Introduction
Is anyone here do much gardening? What is the dirty secret among successful gardeners? Loamy soil! Every gardener quickly learns that good soil is vital for a healthy, productive garden. Good soil means it has nutrients to feed the plants and a texture that holds water long enough for plant roots to access it, but well-draining enough that the roots are not sitting in water. The best soil texture for growing plants is what is called "loam." Loamy soil offers a good environment for seeds to sprout, plant roots to go deep, and a blend of air, water, and nutrients to feed the plant so it will produce its intended fruit. The very best soil for gardening contains an ideal ‘loam’…a balance of silt, sand and clay…so that air can get in the gaps and water to drain and suspend nutrients, allowing the plant to flourish. This ideal soil does not stay that way without constant care by the gardener, as the soil is a living layer that naturally changes over time.
Text
Please turn in your Bible to Luke 8:4-8
“While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Lk 8:4-8, NIV)
Let us pray…
What is a parable?
If you recall from my last sermon, Jesus’ parables are stories that were “cast alongside” a spiritual/moral truth in order to illustrate and illuminate the truth. They are teaching aids used as analogies or inspired comparisons. One writer said the parable is, “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Jesus used parables heavily. There are about 35 unique parables recorded in the four gospels, many repeated in multiple books.
Large Crowd
Jesus is speaking to a large crowd by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ reputation was spreading across the region. Many people came from the surrounding communities and towns. The crowd was so large that he had to get into a boat as a makeshift stage and speak from it.
Today, if a church had large crowds coming from across our region because of what was happening in their services, you and I would probably assume a great revival had broken out. If it were C3, wouldn’t you be ecstatic! It would be amazing if we became so full that we had to expand the parking lot, build an even bigger sanctuary, and offer multiple services. It would be awesome if God were to begin healing people every single service. We would see the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, and evil spirits cast out. That would most certainly draw a huge crowd. I bet Jesus’ twelve disciples were excited and impressed with the huge crowds and following Jesus had at the time.
I don’t think Jesus was impressed with the crowds. He could see the heart of each person in the crowd. Many were likely there to see the show. However, Jesus could also see those whose hearts were humble and broken. He could see those whose hearts were ready to get help. Some were ready to receive healing…not just physical but spiritual healing.
The Parable of the Soil
Luke 8:4-8 is the first of several parables about the kingdom of God. Jesus calls the first one, “The Parable of the Sower.” It is about a farmer who sows seed, but I see this parable as all about the soil.
In this parable, the farmer represents disciples and the seed represents the Word of God…the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus tells his disciples this later in the chapter. If you are a Christian then you are a disciple that is called to spread the Gospel…to tell your story about how Jesus changed your life and Jesus’ story about how all can have eternal life with Him.
The four different soil types represent for heart conditions: hard, shallow, crowded, good.
If soil is trampled and hard, the seeds won’t penetrate and sprout. If the soil is too shallow over rocky ground, the seed will sprout but the roots can’t go deep and it will wither and eventually die. If the soil is good but is full of weeds, the plants will be crowded out, will wither, and eventually will die. Only good, cared for soil will produce good plants and good fruit.
How is your heart?
Body
I. All Christians are to spread seed
“A farmer went out to sow his seed” (Vs 5)
A seed is fruitless without the soil and the soil is fruitless without the seed. Like a seed, the Word of God does nothing unless it is planted. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). When the person hears and understands the Word, then the seed is planted in their heart. What happens after that depends on the nature of the soil (the heart.) Disciples are called to sow and scatter the seed…to tell others the word of God – preaching, teaching, and witnessing. Jesus called all Christians to sow the Word of God. It is our responsibility to spread seed. Where it is spread and whether or not the soil sprouts a seed is up to the condition of the soil (heart).
We sow God’s word in a variety of ways. Some are called to preach or teach, but ALL are called to go into all the world and make disciples (Mat 28:19). You might say “Greg, I get nervous.” Well, so do I but the Holy Spirit brings Gods Word to me and anoints me to teach, preach, and witness. You might say, “But I am in introvert.” Jesus called all to be a witness, not just extraverts. You might ask, “Greg how do I go about witnessing?” Telling others about Christ is simply telling your story and Jesus’ story…How your life was before you came to Christ, how Christ saved and changed you, and how your life is after accepting Christ, and how they too can have the same gift.
