Tag: calloused hearts
The Seed and the Soil!
Scripture reading for January 17th: Matthew 13:1-23, Psalm 12, Proverbs 3:19-20
Jesus loved to tell stories. These stories are known as parables, because the stories have another story hidden inside of them for those who take the time to investigate. Jesus taught in parables because He wanted to communicate deeper truth to those who were willing to listen but hide that truth from those who were unwilling or would mock at the truth. He wanted all to be able to understand but knew that a humble and teachable heart was required.
The parable of the seed and soil is found in three of the Gospels. Jesus explained this parable when his disciples asked Him about the meaning of the story. (Mark 4:10-11) Jesus told them that they were blessed to be able to see and hear what He taught them. The seed was the message about the kingdom of heaven and the sower was Jesus and later His disciples. The ground was the hearts of those who heard the message. When someone heard the message and did not seek to understand it, that man was like seed sown by the path. The birds, representing Satan, would come and snatch away the seed that was sown. (Matthew 13:18-23) Others would hear and respond, but last only a short time. Their hearts had only shallow soil and no room for the message to take deeper root. Still others would hear and respond, but allow the cares and worries of life to choke out the message. They were like the weedy ground that choked the crop. The last group of hearers mentioned received the seed into their hearts and understood the message. They acted on it in faith and produced an abundant crop.
This famous parable has helped believers for many years. It helps us personally to examine the state of our own hearts so we can ask God for help where we need it. It helps us to understand how the state of a person’s heart affects their ability to hear and understand. We need to pray for the hearts of those we share the Word with. Only the Holy Spirit can draw a person to understand. (John 6:44) We can also have confidence that the Word (Seed) has power to bring growth and understanding in the right kind of hearts. Praise the Lord for opening our hearts! May we produce a bountiful crop by sowing the word!
Good Dirt
Scripture reading for October 9th: Matthew 12-15
We are people made from the dirt of the earth. We have very humble beginnings, having originally been made from the clay of earth. God formed and shaped us in His image and likeness. (Genesis 2:7) He breathed into the formed clay, and it became a living being! This living being had a body, soul, and spirit. He was capable of knowing God and conversing with Him. He was given dominion over the earth and all the creatures, to care for them under God’s direction. (Psalm 8: 6-8)
Man was also given a free will. He could choose to follow God or go his own way. We all know what happened in the Garden of Eden. Man chose to follow Satan’s lie and lost his true life, dying spiritually and eventually physically. His heart became hardened and sin brought weeds, the curse, and separation from God. God’s love for man planned a way to bring man back to Him.
Jesus, God’s Son, came to call man back to God and re-introduce him to the Father. Jesus taught in parables as a way to convey truth to those who would be open to learn. He taught the Parable of the Sower as the first of His parables, teaching that it was a key to all parables. (Matthew 13:10-16) Those who hardened their hearts against God’s Truth, would not see or understand the basic truth Jesus was conveying. Those who would hear would be given understanding and be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
In this first parable, Jesus told of four kinds of soil and a sower who sowed seed. He taught them that the seed was the word of God and the sower was anyone who would declare God’s word. The soils represented the types of hearts of those who heard the word. Some hearts were hard like stone. Some had shallow soil that only allowed the seed to sprout. Others were weedy and choked out the word, making it unfruitful. Still others had the good soil that would produce a crop!
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to sow the word! We are to faithfully declare the word and believe God for a mighty harvest! The only soil we are responsible for is ours! Are you “good ground”? Humbly receive the word today and apply it to your life!