Matthew 13:30

Let both grow together until the harvest.

The time of separation will come at last. The righteous shall not always be vexed by the presence and deeds of evil doers. Harvest time will come, and that is the time of separation. The tares, ripened and manifest, can easily be sifted out from the wheat. The Lord himself tells when shall be this time of separation. (1) "The harvest is the end of the world," the time when all men shall be summoned to judgment. (2) "The reapers are the angels;" the angels who are sent to the four corners of the earth to gather all men. (3) At his bidding the angel reapers shall separate the tares from the wheat; the sheep from the goats; the wheat shall be gathered into the barn, into heaven, "inherit the kingdom;" the tares shall be burned; cast "into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

A PPLICATION.--To make still clearer the meaning of this parable,. condense the results of the above examination. 1. The kingdom is likened to. man sowing good seed in his field. 2. The Sower is the Son of man, who sows by means of his kingdom. 3. The good seed is the word of God as seen in its fruits, Christ's followers. 4. The field is the world. It is Christ's field. All power is given to him in heaven and in earth. His kingdom is rightfully the whole earth, but much of it is held still by the enemy, who has to be conquered. He will be, finally, and the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ. 5. The wheat raised from the good seed is the "children of the kingdom," the disciples of Christ converted by his word. 6. The tares are not bad church members, but bad men; those who have been under the influence of the wicked one. 7. The righteous and wicked are to remain in the earth together. The righteous are not to seek to exterminate the wicked. The evil and the good will be mixed until judgment day. 8. Then all shall be gathered at the throne of judgment. The righteous shall "inherit the kingdom." All that are wicked shall be cast out of the kingdom. An eternal separation shall take place.

PRACTICAL AND SUGGESTIVE.

The whole world rightfully belongs to Christ. The "prince of this world" is. usurper. The church should seek to conquer the world for Christ.

Christ sows only good seed. His word makes men better. If they are wicked it is due to other influences.

We must avoid spiritual slumber. It is while we sleep that the enemy does his work.

The enemy is always sowing tares whenever opportunity offers. Sometimes by tempting men to evil; sometimes by introducing trouble into the church; sometimes by whispering slanders to destroy the good names of those who are doing. good work.

In the field we will always find some tares here. If we would escape from evil doers we must needs get out of the world.

We must leave the final separation to the Lord. He will gather the wheat into his garner; the tares and the chaff will be burned with an unquenchable fire.

We must show that we are wheat instead of tares by bearing the right kind of fruit. Not the leaves of profession, but the fruit of our lives determine what we are. "By their fruits ye shall know them."

In the Eternal Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, there shall be no evil doers. Nothing unrighteous, or filthy, or "that maketh or believeth. lie," will ever pass through its gates.

POINTS FOR TEACHERS.

1. Point to the wheat field; all green and beautiful. When time comes for fruit, however, much of it is chess or cheat. The tares are somewhat similar to the chess. 2. Bring out the story; the householder sows in good soil good seed with great care. His enemy comes in the night, like. thief, and sows the evil weed. The wheat and tares come up together. The difference unknown until the time of fruiting. The servants, surprised, ask directions. No separation till the harvest. 3. Identify each feature. The Sower of the seed sowing. The good seed. The field. The wheat. The tares. The reapers. The harvest. 4. Bring out the lesson. Whence the tares, or evil? Where is it found? How shall the wicked be treated? When separated? By whom? Bring out the Jewish idea, that of the disciples at first, why the church must not seek to pull up the tares, what would be the effect on it. 6. Show how the church must fight evil, by sowing good seed and not sleeping: eternal work, sowing, and wakefulness. 7. Point to the final separation, where and when made, where each are gathered, how the wheat is known. Which are you?