Now that we understand that all Christians are to be sowers of seed, let’s examine the soil.
II. Four types of soil representing four heart conditions: hard, shallow, crowded, and good.
Hard Soil - “Some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.” (Vs 5)
Some seed fell on the hard path. This represents hard hearts that don’t immediately receive the word and satan is able to steal it away. The hard hearts, like the hard soil, are trampled by this world. Even as Christians, we must be careful not to allow the world to trample and harden our hearts against God’s Word. If this happens, we may find ourselves fallen away.
Shallow Soil - “Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.” (Vs. 6)
Some seed fell on shallow, rocky soil. The seed sprouted, but eventually withered under the hot sun because the plant’s root could not go deep and reach the moisture and nutrients needed to thrive in the sun. This represents shallow hearts that immediately and emotionally receive and believe the Word, but never become rooted in the Word of God. When trials and testing comes, shallow hearts wither and fall away.
Crowded Soil - “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.” (Vs. 7)
Some seed fell on soil crowded with weeds. The seeds sprouted and the plants may have developed deep roots, but the weeds crowded out the plants, eventually choking them. This represents crowded hearts that receive the Word, believe, and even repent but allow the cares of this life to crowd out God. The crowded heart tries to serve two masters, which never works. The crowded heart eventually places the cares of life in front of serving God and falls away.
Good Soil - “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” (Vs. 8)
Some seed fell on good soil. This soil was ideal for growing. When seed hit this soil, the plants established deep roots and eventually grew into a huge crop. The good soil represents a good and noble heart; the ideal conditions for growing the word of God. The good hearts that receive the Word, believe, repent, and thrive when under trials and testing. Trials produce perseverance, which produces character, which produces maturity.
I must admit, I questioned God about this parable. Would a real farmer waste seed like this? Why would a farmer spread precious seed on the hard soil along the path, on the shallow, rocky soil, or on is soil that is full of weeds and thorns? Why waste good seed on bad soil? Why waste time preaching, teaching, and witnessing to those with hard, shallow, crowded hearts?
After spending time in prayer and studying God’s word, he showed me something. He reminded me of my first encounter with the Gospel. I was just a small kid. I had a good friend named Tim. I spent many nights at Tim’s house. Many Sundays I would go to church with his family. One day, Paul, Tim’s dad, opened up his Bible and showed me some scriptures. He asked me, “Do you want to be saved?” I did not understand and left the same as I came…lost in sin. Was the seed that Paul attempted to plant in my life wasted? No! I watched Paul’s life. I saw how he cared for others. See, Paul drove a handicap van that picked up people at a local nursing home. Every Sunday, Paul would get us up early, go wheel one or two handicap people on his van and take them to church. I remember Paul’s warm, loving, strong hands. I may not have accepted Christ that day, but his life, witness, and God’s Word made a lasting impression on my heart.
Statistics show that a person hears the Gospel, on average, 7 times before they accept Christ as Savior and Lord.
(1) God has a plentiful supply of seed and it is not for me to worry about God running out of seed.
(2) None of God’s seed is wasted…even when hard hearts reject the Gospel and shallow and crowded hearts fall away…seed is never wasted.
(3) Good soil produces much fruit…When God’s seed lands on fertile, good soil it produces a hundred times more than the seeds planted. Disciple making isn’t addition…it is multiplication! God’s plan is “Disciples making disciples.”
(4) Bad soil produces no fruit…We are the sowers of seeds to soil, but God causes seeds to sprout and grow in the soil. God is the one who regenerates man’s heart so it will produce fruit.
Next, let’s talk more about the Good Soil.
III. Only good soil produces a crop and only good hearts produce fruit
Only good soil is fruitful in producing huge crops. The verse says the yielded crop in this fertile soil produced a hundred times more than was sown! This soil is loamy! It is fertile with nutrients that, when combined with the Word, produce plants capable of producing good fruit. When the seed (the Word) falls on this soil (the heart), the seed sprouts, the roots go deep, are able to thrive in the heat of the sun, and soak up life giving water—from the well that never runs dry! The result is a heart that receives, believes, and repents when they hear the Gospel. They retain it, become rooted in the Word of God, persevere when trouble comes, stand firm when life comes, and put God first. These are the true Disciples of Christ. They become deeply rooted and eventually mature into disciple makers who spread the seed of the Word.
