36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Whoever Cares To Delve Will Learn
The circumstances a few years ago were baffling to me. Why would God allow me to feel so anxious and overwhelmed? What had I done to deserve this? I didn’t realize how passive and blaming I was being for what was in essence my own sinful construction. I had spent years soaking up stress and storing it in my back. I was pressured by my home life, but I did not have the tools to unpack the years of sinful process. God was speaking to me and pain in my back and anxiety in my heart was his ‘megaphone’ (Lewis). God lets difficult circumstances and difficult words come our way. We think we have ears. Last time we looked they were there. However, some of us think we have ‘been there and bought the T-shirt’ and God can teach us no more. Some of us are angry and stuck in our own desire to have control, we can’t hear the truth. Some of us are fatigued and want rest. We want time to rest alone with our ignorance and we sleep lest we find rest from listening to the one who can truly lit the burden. Best to take the attitude of a disciple in our anguish, pain, confusion, or tiredness. Best to come to the Master and pursue him and say, “So what was it you were trying to teach me. I have my ears on now.”
Questions
- What was Jesus explaining in this passage?
- How would you describe disciples’ relationship with the rest of the world?
- How is a true disciple’s fate different from others’?
- When do you find it hard to seek out Jesus so that he explains things?
- When have you been motivated and consistent in digging deeper with Jesus?
Plymothian 
1. The parable of the weeds in the field.
2. True disciples stand in stark contrast to the world. They live for a different purpose. Their lives are not their own. They are bought with a price. And do all to glorify God. Rather than self. They serve God, not man.
3. Their fate is to be with God and glorify him forever. They live with an eternal perspective. This world is not their home.
4. When life gets too busy…well actually, that’s not entirely true…life is busy right now…it’s more of a change of heart, of focus, of attitude. As you say, right now my ears are open. I am listening for him. That is not always the case.
5. Right now. It is wonderful to be back in that place of hungering and thirsting for Him and His Word after a long desert experience. Praise God that he doesn’t give up on us. Praise God that he walks through the desert with us. Praise God that he brings us out on the other side. Praise God for the lessons we learn along the way.