076 Stories of the Kingdom: Soil Test

Many of the lessons we learn in life come through stories. No one knew this more than Jesus.  So, as He began to share with people about this Kingdom that He was launching, He told stories to capture their attention – that they might join Him in the ultimate revolution.

The storytelling strategy He used is called parables. He used parables for many reasons. 

1.     Parables arouse our interest.

2.     Parables facilitate our understanding.  

3.     Parables disarm our objections.

4.     Parables challenge our sincerity.

5.     Parables awaken our desire.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the four soils. 

A farmer would walk his field “broadcast spreading” his seed. Some of it was lost immediately since it fell on hard ground, and the birds would quickly come and snatch away the seed.

Some of it fell on places where the soil was over a layer of rock and though there was immediate receptivity, the roots of the plant couldn’t go deep and it soon died. 

Some seed fell in places where weeds were present. As it grew, the weeds eventually strangled it out.

Some seed fell on good soil. It was received well, roots went down deep, and the result was a wonderful harvest.  

The four-part interpretation of the parable is a brilliant picture of how people respond to the preaching of the Kingdom.  It illustrates four types of heart. In this parable, Jesus is asking you to analyze the soil of your heart. 

First of all, there’s a hardened heart.

What makes a heart hard?  Well, what makes soil hard?  Three things: being trampled on, no rain, never having been plowed. 

Hearts can be hardened in the same way.  Some people grow hard because of how they’ve been trampled on. 

Harsh circumstances can also harden hearts.  Dry periods where there’s nothing refreshing at all.

Or maybe the hardness is born of a stubborn unwillingness to be broken up by God’s Spirit.

Secondly, there’s a shallow heart. 

This person hears the message and has a quick, even emotional, reaction to it. And it was a great thing...until the feelings faded...until the heat was turned up. And then the seed was in trouble.  Why?  Because there was no root system.  There was no depth because there wasn’t any growth.  

There’s a third kind of soil.  It represents a crowded heart

Jesus identifies the weeds as: “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.”  I’ve seen this happen with tragic frequency in those who once were growing so well as disciples. Then life got in the way: the pressures of the job, the activities of children, the call of leisure, etc.  

What makes this so subtle is that these “weeds” don’t look so bad at first blush. The problem is that before you know it, the worries of this life and deceitfulness of wealth can slowly but surely squeeze out any fruitfulness.

But there is one soil left – good soil.  Call it a fruitful heart.

In this situation, the seed is well-received.  And fruit is produced.  

What are some signs of fruitfulness?  The Bible talks about the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Fruit is something that others can see and enjoy. 

Another function of fruit is its capacity to reproduce itself.  You can tell fruit is good when it leads to other fruit.

Jesus was looking for fruit in His people.

Text: Matthew 13:1-15

Originally recorded June 9, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.