Don't they love stories? And don't you love stories?
So did the people to whom our Lord spoke. He often put a word-picture before their eyes, and it sank into their hearts, and they remembered it ever after.
I am going to tell you about one of these Parables which our Lord told to the listening multitudes.
This one was about "The Kingdom of Heaven." This is the word picture which he put before their eyes.
He said that the Kingdom of Heaven was like a man who had a field, and who sowed it with good seed.
But at night, under cover of the darkness, while men were asleep, there came an enemy into this field.
He carried a basket in his hands, and as he went up and down the field, he looked stealthily round him to make sure that no one was aware of his presence. And then he took handful after handful of seed from his basket and scattered it all over the field. Then he crept away in the darkness.
SOWING THE TARES.
Why did he do it, do you think?