sf100 - The Parable Of The Soils (Matthew 13 1-23)

Matthew 13:1-23

Introduction

The Kingdom Parables (Matthew 13:1-5)

Parable (paraboleô) is a compound word made up of a form of the verb balloô (to throw lay, or place) and the prefix para (meaning alongside of). The idea is that of placing, or laying, something alongside of something else for the purpose of comparison.

“A parable is a story from real-live from which a moral or spiritual truth is drawn.” (Boice, 230)

Ø A parable is an earthy story with a heavenly meaning.

Ø A parable differs from a fable because a fable is not a real life situation.

Ø A parable differs from an allegory because every detail in an allegory has meaning (Pilgrim’s Progress).

The context (13:1-2)

That day refers to the day on which Jesus’ mother and brothers came looking for Him (12:46-47). He had healed many people of various unnamed diseases, explained the true character of the promised Messiah, healed and cleansed the blind and dumb demoniac, charged the unbelieving Pharisees of committing the unpardonable sin by accusing Him of casting out demons by Satan’s power, declared that unbelieving Jews would be condemned by believing Gentiles on the day of judgment, and warned against the deceptive danger of moral reform without spiritual rebirth (12:15-45).

Jesus remained immensely popular with the common people, and great multitudes still gathered to Him in fascination to hear Him speak and see Him heal, and some to be healed themselves.

1A. The Proclamation of the Parable (13:3-17)

1B. The parable (13:3-9)

The sower: He would broadcast his seed.

The soils

Ø The roadside soil, seed could not penetrate the hard path.

Ø The rocky soil, thin layer of soil over bedrock, not loose rocks.

Ø The ruined soil, filled with weeds.

Ø The rich soil, well prepared soil.

2B. The purpose (13:10-17)

An honest question (13:10)

Ø The use of parables was common in Jesus’ day, however the disciples did not understand why Jesus did not explain them.

A surprising answer (13:11-12)

Ø Mysteries, refer to God’s truth that was previously hidden.

Ø Kingdom of heaven, refers to God’s rule and reign in the hearts of His people, specifically His work of regeneration in the lives of all kinds of people during what is often referred to the “church age.”

Ø The kingdom of heaven preceded the church and will continue eternally after the church ceases to exist.

A fuller explanation (13:13-17)

Ø The hardness of man’s heart shuts out God’s truth.

Ø God by His grace has chosen to reveal His truth to some.

2A. The Interpretation of the Parable (13:18-23)

In this parable the seed is the Word of God (Mark 4:11) and the different soils represent the various kinds of people that can hear the gospel.

1B. The hard heart (13:4, 19)

What makes the heart hard? Sin!

How does the heart become so hard?

Ø Man rejects God’s revelation (Romans 1:18-20)

Ø Sin hardens the heart and hard hearts sin even more. (Romans 1:21-31)

Ø The harder our hearts the more we sin and the more we approve of sin. (Romans 1:32)

Ø Because of our sinful natures we are easy prey for Satan.

2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

2B. The shallow heart (13:20-21)

This is usually an emotional response.

Ø Often results from shallow evangelism that focuses on the benefits of salvation to the exclusion of the costs of salvation.

Ø It is usually a very public open response.

Ø It lacks true repentance and remorse for sin (Matthew 5:3-4).

It is always a temporary faith.

Ø When persecution because of the word comes he will stumble (fall away).

Ø Persecution is a means the Lord uses to prove our faith (2 Timothy 3:12)

3B. The worldly heart (13:22)

Worry destroys the seed.

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world.

Wealth destroys the seed.

Mark 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

4B. The open heart (13:23)

It is a prepared heart

Ø God must prepare our hearts for His seed. (John 16:8-11)

Ø God must plant His seed in our hearts. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

It is a productive heart

Ø Fruit of a godly attitude (Galatians 5:22-23)

Ø Fruit of godly actions (Philippians 1:11; Ephesians 2:10)

Ø Fruit of a godly witness (1 Corinthians 3:5-6)

Application

1. Only a portion of the preaching of the gospel bears fruit.

2. The only sure evidence of a genuine reception of the word is spiritual fruit.

3. It is only the open heart that receives the preaching of the gospel and is saved

4. Do you have an open heart?

5. Are you receptive to God’s word?

6. Have you received His word and as a result turned from your sin and trusted in Christ alone?

7. Will you call out to God now and ask Him to change your hard heart?