Jesus taught the mysteries of the Kingdom of God with parables. Parables are stories which appear very simple on the surface, but they hold deeper meanings of the heart. One of his most famous was the Parable of the Sower.
Some theologians believe this might have been his first parable because of his disciples’ questions. They asked him why he taught this way. I wonder if Jesus sighed. Did he close his eyes and pray to the Father for patience and grace? Or did he already know his disciples would be scratching their heads and questioning his teaching method?
Honestly, I’ve read this parable so many times, I really didn’t think twice about their question or his answer until I prepared a message for a recent women’s retreat. As I dug into Matthew 13 and this parable, what I found was fascinating. The familiar story breathed new life, and I experienced new understanding–a key word in this parable.
Why Jesus Taught in Parables
Jesus answered the disciples’ question of the reason for teaching this way with prophecy spoken years before his birth.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’Matthew 13: 14-15 NIV (Prophecy: Isaiah 6:9,10)
In so many words Jesus explained the parables acted as heart tests. Those who turned back to God understood them. Those convinced of their own wisdom could not receive the truth these stories told.
The Condition of the Soil (Soul)
Jesus then began to teach the spiritual meaning of the Parable of the Sower. On the surface level it was about a farmer and his seeds. But this story wasn’t really about the farmer or the seeds but the soil and our souls or hearts.
Some of the seeds fell on the hard path and were snatched away by the birds. Jesus explained this represented those who could not understand the truth. The truth never had a chance to be planted because the enemy quickly snatched it away. How we need to pray for understanding!
But the seeds landed in three different soils too. Here’s a brief overview:
- Rocky Soil: The plants grow, but the roots aren’t deep because of the rocky sediment under the soil. When it gets hot (trials and persecution come) they fall away.
- Thorns: The plants grow, but the thorns (worries and deceitfulness of wealth) keep the plant (our faith) from being fruitful.
- Good Soil: The seeds that fell in the good soil was representative of the person who understood. They are fruitful like the seeds in the good soil.
What’s In Your Soul Soil/Heart?
I’ve always thought of this parable as three or four different people receiving the seeds of truth. But what if it applies to different areas of our hearts? Our hearts can hold each one of these soils. They may hold hardened places where truth can’t be planted. These are places we cannot understand the seed of truth, and enemy snatches it up. If you’re having trouble with a truth of God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit ask the Lord to help you understand. He will till and soften your heart.
As Americans, we do not face persecution for our faith like in other places in the world, but many of us have experienced trouble. Jesus promised we’d go through troubled times. Trouble can make us doubt the goodness of God and His good plans. It shakes our faith. Some stop attending church, reading their Bibles, and believing in Jesus. Some of us have allowed church hurt or the abuse of church leaders stop our participation in the church. We sit at home watching online because we’ve stopped believing in the Bride of Christ.
Maybe the thorn situation hits closer to home. Those thorns of worry and the deceitfulness of wealth are prevalent. The saddest things about these thorns is they make us unfruitful. Unfruitful.
Rocks and Thorns
Is cement in your soil? Have you rooted yourself to religion? The church? A biblical teacher or mentor? Be careful. Your roots will not grow and your faith will wither.
Are thorns growing with your faith? Sneaky thorns. They appear good, but they are very bad like the smilax weeds in my Azaleas. They choke out my shrubs. Remember, worries and the deceitfulness of wealth are like those Smilax thorns. They keep us from being fruitful which is really what this whole parable is about.
Fruitful Hearts
What does it mean to be fruitful? Go back to the garden after Adam and Eve took their first breaths. God told them to be fruitful too.
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1: 27-28
Just as God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, we are called to be spiritually fruitful making disciples of Christ. This is so important. So many- even in the church don’t get it! We don’t understand that the message of the Kingdom is not about being happy or holy or heaven bound- it’s about a new Kingdom coming to this earth.
“Thy kingdom come, and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” It’s about being fruitful. It’s about our faith in Jesus making a difference on this planet by multiplying our faith making disciples of Jesus.
It takes time to make a disciple of Jesus.
Tilling, Planting, Watering, fertilizing,
But we can’t disciple unless our soil is healthy.
Prayer for Healthy, Good Soil
The good soil represented the one who heard and understood. Maybe that’s why Paul prayed this prayer for the church in Ephesus:
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19
Love Changes Things
He prayed they would be rooted and established in love. Rooted in the love of the Father and love for the Father. Love changes things, doesn’t it? When we’re rooted in the love of God, and we’re holding hands with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will understand! We get all filled up with His goodness, and we can’t help but grow a bumper crop.
I want to be fruitful. I want you to be fruitful too! Let’s cheer each other on. Let’s pray to love Jesus more and more each day and to love each other. Oh my goodness, let the Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
“But we can’t disciple unless our soil is healthy.” Powerful!