“Proper Ground for Growth”

It has been said that farming is hard work.  It takes toil, patience, resources and prayer to produce a crop. The best tillers of the soil are subject to the elements and the mercy of God.  And still for all they do, they can produce nothing without God’s assistance. 

Spiritual growth is like that. There’s the story of a group of tourists who were visiting a picturesque village. They walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked him, “Were any great men born in this village?” The old man replied, “Nope, only babies.”

Every person who is a born-again believer starts life as a baby in Christ. Whether the new convert is six or sixty, that person is still a new Christian and needs to grow in the Lord. A baby Christian who has been saved for forty years is a tragedy.

God intends for us to grow and mature so that we can be a positive influence in the lives of others. Until we learn to dig into the meat of the Word for ourselves, we will never grow.

A lesson in spiritual growth.

Our passage today is about spiritual growth and its relationship to God’s word.  In our Scripture today, we see that the disciples are questioning Jesus’ tactics to reach His audience. 

Large crowds had begun to follow Jesus and hear his teaching.  And since Jesus knew the hearts of all men, we know that He had a keen understanding of the spiritual makeup of the crowd.  As Jesus taught, some got it.  Others did not. 

Right before the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, we see the Pharisees asking for a sign (12:38-45).  Jesus had done many signs, but they were looking for a Messianic litmus test on demand.  And Jesus was not about to play into their hands.

Then in Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus is visited by his family while he was preaching.  It is there that He responds:

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

In Matthew 13, Jesus shares a parable, having gotten up and standing before the crowd, in a boat, looking upon the countryside, where much farming took place. But Jesus said in Mark 4:3, “Listen!” and “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 

Jesus shares a story about a sower; one who spreads seed.  We might know this person to be a planter or a gardener.  To sow seeds in the first century meant to spread them.  In first century farming, the sower would go before the tiller.  Seeds were dispersed indiscriminately before the tiller would drive the seed into the ground as the ground was plowed.  Jesus said in Matthew 13:3-9:

Matthew 13:3–9 ESV

3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

The disciples asked in verse ten: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus often used parables in His preaching.  Parables by definition are “…simple stories with a single point.” 

Today, let us first consider that…

God causes His word to bring about spiritual growth.

The book of Isaiah was frequently quoted by Jesus throughout His ministry. It has much to say about the nature of God’s word, in the context of the prophetic ministry. Isaiah tells us that God’s word will not be ineffective.  Isaiah 55:10-11:

Isaiah 55:10–11 ESV

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

What is interesting is that not everyone got it.  And there was a reason for this.  Jesus cites Isaiah 6:9 as the general reason that people do not respond to God’s word. 

Sin has calloused their hearts to the point that they cannot hear or see spiritual treasures.  Jesus said in verse 14:

“Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’ For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’” 

And so a person’s receptivity to the Lord’s teaching is influenced by the condition of their spirit. Those who are attentive, hungry and wanting, are blessed. Those who have other interests or are overly skeptical, do not. From this, we know that…

There are many distractions and obstacles that attempt to impede the progress of God’s word.

What we have in verses 19-23 is Jesus’ own interpretation of his parable.  He is actually speaking of people hearing God’s word and what takes place. 

He gives several specific reasons why everyone does not respond to the message of the kingdom and/or the preaching of God’s word.  J.C. Ryle states:

“Wherever the Word of God is preached or expounded, and people are assembled to hear it, the sayings of our Lord in this parable are found to be true. It describes what goes on, as a general rule, in all congregations.” (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew, 141).  

 I have never been to Israel. But I have understood that it is an arid environment.  The soil is rocky and sandy.  It is not as conducive to vegetation as Pennsylvania. Here, we enjoy fair amounts of precipitation and sunshine. And as a result, we have some of the best farmland in the nation. Having said that, growth depends on a lot of things such as weather, condition of the soil, the presence of pests and rodents, etc. 

