Tag: good Seed

Seed for eternal life!

Posted in Gospels - October 9, 2014 - 0 Comment

Scripture reading for October 9th: Matthew 12-15

Jesus used parables to speak to multitudes of people.  The knowledge of the kingdom of heaven is hidden from those with hard hearts and closed ears.  Their attitudes blind them to truth that God wants to reveal to them.  (Proverbs 14:6)  (Matthew 13:11-15)  Parables are stories about life that all people could relate to and be able to understand naturally.  Jesus ended many of these stories with: ‘if you have ears, listen!”.  (Matthew 13:8)  The listening that Jesus encouraged was spiritual and revealed truth about the kingdom.

As a former Iowa farmer, the parable of the sower always fascinated me.  Jesus described a farmer scattering his seed and it fell on different types of soil.  Some fell on the path and birds ate it up immediately.  Some fell on rocky soil, and sprouted quickly but died out.  Some fell among the weeds and was choked out.  Most of the seed went to the good ground and yielded a crop of various multiplication.  This simple story that would have been very familiar to everyone in that culture held some spiritual understanding for those with ears to hear!

Jesus went on to explain the meaning to his followers.  (Matthew 13:19-23)  Those who heard the word but did not understand it were like the seed on the path.  The evil one came along and stole it before it could produce or even sprout.  The rocky soil represented those who initially heard the word but have no depth of heart.  The word died out before a crop could grow.  The seed among the weeds were those who received the word, but the cares of this life and deceitfulness of riches choked it out.  Those who heard the word and put it into practice were like the good soil, producing a crop that multiplies!

God is the farmer and He has commissioned us to sow His word in the soils of hearts.  Is the crop of eternal life growing in you?  If so, are you deepening your heart’s soil so the roots go down?   Are you keeping the weeds out?  Is the crop bringing an increase?  Could it be greater?  God has blessed the seed and wants to multiply it through you!

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Do you have productive dirt?

Posted in Gospels - January 17, 2013 - 0 Comment

Scripture reading for January 17th: Matthew 13:1-23, Psalm 12, Proverbs 3:19-20

Jesus told stories known as parables.   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!

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