JESUS' TEACHINGS - PARABLES

                                   

 3. THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT & WEEDS

"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 and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

The servants asked him: "Do you want us to pull them up?"

"No", he answered, "because while you are pulling up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat as well. Let them grow together until the harvest. First, collect the weeds, and tie them into bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it to the barn". Matthew 13:24,28,29&30 (NIV)

My husband Mark has been out in his garden planting and caring for his seeds again. His "enemies" (birds or weeds), have been preventing the growth of some real wonderful tasty vegetable plants. This has been making him very "cranky". I think he would do well, if he spent some each day in God's Word - not only would His relationship with Jesus grow, but "he would shine like the Kingdom of His Father"

                                        

"Paul reinds us in the book of Colossians that a tree needs to have good strong roots in the WORD OF GOD to keep GROWING and FLOURISISHING in this GOSPEL message. This message about Christ Jesus our Lord was planted within them, and Paul was reminding them that it not only gets us started, but he keeps us going. We need to KEEP LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL, so we can keep MATURING." Tony Payne                                                                                       

 In this Parable, Jesus  reminds us that we doin't need to let other things, like "weeds" strangle our good plants, for they will defintely die. The only things that wee keep STRONG as Christians and allow us to GROW is to put down those roots into Jesus' GOSPEL. 

"So then, just as you received CHRIST JESUS AS LORD, continue to live your lives in Him, ROOTED AND BUILT UP, STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6&7  (NIV)

  

                                       4.  THE MUSTARD SEED & YEAST

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a MUSTARD SEED which a man took and planted in His field. Though it is the smallest of the seeds, yet when it grows it is the largest of the garden plants, and becomes a TREE. The birds come and perch in the branches."  Matthew 13:31&32 (NIV)

"Now can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use for this illustration? IT IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED planted in the ground."                                                                                                                 Mark 4:30 & 31 (NLT)

Jesus keeps telling people about the "MUSTARD SEED", because it reminds us of how our FAITH CONTINUES TO GROW, just like a TREE grows TALL AND STRONG. Birds come and sit in the branches, and these branches symbolizes the Church, and how we as Christians become united as "part of God's family"T

"All over the world today we see the importance of CHURCH PLANTING. The influence of Christianity is spreading, as we share the WORD OF GOD in the world. We can be witnesses in our HOMES, FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES and the WORKPLACE."  Nicky Gumbel

                               

  "The Kingdom of Heaven is like YEAST, that a woman took and mixed into a 60 pounds if flour until it worked all through the dough." Matthew 13:33 (NIV)

The MUSTARD SEED and the YEAST both came from SMALL BEGINNINGS, unnoticed and quiet, yet they went on to GROW into great things, just like our FAITH, the CHURCH and GOD'S KINGDOM. 

"On the mountain heights of Israel, I will produce BRANCHES that will BEAR FRUIT, and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it and they will find shelter in the shade of its branches." Ezekial 17:33 (NIV)

"The tree grew and the top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. It's leaves were beautiful and it's FRUIT WAS ABUNDANT....The birds lived in the branches, from them every creature was fed." Daniel 5:11&12 (NIV)

'THE HOLY BIBLE' - "NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION." (2011), Biblica

"THE HOLY BIBLE" - "NEW LIVING TRANSLATION" (2015), Tyndale House Publication

"The Parable of the Wheats and Weeds/Kids Bible Stories with Songs and Lessons," ("Grow Like Wheat") (2025), Original Kids Worship/You Tube

"Seed of Faith" (2024), Charty Gayle (Songwriter/Performer); Crytal Lynn Yates, Ryan Kennedy, Durrell Comedy, La Strother (Songwriters),                                All Essential Music/Gaither Music

GUMBEL, Nicky, "The Bible in One Year", (2009), Alpha International/You Version

PAYNE, Tony, "Learn the Gospel" - "The Entrance of Growth" - (2022),                                                                                                                  St Matthias Press/Media