Sowing on Good Ground

“Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.” (Matthew13:3)

As was His teaching style, Jesus often compared the lessons He wanted the people to learn to things and situations that they were familiar with, and the lesson found in Matthew 13:1-23 is no exception. There was nothing more familiar to them than a farmer going out to plant his crop during planting season. Let’s look at this parable to see how it might benefit us.

First, the sower was a man who had a vision. When a farmer goes out to a field to plant his crop, he doesn’t envision the planting, hoeing, watering and tending of the field. He knows that’s all part of the process, but what he really envisions in his mind is the crop. The entire reason he plants the seed in the first place is to reap a harvest. He expects that each seed will multiply and provide for him much more than he planted.

In the parable, there was a problem. Either some of the ground the sower was planting in had not been properly prepared to receive the seed, or the sower was not careful where he planted the seed. In either case, the harvest was not what it might have otherwise been. In the normal process of farming, the farmer would go out before he ever dropped a seed into the earth and till the soil he intended to plant so that it would be ready to receive his precious seed.
Well, at any rate, the seed was sown and the farmer went on about his business. But a closer examination reveals what happened to the seed, and what kind of harvest was produced.

Of course, as Jesus goes on to explain the parable to His disciples (vs. 18-23), we find that His intention was to instill in them a greater lesson than how to be a good farmer. His desire was that they learn Kingdom Truth. The spiritual lesson learned in the parable is valuable, yet so hard to receive. How precious is the seed we sow as Sowers of the Word of God. And our intention is that the seed we sow will multiply and bring forth a great harvest. And it’s painful to see when the Devourer comes and steals our precious seed; or the cares of the world to overtake our seed; or the thorns choke out its growth. We need to, first of all, be sure the ground where we sow has been properly prepared through prayer. We need to make sure we are praying for our lost friends and loved ones so the Holy Spirit can deal with them, constantly wooing them to our Savior. Then we need to make sure our relationship with the Father is in good standing through a repentant heart, and we can come before Him with clean hands. In that way, when the time comes to sow some “Kingdom Seeds”, we are clean and usable vessels of God ready to do the Master’s work. In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” Paul certainly understood the principles of the Sower of the Seed.

I want us to look at the four types of ground receiving seed and maybe we can learn why there is a lack of harvest from the seed we are sowing, or maybe there is something in our own lives that is preventing us from reaping from the seed we sow.

1. “And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.” (verse 4) As we can see, this seed didn’t get very far when it comes to multiplying. Jesus explained that this Word was not understood and immediately the devil came on the scene to snatch it away, so that it never even began to take root. How blessed are we in America that we are so free that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shared without restriction. And Friends, because we have received much, we will be all the more accountable when we stand before the Judge of the World as to how we used what He blessed us with. How many times have we heard “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) and yet many of us have not allowed that truth to penetrate our hearts? How hardened many hearts have become, how calloused, that the greatest love story ever told would not move us to repentance.
2. “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.” (verses 5-6) Jesus explained this dilemma as the seed or The Word falling on stony ground, and because of its hardness and lack of soil, the seed was not able to produce roots so that it could not grow. This person received the Word with great joy and he went out, like many of us have, ready to evangelize the world single-handedly. Yet as soon as someone came along and made fun of him, or threatened him, the joy was gone. He probably won’t speak up for the sake of Christ anymore. His concern was more about pleasing his friends rather than standing strong for the things of God. He wanted the joy, the peace and the love that went along with being a Christian, but he was unwilling to pay the price. Jesus said that as His Followers, we will be persecuted for His sake, and we would be wise to face that fact now rather than later. Friends, I promise you that some people who were once your friends will not want anything to do with you once you become a Christian. You may even face rejection from members of your own family. The truth is that we will be persecuted and rejected for the sake of Christ, but by standing strong and continuing to boldly stand for Christ, we can continually have joy and peace in our hearts no matter what the circumstances or how difficult the persecution may become. He will always be with us no matter what!
3. “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.” (verse 7) It’s tragic when a person is born-again into the Kingdom of God, and then within a few short days, or sometimes it may even be several years later when all of the old desires for the world and the things of the world bombards him. He begins to worry about how he will ever make it if he has to give up his worldly pleasures, or it could even be the desire for riches and material goods that comes and chokes the life out of his relationship with God. Listen to Jesus’ statement to the Church at Laodicia. “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—" (Revelation 3:17) There is nothing this world contains that even begins to compare with our relationship with Jesus Christ and the love that He so freely gives.
4. “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (verse 8) Jesus explained this person as one who hears the Word, understands it and then bears fruit. Even after years of walking with Jesus, his relationship with the Lord just keeps getting better everyday. He is walking in the Word of God and the Word is living in him and through him. When people who know him speak of him, he is highly regarded. This is the one who keeps Jesus center-most in his thoughts, his actions and his conversation. Christianity is not just a “Sunday mask” that he puts on to impress the church folks, but a daily experience. It is his constant joy and delight to do the will of his Father at all times. This is the one who will see souls won into the Kingdom. His witness will be effective. His life will be filled with humility, meekness and gentleness, and the fruit of the Spirit of God will be evident in his life. His heart will be kept constantly by the saving grace of God, and he will carefully guard against any thorns growing or stones getting into the soil of his heart. His relationship with God is always the most important thing to him, and each day is an adventure.

Friends, I can tell you that God never intended that our joy should be dampened, or that our salvation should be cause of hardship. But He did intend that we make a commitment to walk with Him and to love Him and to trust Him in every situation. He intended that He should come before anything else in our lives. If there is anything or anyone else that is more important than our relationship with our Heavenly Father, then we are cheating ourselves, and not only that, but we cannot bear the fruit that He intends for us to bear.
Let us pray, as King David prayed…

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.”
(Ps. 5:10-13)

Friends, when we have this attitude of heart, then we too will teach transgressors God’s ways, and we will produce an abundant harvest for the Kingdom of God. God bless you.