Do It Yourself Soil Analysis

Do-it-yourself Soil Analysis

Matthew 13:3-23

This morning I preached the parable of the Thumb.

Tonight I have one of my favorite parables--parable of the SOILS

Let's read vv. 3-9

Interpretation:

Sower = God

"as He sowed" --many ways…

preaching, music, bible, friend, etc.

Seed = Gospel

some seed fell = broadcast planting---indiscriminate-

all have same chance.

God is sower-Seed is Gospel, soil is our heart/mind

This means that our hearts can receive the word and bear fruit

IT IS A MATTER OF RECEPTIVITY------ours!!!!

Let's look at four types of soil----

REMEMBER … ONE IS YOU

You can find yourself here!!

1. HARD soil.

Jesus was thinking of the little footpaths

Laid on top of the hard, unreceptive dirt----

birds snatched it up.

SPIRITUALLY-- "Such soil represents the person who does not understand the Word of God. Hears but does not comprehend.

The seed lies on the surface of the soil and never sinks in.

To say that he does not UNDERSTAND does not mean that it is too complicated, too hard to grasp

It is soooooooo plain--

l. You are a sinner

2. You must die/separation/HELL

3. God loves you and does not want you to die.

4. He sent His Son to die for you.

5. All you have to do is

A-ccept

B-elieve

C-onfess

It is not that He cannot understand, He just WILL NOT ACCEPT

He rejects it out of hand, like water off a duck's back, having no penetration, no effect.

It is not that the seed gets into the soil and then something goes wrong----IT NEVER GETS IN!!!!!

It is just on the surface---Just religion

Just hog wash

As seed falls on the ground the birds get it quickly- before it goes

As the word falls on the hard heart, Satan wants to get it quickly before it can take root.

He sends other thoughts to occupy your thoughts

He sends distractions til you forget

If you’re here today---he'll send these seeds

I'm a GOOD man

I don't kill anyone

I'm as good as so and so

It's time to go

I'm hungry

YOU CAN NOT LISTEN TO SATAN AND GOD!!!!

2. the SHALLOW soil.

Some fell on shallow warm soil-quick growth-sun-scorch'.

This is the emotional hearer--who acts on impulse/feeling.

No counting the costs---no understanding of the committment

"Straightway” = no realization what discipleship means,

a revolutionary change of life, a stern battle

a forsaking of the world."

Then comes sun----persecution

reality sinks in

sacrifice is called for

obedience is called for

tough decisions called for

fallout with member/preacher

Starts with a bang but soon fizzles out

Problem is not UNDERSTANDING--~IT IS DEPTH/ COMMITTMENT

3. The CROWDED Soil.

"Not ground already covered in thorns, but with latent weed seed."

As the good seed grew ... so did the bad---choked out good.

Bad seed is more stalwert, more sturdy---stronger---more numerous

Soil is not impenetrable, not shallow, it is just not whole- hearted

Divided loyalty.

Spiritually--- These are the ones who mean well, they want to do what is right, to be faithful, to bear fruit

But they also really want the pleasures of this world ..

"While that which God promises is felt to be good, but also what the world promises is felt to be equally good, there will be an attempt to serve God and mammon."

THIS IS WHERE MOST CHRISTIANS ARE

THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE SEED, THEY HAVE LIFE

But NO FRUIT

Just weeds

As long as the pleasures of the world are on an equal level with the things of God----there will always be

divided loyalty

divided hearts

constant battle

Who is to blame???? YOU, the husbandman/gardener

He has been LAZY, unconcerned, blind to what is going on.

IF HE WERE WATCHING he'd see the thorns and do something

But HE IS NOT WATCHING---HIS EYES ARE ON WORLD

The good gardener does as James 1:21 says,"Put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness."

It is CONSTANT WORK---weeds grow naturally

You don't have to plant wickedness

Weeds grow constantly

come in from other sources

IT IS HARD WORK

hand picking, one by one

« choppin', toppin', and suckerin' 30 acres))

You have to be constantly observing your heart/mind

picking out the bad seeds

Warren Wiersby says,"It is not enough for the gardener to love flowers… He must also hate weeds."

It is not enough to love God, to love the church, to give lip service to loving God •••

YOU MUST HATE IMMORALITY/WICKEDNESS.

You can tell a gardener who really loves flowers---

clean/no weeds

his love for the flowers makes him hate the weeds

You can tell the one who really loves God----

clean/pure/ righteous

his love for God makes him hate EVIL

4. Praise God, there is the good soil.

These are the "sin-sick, world-weary" ones who truly do love God and show it by bringing forth FRUIT --proof of changed life.