Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
June 15, 2012

“Winks & Wheat”
“Riffraff and rascals talk out of both sides of their mouths…They wink at each other, they shuffle their feet, they cross their fingers behind their backs...” – Proverbs 6:12, 13 (The Message)

Life is filled with “Scams and Schemes.” Something we learned with the previous message. Most of us have received emails with too good to be true offers, and we have all heard how good people have lost their life’s savings as a result of those who scammed them without mercy. Jesus Himself talked about such people. He also taught by using a great medium called “parables.” A story with a truth attached that people could easily understand. In His Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-42) said that at the “harvest” (the end of the Age), he and his angels would gather all the lawless ones (the schemers and scammers) and cast them into the “furnace of fire.” The righteous ones would enter the kingdom of heaven forever.
There is one grand theme in this parable, but also some interesting sub-themes. The grand theme is this: God’s people will win it all in the end, and evil people will lose it all in the end. But the sub-themes are significantly important. Are you ready? Let’s begin. There is an evil presence active in the world today, constantly scheming against God’s people. Like the “tares” in the story, the evil one wants his angels to co-exist with God’s people, hoping to influence them without being noticed. In fact, the evil one is like a pit bull—very scary—but toothless. He is all bark and not much bite. Even if his bites leave scars, the scars are temporary. As Robert Schuller correctly observes, “God can help you turn your scars into stars.” Distinguishing between good and evil can be difficult. Evil can mask its true identity and intentions. The Pharisees had all the appearance of being religiously committed. Jesus called them snakes. They knew the right language, but they spoke with a forked tongue. God gives discernment to his servants, so they can identify bad intentions from good intentions. But in the end, God will separate the unrighteous from the righteous. We don’t have to worry about them. Evil may appear to be productive and even seem to be victorious, but in the end destruction awaits. Theologian William Barclay observes, “Judgment is not hasty, but judgment does come.” As with the wheat and tares, righteous people and unrighteous people may grow together in tandem, but only one will survive in the end. The Apostle Paul had some things to say about God’s activity in the world: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows…Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7, 8). Associating with evil people does not mean that we will be corrupted by them. Jesus was often criticized because he chose to rub shoulders with outcasts of society. Do you remember Zacchaeus, the tax-collector? Jesus chose to be a guest at his house. When he was challenged, he said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). There is a difference between being “in” the world and “of” the world. Welcoming sinners at church does not corrupt the righteous; the church exists for sinners. The church is a hospital for the broken and bleeding of society; it is not a country club for the saved.
One more thought. Sinners cannot frustrate God’s plan. But believers can. I like this quote from Richard Howard:

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 5:00 pm EDT