The Parable of The Sower

Scripture

Matthew 13:3–9 KJV 1900

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:18–23 KJV 1900

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The Parable and Explanation

I will begin by reiterating what I just read. In the passage we just read a farmer went out to sow seed in his field. Now our farming methods today are not the same. There were no gigantic green or red machines that the farmers rode on. This farmer likely had a large bag of seed looped over his shoulder and was spreading the seed by hand. Each handful tossed across the ground. The seeds were not precisely planted or sown but tossed so some of them fell on the pathway that the farmer walked upon. Some fell in stony places, some fell along the edges of the field in the brushy areas and some fell in the prepared ground, broken up, rid of stones, and cleared of brush and thorns.

Now that seed that seed that fell on the hard packed path did not take any root whatsoever. The ground was too hard so the seed was eaten by birds and blown away by the wind. That seed that fell among the rocky soil sprung up at the first, but when the heat of the sun beat down it dried and withered. Without depths of root and soil it lacked the strength to withstand dryness and sun. The seed that fell on the edges of the field aslo sprang up. It took root and it looked good at first. But the edges of the field were not cleared of the thorns and brush that lays dormant until spring and then revives with gusto. This seed was chocked by the thorns that sprang up with it and bore no fruit losing all value. Yet some, fell on good ground. That ground that was broken up, cleaned of rocks and kept free of thorns. That seed bore tremendous fruit. Now before you critizice the farmer for losing 3/4 of the seed remember 2 things. We do not know how much seed landed on each type of ground. If it were a literal story then probably 99% of the seed landed on the good ground. 2nd, this is a parable. It is a story to illustrate a truth, not tell how wasteful this farmer was with his seed.

In Jesus explanation we see that the farmer had no control over the ground but only the seed. The explanation is this. The seed is the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The soil is the types of hearers. The one who hears the gospel without any sort of understanding or internalizing of the truth is that hard ground. The truth is given, but rejected or ignored. This seed is taken by the birds which represent the evil one. Some distraction, some new resolution of evil, some deep confusion keeps the word from taking root. Satan sends something along to make sure that the truth is taken away before it can take root. Since the soil is hard the truth is easily pecked away and has no effect.

The stony ground is that hearer who hears and listens. At the first this seed takes root. There is a show of transformation. Yet as the root begins to deepen there is a rock. The soil is shallow because the heart is hard within. The truth has sprung up but every time it tries to dig deep another rock holds it back, it keeps it from really being established. So when trials and difficulties come, when the heat of the sun, the struggle of battle come this seed is destroyed for it has no depth, no root, nothing deep to hold onto. As the shallow earth dries and turns to dust the foundation of the stone is left exposed and the plant destroyed because the stones kept the root from going deep.

The thorny ground has a distinct difference from the stony ground. The seed takes root and digs deep. There is no obstruction. When the sun beats down and the surface dries and the wind blows this plant remains. It has dug down past the shallow ground into the moist depths of the earth. Its root is deep and strong. What happens on the surface does not destroy that plant. Yet Satan has another tactic yet! The cares of this earth and the deceitfulness of riches. This plant may or may not die, yet it is unprofitable. No fruit is born. The plant is fully entangled with the thorns of this life.

Yet there remains one final type of soil. It is soft and ready for seed. It is clear of obstructions to depth and the thorns have been removed as well. In this soil the seed springs up and brings forth great fruit!

What kind of Ground are You?

So that begs the question which sort of ground are you?

Are you that Hard soil? You say no no, of course not. I have been a Christian for 50 years. I cannot be hard ground. In the strictest sense I believe you are correct. This hard ground is referring most specifically to those who disregard the message of the gospel. Yet, having regarded the gospel and begun in the ways of truth have you become hardened soil to further development and light? Do you bring a shovel or a rake with you to your devotions and church services? You see some people approach places where truth is to be found with a shovel or pitchfork. As the truth comes to them they scoop it up and send it over to this one or that one in their mind. They consider how this scripture applies to others and not themselves. This is perhaps a special danger for all in ministry of any capacity. We are always searching for truths to share but when the seed is being spread its better to bring a rake! Take all in that you can, bring it to yourself and see what is in there for you! Do not be afraid to bring a rake, no matter how much of the seed you gather in for yourself you do not reduce at all the amount there for others.

Have you heard messages of holiness, of carefulness, or of standards so often that these truths do not even penetrate the surface of your hardened heart? By the time you get home from church, or rise from prayer the truths that were given have already been stolen away by Satan through some disagreement, confusion, or distraction? Are you become hardened to the truth of God’s Word by oft hearing? Are you calloused to the truth God has for you? When was the last time you felt God correct you? When was the last time the chastening of the Lord came upon you? When was the last time God let you know that you were a little out of line? God guides, corrects, and chastises His children. If you are resistant to the still small voice and the gentle nudge of the Spirit so much so that you no longer sense or hear Him it is a dangerous place. The burden of the Lord is not grievous to us. His correction and chastisement is blessed.

