Parable of the Sower, Pt 1.
Today's Bible Reading: Matthew 13:1-23
Supporting Passage: Matthew 8:28-34; Matthew 9:27-34
Call me weird, but I look forward to my yearly physical with my doctor. No, I don't love being poked and prodded. And having blood drawn is an event that requires two people to hold me down on the table! But when the torture—I mean exam—is over, I'm glad to have a clean bill of health.
A regular checkup offers peace of mind. But it can also help us know when something is not quite right. And so, Jesus' parable of the Sower gives us a chance to schedule a heart exam.
The parable of the Sower is one of Jesus' most well-known stories. It's a simple tale about seeds that fall along four different types of ground: path, rocks, thorns, and good soil. Only the seed that falls on good soil grows and produces a crop. The other three meet various unfortunate fates (eaten by birds, scorched by the sun, and choked by thorns, respectively!).
It's also one of the few parables where Jesus gives us a detailed explanation. Jesus told parables to make his audience think and ponder things. But when the disciples ask him, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" (Matthew 13:10), he gives them a cheat sheet. He reveals what each type of soil represents.
At first glance, this parable may give the impression that we only have a one-in-four chance of being "saved." Those aren't great odds! What happens to the other 75% of us who aren't "good soil"? Will we be left out?
If we dig deeper, we'll see that this parable is an invitation to reflect on the condition of our hearts. Interestingly, it's found in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). We'll be looking at it from Matthew's perspective. Today, I want to explore its context within that book.
When Jesus arrives on the scene, he launches his ministry by "proclaiming the good news of the kingdom" (4:23, NIV). In Matthew 5–7, Jesus gives his Sermon on the Mount. This is his "inaugural address," and he describes the values of God's upside-down kingdom.
Then, in Matthew 8–9, Jesus springs into action! Matthew gives us nine little vignettes of Jesus bringing God's kingdom to earth. He finds messy, broken people and makes them whole. He heals a man with leprosy. He calms a raging storm. He heals a young girl, turning mourning into celebration. It's as if Jesus said, "Okay, I've told you how awesome God's kingdom is. Now, let me show it to you!"
But Jesus is not a street magician who performs random tricks for applause. His miracles always serve a deeper purpose. He wants people to know heaven is breaking into earth, and they are invited to participate in this new kingdom movement. So, throughout these chapters, Jesus calls people to follow him.
People respond to this invitation in different ways. Some accept Jesus and his kingdom. Others are amazed by Jesus but aren't sure how to react to him. (After he heals two demon-possessed men, an entire town begs Jesus to leave!) And some people outright reject Jesus, thinking he is in league with Satan himself.
Then, in Matthew 13, Jesus sits by a lake. A crowd gathers around him, so he hops into a boat and begins teaching them. He tells seven stories about what God's kingdom is like. (These are often referred to as the Kingdom Parables, although all of Jesus' parables are about the kingdom in some way.) The first one is the parable of the Sower. And it begins like this:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds." (Matthew 13:3, NLT, emphasis mine)
Jesus' audience lived in a world without iPhones, newsfeeds, or Netflix. And yet, they weren't above being distracted. Jesus had to remind them to listen, because listening is the first step to understanding.
And what does Jesus want them to listen to and understand?
The message about the kingdom.
That, Jesus says, is what the seed in the story represents. (v. 19) And the different soils show us the various responses Jesus had just encountered in chapters 8–9.
Over the next few weeks, we're going to explore the characteristics of the four types of soil. As we do, it will be tempting to want to view ourselves as the good soil and those on the outside as "bad" soil. Because if we're not good, we're bad, right?
But Jesus is not wagging his finger at us with this parable. He's not telling us to "shape up or ship out."
Instead, he's inviting us to a heart checkup.
If I visit a cardiologist, he will look for things wrong with my heart. If he finds something, he won't berate me (unless he has a terrible bedside manner). If he's a good doctor, he'll come up with a plan to help me. Finding an issue is good news because it could save my life!
Jesus wants to use the parable of the Sower as a way to check our hearts. But we'll only be willing to enter the exam room if we believe he is good.
And he is. We can trust that no matter what he finds, there is hope.
Jesus loves the rocky soil. He loves the thorny soil. And yes, he even loves the patches of earth along the path—those we might deem utterly lost to God. He wants to work in the soil of every heart.
Because Jesus doesn't want anyone left out.
Questions to Ponder:
Take some time to read the parable of the Sower and write down any initial thoughts you have.
Which type of soil best describes your heart in this season of life? Remember, there's no shame if it's not the good soil. We can be honest with Jesus about where we are at.
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