01.01. The Parable of the Soils
The Parables of the Soils Matthew 13:1-23, Matthew 13:34-35
To get to know our friends we must spend time with them and listen to them talk about life and love. We must spend time with them and see what they do and how they act and try to understand them for what they are not just by what we hear about them. There is an old saying, "To know me is to love me." Our world is filled with hate and fighting and most of it because we do not know each other. Most conflicts can be resolved with an understanding of others.
The way that we can get to know Jesus better is to sit at His feet and listen to what he says and walk with Him and see what He does. We will begin a series of messages today that I trust will be real and practical for all of us. We will sit at the Master’s side as we hear Him teach in parables, walk with Him and see Him perform the miracles of His ministry. As we study the life of Christ this way I trust it will help us to learn to love Him more.
Purpose of the Parables:
Matthew 13:1-3 a; Matthew 13:13-15 ; Matthew 13:34-35 Matthew 13:1-3 a
When we mention the word parable we immediately think of some simple story born of real life that touches our soul with a deep truth. They have been called, "An earthly story with a heavenly meaning."
The word parable is transliterated from the Greek word parabole (para-bow-LAY) which means "To place beside, to cast alongside", or "laying by the side of." Many of the parables of Jesus begin with "The Kingdom of heaven is like…" The word parabole is translated in the KJV "comparison, figure, parable, proverb." It is translated parable 48 times in the first 3 gospels and only two more times in the NT (Hebrews 9:9 ; Hebrews 11:19 it is translated figure.) Matthew 13:13-15
We might ask why Jesus taught in parables. Jesus did not use the method of teaching by parables first. The OT contains many parables. The Rabbis throughout history have used parables to teach. Jesus did however raise the level of teaching that was done in parables. Jesus quoted Genesis 6:9-10 here as His reason. He used parables because of the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel. These verses in Isaiah are important and are quoted a total of five times in the New Testament. (Matthew 13:14-15 ; Mark 4:12 ; Luke 8:10 ; John 12:39-40 ; Acts 28:26-27 ). The results of poor hearing and seeing for Israel would be judgment.
There was also another reason that Jesus spoke in parables and that was to fulfill prophecy. This is a quote of Psalms 78:2 . Jesus used parables to reveal hidden truth that had not been revealed before.
Parable of the Soils:
This parable is known by various names among Bible students. It is the parable of the sower, who went out to sow. It is also called the parable of the hearer because of the implications of hearing. Some call it the parable of the seed because the seed is sown. In addition it is referred to as the parable of the soils because of the four different types of soil the seed feel into. There are some basic symbols that we need to understand in this parabolic teaching of Christ.
The Seed it the word of God. Seed when it is planted in the right environment produces fruit. The word of God produces fruit and that fruit has in it the potential for more fruit. The seed must be living to produce but it must also be planted. The word "hear" is used seven times in the parable.
The sower is someone who shares the word of God. This was initially the Lord Jesus Christ but now is any Christian witness. We sow the seed of the gospel of Christ now out of concern for the spiritual condition of the world. Psalms 126:5-6 . The tears show concern. We also do it in partnership with other Christians. 1 Corinthians 3:6 God gave the increase.
The soil represents the human heart. Our garden was left unattended one summer and it grew up in weeds. We are going to look at the human heart here represented by the four different types of soil. Man must have the right seeds planted and the right conditions to be present for fruit to come forth out of the soil.
The Parable Told: Matthew 13:3-9
Jesus teaches that the sower went out to sow and as he scattered his seed some fell by the wayside and fowls devoured it. Some fell on stony ground and died from lack of root structure. The third type of ground the sower scattered the see don was among the thorns and the good seed was choked out. The fourth type of soil was good ground. These types of soil could have been found readily in the land that Jesus walked. A very simple story with deep meaning. The Parable Explained: Matthew 13:18-23
Have you ever noticed that the first thing that we blame when we plant a garden that doesn’t come up or comes up partly is the seed. My friend we must realize that the seed here is the gospel and the seed is not to blame.
