Culver Community Church
Pastor Chris Sweeney
Sermon Notes
April 15, 2018
Matthew 13:1 – 23 Kingdom Parables – Seed & Soil
Today, we begin a new chapter and a new section in Matthew. If we were able to think as the disciples might have (without the advantage of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and all that we may have been taught about scripture through preaching, Sunday school, etc.), a question would naturally occur – “if the Kingdom has been rejected, now what?” God is always faithful – He will not break a promise or go back on His Word, so the promised Kingdom must come! It’s not as if God is sitting up in Heaven, saying “well, you know I gave you your chance – too bad for you!” That being said, the fully realized Kingdom will not come until Israel repents and receives the Messiah. As the prophet Hosea wrote (Hosea 3:4-5). John the Baptist (Matt 3:1–2) and Jesus (Matt 4:17) preached "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near." because it is the requirement of the Kingdom! This question “What about the Kingdom?” is exactly what Jesus’ parables in chapter 13 answer!
In order to properly understand this, we must know a little about God’s Kingdom and what this phrase describes. First and foremost, God is the one and only Almighty Creator of all things – everything that exists is within His power and control (His rule or kingship)! That is unarguably true and is unchangeable (nothing can dethrone God – although Satan tried) - but that is not what we are talking about – this is God’s Universal Kingdom. Within that absolute rule God permits Satan and his demons certain power (because it serves His purposes and glory) and God also grants mankind a limited free will (choice). This is a second kind of ‘Kingdom’ - a reign where God rules through agents. God has always been and will always be in full authority, however Satan and fallen mankind are in a state of rebellion, not acknowledging or recognizing that authority. At the end of the six days of creation, God installed Mankind (Adam joined by Eve and future descendants) as His regents to rule this world for and under Him (mankind was created to govern the rest of creation). We know how that turned out - it is because Adam and Eve were ‘in charge’, that Satan was able to usurp control when he tempted and seduced them. The Kingdom the Jews expected (which will be realized in the Millennial Reign) was similar to this pre-Fall Adamic rule. Christ will physically rule on Earth, Satan will be bound (unable to tempt) and much of the curse will be reversed. It is this second Kingdom that we are discussing. This kingdom starts within the heart and is comprised of those who willingly bow their knee to God and submit to His authority. God wants to rule through us, as He did briefly through Adam and Eve and as He will permanently through all eternity! We see this in the disciples’ prayer - “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done . . .” which talks about obedience (quick, full obedience) not about God taking back some perceived lost territory or authority. When we pray that prayer we want both God’s universal rule to fully manifest here on Earth and we want God’s help to submit through faith individually. This Kingdom is what Jesus offered to Israel . . . but they were not ready to repent and submit! If they had accepted this second form, God would have ushered in the first on Earth!
This is such an exciting section because it specifically talks about us (the Church) – about our time and our participation in God’s Kingdom. These parables describe what is often called the “Church Age”, the unseen parenthesis or the “Mystery of the Kingdom”. Biblically a mystery simply means something that was hidden and is now revealed. The Old Testament described Messiah in both His first and second coming – but it did not show the time in between or that there would be two advents! Paul wrote of this mystery in Ephesians 3:4-6.
{vs. 1-2} Here we see at least three things: 1) it is that same day, that Sabbath day that Jesus taught, healed, had been challenged and rejected; 2) that He understands the world created by Him as He uses the lake as a natural sound amplifier; and 3) that He is transitioning from teaching inside (house) to out at the lake. Some see this third as symbolic of Jesus leaving those inside, the invited children of the Kingdom (rejecting Israel), to go out and find in the streets and lanes of the city the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame – as described in the Parable of the Banquet (Matthew 22). Perhaps, God timed the delivery of this parable so that there were sowers actually working along the shores of the lake. Even today, the area is surrounded by patches of fields and farmers sow in very much the same manner (taking one handful at a time from a bag slung over the shoulder - broadcasting). However, a plow usually follows behind the sower to cover over the seed in this modern age.
Although Jesus has already used rich word pictures and analogies before, this is the first use of Parables in the gospels. Parables were a common teaching tool used by the rabbis and Jesus was the Master – communicating exactly what God gave Him to the people by using the natural world they lived in to express a deeper truth. That is what parable means, literally translated it means to “cast alongside”. A parable is one thing we understand, laid next to another so that by the first, we might get a measure of the second (like a ruler). It is a way of learning by comparing the similarities of two things.
{vs. 3-9} That is the parable as given by Jesus to the crowds. Notice that this is not to hide His message, because we see Him inviting anyone with ears (to hear) to receive. We won’t go into it in detail because Jesus will explain it for us!