The best soil is “loam” which has just the right combination of three parts--sand, silt, and clay. Without this combination in just the right formula, the seeds may sprout but the plant will be weak, will wither, and never produce the fruit intended by the gardener. The gardener is responsible for fixing bad soil. The gardener takes out the rocks, weeds, and thorns. He replaces these with just the right proportion of ingredients to turn bad soil into good soil, ripe for planting good seed that will grow, root, and bear much fruit.
Much like soil is the secret to good seed planting, the heart of a person is the secret to good Word planting. The heart is the center of man’s character—who he really is.. It is “The wellspring of life” according to Proverbs 4:23. It is where a person discerns right from wrong. The “heart” in Scripture is the totality of intellect, emotion, desire and will.
The heart is the center of intellect…People…
Know things in their heart (Det 8:5)
Pray in their heart (1 Sam 1:12-13)
Meditate in their heart (Ps 19:14)
Hide God’s word in their heart (Ps 119:11)
Devise plans in their heart (Ps 140:2)
Keep words within their heart (Pr 4:21)
Think in their heart (Mk 2:8)
Doubt in their heart (Rom 10:9)
Ponder in their heart (Lk 2:19)
Believe in their heart (Rom 10:9)
Sing in their heart (Eph 5:19)
The heart is the center of the emotions…The Bible speaks about…
The glad heart (Ex 4:14)
The loving heart (Det 6:5)
The fearful heart (Jos 5:1)
The courageous heart (Ps 27:14)
The repentant heart (Ps 51:17)
The anxious heart (Pr 12:15)
The angry heart (Pr 19:3)
The revived heart (Isa 57:15)
The anguished heart (Ro 9:2)
The delighted heart (Jer 15:16)
The grieving heart (Lam 2:18)
The humble heart (Mat 11:29)
The excited heart (Lk 24:32)
The troubled heart (Jn 14:1)
The heart is the center of human will…The Bible talks about…
The hardened heart that refuses to do what God commands (Ex 4:21)
The heart that is yielded to God (Jos 24:23)
The heart that intends to do something (2 Ch 6:7)
The heart that is devoted to seeking the Lord (1 Ch 22:19)
The heart that decides (1 Ch 6:7)
The heart that desires to receive from the Lord (Ps 21:1-2)
The heart that is turned toward God’s statutes (Ps 119:36)
The heart that wants to do something (Rom 10:1)
The issue…An impure heart will corrupt one’s thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. Hearts that are committed to doing evil and reject God’s word are at great risk of becoming hardened.
If the heart is too hard, the Word won’t even be able to penetrate. If the heart is too shallow, the Word won’t take deep root. If the heart is too crowded, the Word will eventually be crowded out.
IV. We spread the Word…God regenerates hearts
Is there any hope for those with hard, shallow, or crowded hearts?
Yes! God sends the Holy Spirit to convict people of their sins. Second, God pursues the lost and even allows storms of life to soften the heart. If one accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, Jesus will remove the rocks and weeds and replace them with a regenerated heart.
Regeneration happens when repent of our sins, turn to God, and place our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. A regenerated heart is spiritually born again.
Out of a regenerated heart we…
Love God and our neighbor
Obey God
Praise God
Seek God
Hide God’s word
Trust God
Experience God’s Love
Sing to God
Conclusion
Again, as a church and as a Christian, it is our job to sow seeds…to preach, teach and witness. It is God’s job to regenerate hearts, save, and mature. Our church has seen many come to the alter, accept Christ, get off drugs, start a walk with God, only to eventually fall away. But there are others who have become grounded in God’s Word, have sunk deep roots into His Word, and continue to grow and mature in Christ.
Have you allowed your heart to harden against God’s Word?
Have you allowed your heart to stay shallow, not allowing the roots of God’s Word to penetrate deep?
Have you allowed the cares of life to begin to crowd out God?
If your heart needs work, God is the only one who can soften the heart, remove sin, remove the cares of life, and make your heart good.
Has your heart broken over those who have fallen away?
