April 30, 2017

The Parable of the Soils

Preacher:
Passage: Matthew 13:1-23
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Looking at a very well known parable
  • Luke 8, Mark and Matthew 13
  • It has been misunderstood through the ages
    • Some people think that you can lose your salvation
    • We ought never to interpret the parable in this way
    • If God has begun a true work, He will complete it
  • Called the Parable of the Sower
    • More recently - the Parable of the Soils
    • The title says something of the picture in your mind
    • The emphasis of the parable is the soil
    • How do people respond to the message?
    • 4 different soils - 4 different hearts
    • Explanation
    • How someone received the word
  • Jesus was teaching this parable in context
    • The Pharisees had very hard hearts
    • John 2 - people loved the signs but Jesus knew what was in their hearts
    • Teaching the multitudes
    • Note that He does not explain the parables to the people (only the disciples)
  • Jesus teaches in parables to reveal and conceal truth
    • v16-17 - people will see things that have never been revealed
    • The seed is the word of the kingdom - something invisible
    • To conceal it before hard hearted and stubborn people - not casting pearls before swine
    • v11, 13-15
    • Part of the reason was to confirm people in their own belief
  • Overview:
    • The Seed
    • The Sower
    • The Soil

The Seed

  • Luke - The seed is the word of God
    • Matthew - the word of the kingdom
  • The central message of Jesus was to trust in Him and repent of your sin
    • The same message the Apostles gave
    • The same message John the Baptist had been preaching
  • Within seeds is latent power (though it seems dead)
    • Examples from the Old Testament: Isaiah 55, Ecclesiastes 11
    • New Testament - The seed is the incorruptible word (Peter)
    • It may take time for fruition - so it is with the work of the Holy Spirit
  • It is the word of the kingdom
    • It comes with royal authority
    • We are to call people out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of Light
      • When the church is active - so is the devil
    • There is power in the word
      • This should give us confidence
      • There is a difference between our testimony and the word of God

The Sower

  • Matt 13:37 - is the Son of Man
    • Jesus Christ is the Prince of preachers
    • He performed miracles but His main ministry was to reveal the word of God and to go to the cross
      • Mark 1:38 - He does not stay with the people but moves on to other towns to "preach"
  • He uses us to share the word of God
    • He uses His Church to spread the word
    • Am I spreading the word as I ought to?
  • The Sower - people of the church
    • The effectiveness of the seed does not depend upon the sower (you and me), but the soil (the receipient)
      • It does not reflect upon you but upon them
      • If we pray over the word God is able to use it
    • We must search our hearts not to become a stumbling block or create prejudice
    • Luke 8:18 - "Take heed how you hear"
      • Our job is to pass the message on

The Soil

v19 - A hard heart

  • The word was trodden underfoot
    • Does this remind you of Moses and Pharaoh?
      • Pharaoh hardened his own heart (3 times) and then God confirmed him in his callousness
    • Paul had a callous heart - Example
  • God can soften hard hearts

v20 - A shallow heart

  • E.g. the rich young ruler
    • Initially it can give us encouragement but as time passes by they fall away
    • The word of God was never deeply routed in their heart
  • John 6 - they received the word with joy
    • As Jesus taught further - many of the people turned away
    • John 6:66 - "many of his disciples went back and walked with Him no more"
  • There are many tests for Christians today - Examples
    • May it be that we stand

v22 - A compromised heart

  • 'The worldliness of the West'
    • When we have more - we want more
    • Example stats
    • There are many temptations and things to lure us
  • Examples: Judas, Demus, Simon the sorcerer, Ananias & Sapphira, Achan
    • 'The heart of man is deceitful above all things'
  • Is the passage about salvation?
    • Luke 8 - The devil doesn't want them to believe lest they be saved
  • Many warnings in Scripture - e.g. Money - verses
  • Why are people caught up with this world - because they have not seen the riches, beauty and worth of Christ

v23 - A fruitful heart

  • It may have taken months and years but the word is blossoming
    • There is joy, peace and contentment
    • There is fruit in their life
    • We give thanks to God for this and pray there would be more fruit
  • We can go out confidently trusting in God

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