the decisions they make.

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