“The Power of Story’

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Matt 13:1-23

Introduction: (What?)

Do you remember your children or grandchildren asking you to tell or read them a story? Many times stories teach valuable life lessons that stay with children throughout their lives. Dr. Seuss made a career of hiding life lessons in fanciful stories. He was not the first one to understand the power of story. Jesus was a great storyteller during His ministry here on earth. The popularity of movies and novels bears out the truth that people love stories. Missionaries, especially in places where oral tradition is prominent, have found that “storying” the Bible is extremely effective.

Examination: (Why?)

1. The Story (vv 1-9)

Mt 13:1-9 “On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. Let anyone who has ears listen.”

In the early weeks of Jesus’s earthly ministry people really didn’t know how to take Him. Many, including John the Baptist, thought that if He really was the Messiah, He would bring about immediate relief from their bondage at the hands of the Romans. That was not the case. Even though Jesus had been preaching, teaching and ministering throughout the region of Galilee, the message of the gospel didn’t seem to be taking hold. Although this is the first recorded parable Jesus used, He most likely had been using this method, which was quite common in that day, all along. In a way Jesus was doing just what the parable of the sower (or soils) explained.

On that day means that immediately following the events of chapter 11 Jesus relocated from inside to outside, and people followed Him. The reason He got in the boat was perhaps two-fold. One, it kept the people from so crowding around that He couldn’t move and two, being on the water gave His voice a natural amplification so that more people could hear Him clearly.

The common practice of farmers in Jesus’s day was to “broadcast” seed rather than planting them one by one. Sometimes the plowing of the ground actually took place after the seeds were broadcast. Since the ground had not been previously prepared, not all of the seeds would take root. Depending on the type soil on which the seed landed, it either died, was swept away or took root and flourished. This could be akin to street preaching. The preacher proclaims the gospel to the general public, but very few respond. The same would be true to large evangelistic endeavors in arenas or stadiums. Lots of seeds are cast, but few take root.

2. Why tell stories (vv 10-17)

Mt 13:10-17 “Then the disciples came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?” He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

For whoever has, (understanding given by God) more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (this is what Paul meant when he wrote in 1 Cor 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.” )

That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, but never understand; you will look and look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back— and I would heal them. “Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things that you hear, but didn’t hear them.”

If broadcasting is somewhat hit or miss, then why do it? This might have been the reason the disciples asked Jesus about His use of parables (stories). It was obvious to them that the majority of people just didn’t seem to catch on to what Jesus was teaching. As He often did, Jesus took them back to the OT for the answer. He quoted from Isa 6:9-10 “And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Make the minds of these people dull; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed.” Right after Isaiah responded to God’s questions “Who should I send? Who will go for Us?” by saying “Here I am, send me” God gave him the response we just read. Now that is a real “send off” isn’t it. I’m sure that Isaiah was psyched and could hardly wait to get about his assignment.

When Jesus used parables, He was actually speaking in code. Only those who were open to the message would get it. Those who were not “good soil” would not. During WW2 there were some 400-500 Indian “code talkers” who would deliver coded messages to the front lines using their native tongue. The enemy could not decipher these messages while the American troops could. In essence Jesus was a “code talker”. Those without faith could not understand His message. Those with faith got it, and that was His intention. Remember, faith is a gift (Eph 2:8-9 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” Rather than pull the disciples (all followers, not just the Twelve) aside and teach them, He taught them in the midst of crowds of people. Also, no one could ever say “I never heard the gospel”. They heard but because of their hard hearts they didn’t understand it.

3. What the story means (vv 18-23)

Mt 13:18-23 “So listen to the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”

Beginning in verse 18 Jesus did a recap for His disciples giving them the spiritual principles wrapped in the parable. Just as the seed responded differently to the different types of soil, so people respond differently to the gospel. Some are unreceptive, like the hard ground; others are unfaithful, like the rocky ground; some are unfruitful, like the ground covered with thorns and thistles. Those who have “ears to hear and eyes to see” recognize the kingdom of God. Even though the Holy Spirit has not yet been given to indwell believers, He is active in guiding those with faith into the truth.

Application: (How should I apply this to my life?)

This parable is to prepare disciples of Jesus for the ministry ahead of them. It gave them and gives us a path to run on. There are some people who will never respond to the gospel (the unreceptive); others will seemingly respond, but will soon fade because their faith was not firm (the unfaithful) ; others will seem to receive the gospel but will soon become enamored with the things of the world and their hearts will grow cold toward Christ. (The unfruitful)

Sharing the gospel across relationships usually bears the most fruit. That means that you take the time to get to know someone and to take their spiritual temperature BEFORE you share the gospel. Jesus said in Matt 7:6 “Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”

That does not preclude what is called “cold turkey” evangelism. The first century disciples, especially Paul, often were moving from place to place, so they didn’t always have time to build relationships. When they found a “person of peace” (someone who appears open and interested) they shared the gospel. Sometimes they threw it out in a crowd realizing that the parable of the soils would apply and perhaps some would be saved.

When the soil is receptive to the seed, the result is unexpected productivity. Your most powerful evangelism tool is your salvation story. It is your parable so to speak. It took Jesus just a few minutes to relate the parable of the soils. Learn to tell your story in about two to three minutes. Tell it often; tell it well.