The next thing in our garden we blame is something that we did. I must of covered it too deep or not deep enough. I probably put clods and rocks on the seed. In much the same way we sometimes blame the messenger or the preachers preaching for us not getting anything out of the sermon. The last thing we blame in our garden is the soil that we have placed the seed in. Jesus plainly teaches us that hearing is as important as the sower. The greatest message preached without the proper hearing fails. We hearers blame the seed and the sower. Lets look at the four types of soil quickly to see its importance. I have attempted to give each a descriptive title for us to identify them today. The unchurched, the church joiner, the unsaved church member and the fruitful church member. The Unchurched, Hard Heart: Matthew 13:19
1 Kings 13:4 this is the seed that feel by the wayside and the birds ate it. The paths thought the fields were hard and not ready to receive any seed for planting. This is a picture of the people who have grown hard in heart to the gospel and when someone tries to witness to them they are short and do not want to hear. These people have allowed the cares of life to choke out any seed that was ever sown their way. Only some breaking up of the hard ground by tragedy or trouble can change this heart. The Church Joiner, Shallow Heart: Matthew 13:20-21
The soil of Palestine is over a thick rock of limestone. Some of the soil is very shallow and will not support life under any adverse conditions. The roots cannot go deep enough to become strong. This is someone who hears with their emotions and not with their heart. This is a man or woman who joins the church on Sunday and is baptized and you never see them again. They go into the world on Monday and all is forgotten that did on Sunday. They are shallow in any germ of faith they may have possessed. These people are not as rebellious as the unchurched but they are not earnest in their commitment to Christ. I remind us that trouble and trials strengthen true faith and false faith is repelled by them. They have lip salvation and not heart salvation. They are not saved my friends but only responding emotionally. The Unsaved Church Members, Crowded Heart: Matthew 13:22
The seed here falls among the thorns. Some feel this soil is soil that is not full of thorns at the time of the sowing but full of the seeds that will bring the thorns. This is contaminated soil, unclean soil that is not ready for sowing. Ever notice that our gardens have weeds that are ready to spring forth but seemly the soil is read for sowing but silently lies the weed seeds ready to grow and choke the good seed. For us to have a successful garden we must not only love the fruit and vegetables but hate weeds. We must in the saved respectfully hate sin. If you have noticed there has been an ascending order to the soils or the hearts of the hearers. First the heart untouchable, second the heart shallow and now the hear that seems to be fertile soil ready for bringing forth fruit. The churches of America today are full of these types of hearts. They are interested in the social events and gatherings but not in the spiritual teaching and work of the spiritual nature of the church. They are trying to serve God and mammon, their loyalties are divided. Jesus said they were the ones that the, "care of the world, and deceifulness of riches, choke the word…."and they become unfruitful. They cannot give up the world and its lure for the spiritual. They never truly repent but keep on foot in the world and one in the church. This is the Laodiceans church in the Revelation. They are lukewarm and not hot for the Lord. Paul said that in the later days they would be church members like this, "…in the last days….Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…" 2 Timothy 3:1 ; 2 Timothy 3:5 The Christian, Fruitful Heart: Matthew 13:23
But there was, "good ground." This is the heart that every one of us looks for. Notice that the sower continues to sow and realized that much of the seed will not take fruit and grow into a salvation experience. This heart is the one that hears the word and fastens onto the words of life and regardless of what comes into their life will not renounce their faith. The seed brings forth fruit in their life many times over what was planted. They receive the word unlike the hard heart, they understand it unlike the shallow heart, they hold fast to it unlike the crowded heart. They are saved, beloved. We must never loose faith that the human heart can change. Some of those who will not hear will in time become good soil. Some of those who are shallow may return and become deep believers. Some of the lost church members will realize this and become believers. We must continue to sow and must also not neglect the admonition of Christ, "who hath ear to hear, let him hear."