Where do we go from here

Beloved, perhaps you are familiar with the concept of sowing and reaping. Whether that be agriculturally, physically, or spiritually; I’m sure all of us understand the concept of what you put Into something, is what you will often get out of it. For even the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Galatia in Galatians 6:7 (quote). When Paul was writing to the Church at Corinth concerning the collection for the Church, he wrote (2 Cor.9:7 quote). The Bible is replete with the concept of sowing and reaping; however what does one do when that which he sows does not reproduce, what does one do when he keeps planting season after season and he never reaps a harvest, what does one do when you’ve labored and toiled and the outcome does not match output, the results do not compensate the effort that was put in….. How do you manage that, how do you cope? Maybe you’re like me, you’ve questioned yourself “is it me, am I the problem, am I not planting it correctly?” Or maybe it’s the seed, something is wrong with the seed, therefore it’s not producing…. A plethora of thoughts may come to your mind for the reason you are not reaping what you sow, but what do you do when those thoughts arise? Do you give up? Do you stop planting? Do you stop sowing the seed?

This morning I want to help you with this dilemma of not reaping that which you’ve sown. Therefore my objective on this morning, is to encourage you to keep planting seeds, despite the response of the soils.

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The gospel according to Matthew is unique because of its strong apologetic defense of Jesus Christ being the Messiah, the chosen one of God to be a savior and redeemer for Israel. Matthew, a Jew, wanted all the Jews to know that this Jesus is the seed promise through the lineage of Abraham, therefore he opens Ch.1 with a genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, 42 1/2 generations to give validity to the historicity that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

Not only that, but the gospel according to Matthew is significant because of its replete and redundant references to the OT scriptures to elucidate and further elaborate that this Jesus is the man we’ve been looking for to save us from our sin.

And lastly for time sake, Matthew’s account of the life of Jesus is significant because, like Luke and Mark he records the quintessential methodology of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His teachings, which were often in the form of parables.

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The text says in Matthew ch.13 v.1 (read through v.3)

As we study the concept of sowing seeds in several soils, we need to first understand why Jesus thought it necessary to teach this concept in a parable, we need to be like the disciples and ask the question “what does this mean?” “What is a Parable?” …. A parable is a teaching device in which the principle is concealed and the truth revealed. In the original language, parable comes from the compound greek word para-ballo, para= beside of; in close proximity and ballo= to throw deliberately or intensely. Therefore a parable is the comparison of two objects, it is a comparison of something familiar with something unfamiliar, it is a parallel between that which is natural and that which is spiritual, in the most simplest terms it is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning. Jesus is trying to convey a spiritual message behind the curtain of an earthly story that every man in his day could understand, therefore the only way you could miss the true meaning of the parable was if you didn’t receive it with the right heart… to understand a parable and benefit from it demands honesty and humility (something the Pharisees and religious leaders didn’t quite have.) Many entitle this pericope of scripture as “the sower and the seed”, well within the context I take a different approach and say this is actually a parable of the soils, it’s a parable of how one receives the seed. Jesus speaks in parables to illuminate the hearts of man, in other words he uses a parable to sift between those with a pure and sincere heart vs those with a wicked and hardened one. A parable was used to determine the depths of the soil, it was used to determine the heart.

The disciples asked in v.10 (read through v.11-15 and elaborate)

(Go back to v.3 in the text through v.8)

If you notice in the text, the seed never changes, but the soil does. Therefore, the depth of the seed is at the mercy of the soil. It is not the skill of the sower nor is it the quality of the seed, rather it is the condition of the soil that determines whether or not the seed will bear fruit. For Paul said in 2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So what is the spiritual application, what is the message that Jesus is trying convey in this story, well Jesus interprets the parable himself in Matt.13:18-23; Mark 4:14-20; and Luke 8:11-15 and here is the message, the seed is the WORD OF GOD!! Jesus is the sower and He has come forth preaching and proclaiming the Word of God, and notice the seed or the Word never changes, but how a man receives it is ever changing. Jesus is giving two-fold application here, for not only is this parable meant to determine the hearts of man and how they receive the word, but it also an encouragement to us who are striving to be like Jesus and plant the seed, and preach the Word, and make disciples. Jesus wants us to know that the problem with man’s salvation is not in the SEED, rather it’s in the SOIL!! How a man receives the Word determines his salvation.

The seed we are sowing beloved is the same seed Jesus was sowing, the Word of God. Paul says to the Church at Corinth we are laborers with God, we are God’s husbandry, we help God build the Kingdom, for Paul said “I planted and Apollos watered, but God gives the increase”, we are laborers with God, we are the hands and feet of Christ, for Jesus is the head of the Church which is His body (Eph.1) and we carry out the will of God through His son Jesus Christ and the only way we can effectively do that is if we keep planting the seed!……. The only way we can do that is if we keep sowing even if we don’t get the results we intended. For the Church is not in decline because of the seed, rather our churches are in decline because of the infertility of the soil.

However, I’m afraid that’s not the only reason the Church is losing her members, but Jesus said in Matt.9:37-38 (quote). Beloved, has the time come where you’ve stopped planting the seed, has the time come where you’ve stopped preaching and teaching the Word of God because you aren’t reaping a harvest, well if so let me encourage you by saying perhaps it’s not the sower or the seed, but it’s the soil. KEEP PLANTING THE SEED beloved, there is power in the seed, there is power in the word of God! For the Hebrew author says in Hebrews ch.4 v.12: Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Apostle James says in James 1:21 “Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

For there is power in the Word, for the Apostle Peter wrote to those scattered believers who were being persecuted for their faith in Christ, he says 1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1Pe 1:24  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

1Pe 1:25  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Beloved Jesus is encouraging every Christian, that despite the response of the soil, KEEP PLANTING THE SEED!! When they don’t listen, KEEP PLANTING, when they dismiss you, KEEP PLANTING, when they mistreat you, KEEP PLANTING, when they first start with a zeal and later turn away, KEEP PLANTING!! Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim.4:2 (quote)

“instant in season and out of season” (elaborate) “Long suffering”(elaborate)

In sowing the seed, we must be patient and we must realize that we are just a part of the process, someone comes behind us and water and God gives the increase, in due time. For some that time is a few weeks or months, for others it may even be a few years; but we must be like the Farmer “sow in patience and sow in hope “

Jesus teaches, as sowers of the seed, we are sowing in several soils. Several heart conditions and he list them staring in v.4. (Read and elaborate on each and explain from v.19-23)

“Wayside” - amongst the road and the field (explain v.19)

(Ref. Prov.4:7 and 1 Cor.14:15 and Heb.2:1)

“Stony places” (v.20)- amongst rock…

(Ref. Hebrew Christians (book of Hebrews) and the Church at Galatia (Gal. Ch.1 and Gal. Ch.4)

“Thorns”(v.22)- (give description)

(Ref. “Rich young ruler Lk.18:18-30”

“Good ground”(v.23) - soft, fertile, open mind, heart,

( ref. Jn.1:11-13 “he came unto his own)

(Acts ch.2 day of Pentecost)

Conclusion

recap subject Recap objective Plan of salvation