THEME: THE GREAT HARVEST
LESSON: Eight
TOPIC: Understanding the Agenda of God (Becoming True Children of the Kingdom) – Part 4
TEXT: Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43; Matthew 28:18-20
MEMORY TRACK:
By God’s grace, we saw from the last lesson that to be an effective labourer, particularly in today’s field, we must be higher than the allure of the field, and at the same time be willing to be “all things to all men…” (1Cor 9:22) in order to be granted access to the field. The great harvest is not just to the world (harvesting of spirits) but mainly to the church (harvesting of souls). It was also highlighted that this does not preclude one from being an excellent wielder of the tools of harvest that are employable in today’s field.
We were admonished as a local assembly that we must endeavour to be skilled enough to handle our various responsibilities in such a way that we would not just be an effective harvesting tool, but a secure basket for the delivery of the harvest to Lord of the harvest.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares: a Window into God’s Harvest Agenda
This parable offers a unique window into the mind of the Lord concerning the harvest. While there is a general and widely accepted interpretation — one that rightly speaks to the overarching agenda of God — there is also a personalized and revelatory dimension embedded within. Embracing this deeper view helps us align with the individual allocations of life and light that come to each person through the various dispensations of God’s dealings with man.
The Children of the Kingdom
In this parable, the good seed sown by the Sower is described as the children of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:37-38). A common assumption is that once a person is born again (i.e. regenerated in spirit), they immediately and fully qualify as a “child” of the Kingdom. While this may be true in a limited or positional sense — particularly concerning the status of their regenerated human spirit — the term “child” is more accurately applied to the soul (Matthew 7:20-21; John 3:3-5).
There is a divine operation within the program of salvation that aims to develop the soul, turning it from a state of infancy into mature spiritual childhood — a soul aligned with the life, values, and authority of the Kingdom. This transformation is a process, not an automatic consequence of new birth or salvation. It is the fruit-bearing soul that qualifies as a true child of the Kingdom.
Salvation is not just being born again — it is the complete inner transformation of man from a life governed by the flesh to a life that expresses the divine nature (Romans 8:1-2; Ephesians 2:1-3).
While regeneration begins with the rebirth of the human spirit, true salvation continues with the renewal of the soul and ultimately culminates in the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23). God’s goal is not merely to populate heaven but to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 1Peter 1:9; Hebrew 10:39). It is this ongoing transformation — from fleshly tendencies to divine alignment — that qualifies one to be called a child of the Kingdom (Romans 12:2).
The Parable of the Sower: Raising the Children of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:3-9)
To understand how the children of the Kingdom are raised, we turn to the parable of the Sower, which describes the conversion and cultivation of the heart — the very field where the Word (the seed) of God is sown.
The heart conditions described in this parable are not merely different types of people, rather, stages of transformation that any heart may go through on the journey to fruitfulness. It is good to note that being born again does not guarantee fruitfulness (John 15:1-2; 2Peter 1:8-11). A believer can be saved yet remain unfruitful if their heart is not properly transformed.
Stages of Heart Transformation
- Wayside Heart – Barren and Unyielding
This heart lacks spiritual understanding. It is hardened by the influence of the world and is completely inconducive to receiving the Word nor allowing it grow. Because the Word is not understood, it is stolen before it can even begin to work.
- Stony Heart – Shallow and Offended
Here, the heart shows some initial openness. There is even an emotional response to the Word, but no depth of root. Without sustained meditation and inner establishment, trials and pressures result in offense, thereby halting growth.
- Thorny Heart – Distracted and Divided
This heart accepts the Word and begins to grow, but it is overrun with distractions — the cares of life, ambition, pleasure, and anxiety. These competing interests choke the Word, rendering it unfruitful.
- Fruitful Heart – Transformed and Ready
At this final stage, the heart is aligned with the Kingdom. It hears, receives, and retains the Word — then multiplies it. It is only at this point of fruitfulness that God raises His children and sows them into the world as seeds of righteousness.
The Divine Sequence: Inner Life Before Outer Use
The parables of the wheat and tares and the parable of the Sower are intricately linked. One reveals the goal — the raising and planting of Kingdom children in the world, the other reveals the process — the transformation of the heart through exposure to the Word.
It is essential to understand that God does not sow people into the world as His representatives until they have first been transformed within. Salvation is not merely the doorway to heaven; it is the journey of becoming divine in nature (2Peter 1:4) — a soul renewed, a heart made fruitful, and a life that expresses the values and image of Christ. Only such lives qualify as the true children of the Kingdom, sown as light in a dark world.
Conclusion
These parables invite each believer into a journey of intentional heart cultivation. The harvest God desires is not merely numerical but qualitative — He seeks lives that have been deeply changed by the Word and are capable of reproducing the life of the Kingdom.
Understanding both the process and the purpose equips us to respond rightly. We are called to submit to the dealings of God in our souls, so we can emerge as fruitful sons and daughters, ready to be sown into our generation as agents of light, truth, and life. Amen.