A Receptive Environment

Living Environmentally Friendly

An Environment of Reception

Matthew 13:3-8; 19-23 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Seed is the Word( God’s promise to You)

A. The Path

Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

1. The path is the place where the seed can’t penetrate because the ground is hard.

2. Your seed (God’s future) will be snatched if you are unwilling to prepare an environment to receive it.

John 10:10 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I am come that you might have life and that more abundantly.

B. The Rocky Ground

Matthew 13:20 -21 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

1. The rocky ground is the place where we hear or see or even grab hold of the seed (God’s future), but it never really takes root in your life and becomes a part of you.

2. These people will lose their seed (God’s future) the moment hardship comes. These people allow circumstances to steal their promise before it ever fully becomes a reality in their lives.

C. The Thorns

Matthew 13:22 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

1. The thorny ground is the place where the seed (God’s future) is given to you, but worry steals and chokes the seed (God’s future) right out of your life.

2. These people either a) allow worry to trump what God is wanting to do in your life or b) believe they are entitled to everything they desire because of the fact they came in contact with the seed (God’s future).

D. The Good Soil

Matthew 13:23 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

1. The good soil represents the individual who receives the seed (God’s future) and that seed begins to produce fruit which multiplies in your life.

2. These people are those who have created an environment in their lives that is not only ready to receive the seed (God’s future) but also to allow that seed to take root in their lives and produce more seed for others to share. When we create an environment that is spiritually friendly God allows what is produced from our lives to multiply and overflow so much out of our lives there is enough to bless others as well.

Central Concept: Whether we receive or not is dependant on the environment of receptivity we have created in our lives.