Just Sow Seed
Read the Text: Matthew 13
Memorize the Text: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Consider the Text: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Jesus utilized another agriculture illustration when telling the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. He draws on the image of the sower broadcasting seed to teach about the importance of sharing the gospel through evangelism. Today, the parable continues to provide a truth concerning the expectation for the believer to participate in evangelism. Thus, as followers of Christ, we need to assess our evangelistic efforts as members of God’s kingdom.
Jesus presented the task for believers. He proclaimed that the TASK IS TO SOW. When we become the sower, we need to understand the nature of the job. First, we must know the seed that needs sowing. Jesus identified that the seed is the gospel. The gospel is the good news that offers the gift of eternal life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The seed must be the declaration of salvation through faith in Christ alone. No other seed produces eternal life; thus, the sower must know the seed of the gospel to sow the proper seed.
The sower utilizes broadcasting as the method of sowing. When broadcasting, the sower takes the seed in hand and just cast it broadly. Such a technique does not strategically plant in a small area but covers a large area. The seed lands on various types of soil when broadcasting is employed. The concern of the sower centers on offering every type of soil the opportunity to produce vegetation. The truth revealed indicates that the soil can only receive the seed if the seed is broadcast to the soil.
Jesus identified four types of soil in the parable. He mentioned the soil of the path, the rocky soil, the soil with weeds, and the good soil. The explanation of the parable provided the truth about the VARYING RESPONSES OF THE SOILS. Jesus taught that various soils received the seed and dealt with the seed differently. Each soil represented a different reception of the gospel by different people.
Jesus described the soil on the path as the hard soil. The pathway would run through various places in the field that were traveled consistently by people. These areas became hardened by the traffic and would be unreceptive of the seed. The broadcasted seed would land on the hardened soil and lay on the top of the soil. Since the seed could not penetrate the soil, the birds would come and take the seed away. When life becomes hardened and calloused by the world and constant rejection of Jesus, the seed of the gospel cannot penetrate the heart, and the devil comes and takes it away.
Jesus used the rocky soil to describe the soil that received the seed but did not allow for the seed to gain root. When the seed sprouted, the sower may have hope because of the visible response, but the sprout never took hold of the soil because of an undeveloped root, and as a result, the sprout would die. So likewise, when the gospel seed is sown, individuals will quickly respond. The issue comes that these individuals may receive verbally, but the gospel never penetrates the heart and takes an authentic root in life.
Jesus mentioned the soil tainted with weeds. The weeds represented the worries and concerns of the world. Jesus taught that this soil exemplified individuals who received the gospel by not surrendering to the Lord. The worries and trials of this world outweighed the gospel, and these individuals could not produce the fruit of the kingdom. Thus, the fruit revealed the reality of their relationship with the Lord.
Jesus used the good soil to illustrate the proper receiving of the gospel. The good soil receives the seed and allows the seed to sprout, take root, grow, and produce fruit. Jesus marked this as the one who hears the gospel and authentically receives it. Upon receiving the gospel, the follower grows in faith and produces the fruit of righteousness.
The parable told by Jesus provides the MOTIVATION FOR US AS SOWERS. As a follower of Christ, we are to broadcast the seed of the gospel. Our motivation comes from a deep desire to see new fruit produced. The desired fruit is the salvation of souls. We broadcast the seed to offer the gospel to all to achieve the task. We do not concern ourselves with only sowing in the good soil, but we want all to hear so that all have the opportunity to receive. Our concern must not be about the soil condition because we cannot know the condition of another’s heart. Thus, we sow the seed of the gospel broadly to expand the kingdom and see the lost redeemed.
The parable of the sower challenges us to be on task in the evangelistic calling from the Lord. We need to assess and see how faithful we are to the task. Are you faithfully broadcasting the seed of the gospel? Are you offering the gospel to all types of soil? Have you received the gospel as the good soil? May the parable challenge each of us to step into the fields and broadcast the seed in faith.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
