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.
They are the ones who constantly work the soil, though the work is hard, plucking up any weeds, while they are small before they choke out the good crop.
They are not perfect--- they do have momentary lapses
but "dispite their lapses" they refuse to wallow in the muck.
they get up, find the cause of their stumbling, and remove it.
Their life displays the fruit of righteousness---
obedience is their habit
purity marks their life
They translate their faith and love into DEEDS, and bring forth the fruit that brings joy to the sower.
ONE OF THESE SOILS REPRESENTS YOUR HEART •.•• YOUR LIFE!!!
Which is it??
The HARD SOIL---unreceptive
The SHALLOW SOIL- good start, pure emotion, no cost counting
The CROWDED SOIL - divided loyalty. love God but love World
The GOOD SOIL - fruitful, weed-less, weed-hating.
The good news is that any soil can change- become good!!
HARD---Hosea said, "Break up your fallow ground…"
Maybe the Lord will have to break your heart with the plowshare of sickness, disease, loss, etc.
Maybe the Holy Spirit will use the disc of conviction
Whatever it takes, I pray your hard heart will be broken/receptive
SHALLOW-- You need to add soil
Read the Word and see the cost/ commitment
Do it now, sink roots deep, BEFORE THE SUN COMES OUT
CROWDED--- cultivate a love of the good seed ---ask for desire
cultivate hatred for bad/wicked seed ---habit of weeding
pluck out the bad-------replant the good.
Your soil can become GOOD--------pure/clean
free of weeds
bearing much fruit
pleasing to God
producing JOY in you
witness to others
If you are in one of the first three groups--hard/shallow/crowded
You have a decision to make-------
change/ become good soil
remain/ stay the same
Decision is yours----TODAY IS THE DAY---
To wait is to… listen to Satan
be distracted
you'll forget
you'll never change