{vs. 10-17} Jesus is not trying to condemn them to a fate of being so close but not hearing or to set up a secret society with a select ‘blessed’ few. To those with a genuine hunger for God, the parable is both an effective and memorable vehicle for the conveyance of divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain great amounts of truth in very few words—and His parables, rich in imagery, are not easily forgotten. However, the Pharisees who would not hear what Jesus spoke to them plainly, would definitely not get these! So, the parable is a blessing to those with willing ears but to those with dull hearts (and ears), the parable carries both judgment and mercy. Mercy because they will not fully be responsible for knowing Jesus’ message (a greater condemnation) but also judgment because they would not receive and understand. The Old Testament saints and prophets longed to be blessed as these disciples were (Hebrews 11:13 & 1 Peter 1:10)! They wrote the truth of what God would do, not fully understanding but then again these disciples walked, watched and participated with Jesus and did not understand until after He was resurrected!
{vs. 18-19} The seed is the “message about the Kingdom” – the gospel or Word of God. Which makes the original sower the Son of Man who is the Word and has come to deliver the words of God. Behind Him are the successive generations of Apostles and disciples, who upon hearing the Word become ‘fruitful’ and in turn sow that same Word. It is important to understand that the Word or seed is the same for each field or heart – the message does not change, nor does the power to transform a life. The response is dependent upon the condition of the soil! We must learn this lesson because as sowers, we do not create or change the seed – the message is given to us by Jesus, the original sower! This also teaches us that ours is not the primary responsibility – the sower does not need some special technique for a successful harvest – sure it helps if we broadcast a lot of seed and aim at the best soil available but the seed is the seed, and God is responsible for the increase! However, the success is also dependent on the condition of the soil as we’ll see – these soils represent the heart. God’s Word must be received in the heart, not the head – many have gone to judgement knowing the gospel, but not having received through a heart of faith!
The birds represent the evil one (and his forces), who will do whatever it takes to snatch away the seed before it has time to take root. The devil, like the birds in the parable is often just waiting for the sower to move on or turn away so that he can swoop in and steal the seed. Their best chance is when the seed falls along the path (our first soil), which is hard and sun-scorched – these walkways between the fields become like rock and in Palestine were often salted so that weeds would not grow up. The seed would simply come to rest on top without even beginning to penetrate! This first soil represents the stubborn or stiff-necked person who will not listen and does not want God’s gospel. They have become hardened by frequent sin and calloused to their conscience and the message. God can break through but it usually takes a good plowing or breaking up of the heart in order to make this person receptive. Do you know someone who never wanted to hear about Jesus until their life fell apart and their heart was broken? I pray that this is not you.
{vs. 20-21} In Palestine, the land is very rocky. There are large plates of limestone that often lie just beneath the surface. A plant that grows above these plates often grows quicker than others, because once the root hits the rock it can go no farther and all of the growth is focused upward. This person is what we often call the flash-in-the-pan believer. They look true and even impress, but there is no real belief and no fruit. It's the man who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no firm root in himself. The first time trouble or pressure comes along they abandon the message. This is the person who disappears – they seem to be so connected and involved but then they vanish. Matthew 24:13 talks about the believer who remains until the end, even in persecution - - - they are saved (their remaining no matter the cost gives evidence to true faith). This soil is the opposite – a person who is not truly saved, only an imitation.
{vs. 22} Everywhere farmers try to rid the soil of weeds – the problem is that they grow quicker, hardier and need less care. Even a newly plowed, clean-looking field has the seeds or potential for a full harvest of damaging thorns. The weed is also native to the soil – it already has a foothold and is at home there. The good seed (Word) is foreign to our hearts, it does not belong and is contrary to our fallen nature. However, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life are completely native to our hearts! The thorny ground depicts someone who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; they care about the things of this world. These all take time and attention away from the Word, they take all the person’s resources and prevent spiritual growth like a weed that steals the moisture, sun and space. The only way for this person to grow is to uproot everything but the gospel. Even in the life of believers, weeds will try to grow but if we have a genuine faith they will not prevail causing us to be unfruitful.
{vs. 23} Here we have the hope – the success! When a heart has been plowed or broken up, it has had the rocks and the weeds removed then the gospel is free to take root and grow into a mature plant that will produce a crop! And what a crop it is!! A normal return for most crops would be between seven or eight fold – Jesus tells us the minimum return for a believer is thirty! This person hears, understands and truly believes (a saving relying faith) in the message. Jesus teaches in John 15 that every branch that abides in Him will bear fruit, all others will be thrown into the fire!
It is important to note the progression – the first soil had no growth at all, the second had short-lived growth and the third grows but is unfruitful. Jesus is telling us that of the four types only one is successful. Some had growth or leaves but it is the believer who produces fruit. What kind of fruit? For one, it is healthy believers who share the gospel and reproduce. There is also a fruit of our lips – the offering of praise, thanksgiving and worship. The Fruit of the Spirit is love – described in detail in Galatians 5:22-23 as “joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” This is a fruit of attitude and character. Scripture also describes a fruit of righteousness – Godly actions. Salvation is more than a superficial, albeit joyful, hearing of the gospel. Someone who is truly saved will go on to prove it. May our faith and our lives exemplify the "good soil" seen in the Parable of the Sower!