The first week in January, the message was about growing spiritually from milk to meat
The next week we explored the importance of obedience when training disciples
The 3rd week we examined the role of evangelism is discipleship
We finished out January looking how Jesus taught us how to be servants & washing feet as a role in discipleship
We began February by discussing how the Ekklesia comes together in discipleship
Next we considered how discipleship begins with faith
After that we examined how we must have a thirst and hunger for Jesus as a keystone for discipleship
Next we discussed how to overcome dry seasons in our walk with Jesus and discipleship
The couple of weeks following that, we looked at being made in the image of God, and how that effects our discipleship
We just wrapped up a 3-part series how the fruit of the Spirit drives our discipleship beyond our own capabilities
So, here we are in the 22nd week of the year, and continuing our journey into discipleship
Soils of the heart
Title of today’s message is Soils of the Heart.
Key verses are:
Matt 13:1 and
Luke 8:12 (NKJV)
Mark 4:1 Let’s get started
Stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.
Matthew 13:1-9 (read from my bible)
Last night, on a whim, I posted this on FB:
Without the help of any resource (except your gray matter of course), what would be your definition of a biblical parable?
A bible story for adults, with a lesson
A story that Jesus told to help illustrate a lesson or point, or a message in terms that everyone could understand.
A story with a moral
A story that applies to real life
A descriptive illustration using prophetic language for a depth of teaching using a simple example
An illustration
A story told in everyday language with a spiritual meaning
When looking at commentaries, many scholars described a parable in this manner:
A principle concealed, and a truth revealed.
Adrian Rogers said this:
An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. That is, Jesus told a common story, but there was more to the store than met the ear, and you had to be paying attention.
Warren Wiersbe wrote:
To understand a parable and benefit from it, demands honesty and humility on our part, and many of our Lord’s hearers, lack both.
Read Matthew 13:1-9 again
Mark’s account and Luke’s account, of the parable of the soils, are very similar.
Luke’s gospel records 18 parables
Matthew’s records 15
Mark’s records 5
and there are none found in John- that is something I learned new about God’s word this past week.
Many scholars believe this is the first parable Jesus ever told.
Let’s look at these verses and Jesus’ response to the disciples question about this parable.
Let’s begin in Matthew 13:10 “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?””
Matthew 13:11 “He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”
Matthew 13:13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
Matthew 13:3 “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.”
Matthew 13:14 “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;”
Here is what Jesus is talking about in Isaiah. It is found in Isaiah 6:9–10 “And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.””
Matthew 13:16–17 “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Matthew 13:4 “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.”
Some versions use “pathway” instead of “wayside”, which speaks more clearly to me.
Here is Jesus’ explanation
Matthew 13:18–19 ““Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one (Satan) comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.”
Here is Jesus’ explanation as recorded in Luke 8:11–12 ““Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.”
Here is His reply as recorded in Mark 4:14–15 “The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
Now let’s look at the next soil Jesus’ speaks of:
Matthew 13:5–6 “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.”
Here is Jesus’ explanation:
Matthew 13:20–21 “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”
Luke 8:13 “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.”
Mark 4:16–17 “These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”
Now the 3rd soil Jesus talks about:
Matthew 13:7 “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.”
Here is Jesus’ explanation:
Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
Luke 8:14 “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
Mark 4:18–19 “Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
Matthew 13:8 “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Here is Jesus’ explanation:
Matthew 13:23 “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.””
Luke 8:15 “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”
Mark 4:20 “But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.””
We have 3 variables in this parable:
Sower, seed, and soil
The Sower: That’s you and me. Our calling is to scatter the seed.
The Seed: This is God’s word.
The Soil: This is the hearts of men.
As the sowers we have two responsibilities:
To sow the seed
To reap the harvest-reaping the harvest is discipling, and train others how to sow the seed.
When you look at CPC logo it is a never-ending circle based on Matthew 13:8 “scatter the seed, reap the harvest, disciple the harvest”
Years ago, I looked at this parable from a sales person perspective, and put the mathematical equation that 25% of the seeds will fall on good soil. However, I realized that the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit is not confined by laws of mathematics!
But what I did hold on to, is this: I can’t get discouraged thinking that 100% of the seeds I scatter will fall on good soil. It is possible, but perhaps not probable.
Realizing this, I understood that I’m not to look for the good soil and only scatter seeds there. That is NOT my calling. This is in the realm of the power of the Holy Spirit.
I’d like to close by sharing a few thoughts with you about this parable:
Looking at the word “mystery”, as Jesus spoke of in this parable.
The Greek transliteration defines “mystery” as this:
The initiate into the mysteries, hence a secret known only to the initiated, something hidden, requiring special revelation from God.
Jesus begins the parable by saying “listen”, and He ends the parable with Matthew 13:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!””
I can’t help but go to Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Jesus is talking about hearing His word with our heart.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
This is the soil Jesus is telling us about and the types of hearts we have:
Unresponsive hearts:
Falling on the wayside or pathway
God’s word is easily snatched from us by Satan
These unresponsive hearts are found in the person who:
Comes to church and has already decided that he is not interested in hearing anything from God, the pastor, or anything or anyone else.
Superficial hearts:
Stony ground
They gladly receive justification or salvation, but quickly lose the fire, and never move into sanctification
Worldly hearts:
Thorny ground
They get smothered or choked out with the world around them
Receptive hearts:
Good soil
Bear much fruit 30,60, and hundredfold.
Apple illustration
Billy Graham: Nov 1, 1934
Mordecai Ham revival
Fell on the receptive heart of Billy Graham. The word of God was sown by Mordecai Ham, and it fell on good soil and produced multi-multi hundredfold!
Today I challenge you to consider this:
The Holy Spirit is in the business of plowing up those hard paths, softening peoples hearts, opening their eyes, and ears, and making hearts receptive to God’s word.
Will you sow seeds, so He can do this in your life and others?
