Work the Soil
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The purpose of evangelism is simple: lead people to Christ. Matthew 13:1-23 begins by informing that Jesus told the people “many things in parables.” (v. 3) Parables are an analogy in the form
of a story. Jesus spoke truth to unbelievers only in parables—“indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.” (v. 34) First, He used parables to teach the truth—“A sower went out to sow.” (v. 3b) Jesus used analogies that his hearers would be familiar with from their world. Only those who possessed “ears to hear” (v. 9) would understand; to the others, it was just a nice lesson on farming. Second, He gave the reason for the teaching method—“Why do you speak to them in parables?” (v. 10) The ability to understand truth is a gift of grace. Unbelievers are passed over because of their unbelief. Third, He explained the meaning of the analogies—“Hear then the parable of the sower.” (v. 18) The seed is the word of the kingdom, the gospel. The sower is the one who tells the message to those outside the kingdom. What were the results of sowing? Seed that landed “along the path” (v. 4): the message never penetrated, so it disappeared from the surface of their understanding. Seed that grew “on rocky ground” (v. 5): some people make emotional, superficial commitments in a time of crisis, but they are not real. They remain interested until there is a sacrifice to pay and then abandon Christ. Seed that ends up “among thorns” (v. 7): is a superficial commitment without true repentance. These people can’t break with the love of money and the world! Three soils with no fruit, revealing no salvation. There is also of good soil producing much fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Not all believers are equally fruitful, but all are to be fruitful. Be ready to work the ground: plant seeds, water seeds, reap the harvest! Don’t worry about the size of the harvest—that is God’s job.
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
