Introduction:     Dr. Billy Graham has gone on record to say that he believes that more than 70% of the people on the membership rolls of churches in America are lost! (Illus: Misty, hiding in the church…) Hide and seek is a game, but hiding in the church house is spiritual suicide. Some are professing, but not possessing. Some know the words, but not the way. Some have religion, but they do not have redemption! There’re all kinds of ways to hide in the church house: Some are hiding behind a church membership card. Some are hiding under-neath the waters of baptism. Some are hiding by wrapping themselves up in the robes of self-righteousness and religion. Sill others are masquerading behind a mask of ministry. Our Lord Jesus exposes those hiding in the church house in this parable. Notice three pictures in this parable of the wheat and the tares.

I.                    A SIMPLE  ILLUSTRATION  (V.24                

            A.                 The Great Sower  (v.36-38a)

·        Jesus is the farmer (37)

·        The world is the field  (38a)

           B.                 The Good Seed  (v.38b)

(Illus: “Grace” – I was a bad, rule breaking boy, but Jesus loved me anyway and saved me! That’s GRACE! I’m going to heaven, not because I’m a Baptist, not because I’m a preacher or a preacher’s son, not because I go to church. I’m going to heaven because of only one reason. I’m going to stand at the gates of glory because of GRACE!)

II.                 A SUBTLE  IMITATION  (V.38)

(Illus: Satan imitates everything Jesus does! He is the great counterfeiter – expound. He also does imitating in the church! There are counterfeits in the church! – 1 Cor. Says there is a counterfeit Christian, in Romans there is a counterfeit Gospel, in Galatians there is a counterfeit Church, 2 Thess. says that in the end of time there will be a counterfeit christ!) – When Jesus explains the imitation, He gives first:

            A.                 A Physical Explanation  (v.25-30)

Darnel = weedy annual grass often occurs in grain fields and other cultivated land; seeds sometimes considered poisonous. Synonyms: bearded darnel, Lolium temulentum, tare.

Why? To reduce the purity of the crop! * (Note research on separate page)

           B.                 A Spiritual Application  (v.38)

“Enemy” = hostile, to hate. This is not a bad church. It is a good church, but every church has imitators! Why? The Devil knows that if he can get enough lost church members active on church rolls, he can greatly hinder the progress of the Lord’s Church! (Illus: The Devil doesn’t care if you come to church! He just doesn’t want you to go to heaven! …Baptized in water, just not in the blood…names on the church roll, just not on heaves roll…religious, just not redeemed!) Here is what the Devil will do; he will put as many ungodly people as he can in leadership positions, trying to disrupt the progress of the church!

           C.        Some Wonderful Inspiration

The main thrust of the message – How Can You Know That You Are Saved? How do you know that you’re NOT an imitation – Repentance (the Bible basis for the foundation of salvation – (Matt. 3:1-2; Matt. 4:17; Lk. 13:3; Acts 2:38) “Repent” = metanoeo, met-an-o-eh'-o; from Greek 3326 (meta) and Greek 3539 (noieo); to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (moral feel compunction):- repent.

·        There is a change of direction

·        There is a change of devotion

·        There is a change of daily living (vv.25,26 same face, but not the same fruit)

·        There is change of destiny (I’m missing hell and getting heaven!)

III.       A SAVIOR’S INVITATION (V.40-43)

            A.        A Reaping (41) (Matt.24:40-41)

            B.         A Keeping - How do they know the difference? The fruit!

            C.        A Weeping (42

Conclusion:       Are you illegitimate or legitimate? Are you imitation or the real thing? The greatest tragedy of the ages would be to go to hell from the pew of a church.