Parables of Jesus
Fertile Ground
Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23
May 17, 2009
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, this parable is the parable of parables. It is the certainly a huge key in understanding what Jesus is teaching about God’s kingdom and what God expects of us in response to the message that God’s kingdom has come. This parable explains the meaning behind the words as well as why Jesus uses parables, which we focused on two weeks ago. Parables are prophetic. Jesus is using parables to speak God’s word plainly and clearly to reveal where the listener stands. The listener by the way includes us as well as the disciples, Pharisees, and Jews. Parables are a way to challenge us and to call us to respond to God’s call upon our lives. It is a call to live a life of discipleship: following the ways of Jesus. This is why I speak in terms of following Jesus rather than being a Christian as many times in our Western culture as just being a good person and even a good citizen is the definition of a Christian, which Jesus radically and clearly challenged.
7 year-old Jessica heard the story of Adam and Eve and how because they had disobeyed God, sin entered the world affecting everything. This sin causes all kinds of problems including diseases and sickness.
Well, as it would have it, Jessica came down with a cold during the week. In fact, she had to stay home from school on Thursday. Feeling absolutely miserable she remarked to her mom, “If only Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit, I wouldn’t be sick.”
“That’s right, honey,” her mom responded.
But real quickly Jessica added, “But if they didn’t eat it, we would be sitting here naked.”
And I guess that is true, that we would be sitting here naked, which is direction we just don’t want to go.
This week, I want to focus on the actual parable. It is a huge parable and has played a very special part in the spiritual lives of hundreds of thousands of people over the last couple of millennia including myself.
This parable has been extremely formational. It is a constant reminder to examine myself and my walk and ask the hard question, “Which type of soil truly characterizes me and my life?”
Let’s refresh our memories of the parable:
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."
Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Jesus tells us that there four basic responses to the message of the kingdom. Interestingly three of the four, receive the word of Jesus and the message of the kingdom favorably. I really think that these four responses still hold true today. Yes, there are variations partly because our context is different but we still see the same responses today.
Four Responses
1. The path
Jesus is very clear that there are people (perhaps plenty of people) who just have no place for God and God’s way in their lives. For whatever reason they reject the message completely. Maybe they have no need for God. Maybe they have been hurt by “the church” and therefore reject the notion of a God (which is different from those that might reject the church). They may or may not be atheists. They just don’t have the time or need or the patience to really place God and God’s way as an important part of their lives.
Here is a caution though: it is real easy to give lip service to the idea that God has an important place in my life but then give no evidence of any kind of pursuit of God or searching whatsoever. We can easily fool ourselves here. I believe that I spent several years saying that I believed in God and in Jesus but never exhibited anything that resembled a pursuit of spirituality.
2. Rocky places
Jesus says these people resemble the soil next to the path which in Palestine could look like decent soil but only an inch deep. Because the soil has settled there maybe blown by the wind or pushed there by the run off from the rain, it can be very fertile. People are excited about Jesus. This has changed my life. This is wonderful. On fire for God. Perhaps could be someone that goes through spiritual “seasons” on fire for God maybe because they have arrived at a new church. But the reality is that the maturing of a plant takes all summer. Because the roots do not run deep, they are scorched. They wither and die at least until next season. Then another ministry or church and the pattern repeats. Some even eventually completely give up on God.
But all the blame can’t go to the individuals. Often churches are hypocritical, judgmental, fearful, emotionally immature, hiding behind God, doing everything for God but never taking time to be with God, perpetually defensive, arrogant, stubborn, lack vulnerability, ignore negative emotions, avoid conflict, avoid the past, and so on. Because we fail to nurture a fertile spirituality in our own lives and cultivate a spirituality that encompasses all of life, is it any wonder that new people can receive the Word of God with great joy but quickly wither and die when troubles come or when weeds spring up or when problems arise?
3. Thorns
Then there are the thorns which Jesus says are the wealth and cares of the world. Providing for your family, working, spending, the economy, getting more stuff, getting the stuff paid for and so on are all part of the tension of living in this world while being a proper steward of our blessings. And then there are the more serious distractions like addictions, lust, hate, and so forth that quickly choke out the abundant life of God’s ways.
Again like in the previous ground, Jesus is new and exciting but doesn’t last. While there is great potential in the soil that is filled with rock, we don’t take time to get rid of the weeds. Especially in a vineyard, thorny vines can have a devastating effect on the grapevine. Not only can it choke out the vine if left unattended, if the vine survives, the fruit can be tainted in flavor if the grape vine is even healthy enough to bear fruit.
