Parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Soil

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Soil

June 24, 2018

    

Introduction:

This morning we begin a new series on the parables of Jesus. As many of you know the text that we asked everyone to join us in memorizing is “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”  Matthew 13:35 (ESV)

I want to point your attention to the fact that just prior to verse 35, verse 34 says, “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.” Why? According to the text we are memorizing together its to reveal hidden truth! So for the next several weeks we are going to study these parables. Let’s get started his morning by reading for the sake of time some select verses from Matthew 13.

Text:

Matt 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear."

18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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." NIV

Let’ first observe the parts and pieces of the parable:

There is the farmer of the sower, there is the seed, there are birds that came devouring the seed and then there is the different types or kinds of soil.

Notice the sower and seed is constant, that is they never change. It is only the soil conditions, where the seed fell that is different.

In this parable Jesus is primarily focusing the conditions of the heart. This morning my prayer is that each of us will ask and answer what is the condition of my heart? Where am I in this parable? What type of soil represents my spiritual development and journey with Jesus? Soo let’s examine the text with this in mind.

The first type of soil or heart condition that Jesus refers to is the soil…

I.      Along the Path – A Heart that is Harden (Matthew 13:18-19) "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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 parable reveals that this heart…

a.    Lacks understanding – v.19 (does not understand it…)

Is it because the seed is dead? Is it because the seed has no power? No! Why then? It is because of the conditions of the soil or the heart. The seed, the truth, the word of God cannot penetrate it clearly because of the hardness of the soil.

Where are numerous reasons why the soil of our hearts hardened.

Among the chief reasons a heart will harden is the refusal to respond to God’s direction and/or correction. (I’m thinking of Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. There are 15 occasions in Exodus, the Scriptures mention Pharaoh’s heart being hardened. This is the only explanation to Pharaoh’s persistence in resisting God.

Prov 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed — without remedy. NIV

When our hearts are hard the seed, the Word…

b.    Lacks infiltration v.19 (the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.)

In the parable Jesus told the birds came and snatched away, devoured the seed sown because it didn’t infiltrate the soil and it was exposed to the birds before it could take root.

This is why it is so important to ask what God is saying to me in the daily study of His Word. In doing so I give room for the penetration of the seed of the word so the enemy cant snatches it away!

The next type of soil or heart condition that Jesus refers to is the soil…

II.    Along the Rocky Places – A Heart that is Root Bound (Matthew 13:20-21) 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. 21 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.

Here the seed, the Word is received, it is embraced and at first it looks very promising. Jesus describes the conditions of this heart that it

a.    Quickly Springs Up v.21 and at once receives it with joy

Quick starts do not always equate to good finishes. Have you ever discovered that when you jump into something quickly without considering the cost you can quickly become disheartened?

Limestone is very prevalent in Israel and there are numerous places that the depth of the soil is very shallow with the bedrock just inches below the soil. This is more than likely the conditions that Jesus was referring to. It these conditions the soil warms quickly, and the seed can quickly germinate. But quick germinations don’t necessarily equate to lasting and sustainable growth.

Jesus clearly states that because they have no root as quickly as the seed sprouts there is the…

b.    Quickly Falls Away v.21 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.

I want to suggest here the conditions of this kind of heart or soil is such that they are following Jesus for the wrong reasons. As long as they are happy tiand life is smooth sail and everything is good they are all in. But as soon as the pressure is on they bail.

Make no mistake trouble and persecution are a part of our development. The book of Acts reminds us "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," Acts 14:22 NIV

You cannot and will not develop deep roots to withstand trouble and persecution on a Sunday morning only commitment – to dig deep your commitment must be daily.

The third type of soil or heart condition that Jesus refers to is the soil…

III.   Among the Thorns – A Heart that is Choked (Matthew 13:22) 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.

a.    Believes v.22

b.    Bears no Fruit v.22

The final type of soil or heart condition that Jesus refers to is the soil…

I.      The Soil that is Good – A Heart of Good Ground (Matthew 13:23) 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."

a.    Hears and Understands v23

b.    Harvests much Fruit v. 23