In The Life Of A Christian-
The Parable of the Seed Matthew 13:18-23
Part 2
Matthew 13:18-23 NIV
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell 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.”
Last week we started our study concerning the parable of the seed which is found in three of the four gospels, Matthew 13:1-23 Mark 4:1-20 Luke 8:4-15. We primary studied five characteristics of God’s Word in the life of a believer in Christ.
In this study, we will give our attention to Matthew’s account of Jesus’ explanation of this parable. There are three negative points Jesus states we are going to take into consideration of how they can apply to the Word of God or seed that is sown in a believer’s life, who’s heart is not in a good suitable condition when they receive it for the Word to take root, verses 19-22. Secondly, we are going to consider verse 23, the positive point of Jesus’ explanation of the parable and how it applies to the Word of God that is sown in a believer’s life that produces positive results.
Matthew 13:19, 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.
This verse divides into two points, the first point is one who “hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it”. Hearing the word of God was the most common way at the time when Jesus told this parable that the Word of God was received by a person. Today Christians have many different ways to receive the Word of God than just hearing it. Most of us own more than one Bible. Many of us have Bible apps on our phones. Everybody can listen and or read the Word of God on our cell phones, computers, smart speakers and so many other electronic devices. In spite of the multiple ways we can receive God’s word to spiritually nourish our lives, the fact remains the same today as it did then when Jesus stated it; “the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.”
What are the many different ways that the Christian ignorantly or knowingly allows our enemy to snatch the Word of God from our hearts that we have read and or listened to?
Some Christians do not even intentionally make the effort to read or listen to the Word of God daily and or even weekly, so there is very little of the enemy to snatch. For those who regularly do read the Word of God, there are many distractions in our lives that the enemy can and will use to snatch the Word of God that we have received and has been planted into our hearts to nurture our souls. Everyone is different and the scheme the enemy uses to snatch the word of God from us will differ. The key is that we need to know ourselves, our weakness, tendencies and what ever can distract us.
The word snatch that Jesus used is characteristic of how the enemy takes God’s word has been planted into our hearts. Snatch means to grasp or seize hastily, eagerly, or suddenly as to steal, especially quickly or with a sudden movement. The enemy knows the longer God’s Word is in a Christian the deeper it becomes part of who we are.
Matthew 13:20-21, 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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.
“The joy of the young convert must be distinguished from that of the superficial hearer. It is joy in Christ, rather than in the novelty and beauty of the words about Christ.” – F.B. Meyer
Jesus said that we will experience persecution because we have received Him as our Savior. If God’s Word has not taken root in our heart, we will easily become discouraged and give up concerning our relationship with God when we experience persecution of any type.
Matthew 10:22
All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
John 15:18-20
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
The last point Jesus makes concerning the Word of God not taking root in the heart of a Christian is; Matthew 13:22, The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
This verse can apply two different ways in the life of a believer in Christ whom the Word of God does not take root. The cares of poverty can be a hindrance for the Word to take root in the heart of a Christian as well as what can be acquired by wealth.
Concerning the wrong attitude and priority of wealth in the life of a Christian, Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
It is possible in the past that you personally had experienced in your relationship with Christ one of these three points in the parable of why the word of God that was sown in your heart did not produce a life with Christ of abundance spiritual blessing. Or, you might know someone who is no longer in an intimate relationship with Jesus or is no longer regularly fellowshipping with a congregation because their spiritual life has been affected in one of these three ways as Jesus teaches in the parable.
The Fire Bible in its commentary concerning this parable gives five other possible reasons why the seed sown (the word of God) in the heart of a person does not produce a harvest.
(1) The church fails in their responsibility by:
(a) failing to communicate Christ’s message thoroughly, making a commitment to Christ seem too easy or neglecting to emphasize the cost of following Christ;
(b) failing to follow through with new Christians by not establishing the new Christian with planned discipleship (i.e., spiritual training and growth process), thereby neglecting to help them develop solid Christian relationships that will encourage growth and accountability;
(c) failing to deal with the demonic powers that trouble, oppress and enslave people to sin (Lk 16:15-17; Mt 10:1, 8; 12:22-29).
(2) Some… believe in Christ only with the mind, but not with the heart, with their whole being and personality; (Ac 2:37; 2Co 4:6). That is to say, they never truly devote themselves to Christ and his purposes.
(3) Some… fail to truly repent–to turn from their sin and make a complete life change (Mt 3:2, note; Ac 8:18-23).
(4) Some… want to accept Christ as Savior but not as Lord (Mt 13:20-21). That is, they want the benefits of forgiveness and spiritual salvation; but they do not actively give the leadership of their lives to Christ and submit fully to his authority.
(5) The faith of some is based on persuasive words of charismatic personalities rather than a true response to God’s Spirit or an effective display of God’s power in the church (1Co 2:4-5).
Jesus’ last point of His parable is in verse 23; But the one who received the seed that fell 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.”
What can a Christian do to condition their heart to be the “good soil” which is as Jesus said, “is the man who hears the word and understands it”?
The following are just a few verses of what Jesus and apostle Paul tell us about our heart.
Matthew 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 22:37-38, 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
Luke 6:45, The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, …For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Ephesians 1:18-19, 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Hebrews 10:22, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
What are we intentionally doing so that our hearts are like good soil to receive the Word of God so that we can experience a fruitfulness more than we can expect or imagine?
Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Pastor John
