In looking at Jesus' parables about the kingdom of heaven it is important to remember that these are not always about good. The best example is in Matt. 13:37-43 where Jesus explains the parable of the "Tares." Here an enemy has sown weeds among the wheat. At the end the weeds are taken and burned, but they get to live among the wheat plants until the harvest.
Here is Matt. 13:31-32:
MT 13:31 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
Yes this looks great. Christianity started with Jesus, added 12 disciples and then other disciples and grew until what we have today. But is something hidden there?
Look at Matt. 6:26
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
The birds are along for the ride. They don't contribute, but they still receive.
I think that the mustard plant represents the church. Starting small it is now huge. People can wake up on Sunday, find their Bible (or not) and head over to church. They can sit there and listen to a sermon about some book that the pastor has just read. He may have a Bible verse to go along with it, but many times they forget to read it. You can slap a couple of bucks into the collection plate and whine about the pastor talking about money. After the service, you can meet with friends, line up some business or a game of golf and forget about the LORD for another week.
Like the birds, people can perch in a church, but provide nothing for is care and growth.
MT 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Yes, Matt 13: 25 -30 definitely I can relate to from serving in ministry. The "tares".... oh yes!! Sometimes we are faithful to building up other people in service for God, and occasionally we come into a "tare" in our midst.
Matt 13:25. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 25. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? how then does it have tares?" 28. and he said to them, "An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, "Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?" 29. But he said, "No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. (KEY VERSE) 30. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."
The Holy spirit reveals to true spiritual leaders, the "TARES" in all situations. We must take care and caution. When it is evident of their presence amongst believers, that we observe and pray. We take caution not to take matters in our own hands, but pray for God to intervene. Often times when we try to get rid of the "tare", we pull out the wheat-the good, growing babe in Christ too; not flesh in blood mind you as scripture says, but spiritual wickedness... Spiritual warfare is all about the "tares" of this world. Those strong in Christ must recognize the many, many ways of deception. It is not an easy thing to understandor discern, not without a true willingness of yielding to the Holy Spirit for guideance.
