L. UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE

“God won’t send anyone to hell, will he?” asked a businessman in Portland. This question has been asked by many people wondering where their future eternity will be heading. In the Bible, in the book of Matthew, Jesus taught about this using a parable.

Matthew 14:24-30

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’

1. What do we learn from this parable?

Matthew 14:24-30

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’

1. Who did he explain the parable to?

2. Why did he just explain it to these people?

3. Who is the one who sowed the good seed?

4. What is the field?

5. What is the good seed?

6. What are the weeds?

7. Who is the enemy who sows the people of the evil one?

8. What is the harvest? Who are the harvesters?

9. How will the angels deal with the harvest?

10. What does the weeding out accomplish?

11. What happens to the righteous ones?

1. When you read and understand this, do you know how to be born again?

2. What are the barriers to making that decision?

3. When will you decide to experience the new birth and the promise of eternal life?

4. What steps can you take to carry out that decision?