Going With The Gospel #1: Sowing With the Savior

 

Going With The Gospel #1: Sowing With the Savior

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

 

Introduction: Parable of the Sower or soils.

I was so enjoying our series of sermons from the Psalms that I thought about just staying there for the rest of the year. But I guess a series entitled Summer Psalms might be misnamed once we start hitting freezing temperatures again. So, we are moving out of the Psalms and out of the Old Testament and into a new series, Going In the Gospel.” My intent is to preach one sermon from each of the Gospels and then move into Acts and then keep moving and finish with sermons from the rest of the New Testament by the end of the year. That is the intent, but as my grandmother Buna, used to say, “If the good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise.”

Background and Context

But today we will listen as the Lord tells his most famous parable in Matthew 13. The same parable is also found in Mark 4 and Luke 8. This sermon takes place in the 2nd year of Jesus public ministry. The ministry of Christ while He was on the earth can be seen in 3 time stage, that roughly correspond with the years he preached and ministered. The first year is the year of obscurity or preparation, the 2nd the year of popularity and the 3rd  the year of opposition. The Parable of the Sower takes place during the 2nd year at the beginning of the year of popularity. Jesus would have been about 32 years old as he preached this message and his disciples probably younger.

The parable of the Sower is part of a large group of parables taught that day and Jesus taught them just after the scribes and Pharisees had accused Jesus of doing miracles by the power of Satan in Matthew 12:22-24 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Then later that same day perhaps they asked Him for a sign in Matthew 12:38-39 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Jesus condemns them for their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which he tells them cannot be forgiven and then he also condemns them for seeking a sign, telling them that those who seek a sign instead of walking by faith, are evil and adulterous. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit isn’t possible today, because Jesus and the Pharisees are not on the earth doing the miracles that only He could do, but the second accusation is more widespread today than it ever has been. We walk by faith not by sight and if you think you need signs and miracles to believe, then Jesus calls that evil and adulterous. Instead of giving them a sign, do you know what Jesus did? He taught them and He taught them in parables. Its just like the Lord, He didn’t make it easier for them, He made it harder.

Matthew 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables…

Of all the ways and styles of teaching in the Bible, Jesus used parables more than any other manner of speech to teach truth to his disciple and also to separate the true believers from the pretenders instead of believers.

When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to the crowds in parables, he told them in, Matthew 13:10-17 Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

How did a parable separate disciples and seekers from pretenders and enemies? It came down to this simple act, if you heard a parable and did not understand it, as most people then and now would not, then a true disciple would go to the Lord and seek understanding. Those who were only pretenders or enemies would not take the time to understand or they would walk away. Seeking the Lord makes you a disciple, simply hearing a sermon does not. And isn’t that still true today?

Disciples spend as much time with the Lord as they can and they are always seeking answers from and about God’s word. Pretenders pretend.

The parable of the Sower or the parable of the Soil

Matthew 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.  9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and ringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Wayside Soil - Matthew 13:3-4

 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

What Is A Parable?

Before we can grasp the meaning of the Lord’s parable in Matthew 13, we need to understand what a parable is.

The parable was a very familiar teaching device in Jesus’ day. He did not invent it, but he so perfected it that no one else but Jesus comes to mind when we talk about parables. 

AT Robertson’s New Testament Word Pictures tells us that the parable is a transliteration of the Greek word, paraballô. It means to place alongside for measurement or comparison like a yardstick. It is an objective illustration of spiritual or moral truth.

A simpler, easier to memorize definition is “A parable is an earthly story that tells heavenly truth.”

Matthew 13 contains the largest collection of Jesus parables and His most famous, the Sower and the Seed. The one we will look at today.

Rules For Interpreting A Parable: Now along with a definition of a parable we need to know the rules for interpreting them.

Rule 1: Never make a parable walk on all fours. A parable is meant to teach only one point, one truth, don’t get lost in the details.

Rule 2: Interpret according to context. Who is speaking, why, who is the audience, what is the time period.

Rule 3: Interpret according to proper time frame. Is this a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, the church age, the second coming or a parable teaching a general truth.

The main point, the central truth, of Matthew 13:1-9 is not who is saved or not saved but the kinds of reception in people’s hearts to the Word of God, to truth to the Gospel during the church age. It is to prepare the disciples then and us now what to expect during our work of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus began with the wayside soil or heart.