Yet that hard soil certainly applies to the ones who disregard salvation itself. Your hearts as hard as pavement so that the seed bounces off and is gone almost before it arrived. Have you been moved to tears for your sin? Has it ceased to bother you that Jesus died for you, and yet you live for yourself making his atoning sacrifice of no effect on your soul. O sinner beware. If you can no longer feel the pain, the guilt, the remorse of sin it is high time to beg God to break the hardened soil of your heart and make to feel his convicting voice again, though it be unpleasant and uncomfortable.

Are you that stony soil? Have you no depth of root? God wants His truth to take deep root in our souls. As the root deepens in our lives it often runs into stones, into blockages to the roots depth. What do we do when some stone is encountered by God’s truth? Some hobby is not pleasing to Him. Some action is not like Him. Some possession offends Him. Some manner of lifestyle not as he desires. The root of truth has dug down as far as it can and come smack against some fixture of ourselves. The roots of plants go around stones, often changing directions util a new path deeper is found. God’s truth is not like this. He bored down into our hearts and when something stops the deepening and strengthening of the root of Christlikeness God does not turn away. God does not just go around and find a new way. God is not interested in the root of truth turning this way and that and picking a path through the stony soil of the unsurendured heart. The root stops until the blockage is removed. No further depth of Godliness and Christlikeness can ever be reached when some stone of self is in the way.

Has the truth of the Bible come up against anything in your life? Have you tried to ignore it? You cannot grow in your relationship with Christ until that thing is removed. God works with us with great care. As we long to become like Him He is not acting as a taskmaster taking good from our lives. Rather He is showing us hindrances to our strength in Him.

You see the heat of the sun is good for plants as long as the root is deep. But the shallow plant dies in the heat. So does the shallow faith. Christ does not want to see your faith die. He recognized that which is a problem now or will become one. It must be removed so that strength can be found. The heat will come. The trouble, the trials, the blows of our enemy will rain down upon us. No one escapes this. Many spring up in their new faith and yet when trials come they wither away. They find a new path. One that allows the stones to remain, one that seems easier. Yet there is but one way.

Do trials fold you up and knock you down? Are you withered up in the heat of battle? The battle’s that we face destroy us, weaken us, or strengthen us. That plant that is rooted and ground deep in the Love of Christ having the stone of self removed finds strength in the battle and is made stronger for it. The shallow one, the one who refuses to go deep with Christ is knocked down, and oft swept away.

I do not mean to say that we enjoy the battles, that in every moment we are encouraged and lifted up, I do not mean to say that the battles that Satan sends our way and the blows he delivers do not wound us. They do! Satan often seems to know our weaknesses well and He often hits right where it hurts the most. Even the deepest of Christians often feel well night bowled over by the blows of our enemy. Horatio was a Godly man who was attacked by Satan in one of the most brutal ways possible. In 1873 the Spafford Family decided to visit England for vacation and to hear D. L. Moody preach. Horatio was delayed by business, so the family went on ahead. As the ship was sailing across the ocean it was struck by another ship and sunk. All four of Horatio’s daughters perished but his wife was saved. Horatio headed to England immediately to meet up with his wife. On the way across the ocean the captain called Spafford to the bridge and explained that they were passing over the spot that his children had died. It is said that the Spafford returned to his cabin and there wrote the words to the song “It Is Well With My Soul”.

You see when the battles overwhelmed him, Horatio Spafford held to what he knew. Though Satan rages, though all falls apart, though loved ones all die, friends turn away, and nothing of this earth is left the depth of His faith gave him one thing to hold onto in the chaos. One firm foundation though all else had been swept away. One thing remained that no one and nothing could steal from him, that Satan could not take away. IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. The depth of his faith was surely shaken by this tragedy but not destroyed and through this tragedy the strength of his faith enabled him to write a song that has blessed, encourage and strengthened countless thousands since its publication.

Are you not stony, you have removed the resistance to God digging deep in your life and continuing to work in you yet are you perhaps that thorny ground. The root is deep but the fruit is lacking. It is not the heat of trials and tribulations that choke your faith but thorns. Jesus explains that the thorns are the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this world. Fruit cannot come from this plant that is consumed with with worldliness. I mean this not in the sense of lifestyle and attire, but in the sense of worldly focus. Of focus on the here and now rather than focus on the hereafter. The thorny ground may have been so when the seed was planted. That is how the parable has it. That is often the case for adults coming into the kingdom. Their focus, attention, and time has already been taken up with worldly pursuits. This leaves little time for religion, for God, for fruitfulness. It is easy for the faith of such a one to be choked. To be kept fruitless.

