Cultivating Good Soil 03: Deeper Roots

Today being the first Sunday of the month, we return to our series on cultivating good soil that that is based on our yearly theme of being fruitful branches of the Lord. Last month, we examined the first soil in the parable of the Sower/Soils, the hardened soil, and we made applications on how our hearts can be hardened to the point of the word not having an impact on our hearts so that we do not bear fruit.

Today I would like to examine the second soil that we see in this parable. Let’s read the verses that describe the soil, then we will talk about the explanation that Jesus gives about it to His disciples. Let’s begin by reading :

Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

This soil looks ok at the surface, and even after the seed is sown, it looks like it is going to be successful in bringing forth fruit. A plant sprouts from the seed because the roots were able to immediately get some moisture from the warm soil. Then the anticipation for fruit is dashed because when the hot sun comes out. The soil dries out, the plant loses it’s source of water and withers. The main reason we are told that this plant withered is that it had no “depth of soil.” The good soil was only on the surface. The plant’s roots could not go deep enough to get more good soil and more underground water because the soil was stony and hard deeper down. The soil on the surface was deceptive because what was underneath was not really good soil that could bring forth fruit.

So what does this all mean. Jesus tells us in 4:16-17:

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.

Jesus says that the second group are those who respond to the word with gladness or joy... I see this soil as the soil of emotional response instead of true repentance. On the outside, as those who are this soil receive the word, they seem visibly affected. They look sobered, concerned about their state before God, and even show a joy about the hope that is being offered by the word. But that is where it stops… They respond emotionally… those emotions may lead them in the direction of wanting to make changes… wanting to do what is right… but nothing ever happens… and then we are told by Jesus that the gladness disappears when something else happens in their life, something difficult – some kind of pain or suffering, some kind of loss, some kind of traumatic event or persecution… The emotions of gladness are counter-acted with emotions of fear or doubt or despair, and they fall away because they had not had their roots firmly planted…

EXAMPLES OF THIS SOIL

I believe within the context of Mark we see this soil within those who were the closest to Jesus: His disciples. It seems in chapter 4 like they are the only ones who are the good soil as Jesus preaches the word of God. They seek out the explanation of the parable and receive it. Everything seems to be going well for them… until later on in the day… Let’s read :

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"

What happened? Everything seemed to be going well for the disciples. Then on the very same day, their faith seems to be gone because this unexpected great windstorm comes quickly upon the Sea. It was so bad that waves were filling the ship with water. Many of these men, being experienced fishermen, felt that they were in a dangerous situation and certain death would happen if this boat either filled up with water or capsize. When they wake up Jesus, they are rebuked for having no faith… This was a trust issue. Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over” (v35), they are saying here, “we aren’t going to make it across. We are goners!” And it even seems like when they wake Jesus up, they are questioning His care and concern for them!

I believe we also see this kind of soil in Peter after Jesus was arrested. One moment Peter is proclaiming great things. He would be willing to go to prison or even die for the Lord Jesus, then comes the test… And he fails miserably… He is filled with fear and denies His Lord three times. He may have felt courageous and like he could face anything the world could throw at him, but in reality he could not.

How often do we see this kind of response to our circumstances within ourselves, where our feelings about our relationship with God or even His concern for us are all over the place based on our circumstances? When things are going well, we are feeling joy. We may think we are dong well, and then negative things happen in our lives, and all of a sudden it is doom and gloom in our hearts and feelings that God hates us or has turned against us…

We should see an important lesson in this. Our feelings can be deceiving! Just because we may feel like things are going well for us spiritually doesn’t mean this is the case. We may look like on the outside to others that we are faithful Christians because we put on a mask when we are with each other at services, but when the tests or temptations come, and they DO COME… our true colors come out. We see that we are not the good soil, but this stony soil. We respond, not with a fruitful faith when the tests come, but with sin.

The fact that we may have a good emotional response to the preaching of the word does not mean that we have really received the word and are being the fruitful soil. We see this in the book of James. Just because I hear the word of God and am gladdened, or encouraged, or challenged, or if I feel guilty or feel like I had my toes stepped on DOES NOT mean that I am right with God and am being fruitful. The emotional responses can be good, but they are worthless without change being made! If application is not being made, if changes are not made when we hear the word, our faith will not be strengthened. The word must be remembered and applied if we want fruit to come.

If we do not remember the word, James comically likens this in to a man who looks at himself in a mirror for a time, then after he walks away he cannot remember what he looked like… How ridiculous is that! But this is not too much different than how we are with God’s word, even at times when the word convicts us… It often does not change us because we forget the pain we felt as the word was getting taught to us… We don’t continue to meditate on or review what was taught to us… and all of a sudden, the word is gone… then we have no protection when the trials come, and those trials show that we have not really devoted ourselves to the teaching of scripture and that we instead have a faith that is more emotionally based and shallow

DIGGING OUR ROOTS DEEPER

And this brings us to our most important point that we will bring this lesson to a close on. How can we make sure that we do not become this soil? Or if we are this soil now, how do we turn things around so we can be the good soil? We need to seek to get our roots deeper so we can be nourished and prepared for the trials that will come.

First, if you are feeling that you are this soil, you need to remember that being convicted that you are this soil is not good enough. The conviction that you feel must lead to a godly sorrow that has the result of true repentance. Don’t be deceived… sorrow and guilt do not equal repentance!

Second, you need a plan! If you are this soil, or if you don’t want to become this soil, it just cannot be stressed enough how important it is to spend consistent time in the word of God. God uses His word as we read, study, and meditate upon it to work on our hearts. God’s word can help you get your roots deeper so you can get strength from God’s Spirit to endure trials and be victorious over temptation. God’s word can also help us to see what God wants us to learn about Him and about ourselves as we go through the trials that led the ones who are this soil to fall away. Even though the trials come, it is always important to see that God’s concern and love for our souls does not stop. He has good purposes behind the trials we go through in life.

The Psalmist says in the first Psalm that the one who delights in the word of God and meditates on it is like a tree that is planted by the streams of water. It’s roots go into the soil deep, it is able to get all of the nutrients it needs to be able to stand firm when the storms come. God’s word can do this for us if we will only remember it and meditate on it!

And finally, if you feel you are this soil, you need help from your brothers and sisters in Christ! Be willing to reach out and confess your emotional struggles. Where you are having doubts, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t allow all of the things that are keeping you from being good soil continue to hinder you! God has answers for you in His word, and your brothers and sisters who have their roots deep in the word can help you.

There is hope for us if we are this soil. Those who we looked at as examples of this soil later on became fruitful disciples of the Lord Jesus. The disciples, including Peter, were able to dig their roots deep and were able to make a difference in the kingdom and be pleasing to God. The same can happen for you.

If there is anything we can do to help you to be fruitful for the Lord, why don’t you make your need known as together we stand and sing.