The Parables of the Lord Jesus Christ
2 - The Sower
We are looking again at another of the parables or stories that Jesus told to illustrate some important spiritual truths. This time we will think about the parable of a farmer sowing his seed. This is found in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13 and the Gospel of Mark chapter 4. We read there that such large crowds gathered round Jesus by the lakeside that He got into a boat and spoke to the people from it as they stood on the shore. On this occasion Jesus told the listening crowd three stories about the planting of seeds, something with which they would be very familiar. The parable we are looking at now is the first one and is about a wheat or barley field and the sowing of the seeds. Here is Jesus story:
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." When he had finished the parable Jesus said to the people, "He who has ears, let him hear." The things that Jesus was talking about in these parables were mysteries to most who heard them, and perhaps to you today. They cannot be properly understood by the mere processes of human logic and reasoning. Jesus said to Nicodemus, unless a man or woman is born from above, born of the Spirit of God, they cannot see, or understand, the kingdom of God. The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians said, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." In this simple story of the sowing of seeds Jesus was illustrating what happens when people listen to the message about God's kingdom. When people hear the good news concerning salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ there are different responses. Everyone who hears the message has a huge responsibility before God, so pray that He may give you understanding as you listen.
Jesus' disciples were also listening to the story He told that day. When He had finished they came to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." The disciples were so privileged, they were given understanding. In verse 16 He says to them, "Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." And so Jesus goes on to give them an explanation of the parable.
He tells them that the seed that is scattered represents the telling out of the message about the kingdom of God. Later, in another parable, Jesus describes himself as one who sowed good seed. So He is the sower and anyone who faithfully proclaims his message is also a sower. The ground or the soil onto which the seed is scattered represents the hearts of those who hear the message and their response to it. It seems from this parable there are just four responses to the proclamation of God's word.
Let's look then at the different places onto which the scattered seed fell in Jesus' story. In Matthew chapter 13 verse 19, the Lord says: "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 his heart. This is the seed sown along the path." Here is the picture of one who hears the good news concerning Jesus Christ and does not understand it and so is unresponsive to it. The word is sown in his heart but lies there unconsidered until along comes Satan, the enemy of our souls, and causes him to forget what he has heard. It was because they did not understand or did not care to consider who Jesus was and what He was teaching that some would shout out on a future day, "Away with Him, crucify Him. We will not have this man to reign over us."
Many others down the centuries have heard the words of Jesus and listened to the message of salvation through Him, but have not responded and have soon forgotten what they have heard. We are not to be surprised at this because the Bible tells us that naturally we are all spiritually dead because of our sins. Unless we allow the Spirit of God to enlighten our minds to the truth of the message we cannot respond to it.
Do you realise how privileged you are to have even heard the Gospel and had the opportunity to respond positively to it? This good news is all about the grace of God, that He is willing to forgive your every sin because the Lord Jesus has born the punishment for it in your place. He did this on the cross of Calvary where He suffered for us all. Can I ask you, Is yours a responsive heart? Do you see the seriousness of your sin and your great need of the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Saviour?
Jesus' explanation of the second kind of ground onto to which the seed falls is given in verses 21 and 22: "What was sown on rocky places is the man (or woman) who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 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 is a thin layer of soil. In other words the person shows a very ready response to the message, but the tiny seed never becomes firmly rooted. It is scorched by the sun and destroyed. Here is someone who readily accepts the gospel message. It seems he is easily converted and he is thrilled and full of enthusiasm. He may even shed tears and there is great emotion, but sadly there is no depth or reality to his profession of faith. After a time, it may be days or even months or years, that one falls away and has nothing more to do with the things of Christ.
The scorching sun in this parable pictures those factors that cause this shallow faith to wither. They are pressures of life, Satanic opposition, and persecution because of the profession to be a follower of Christ. All these things ensnare and cause this person to stumble and fall away. Clearly this one is never a genuine follower of the Lord Jesus. His confession is purely emotional and omits the components of true discipleship: self-surrender, self-denial, sacrifice, service and suffering for the sake of the Saviour. A profession based purely on an emotional response to the gospel without true repentance and faith in Christ will not last.
In verse 22 we have the third kind of response to the word of God in the Gospel. Here is the third kind of ground onto which the seed falls: "What was sown among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the seed, making it unfruitful." This is the heart that is like soil that is infested with the roots and runners of thorns. This is not the kind of soil in which a plant can grow unhindered and fruitfully. This is a picture of someone who becomes preoccupied with other things. Here is a Christian who has become caught up with the affairs and enticements of this world. Material things have become all important and along with this comes constant anxiety. There is no longer any room for the consideration of God's Word. Fellowship with God's people is pushed out by other things. There is no time to serve the Lord because of the cares of everyday living or by the desire to gain wealth. The Lord describes this situation as "unfruitful".
This person cannot be spiritually blessed nor can he be a blessing. The word of God comes to him but it is prevented from being fruitful. There is nothing wrong with the sower. There is nothing wrong with the seed. But everything is wrong with this poor person who is absorbed with the things of this world.
It is the Lord's desire for his people that we live fruitful lives to his glory. In John chapter 15 Jesus says to us, using the picture of a vine, "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." To be fruitful means to live for Christ and to allow Him to produce in us the characteristics of his Spirit which are: love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
Are you living a fruitful Christian life or are you allowing the cares of the world and the enticement of material things to choke your growth in Christ?
Let's discover now the last kind of soil in Jesus' parable of the sower and the seed. We find this in Matthew chapter 13 verse 23: "But what was sown 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." This is not a heart that is hard or shallow or preoccupied with other things, it is a receptive and fertile heart. Here is a person who hears the message with understanding and willing acceptance. He thinks about what he hears and he believes the message. In genuine repentance he places his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The result of this is that he bears fruit. This is genuine conversion that produces the fruit we were thinking about just now. In other words there is evidence that Christ is at work in this life. Where there is genuine conversion there will always be a change in behaviour and attitude and a change in life ambition and purpose. This is the "crop" that Jesus is speaking about when the seed falls on good ground.
Of course we must note that there is a difference in the degree of fruitfulness. We are not all equally loving or gentle or patient. Some are much more Christ-like than others. The wonderful thing is that every true Christian shows forth something of the Saviour in their lives. There is a change and there is a difference when He comes to live in the heart.
As we come to the end of this parable, ask yourself now in the quietness of your own heart, "What kind of soil am I. Am I rocky or thorny or am I the good soil, ready and happy and willing to trust in Jesus Christ and make Him the Lord and King of my life and to bear fruit for Him?"