Yet often I think it is that the ground begins as good ground. It receives the gospel of Christ gladly. The plant springs up and the root digs down. Stones are cleared out. But, other things are allowed to grow in the soil. It is good soil so much grows. Much that perhaps is not sinful but is yet worldly. The attentions of the mind, the desires of the heart, the time, are all slowly taken over by worldly pursuits. If this happens the plant cannot be fruitful, nor can the Christian.

How important is fruitfulness and what do we mean by it? Scripturaly we find fruit as the test of true salvation. Fruit is of the the utmost importance! The unfruitful branch will be cut off, the unfruitful tree chopped down, and it is by our fruits that we are known. So you see scripture leaves little or no room for such a thing as an unfruitful Christian.

What then is it to be fruitful? Romans 6:22 says “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” This concept and verse reinforces Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Our fruit as Christians is fruit unto holiness. Both Holiness of life and Holiness of Heart are the fruit of the working of God in the life of a person. Unholy people do not get to live in fellowship with a Holy God. Those who reject Holy Hearts or Holy Lives are those plants that spring up but are choked. Galatians 5:22-23 describe the fruits of the Spirit. A life led by the Spirit of God will burst forth in fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance. Colossians 1:10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” The fruit that we are to bear is good works. We are not saved by doing good, but the fruit of the gospel seed is people who do good. Fruit is also bringing others to Christ for Paul describes those covered under his ministry as fruit in Rom 1:13. Our generous giving toward the work of the kingdom of God is describes as fruit in (Rom 15:25-28). And the fruit of the lips of the Christian, or the words that we speak are to be praising of God and pleasing too him.

It seems to me that those who are yet alive but are unfruitful are left with 2 choices. Prune out the thorns that keep us from being unfruitful and begin to bear fruit or have our faith choked until it dies.

Now there is one type of soil remaining. That is the good ground. This good ground hears the message of truth, whether it is hearing the gospel for the first time and responding or hearing a word from God during devotions, church services, or among our daily lives. It is open to hearing that word from God. The seed is buried in the earth of this soil. The birds, the tricks of Satan are unable to snatch it away before it can take root. The change is begun. This good soil is either already cleared of rocks or as each obstacle to the deepening of God’s truth into the life of the person is encountered it is removed and cast away so that nothing hinders the depth of the faith of God. This good either is clear of thorns and kept clear of them or it is cleared of them. Those things that keep the plant from blossoming into fruitfulness are put off, are cleared away. When something begins to spring up and choke the plant it is removed so that the plant may be fruitful. The plant in this soil will bring forth much fruit. Some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Which type of soil are you?

How to be Good Ground

As you know we have revival coming up. The word of truth will be scattered upon the soil of each of our hearts and minds. For this revival to make a difference in our lives we must be that good soil. So how can be good ground?

First the hardness needs to be broken up. If you are calloused to the truth, whether it be the first things of salvation and repentance or the meat of the word of holiness of heart and life we must take the plough to our hearts. I think this is done in prayer. The hardhearted must bow before God in humility and ask God to break up the hardness of their hearts. Come to revival prayed up and prepared to take the truth that is shared to heart, not to pass it to someone else, but take what God has for you in the service. Approach each service looking for some truth that applies to your heart and take it in so it can grow.

Next the hindrances within need to be cast out. As that truth is taking root in your life and it runs up against something blocking its depth cast that stone out! I do not know what will be said, or what God will apply to your heart so I don’t know what that stone is, but anything that hinders the depth of God’s truth is not worth keeping in your life! If you do not, you will be like the stony soil and your faith will soon be destroyed.

Finally the hindrances to fruitfulness must be removed and kept out. I wonder if we are pretty good at getting rid of these hindrances, but not very good and keeping them out. If you have ever had a garden you know that no matter how good the soil is at the start, no matter how good the seed that is planted, if left untended that garden will just grow a bunch of weeds and the plants will become unfruitful. I think it is so in the Christian life. No matter how clear the soil the perfect seed of God’s word and truth finds, we still must tend to our spiritual lives or else all that we will grow is a faithless life of unfruitfullness. If left unchecked the weeds will take over and eventually the plant will die. It takes discipline are regular weeding to keep a garden clear of weeds. The same is true of our spiritual lives. It takes daily discipline and regular meetings with God to keep the garden of our souls clear of weeds. To have good soil spend daily time making sure the weeds are kept out.

If we are good ground in this revival I believe each of us can grow further into the people that God designed us to be. This evening I challenge you and I challenge myself to enter into this revival as good ground and to make sure the seed of God’s truth that we receive will find us to be receptive, obedient and fruitful.