Wayside Soil

Matthew 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

He explained the parable to the disciples in Matthew 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

 “Wayside soil?” is the ground that has been compressed and hardened by the walking to and from in the field. It is the ground we would call a pathway.

Because of the hard soil the seed falling on it cannot penetrate and take root. Jesus said, the wicked one comes and snatches it away.

For us wayside soil is a wayside soul.

Wayside Soul

A wayside soul or heart is one that has been compressed and hardened by the busyness and stress of life. It has been compacted by circumstances, difficulties or just the wear and tear of living in a sinful world. The result, Jesus says, is that now the Word of God cannot penetrate that hardness.

These hearts cannot see how the Word of God can have any affect upon their life's situation, their life is too full and too complex to be addressed by a simplistic principle of scripture or by the story of a man who lived thousands of years ago even if he did claim to be the Son of God.

The stresses of job, family, finances, troubles even the activities of church can add up to a life that crowds out the seeds being planted by the Saviour and allows Satan to snatch away the truth.

I think Solomon describes a wayside heart in Ecclesiastes 4:5-8 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. Better is a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.  Then I returned and I saw vanity under the sun:  There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, "for whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?"  This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.

The man who asked Christ how to earn eternal life

Jesus encountered a wayside heart in Mark 10: 21-22 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

What a terrible, eternal sadness, to know that Jesus loved him, but his possessions had hardened his heart and even the love of Jesus could not penetrate that hardness.

The first soil, the first heart is hardened by the stress of life and the truth of the Gospel cannot penetrate and then Satan makes sure it is snatched away. Let’s move on, to the Stony soil, and its not what you first think.

Stony Soil-   Matthew 13:5-6

Matthew 13:5-6 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Matthew 13:20-21
 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Stony Soil

The sower, who is always Jesus, broadcasts the good news. The word broadcast is now associated with radio, TV and shows on the internet, but it comes from the way seed was sown in ancient days. A farmer would plant his field in wheat or barley by walking through that field with a bag tied round his shoulder, take a handful of seeds and “broad cast” throw them widely, broadly out onto the soil of the field.

 When the truth, the gospel, is broadcast in this second example, it falls on “stony places.” This is shallow soil that has a rocky ledge underneath that fertile soil on top. The seeds that fall in this soil, spring up quickly before the other seeds have germinated, because the sun is heating the rock underneath this portion of the field. As Jesus says they anon, at once, immediately, with joy they accept the truth.

But Jesus says it is not what it seems because the truth can’t take root in this heart. And because there is no deep root, when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by they fall away. The phrase by and by is actually one word and it is the same word euthys which was translated anon, at once, earlier. When trouble comes then these hearts, these people immediately fall away, just as fast as they received the word it withers away.

Stony Soul

This is a person’s heart with no depth and without that depth the roots of the word of God cannot grow. When the disciples then, and you and I today spread the truth of Jesus Christ, we will encounter people just like this, who jump at the first mention of salvation, or forgiveness, or fellowship with a church. But they won’t let the word grow in them, won’t let it take root and so they don’t last.

This person seems to immediately and joyfully accept Christ, but they won’t grow or mature as disciples.  They may very well be saved but if they are, then their relationship with the Lord is stunted and shallow. It is weak and a weak connect to Christ will not get through the difficult, tough times that come in all lives.

These are people who don't care to go deep into God’s Word. They refuse to be challenged. They are truly the definition of a nominal Christians, Christians in name only. Some would even be categorized as “professing Christians but functioning Atheists.” They say they are believers but the live like they are atheists. Their faith will fail because they would not let the Word take root in heart and let it grow and thrive in their daily life.

Shallow salvation is not what is not why the Gospel has been given. Easy believism becomes easy apostacy. The Gospel by its very nature is meant to take root and change us.

Listen to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16-19  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

You don’t get to grow to that stage of Christian maturity, without a commitment to the deep things of God and His Word. This is the purpose of the Word of God, to take root in my heart, to grow outward and downward. The Gospel is planted in us that we would grow in the love and knowledge of Jesus.

The Stony Heart of Demas 2 Timothy 4:10

Paul writes to Timothy and says, Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;

Can you imagine over the last 2000 years every time someone reads 2 Timothy they read of the weak, shallow, unfaithful Demas, who forsook Paul and chose the world? Was Demas saved? I don’t know and neither do you, we can’t tell from this passage, but we can tell that in this instance Demas had no dept and he withered when Paul and the Lord needed him. How terrible to know that this is how we all think of Demas. We may think, “I’m sure glad Paul didn’t write about me.” But how sobering to realize that our deeds are recorded in heaven and we will be rewarded or suffer loss according to what we have done. According to how deep the Gospel was rooted in us.

