Room to Grow

Build Connection

If you have ever had kids you know the dilemma of buying clothes for someone who is growing. You can’t buy a pair of shorts that fit in the spring time, because before summer is over they will be too small.

When you are buying clothes for a growing child you need to buy clothes that have room to grow...

Create Tension

What’s even more important is you need a faith that has room to grow!

Provide Solution

Matthew 13:3–9

“3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.””

As Jesus is teaching the people he tells them about some seed being planted. To really understand this we need to realize a couple things in this story.

There are two things that never change in this story

The farmer

The farmer throws seed everywhere.

The seed

The seed is he same no matter where it is thrown. The seed does not guarantee growth, it is simple potential

There are two things that do change in this story

the soil

Identifying distinction for growth is where the seed lands.

The Path - if you have ever walked on a trail through the woods you know there is a significant difference between the path and other areas. the path in compressed, compacted, hard ground where the seed can not get into the soil and germinate.

The Rocky Ground - this isn’t soil with rocks in it, it is actually a rock bed with soil on top of it. The soil on top of a rock bed is good soil but just shallow. It is also loose soil which makes it easier for a seed to get into the soil and initially grow. But because of the lack of deep roots, it can not withstand the heat of the sun.

The Thorny Grown - this is where the seed grew into a plant, but didn’t produce anything. The weeds choked out the growing plant.

The Good Soil - this is where the seed reaches it’s maximum potential.

the produce

The produce is directly related to the soil. Not all the seeds that fell on the good soil produced the same amount!

Jesus tells this parable and includes facts that everyone knew. He told them something they all could understand, where seed is planted, matters.

While the people understood the facts of the story, they didn’t understand the application of it!

Let me tell you a parable of my own.

There was a business owner who needed to hire an employee for his sales team. He set up interviews with four individuals, one at 8, one at 9, one at 10, one at 11am.

The 8 o’clock appointment didn’t bother showing up at all.

The 9 o’clock appointment showed up but was late and looked as though he just got out of bed still wearing his PJ’s. He never made eye contact with the business owner and when asked about his interest in the job he said, “I don’t really want to work, but I also don’t want to starve!”

The 10 o’clock appointment show up on time and was dressed in clean clothes. When asked about his commitment to the company, he simply said he was wiling to work hard. He rarely made eye contact with the business owner and displayed little to no confidence or drive to be productive.

When the 11 o’clock appointment arrived he was several minutes early and was dressed in a suit. When he met with the business owner he shook his hand firmly and made eye contact continually. When asked about his interest in the job he explained with confidence his previous experience and productiveness in previous sales jobs. He also shared the qualities he possessed that would make him a valuable part of the owners business.

The last interviewee was the one who got the job and became a productive member of the sales team.

What facts of the story are obvious and the we each could draw our own application, but what does the author mean by the story?

Planning and purpose will give you the ability to produce!

The disciples were confused by the application of the Parable…

Matthew 13:10–17

“10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” 11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. 15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

Why did Jesus speak in parables? Because some are not permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, vs 11.

That leads to the question of why did he not permit some to understand?

Some would say because of their unbelief, and that could partly true, but there is a missing aspect - fulfillment of prophecy.

In Genesis 12:3 “3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.””

and 18:22 God tells Abraham that “all nations will be blessed through you.”

That blessing is through the person Jesus and for those who believe in him for the forgiveness of their sins.

If the Jews understood what Jesus was saying and came to put their trust and hope in him, after his death and resurrection Jesus would have set up his eternal reign on earth. The Jews would have been blessed and saved, but all nations would not have that opportunity.

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 28:18–19 “18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

There were not permitted to understand because their hearts were hard, but also because the promise of God had to be fulfilled.

Matthew 13:18–23

““Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!””

Let’s clarify some things to understand the application of the parable.

The seed is the Message about the Kingdom.

The soil is the heart of the hearer

The seed that fell on the path is one who hears the message but doesn’t get it and the evil one snatches it away.

The seed that fell on the rocky soil is the one who hears the message and receives it with joy, but that joy is short lived because there is not depth. Problems or persecution cause the believer to lose faith.

The seed that fell amongst the thorns grows but the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth..

The seed that fell on the good soil is the one who hear and understands God’s word and produces a harvest…

Encourage Change

I would love to say that everyone in this room, everyone hearing my voice is one “who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, Sixty or even a hundred times…”

But if that is you, what spiritual harvest have you produced? What tangible thing can you point to in your life to say you have produced a harvest?