Good Ground is Rare Ground

based on Matthew 13:1-23

The Bible says that when Jesus went to the shore an immense crowd soon gathered.

It is only as you read the context that you realize that though great multitudes had gathered, Jesus was telling His disciples that the vast majority of them wouldn't "get" it. Though they were hearing Him speak, they would not really understand the Words He was sharing with them.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback wrote in his book The Purpose-Driven Church that there is the community, the crowd, the congregation, the committed and the core. When we look at a congregation, we can incorrectly assume that everybody in the sanctuary is equally sold-out to Christ. Jesus makes a powerful point to His disciples. Though the disciples saw the immense crowd, that crowd was in no way monolithic in their commitment to Him or His Word.

Jesus told a parable to about a farmer who was planting seed. He said the seed that the farmer went out to plant fell on four different kinds of ground. (Nothing was wrong with the seed. It was the same seed that fell on different kinds of ground. Jesus explains later that the seed is the Word of God, Matt. 13:20-21)

Here's where the seed fell: on the footpath, on stony (or shallow) ground, among thorns and on good ground.

The seed that fell on good ground was fruitful. It produced a harvest many times what had been planted. This is what we want. We want the Word of God to fall on the fallow ground of our hearts. We want to be fruitful. We want our friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbors to enter into a saving relationship with Christ because of the Word's transforming power working in our lives.

But as I read this passage again today, I am afraid that good ground is rare ground.

THE FOOTPATH

Footpaths are hardened. In order for seed to grow, it has to go into the earth. The high traffic on the footpath makes it hard. Jesus explains the parable in verse 19 by saying that the footpath is those who hear the Good News and don't understand it.

That's the vast majority of people! When He spoke to the multitudes. In verse 14-15 Jesus quoted, "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will not see, and not perceive; for the HEARTS of this people have grown dull. Their ears are HARD of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them" (Matthew 13:14-15).

Jesus' footpath description in the parable dovetails with the writer of Hebrews' admonition: "White it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, HARDEN not your HEARTS, as in the provocation" (Hebrews 3:15). If your heart is hardened, you can't even get on first base. It isn't that the Word doesn't come to you, it's that it makes absolutely no difference when it does. We can be indifferent to the Word (because our hearts are too hard). We hear it, but it goes in one ear and out the other. We hear the word about the last days where it is predicted that even in the church, people will be selfish (lovers of their own selves), ungrateful, unholy, but we refuse to assess our lives in light of the Word (because our hearts are too hard).

And I was arrested by the fact that while Jesus is speaking to the multitudes, He is telling His disciples that this is the vast majority of the people. Their bodies are there. They hear Him, but they don't "get" Him. They just don't understand. The Word of God has come, but as quickly as it has come, the birds pluck it away.

STONY (SHALLOW) GROUND

In the stony ground there is soil for the seed, but the stones haven't been cleared away. So, the seed actually does get a chance to get started. The problem with the stones beneath the surface is that they prevent the roots from going deep.

Now listen, that's not a problem … until persecution, trial and temptation comes. That's what Jesus interpreted as the sun. When the sun of persecution and tribulation comes BECAUSE OF THE WORD, the person with shallow roots stumbles. As long as things are going well, they'll sing, shout, may even work in the church.

This thing is tough. In the first instance we are told that some never make a real decision for Christ because their hearts are too hard. And now this point of the parable suggests that some do make a decision, but they stumble as soon as things begin to get a little tough. Why? Because their roots have no depth.

You know how when you listen to those Cymbalta commercials they take half of the commercial to tell you about the things that MAY happen as possible side effects or complications if you take it? Well, I'm going to tell you what WILL happen when you make a decision for Christ --

You WILL be challenged when you stand on God's Word. Tribulation and persecution WILL come. Jesus says plainly in this parable that tribulation will come "because of the Word" (Matthew 13:21). Make no mistake about it, the world that is opposed to Christ is not going to celebrate your decision. Living life in accordance with the Holy Scriptures is a rebuke to the world. If you stand on God's Word, EXPECT tribulation and persecution.

Christians want to be popular these days. We want everybody to like us. We have moved from the words of Jesus that tell us plainly that adherence to the Word brings persecution. And the stony ground point of the parable is to tell us that we need to get deep roots or we will wither away, not "if", but WHEN trials and tribulations come.

THORNY GROUND

In the thorny ground, we are not on hardened ground, nor are we barely planted in shallow ground. There's nothing wrong with the ground. The ground is good. The problem is that the seed has some stiff competition in the thorns that are alongside it.

Jesus says the the people represented by thorny ground actually hear the word. So, what's the problem? The problem is that thorns choked the tender blades produced by the good seed in good ground.

You can hear the Word. You can study God's Word and grow deep roots. And then you can mess around and allow the cares of this life and the lure of wealth and riches to choke your spiritual life to death. Wow! We are so busy, so busy! Kingdom business used to be a priority. But life happens and we only come to church when we have time. We are allowing the cares of life and the pursuit of wealth to choke out that which can make our lives pleasing to God and fruitful for the Kingdom.

In case you missed it, the vast majority (the immense crowd over Matthew 13:2) are represented by Christ's first point in the parable. It fell by the wayside. Jesus was sowing good seed. And He continues to sow good seed. But most folk's hearts are too hard to receive it. And what a shame that is! As you read the end of Matthew 13:15 Jesus says that He would heal them if they would hear Him. Healing is available. But we cannot harden our hearts. We have to receive the Word of the Lord.

I'm praying today that God will make my heart fallow. I don't want to be so caught up with the cares of this life that I don't have time to read and listen to His word. I want deep roots, so that when tribulations come, I'll be able to stand. Lord, let it be said of me: "…he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (Matthew 13:23).