The Parable of the Soils
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 43:37
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· 11 viewsThe message of the kingdom of God truly takes root and endures only in hearts that bear fruit.
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Call to Worship
Call to Worship
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
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.
6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Adoration
Adoration
Confession
Confession
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Message
Message
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower:
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.
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.
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.
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.”
This first parable (Matthew 13:1-9) should be read in tandem with it’s interpretation (Matthew 13:18-23).
Jesus’ parables conceal and reveal truth: concealment from hardened clay, revelation to the softened wax.
Jesus’ parables conceal and reveal truth: concealment from hardened clay, revelation to the softened wax.
Now these secret purposes of God are real and necessary.
They must happen for a person to be regenerated.
Yet, like all of life, God’s purposes don’t come down to us by saying
“Here are the secret providences of God!”
Instead what comes to us are questions like,
“How are you responding to the Word you hear?”
The message of the kingdom of God truly takes root and endures only in hearts that bear fruit.
The message of the kingdom of God truly takes root and endures only in hearts that bear fruit.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
Jesus’ first parable is a common one to everyday life.
A typical scene that everyone understands, a farmer sowing his seed.
Sowing took place in late fall or early winter (October to December)
The parables conceal the truth from those who are hardened, but the parables also reveal truth to the softened wax.
The disciples are doing just what Jesus already said would happen.
They show themselves to be the softened wax because they press in and ask Jesus for more.
It’s not as though they are never confused, but they take their confusion and they bring it to Jesus for more clarity.
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower:
Seed is scattered upon many surfaces.
The seed is the message of the kingdom of God that has come in Jesus Christ.
This parable has also been helpful called, “the parable of the soils”, because the difference between these four kinds of settings is NOT the seed.
The seed remains the same, but the soils differ.
The focus of this parable is not determined by the things that are the same, i.e. the sower, or the seed.
The focus of the parable are the differences: the soils.
The reception of the seed in the parable (Matthew 13:3-9) is equated to the hearing and understanding of the Word of God (Matthew 13:18-23).
Jesus present four kinds of soils, but only ONE of them produces fruit.
As we hear these four kinds of soils, there is a temptation to hear yourself in the parable and think,
“At least I’m not like that other kind of soil!”
We should never find comfort in perishing in different ways, but there is only one way to life.
There is only one way to a fruitful life: hearing the Word, believing the Word, and obeying the Word of truth.
Hearing that does not result in obedience is like James says…
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
75% of these soils are like James describes here.
I want to caution us from thinking that “bearing fruit” always means that a person will be in some form of vocational ministry.
Jesus is not calling everyone to vocational ministry, or becoming a missionary in some far away land.
Instead we must understanding that bearing fruit demands that we bear fruit right where God has planted us.
Bearing fruit is no less negotiable as a dentist or as a pastor.
If you’re a Christian than you’re called to bear fruit.
And this fruit is not merely you trying harder to be a more serious Christian.
The Hardened Soil and the Plucked-up Seed
The Hardened Soil and the Plucked-up Seed
“A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
The path would be hardened and dry terrain.
Think about how parched and dry the black-top in your driveway would be, this is the kind of path Jesus has in mind.
This soil is hardened and used for traveling on as a road, not growing produce.
It’s this place that makes for an ideal setting for a meal for some birds.
Bird’s pluck up the seed from the path.
Birds in biblical imagery are almost always negative.
Here Jesus equates the birds to “the evil one…”
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 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.
Hearing does not equate to understanding.
When a person hears but does not understand, it is actually the evil one who snatches away the Word.
Why do some people never seem to pay attention to the Word?
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Those who coldly ignore the Word of God show themselves to be under the power of the Evil One.
They show themselves to be under the delusion of the prince of this world.
There’s an application here for you who say…
“I’ve got better things to do!”
“I’m not interested in this whole Jesus thing!”
It is your callous and cold rejection of the truth that reveals your hardheartedness.
Even right now I implore you to see the way that Satan is deceiving you.
He is deceiving you by trying to convince you there are other things more valuable than what we are discussing.
I implore you who neglect the Word of the kingdom, HEAR the Words of Jesus.
There’s an application to those who have believed and received and obeyed the Word of truth here as well.
Don’t ever think that you and your own strength had the ability to make your own eyes to see.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
There are all sorts of wrong theological views that placed the emphasis upon us.
And as Peter understood rightly…
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Was it Peter’s strength that kept him from the evil one? Was it Peter’s resolve?
No!
It was the prayers of Jesus that guarded him from stumbling.
The Shallow Soil and the Withered Seed
The Shallow Soil and the Withered Seed
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.
If the first kind of soil would be like your driveway, this kind of soil would be directly beside it in the shallow soil on gravel.
The only kind of plants that grow in this soil are weeds.
The second soil was a soil that lacked depth.
If soil lacks depth, it does not provide a place for roots to dig in provide sustenance for the long haul.
The shallow soil results in unhealthy plants because their roots are shallow.
