Matthew 13:18-23 Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
In the above focus, Jesus explains to his disciples the parable of the sowing of seeds. The true purpose of the seed is to sprout, to take hold of the kingdom of God and to produce an abundant crop for God’s glory. Some of the seed will fulfill this mission, but much of it will be wasted or not come to full maturity. Some seed is sown on hard ground, typical of the ground in the hearts of rebellious men and women. Their hearts are baked hard with worldliness and a self-serving attitude. They are not going to make room for anything else in their lives, especially the idea of a purpose beyond their daily routine and activities. With little thought for God’s plan for them such people fill their lives with the necessities of the flesh, but lack sensitivity to the needs of their famished spirits, including the understanding of eternal life. The seed is sown in their hearts, but not accepted into their lives. Often the seed goes unrecognized by the impervious ground. Consequently, it is capable of being swooped up by the evil one who does not want God’s will in people’s lives: the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. Other seeds find niches in people’s lives, places where the seeds sprout into life. The message of the kingdom is accepted fully, causing them much joy, but because the seeds are in stony ground, the roots cannot find enough soil to sustain life. In this precarious situation, difficult and discouraging times can overwhelm the life of the kingdom in them, causing them to die. A lack of spiritual depth within a challenging environment can ruin a seed’s chances of reaching maturity. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Some seeds fall into relatively good ground for sprouting. However, within this ground where worldliness flourishes, the weeds also grow well and are healthy. The seeds of the kingdom sprout readily in the hearts of the hearers. Their souls grow well in this good soil, but the weeds also are with them constantly. The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth are also strong in this soil. Eventually the new life is choked by these carnal concerns, causing the life to be unfruitful. Environments that claim spirituality, but are focused primarily on worldly concerns can best be described as churchified environments: playing the game, but not really part of it, loving the world and the things in the world more than God. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17) Jesus with this description of the seed being sown in weedy ground describes today’s church in the western world. Our society, our culture, accentuates the worries of life and the accumulation of wealth. People are running to and fro to keep ahead of life’s demands and wants. In America people get up early in the morning, work all day, spend their weekends occupied with entertainment and travel, then claim how dedicated they are to God and to his kingdom. We are deceiving only ourselves.
The last seed falls on good ground, hearts that not only accept the gospel, but flourish with it. These seeds come to maturity, displaying the kingdom’s nature. They help the seed in others hearts to germinate. This ground is plowed ground, soil of repentance. John the Baptist said, the kingdom of God is at hand. In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:1-2) Repentance is the beginning of the kingdom. When the seed is planted in men’s hearts, it must hit plowed ground that is soft, ready to receive the word in the depths of the soul. Without this condition the land is like Pharaoh’s heart, unrepentant, hard, self-serving, careless in living. This kind of heart will never allow seed to germinate, will never admit to a need or to a God to serve. But good ground receives the Good News readily, and the seed sprouts all the way to maturity. Paul was concerned about the ground in the Corinthians’ lives not being plowed deep enough. He tells them that they are immature, unable to receive the deeper things of the gospel, things that would allow them to prosper in producing an abundant crop. Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) Paul realizes the Corinthians are in the same game of life as the world is playing. They are arguing and struggling over worldly issues. The are arguing who is the person to follow. Paul is very direct in his assessment of them. You are worldly, in danger of losing everything that I taught. It is not who we follow, but who God is! Anything else is pure flesh, immature, and will not produce a crop of righteousness. The kingdom of God was ushered in by John the Baptist who preached repentance, a turning to God and to him only. Jesus tells of the sower, sowing seed to the world’s environment. This sower sows seeds that fall on hard ground, seeds that fall on rocky ground, and seeds that fall on ground that has been infiltrated by unrighteous seeds. All of this depicts the condition of the world: land that is not productive, that does not produce a crop of righteousness, of right living, of holiness. The only hearts that are truly receptive are the hearts that have been softened by the Spirit of God, and that begins with repentance. These hearts provide soil to nourish seeds of righteousness.
We who are in the kingdom, the repentant who live in servanthood to others and not ourselves, should live lives that soften the ground around us. We should help the sower in his task of winning people to his kingdom. Our lives should be shored up to the Master. If not, our maturity in God is at risk. We are to live with the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in us at all times: fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) If we think we are wise in the Lord, if we think we know how a Christian should act and speak, then we should reveal God in our servanthood to people, as Christ was a servant to all. Good soil is repentant soil, servant hearts, loving spirits. It is compromising soil, willing to accept Jesus in other people’s lives. Immaturity is fruitless soil, my way or the highway hearts, claiming wisdom but displaying foolishness because of wanting all to believe exactly as they believe. The Corinthians championed different religious leaders, believing adamantly they were right in their assessments of their leaders. They argued over who was right. Paul said, your arguing reveals your immaturity, your worldliness. We who are in the household of God are one. There should be no arguing or disputing among ourselves, for we are prisoners of the Lord. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-5) Good ground makes every effort to keep unity. When the seed hits the good ground around you, it will grow; but if you have allowed seeds of dissatisfaction, hurt, and criticism to be around you, seeds planted next to you, even your children or closest friends, will not grow to maturity. Sadly, the new growth might even dissipate and die; worldliness does that to new growth. Instead let the soil around us be nurtured with the wisdom of God in our hearts. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18) This kind of soil will reap great benefits for the Master. Let us image God in our lives. Let us reap the benefits of being a prisoner for the Lord, a servant of the Most High. The Sower is sowing in our day, we need to make the land around us, those we influence daily, able to receive the seed and to sprout to maturity. As Hosea said, our reward is great when we sow righteousness around us. Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12) God’s great love for us should be revealed to the hearts around us so that they too might sprout and receive the righteousness that God desires for them. May we all reap a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
No comments:
Post a Comment