Jesus says there are four types of ground upon which the seed is sown. Matthew 13:19:

Matthew 13:19 ESV

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

One thing to point out is that Satan is always active, especially on a Sunday morning. If he does not endeavor to keep you from hearing God’s word, he will certainly attempt to distract you from it. 

Jesus said in Matthew 13:20-21:

Matthew 13:20–21 ESV

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

God’s word is not to be followed only when it is convenient or popular.  In fact, we wonder why there is so much persecution of Christians in the world today or why believers are getting disdain in our own country- it is a sign of the end times.  And you must settle in your mind that the rejection or mistreatment is okay. 

In Matthew 13:22, Jesus comments on those that simply find other things more attractive. 

Matthew 13:22 ESV

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Sometimes Christianity is not cool, hip, or the trend. It is then that you have to decided that popularity or appeal should not determine your spiritual destiny.

In the parable of the sower, we understand that sometimes you are your own worst enemy to hearing and receiving God’s word.  Here, I am talking about your distractions, stresses, temptations, desires, ambitions, etc.  Are these more important than the state of your soul?    

Remember that it was in the parable of the rich fool who chose to expand his operation rather than get right with God. Luke 12:20

Luke 12:20 ESV

20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

God causes growth in His sons and daughters. 

Those that are hungry and thirsty for the word and for righteousness, will be filled! Jesus said in Matthew 13:23

Matthew 13:23 ESV

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

In another place, as Jesus was preparing to leave His disciples, He reminded that their survival and growth would only be a result of their abiding in Him. John 15:5

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

And that God is the One that causes the growth. Paul writes to the divided congregation of believers in Corinth who were claiming allegiance to different ones and using it as a claim for arrogance. So he reminds the church in Corinth that God is the One who causes growth among His people. 1 Corinthians 3:5-6

1 Corinthians 3:5–6 ESV

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

What type of spiritual soil do you possess?  Are you aware of the present day obstacles that impede the growth of God’s word in you? 

Today, we deal with so many distractions: the smart phone, a constant stream of news stories (though some do not qualify as news).  The burdens and stress of life, special interests- anything from golf to gaming. 

Moreover, time is now more precious than ever before.  There is a lack of determination of what is important.  A friend’s dad used to say: “You will find the time to do what is most important to you.” 

One thing is for certain. It takes priority.  We are left dry when we remove ourselves from God’s word. I know a woman who wakes up each morning at 5 a.m. to prepare for her day.  At 5:30, she will gather in her den, sit in her overstuffed chair, with her Bible and her journal and maybe a devotional book.  It is her time to listen to God. 

In addition, I knew a young man in college who would wake every morning, read his Bible and go for a walk in the field in back of our apartment building- his time to hear from and talk to God.

How do you listen to God’s word?  Do you only hear what you want to hear?  Do you gravitate only to that which is entertaining?  Or when it comes time for the sermon, do you scoot up in your chair in order to drink deep from the Scripture?  Do you feed your soul on spiritual junk food of televangelists or on the Lord’s manna?

CONCLUSION

Isaiah 40:7-8:

Isaiah 40:7–8 ESV

7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

J.C. Ryle states:

“We may rest assured, that to reach heaven at last it needs something more than to go to church regularly on Sundays and listen to preachers.  The Word of God must be received into our hearts, and become the mainspring of our conduct: it must produce practical impressions on our inward man, that shall appear in our outward behavior.  If it does not do this, it will only add to our condemnation in the day of judgment.” (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew, 145.)

A young man was eager to grow in His Christian life. He got a piece of paper and made a list of all the things he would do for God. He wrote down the things he would give up, the places he would go to minister and the areas of ministry he would enter. He was excited. He took that list to the church and put it on the altar.

He thought he would feel joy, but instead he felt empty. So he went home and started adding to his list. He wrote down more things he would do and wouldn’t do. He took the longer list and put it on the altar, but still he felt nothing.

He went to a wise, old pastor, told him the situation and asked for help. The pastor said, “Take a blank sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom. Put that on the altar.” The young man did, and then peace came to his heart.