There are 2 heart soils left, thorny and fertile.

Thorny Soil - Matthew 13:7

Matthew 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Thorny Soil

Thorny soil is soil that is on the fringe of the field, away from the center of the field and the attention of the sower. Because it is on the fringe, the outer border of the field, it is easily overgrown with weeds. It is rich soil, fertile soil, but it is also crowded with thorns so that it cannot bring forth fruit. The plants are starved, overshadowed and stunted by the weeds that have also taken root.

Thorny Soul

These are hearts away from the care and protection of God's will and fellowship of the Lord’s church.

Thorny hearts are fond of the lushness and variety of the world. They don't wish to only live the strict, strait and narrow life of the Christian. They believe they can stay at the edges of Christianity and have a foot or, in this case, a root in both worlds.

Yet by allowing the weeds of the world to grow in their hearts, the seeds of the Gospel, the word of God, the truth are choked and stunted, unable to bring forth fruit.

John the last apostle wrote in his epistle 1 John 2:14-16 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever

Samson's Life

To me, Samson was an example of a thorny soil heart. I believe he was God's own but so in love with the world’s pleasures and sin that God had to let the world strip and destroy him before he cried out, Judges 16:28 “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God.” And then God could use him to be the man God purposed him to be.  Don’t wait until the world’s thorns nearly choke you to death before you cry out to the Lord and pray, “O Lord God let your word grow and change my life. Don’t let this world destroy me.”

The Lord saved the best till last. It is time for the good soil and just look at what Jesus say can happen in the good soil.

Good Soil - Matthew 13:8, 23

Matthew 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Good Soil

This is the rich, fertile soil of the heart that has been lovingly worked deeply and thereby enriched by the care and attention of the sower. This is good soil because it has been turned over, plowed deeply and worked often. It is well- nourished and well-watered that it might bring forth fruit.

Now when the seed of the truth, the good news of the Gospel, is planted in this rich earth, the purpose of creation and the purpose of the Gospel takes place. The plant that grows brings forth fruit, Jesus says. It reproduces thirty times, or sixty times or even 100 times over.

Good Soul

This soul, this heart is one that is worked by the master husbandman, the master gardener. This heart is plowed deeply by God’s Word and it will bear the marks of the master’s furrow, but unlike the heart hardened by the world and its sin, it is broken-up not broken down. It then receives the Word and in the Word is life. Life for today and life eternal.

Worked by the Father This is very much like what Jesus said in his final talk with the disciple before He was crucified. Look in John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

This purged, trimmed, worked heart draws its nourishment through Jesus Christ, the living Word of God.

Nourished by the Jesus the Word John 15:4-6 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;..

This good heart seeks the refreshing of the Holy Spirit.  As water is to the soil so the Holy Spirit of God sustains us.

Refreshed by the Spirit John 16:13-14 when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Conclusion

The parable of the sower speaks not so much of who is lost or saved as it does of our hearts and our willingness to be touched and used of God. We as disciple must understand that we will encounter all these times of heart soils as we act in the authority of the Great Sower Jesus Christ through the Great Commission sew the see and make disciples. Don’t be discouraged by the hard hearts, don’t feel betrayed by the stony heart, don’t feel forsaken by the thorny hearts because when the seed of the Gospel finds one good heart. It is worth it all.

There is another lesson here as Jesus said “he who has an ear let him hear.” This parable also applies to us as individuals as well.

This parable makes us look inside as ask, “What kind of soil is my heart? Has it been made hard by sin, sorrow or stress of this world?  Is my heart shallow, and I won’t let the word take root and grow in me?  Or Is my heart crowded with the thorns, the pleasures, the distractions of this world? 

The only thing that can change our hard hearts, our shallow lives and our choked spirits is for them to be broken-up by the Sower, Jesus Christ. Am I willing to let Him work in my heart?

Touch of the Masters Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
'What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
'A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three-" But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
Sweet as the angels sings.

Then the music stopped, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for this old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.

Then he called out, 'One, give one thousand, who'll make it two?
Only two thousand? Who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, twice, and that’s a good price.
Who’s got a bid for me?
The people called out, “What made the change, we don’t understand?”

The auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile,
“It was the touch of the master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;
A game - and he travels on.
He is 'going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.
- MYRA BROOKS WELCH