Now before we move on… we’ve got ask if any one or a combination of these describes us. Maybe we were once on fire for Jesus but if we are honest recognize how far we have drifted. This is a constant check for me. Where am I here? Do I find significant evidence of these other types of “spiritual growth” in my life?
Then we could also apply this corporately… I’ve known many churches in the name of stewardship quench the moving of God’s Spirit by handcuffing ministry through an over reaction to spending. As I mentioned already, sometimes churches do things like avoid conflict at all costs that an unhealthy climate has formed that chokes the spirit out of the church. But to help us evaluate ourselves, Jesus does tell us about the blessings of God’s Word. I still remember with such passion and intensity the first time that I really heard this parable and how I decided that I wanted to be in the last category.
4. Fertile ground
Interestingly Jesus describes those that truly take his word to heart and live the abundant life of the God’s kingdom as those that don’t just bear the usual crop but at least thirty times what normally should be reaped. Of course, even here, there is a problem. The problem lies in how we define a harvest and being fruitful. In the name of holiness, we sometimes come up with some sincere but potentially misleading standards where we resemble the Pharisees rather than Jesus. Even with measurements such as attendance and numbers, it is real easy to get spiritual depth choked out of people.
If we want some gauge, take a look at the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 6. Take a look at Jesus’ teachings in his parables and on the Mount. Corporate prayer and worship, giving in generosity to people but especially the poor, fasting, loving one’s enemies, being a person of one’s word, doing good to everyone and so forth. These are the marks of those that bear fruit because they have heard the word.
Any hearing without productive living is invalid.
And I don’t mean the productive American life of spending, borrowing, working, and paying taxes. As beneficial as that can be for society at large (well minus the borrowing), this just isn’t the critieria for fruit in the kingdom.
A thirty fold harvest is enough for people to take notice of let alone a sixty or hundred fold harvest. Think in terms of a vine that has so much fruit that grapes are literally falling off by the hundreds spilling out on the ground around it. Or how about wheat and the amount of bread that could be produced which would literally feed thousands and thousands of people.
Rick Warren is definitely an American success story. Many consider Rick to be one of the most fruit full pastors in America. His books have sold millions. Many people have been “saved” as a result of his ministry and their own ministry has shown much success or fruit. But let me read to you something that he wrote that as least seems to me to be evidence of bountiful fruit in his life:
"So many of you have asked about Kay’s progress in her treatment for cancer, so we wanted to give you an update. We are a little over halfway through her 12-week chemo-regimen. Yesterday she had a great day at the hospital until the chemo effects kicked in, and she quickly deteriorated into misery and major nausea. The rest of the day was very rough as nurses tried to ease her pain. Today, Kay feels wiped out from all the meds they’ve given her, along with the expected fatigue and nausea from the chemo. I’ve kept all visitors away, so the room is quiet for hours. The less going on, the better it is for her. Between caring for Kay’s basic needs, I sit quietly and think a lot and thank God for my wife, and God’s amazing invention of marriage. With all its ups and downs and "in sickness and health," I’m certain that marriage is God’s primary tool to teach us unselfishness, sensitivity, sacrifice, and mature love. I want to thank you for your prayers for Kay. My wife is the love of my life, and this is what God intended families to do—to care for each other in need, even if it means cutting back your ministry for a season. I’d want every other husband in ministry to do the same if the situation arose in his family. God blesses us when we keep our commitments to each other."
I believe with everything that is in me that fruit begins with each one of us. It begins with a decision, “I want to bear fruit. I want to honor Jesus. I want to walk in his ways. And I will do it no matter what. No matter what life throws at me. No matter what struggles I face. No matter what disease afflicts me or my loved ones. No matter how much success I have financially or how miserably I fail. I will not give up in this one area. So Lord, I give you my heart. I give you my very life. I give you my all.”
When we can pray like that, this is a grand start. Sure there will be weeds to pull out. Sure there will be stones to unearth and haul away sometimes leaving at least temporarily a big hole. Sometimes we will need to dig out those tree stumps in the fields of our lives rather than plow around if we are to bear a bountiful harvest. Sometimes the fields of our neighbors may seem like a rock garden or overrun with debris but if we remember to focus on our own field, we will see that we have more than enough to do rather than fix what we think is wrong with everyone else.
There is a saying, “The grass always looks greener on the other side.” But you know what? I think, “The weeds always look taller in someone else’s yard.” Take responsibility for your own life first. Clear out the log of your own eye. Be the type of fertile soil that Jesus wants you to be so that he (not you) can produce the bountiful crop.