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.
The Word of God is first received with joy.
Unlike the other seeds and soils, this seed grows quickly.
It shoots up like a weed in a garden.
This person first receives the Word with joy.
They’re excited about the Word in their lives.
They may even share it with others around them.
But the frowns and disapproval of the world begins to spoil the fruit.
A season of tribulation and trial comes because of the Word of God.
A person is asked to stand upon the Word of God in the face of people’s disapprovals, and they begin to falter.
There’s application for all of us to consider that just because a person immediately receives the Word with joy, does not mean they’ll preserver. This does not mean we act cautiously toward them, or with any kind of suspicion. But it does mean we need to help one another continue in the faith. It’s not enough for someone to walk and isle or pray a prayer and we think, “Well, our job is done now!” For it certainly is not.
“The emotions have been moved, but the conscience has not been searched; there is a natural ”joy” but no deep conviction or true repentance.” —A. W. Pink
Only after a season of tribulation does the seed wither.
Though the seed began in fruitfulness, it’s end was destruction.
The word used for “falls away” is Gk: σκανδαλίζω, which can mean to “be led into sin” or “apostasy.”
What happens to your obedience when following Jesus costs you?
It costs you relationships.
It costs you financially.
It costs you professionally.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…
But why were they doing that?
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
It was the approval of men that was tripping up the Galatian believers.
They were looking for approval from the Judaizers.
Those who wanted them to keep the whole Mosaic Law.
Those who demanded that circumcision was needed to be justified.
Paul called this a different gospel.
Sometimes we forget that a group like the Galatian believers who needed to stand upon the Word of truth would lose friends over this.
People would not like them.
Rocky soil is the soil that is averse to tribulation and challenges.
There’s application here for us as Christians.
When God allows challenges to come your way, often we receive them like a child eating their broccoli.
With scrunched face and much squirming.
But we must never forget that challenges and tribulations for the Christian are characteristic of the Christian life.
21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
There’s also applications for you who have grown up hearing phrases like,
“God never brings you more than you can handle!”
The Bible never hints that Christians whole life will be blessed.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
“The ‘bright singing,’ the sentimentality of the hymns, the preacher’s appeals to the emotions, the demand of the churches for visible and quick ‘results,’ produce nothing but superficial returns. Sinners are urged to make a prompt ‘decision,’ are rushed to the ‘penitent form,’ and then assured that all is well with them; and the poor deluded soul leaves with a false and evanescent ‘joy.’ And the deplorable thing is that many of the Lord’s own people are supporting and fellowshipping this Christ dishonoring and soul-deceiving parody of true Gospel ministry.” —A. W. Pink
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
The trials that come our way are not obstacles to some “blessed life.”
Christian, the trials are the means God is using to make us Holy in His Son.
So don’t despise them.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
What happens to your obedience when following Jesus costs you?
The Choked Soil and the Strangled Seed
The Choked Soil and the Strangled Seed
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
There’s a kind of seed that falls among the thorn stricken ground.
If the first seed is on the driveway, the second seed is in the rocky gravel, this seed is scattered among the rose bush.
This seed is thrown among the brambles that seek to choke out all other vegetation.
Pay careful attention to how Jesus describes the thorns…
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.
Choked by the cares of the world.
Choked by the cares of the world.
To care about something is not wrong.
It’s a good thing to care about the people, and concerns around us.
But there is a kind of “care” that moves beyond seeking to care of someone in a loving way.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Choked by the deceitfulness of riches.
Choked by the deceitfulness of riches.
Notice that the text refers to this as the “deceitfulness of riches”, not just merely wealthy.
Deceit is also tricky because all it fools is the person being deceived.
Wealth has a strange way of making you think you’re more sturdy than you really are.
Wealth is like ice on the surface of the pond, it may hold you for a time, but without any notice plunges out from underneath of you.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
It’s not merely that money is somehow inherently bad.
But the desire to have money is deceitful.
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The negative aspect is to be on guard from a love of money, but then the positive side of this command is to be content with what we have.
But the ground for the exhortation comes in the reality that God will never leave us nor forsake us.
The love of money springs from a heart that God is not ultimately a good provider.
What chokes your affection for Christ, Christian?
The Fruit Bearing Soil and the Bountiful Harvest
The Fruit Bearing Soil and the Bountiful Harvest
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 last kind of seed fell on good soil.
Not the driveway, not the gravel, not the thornbush, but the cultivated raised bed.
The tended, tilled, and fertilized ground.
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.”
Hearing, understanding, and bear fruit are all necessary elements of the faithful fruit.
This can only be seen in the fruit that is present.
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.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
To abide in Jesus is to remain in His Word. The fruit of the Christian is a changed life in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24).
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.
6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Notice that the sower is given little attention in this parable. This sower could have been an amazing sower or even a small child scattering seed. It ought to be a great comfort to know that God uses all sorts of sowers to accomplish His purposes in the gospel.
