Parable of the Soils Matthew 13:1-23
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Intro
Intro
The teacher had instructed the students to push the seed into the potting soil in the styrofoam cup
They then placed cups up on the window seal of the classroom
Each day the students came in with expectation of seeing something
When they didn’t see anything they wanted to water it more
The teacher told them that the seeds needed equal amount water, sun, and oxygen to grow
Too much of one would cause the seed to die
One day they came in and green sprouts could be seen above the lid of the cup
The students were giddy with excitement and after a few more days they could take it home
I had a friend who was the manager of a group of scientists in a top-secret laboratory on a military installation.
These scientists spent their days looking through microscopes and conducting experiments in a sterile atmosphere.
They only came out of the lab when necessary or went home.
One day his daughter brought home her school experiment
It was a st
My friend's desk was right outside the lab's door, and on his desk, he had a small plant his daughter had given him.
He noticed that the scientists took a great interest in the plant, often smiling at it when they walked by, even talking to it.
One day, when he came into work, he noticed the plant had some yellow leaves. He was concerned about how his scientists would take it dying, so he took it home.
The plant quickly revived upon doing so.
He quickly understood what was happening.
The scientists were watering the plant when he wasn't at his desk. The plant was drowning.
In that sterile workplace that tiny plant brought joy because it was a symbol of life
Read Matthew 13:1-9
Read Matthew 13:1-9
Transition
4 Types of Soil vs. 1-9
4 Types of Soil vs. 1-9
vs. 1-3 Teaching in Parables
Parable
Terms parable or parables used 48 times in the New Testament
parable = to place or cast alongside
Something physical alongside something spiritual
Earthly stories with heavenly meanings
1/3 of Jesus' teachings are in story form
Rabbis used stories
In the ancient world storytelling was prime method of teaching
Use stories to paint pictures
SOWER = Person who held a vessel filled with seed in the left hand and scattered the seed with a practiced motion with the right hand.
The seed was usually scattered on untilled ground. Then with a plow, the ground would be scratched or turned to cover the seed.
Kingdom of Heaven
The kingdom is one of Jesus favorite subjects
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Today’s parable is about the kingdom of God
Jesus uses the metaphor of a field to represent the kingdom
vs. 4 Seeds on the Path
The first soil we see is the hard soil
This soil had become hard by people walking on it
It had become the paths that the farmers walked around their fields
seeds that fell here were either eaten by birds or blown away by the wind
vs. 5-6 Seeds in Rocky Soil
The next type of soil we see in the rocky soil
Now this doesn’t mean the soil had rocks in it
In Israel there was limestone that often resided less than an inch under the top soil
Seeds that feel on this would have enough soil to germinate and send up a shoot, but it couldn’t establish roots
It’s growth was quick because it didn’t have to do the hard work of pushing roots down
When the heat of the day it would wither because it had no root system to draw water
vs. 7 Seeds amongst the Thorns
The third type of soil was good fertile soil, but weeds known as tares would choke out any growth that could be harvested
The plants would be anemic and spindly
As both would grow the thorns would encircle around the plant and its root would steal the water choking out all life
vs. 8 Seeds in Fertile Soil
The final soil is the fertile soil
This is soil rich in the minerals and moisture necessary to be harvested
When seeds are planted here they bring a mighty harvest
vs. 9 Let Him Hear
Jesus finishes this section by telling everyone there to listen
But only those who had open hearts would receive
Purpose of Parables vs. 10-17
Purpose of Parables vs. 10-17
vs. 10-11 Why Teach in Parables?
After Jesus told the Parable his disciples asked why
They were familiar with parables because all of the scribes and Rabbis used them while they taught
They wanted to know why Jesus was using them
Jesus told them it to let them know the mysteries of the Kingdom
Those who’s hearts were open would understand what he was talking about
To those closed to the good news of Jesus they wouldn’t understand
You would think that Jesus was trying to keep it from those closed but it is actually the opposite
By using parables Jesus was able to share a story everyone understood, those who were open gleaned the spiritual principles, AND those who didn’t weren’t offended
Jesus didn’t want to turn off those people or offend them
If they knew Jesus was describing their spiritual state they might have become combative
vs. 12 More Will Be Given
To the one who comprehends the parables, they are given more understanding
They will have an abundance of truth, wisdom, and insight
This will be a blessing
To those who are closed even what understanding they have will be taken away
vs. 13 Hearing but Do Not Hear
Parables aren’t just easy stories or metaphors for life
A lot of pastors use the thinking that Jesus related to the masses by telling stories
That is not the case
It was a way for him to explain spiritual reality to his followers
It was also a way to separate the wheat from the chaff
Those who followed Jesus and those who wanted something from him
Parables expose the spiritual blind because they can’t understand Biblical truth
vs. 14-15 This was foretold
This isn’t something new to Israel
They had been guilty of this for centuries
800 years before Isaiah prophesied this would happen with the people when Jesus appeared
Quoting Isaiah 6:9-10
And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
vs. 10 has an interesting phrase
“Make their hearts dull”
This is what Jesus means in vs. 12 “even what they have will be taken away.”
The more you hear about Jesus and the more you reject him the harder your heart grows.
vs. 16-17 Blessed to hear
Parable Explained vs. 18-23
Parable Explained vs. 18-23
It’s easy to look at this parable and relate it to the state of the world
I think you would be interested to know that this isn’t meant for unbelievers
This is meant for those in the kingdom of God
I want to challenge you to look at these types of soils as one area and that is your heart
Your heart is your life
There are places that can be hard, shallow, weedy, and fertile
vs. 18-19 Hard soil = Devil Steals
vs. 20-21 Rocky Soil = No root
vs. 22 Thorny Soil = cares of the world
vs. 23 Fertile soil = Understands the Word
This is the parable of the Sower
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
How many types of soil were there?
How many produced a harvest?
Only 25% of the people got it
That means 3/4 of you are going to hear this message and walk out and forget it