Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-06-25
The Parable of
the Tares
Sunday School Lesson for June 20. 1910
Specially Arranged for his Pager

LESSON TEXT Matthew i3 .o4-s1. ss-ss
Memoir verses g- 1l
GOLDEN TENT-''The7 shall the
righteous shine forth as tre sun On the
ldngdom ~ thcir Father. Matt 1913
ME-Autuun of a. n. 2S
PLACE -Ou tEe shore % the Sea %
Galnee. probably nor FAR from Caper-
naum
Suggestion ard Practical Thought.
This parable helped the disciples 70
understand some problems that con-
tinually presented themselves IN their
thoughts about the kingdom OF
heaven. II IS a picture OF the con
tending forces OF good and evil IN the
world; and the victory Of the good.
The Good Seed VS. .. 81. IS
The kingdom OF heaven" Is the king.
dom which has its origin IN heaven.
and which Jesus as king came 20 es-
tRblish on earth. IN which the laws
OF heaven are obeyed on earth. so
that earth becomes like heaven.
The Sewer OF the Good Seed VS..
"a. 81 The man represents the Son
OF Man. through whom God was man
fest IN the seed sowing He e the
source Of all good seed. He began In
the Garden OF Eden. and has been
sowing ever since. Every good man.
wherever found. Is a child OF God.
born from above by the Spirit. and
made alive with the life OF God.
The Field Sown.-vs. 20. IS. The
field Is the world" II Is not the
church. but the whole world: not
Christian lands. but all lands In which
the true church IS the good seed. Tn
his neid." The whole world belongs
rightfully TO ChrisI The sowing OF
tares is a usurpation. Christ came
unto his own"
The Good Seed.-vs. "a. IS. THE
good seed are the children OF the
kingdom" those who IN heart belong
TO the kingdom. are filled with its
spirit. and strive TO live according 20
it, principles
Gods children arc good seed. living
heed. The principle OF life. OF increase
Is IN them. Dead seeds do not IN
crease A dead church does not
grow; and this Is fortunate. for
neither God nor man desires an in
crease OF that kind OF Christians or
churches
There Is a great variety OF good
seed adapted TO all seasons and all
circumstances. producing different
kinds OF fruit az different times.
But remember that Christians are
planted as well as sown. planted
where God desires them 70 be. by the
streams OF water" lisa I:2).
The Enemy Sowing Tares Among
"a
men slept" thatis. secretly. when the
good did not realize what was going
on. any more than a sleeping person
could The beginnings OF evil are
often scarcely discernible The young
often begin courses OF evil. as uncOn-
scious OF its tendencies and outcome.
as II they were sound asleep
His Enemy. The wicked one. the
devil Tvs. SO. 2S) He was the original
source OF evil among men. The story
Is truly told in Genesis God Is not
the author q sin either at first nor
at any time since. Everything God
does is toward making men good.
The tares are the children o. the
wicked one" filled with his spirit. uv.
ing according 10 his principles. and
under his control They are not a
degenerate form OF virtue. but as dis
unct as virtue and vice. They often
resemble the good TIN the fruit be-
gins TO appear. but they are as differ.
ent as wheat and tares. as thistIes and
roses.
The Wheat and Tares Growing To-
gether.-Vs. $3.50. Let both grow
together until the harvest" Because
at first IL is very dlfncult to distin-
Ruish between the wheat and the
tares. The tares are counterfeit
wheat Because when the distinction
Is clearer. there Is danger lest while
ye gather up the tares. ye root up also
the wheat with them" for the roots
OF the two are interiaeed together.
II is absolutely necessary before the
grain is used In the harvest. ito avoid
the mingling OF the kernels OF the
darnel and the wheat lest the bread
DE poisoned
The Harvest. The Fate OF the
Tares.-Vs. 80. 39-42. Let both grow
together until the harvest. which
takes place al the end OF the world
". Ss). or age
Say to the reapers the an
gels" ". Ss). Matt 1927; 24:si; 2
Thes. 40: any beings or powers
which accomplish this work.
To burn them" So as 10 eesfrov
their power Of evil. and 90 keen them
from spreading. They shall gather
out OF his kingdom all things that OF.
fend" ". AZ. that cause others to
stumble in the path of righteousness
The Harvest The Blessedness OF
the Righteous.-Vs. 30. 43 Then
when separated from evil. shall the
righteous shine forth as the sun -
Here are found hope and cheer amid
times OF opposition and the flourish
ing OF evil. wake the evil help the
good
Christians themselves are educated
and disciplined by contact with the
tares They would not be nearly so
good II shut on In a community by
themselves. Tares would stin come
I'm II the wheat does no, eaaL A..