Jesus’ Criticisms
Here is a list of Jesus’ criticisms about religious leadership in his day: They did not practice what they taught (hypocrisy). They put heavy burdens on others but not themselves (legalism). They sought and loved public recognition (pride). Status, respect and titles were important to them (arrogance). They locked people out of the kingdom (judgmental). They established laws to benefit themselves (greed). They neglected to emphasize justice and mercy (bias). They were accomplices to silencing the prophets (oppressive). George Johnson, Critical Decisions in Following Jesus, C.S.S. Publishing Company.
THE SOWER, THE SEED AND THE SOIL
LUKE 8:4-15
The Sower represents the Son of God, the seed represents the Word of God and the soil is the human heart. The action was that he went forth to sow the seed. He did not go to criticize or make people feel miserable. The sower wanted to get the seed out to the soil without verdict or opinion or judgment. The soils are four are ways we can treat the word of God. I believe that the type of soil we are can change if we make the right choice. At the end you will see how we can be changed.
1. The first soil we see is the footpath or Wayside or this could be the one who is unmoved at the Word of God.
a. It is a hard surface. The one who has let people or things or situations make his heart hard that he does not want to let the Word enter his heart at all. He could be one who never attends church or one who attends church much of his life. He hears the word but fails to believe it is the truth for him to follow. I would pray that none of us would have this kind of heart but there can people who have come to church many times and the Word preached does not affect them. It has been said that the heart that is set on the pleasures of sin will be hardened to the Word of God.
b. This also is a dangerous surface. We read that it is exposed to the birds of the air and to the stomping of the feet passing by. No matter how amazing is the seed this is a heart that will not let it come in. The Word is heard but the devil is allowed to come and steal it away and prevent the person from believing and being saved. The devil does not want us to hear the word of God and if we do hear it he does not want us to believe it.
c. This is a hopeless Place. The word of God cannot find a place to stay and grow. It is on this path for a time but it does not enter and life is never given. It still is the Word of God but the one who hears it does not profit from it. He does not understand the power in the Word of God and the devil steals any chance of hope. The rich young ruler turned away. Judas went out and it was night. “Almost you persuade me to believe” said one.
II. The second soil is called the stony ground or an emotionally touched person.
a. The Word is cheerfully, joyfully, gladly received. The seed finds a hole to dwell in for awhile but it does not go down deep enough to get a root system. This speaks of a person who is emotionally touched and when the feeling goes away so does the faith that could have been. He hears the word of God with great joy. How do you receive the Word of God?
b. The Word quickly wastes away. It never gains root. We are told that it soon began to grow but quickly died because it lacked roots. This speaks of a person who is emotional but below the emotions is a stubborn will that does not have room for God, who demands life be lived in the Spirit. They believe for awhile but wilt and die when the hot winds of testing come.
c. The Word is completely seared. The Word has been planted and starts to grow but when problems or persecutions come it wilts and dies from a lack of being rooted. It dies from lack of moisture beneath the ground. They like the feel-good of Christianity but do not want any more problems in life. What can drive those who have good roots to become stronger cause this person to give up and die.
One day I decided to quit. I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. "God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me. "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied. "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said. "In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. "I would not quit." He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant, but just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots" "I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you." "Don’t compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet, they both make the forest beautiful." "Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high!" "How high should I rise?" I asked. "How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return. "As high as it can?" I questioned. "Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can." I left the forest and bring back this story.
III. The third soil is the Thorny ground or what one could call the double-minded hearer.
a. Notice that this is abundant soil. The seed can grow and flourish. This is a heart in which there has been a convicting of the Spirit of God to turn from sin and grow. Could this be a person who became a believer and let things take him away from God to serve the things of this world?
b. The soil was preoccupied. Every heart has sin from the nature of Adam. We are all born with sin in our hearts. We are all sinners without a choice. We have to make a choice to change our sinning state of life. Some have many briars and thorns in their heart when they first hear the Word of God. The natural man the Bible says cannot understand the Word of God and will not serve God. This person has to get the weeds out of their life. It is the weeds that choke out the life that might have begun.
c. The soil becomes unfruitful. It says the seed does not choke out the weeds but the weeds strangle the seed. The weeds are the cares of this life, the lure of wealth and the pleasures of this world. These are temptations that are always before us as we live in this world. No fruit comes from this soil because the weeds are not destroyed but fed.
"I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining. I believe in love, even when I do not feel it. I believe in God, even when He is silent." These lines were found scrawled on a cellar wall in Cologne which was destroyed by bombing in WWII.
IV. The fourth soil fertile soil or is the one who hears, believes and lets the seed grow with a good root system.
a. We look at this soil as a prepared heart. This is a person who takes in the Word of God and cares for it as precious to life. This is a heart that has allowed the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to plow and dig out the bad to be replaced by good. The seed is put in for a deep planting. It is given what it needs to grow.
b. This heart has understood the Word. The Word has full liberty to grow. As this person understands the word it grows and grows.
c. This heart produces a harvest. The more we have the word of God in us the more we will be fruitful.
"Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth or power. Those rewards create almost as many problems as they resolve. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live, so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed
through it." -- Harold Kushner
How can we have a fertile soil? How ca we let God work so we can have faith and fruit?
1. Plowing comes first. The first thing to do in getting our heart ready is to turn it over. Repent of any known sin. It is no mistake that the word repent means, "to turn." Repentance means to turn away from sin and pursue righteousness. To repent means that you make a 180 degree change in your life. You don’t say that you are sorry and you will try to do better, you confess that you have sinned and you need God’s forgiveness and grace. In order to cultivate a heart that is noble and good, you need to plow up your heart and mind and turn control over to God. Ask God to break up the hard rocky surface of your heart and turn over the bitterness and unforgiveness that has made you unproductive and useless in the past.
2. Second there comes Preparation. We need to fertilize the soil. Spend time in God’s Word so that the life-giving truth of scripture can soak deep into your heart. Meditate on what we read. Meditate day and night so that the truth will saturate past your mind and flow into your heart. Allow the Bible to fill your heart and mind so that it saturates your thoughts and conversations. As you do this, you are literally washing away the negative, deadly elements that result in doubt, fear and defeat. They are replaced with faith, confidence and victory. It is just like washing soap from a milk jug. The only way to get all the soap out is to allow fresh water to run continuously into the top until the soap is gone. Meditating on scripture is just like that.
3. Third comes a Planting time. Take time to sow God’s Word into the situations of your life. We are commanded to not be hearers only of God’s Word, but a doer as well. If we want a harvest to take place, we must apply the truth of the Bible into our lives and do what it says. Remember, we will receive that which we have sown. Apply God’s Word to the things you face everyday. Look for what the Bible says about your situation and then follow the principals of scripture. In other words, put your faith into practice and live what 4. scripture teaches. Don’t just say you believe it, live it.
4. Take time to PROTECT your spiritual life. This means to take time to weed the garden of your heart. Guard your heart from the thorns of anxiety, worry and the cares of the world. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all other things will be added unto you." Don’t allow weeds of evil to grow, but remove them from your heart and life. Be careful what you watch, listen to and read. Protect your heart and your relationship with God. Keep the standard of holiness and purity always before you. With your eyes on God and your trust in Him, live to please and love him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
If we will plow, prepare, plant and protect our hearts, we will be ready soil that is good for God to use. And with good soil that is daily cultivated and ready to receive His Word, a harvest will be produced.
