We have been in a discussion of Matthew 13, where Jesus gives us a story with a very applicable message for men who are stiving to be more like Him. We are considering the Parable of the Sower. Jesus is giving instruction to those who are presenting the Good News of salvation to family and friends who do not yet know Jesus as Savior. The Sower represents us as we spread the seed of truth. The soil represents the hearts of those who hear the message. The point is that Satan is consistently trying to keep the seed from growing. The more we know of his tactics, the better prepared we are to fight against them. You can read the parable in Matthew 13:1-9.
Because the disciples did not grasp the intended meaning of the story, Jesus takes the time to explain it in detail, beginning in verse 19. We have discussed the first two soil types and want to finish his explanation of the last two this week. In Matthew 13:22, Jesus teaches us that, The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
Notice that these problems build on each other. The first one who heard the Gospel had not had his heart prepared for the message and it got snatched away. Our role is to pray for God to soften the hearts of those to whom we share truth. The second man was not assisted on his spiritual journey and gave up. We can avoid this by mentoring and discipling the new believer. This third soil represents the man who hears the truth but allows the struggles and temptations of this world to choke it out. We can help this person through accountability.
As men seeking to live godly lives, there is a responsibility that comes our way when we encounter this third soil type. It is that we must come to terms with this problem in our own lives. We cannot help another deal with their priorities if we do not have control of our own. To combat Satan’s attempts to distract us from spiritual growth with the lures of this life requires consistently working out our salvation. This only occurs through time in Scripture and prayer. This does not happen without a strong commitment to make it happen. People are by nature focused on self. We will spend our time, talents and treasures on things that make our lives more comfortable unless we strongly commit to do otherwise. To say yes to one thing means I MUST say no to something else. We cannot simply fit God in the cracks of time in our lives and anticipate spiritual growth. If we are not committed to this truth, we cannot help a new believer. When we have our lives in order, we can lead another person in learning to prioritize their time to focus on God’s plan and shut out the world’s pressures.
The final soil in the teaching of Jesus is defined in verse 23, But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” This is the person who comes into a relationship with Jesus and is aided in this process by the discipleship discussed over the past couple of weeks. This is where the men of God can impact the Kingdom. Notice the result Jesus promises when a person is successfully mentored in their faith. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. This is the process of multiplication. This person has learned to make disciples of Christ through your example. This, then, is naturally the way he will go about his walk with the Lord. This means the people he disciples will make disciples who will make disciples. The seed is potentially multiplied a hundred times. In this way, the Kingdom grows, and God I glorified.