Natural to explain the Spiritual

Jesus often used nature to explain spiritual principles.  Even the day He cursed the fig tree and it withered and died, it became an example of spiritual faith, that if we speak and ask believing, we will receive.

Jesus gave us a story of a farmer who scattered seed across his field.  The outcome of the fruitfulness of the seed was vastly different according to the receptiveness or hardness of the soil, which represents the heart’s willingness to hear and apply the Word.  Everyone has the capacity to hear and receive or reject the Word of God.  Those whose hearts are not receptive to the Word of God didn’t have a hearing problem, nor did those who received the message in some measure. The problem was in the hardness of their hearts. The Word of God is prevalent today, but many do not want to listen.  They shut up their ears and close their eyes, lest they hear and see. 

Mat 13:15 “ 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.”

Mat 13:3  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.

Mat 13:4  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

Behold – in other words LISTEN and UNDERSTAND. 

This group of people have hardened hearts, even as a path is well travelled and beaten down, so it becomes almost as hard as rock.  Seeds do not have the time to sprout and put down roots as they are seen easily by birds that eat them.  The soil is impenetrable, like the hearts of those who have been beaten down in life and have become bitter.  Often these people blame God, or are angry at God, “If God is so loving, why did this happen to me/them?”  The enemy (satan aka birds in this parable) has sown his deceit in their hearts, and so they become like those spoken of in Psalms:-

Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

Psa 2:3  "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."

Jesus offers them an invitation though His Word to “behold” (see, understand) but they do not want to hear, see or understand as their eyes are blinded by the veil of the god of this age.  They are carnal, living and walking their lives out by the desires of the flesh, the pride of life and the lust of the eyes.  Earthly, temporal things are their main concern, and they are self-focused, self-driven people often to their great detriment and harm.

Mat 13:5  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

Mat 13:6  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

This group of people listen and hear and receive the message with joy, but interestingly enough, the soil is shallow with underlying rock, so that the roots of the message do not have time to be established. Like the vitality of the plant, in the heat of the sun, their faith withers up and dies.  Jesus referred to their hearts as “stony places”,  and this reminds me of roots that are trying to get down to the deeper nutritious soil but the stones are many and progress is impeded.  As Jesus explained, this group of people are easily swayed when challenged about their faith and stumble.  The stones in their hearts, such as unforgiveness, bitterness and doubt stop them producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit as they are led by the desires of the flesh, instead of the desires of the Spirit.  They have “no root in themselves” because they have not “renewed” their minds with the truth of the Word their faith is weak and they stumble by taking offence with the message.  They have not allowed the root of the message to “flush” out the stones and put roots down deep “into the soil of God’s marvellous love”.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Rom 8:13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

Rom 8:16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Rom 8:17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Rom 8:18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The next group of people to hear the word are too worried and pressured about the cares of the world, and are out to make money to better their “lot” in life.  They are too busy for the message of God’s word to bear any fruit in their life.  Jesus refers to riches as “deceitfulness”, because riches have a promise of security, success and happiness which can be very fleeting.  Those who love riches are driven to gain, gain, gain and put their trust in the riches they accumulate.  No wonder Jesus refers to riches as “thorns” because those who put their trust in riches have placed an idol before God, who will not share worship with any other “god”.  Thorns inflict pain and draw blood.  Many have lost their families and their peace in pursuing riches because greed is insatiable; it has a very large appetite.   Our sufficiency should be in Christ, who promises to us prosperity without sorrow. (Pro 10:22)

1Ti 6:6  Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

1Ti 6:7  After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it.

1Ti 6:8  So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

1Ti 6:9  But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

The seed that fell on the good soil represents those whose hearts welcome the message and understand it so that it produces fruit in their lives, some 30, some 60 and some 100-fold.

Jesus taught:-

Mat 13:12  To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

There is a priority here.  For those who are willing to listen and hear God’s word, think and mediate upon it, understanding will come.  God sees those who place an importance on Him and pursue the Word of Life and allow their roots to be established in the Word.  The roots will produce the fruit of the Kingdom, as the Word provides nourishment to the soul.  Roots that are put down deep into soil are hard to dislodge and keep the plant stable, vital and bearing and so it is with those who receive The Message and allow its power to do a work in the heart.  God’s Word is “living and powerful” and has in it all the keys to Kingdom living.  Herein lays success, peace and joy and faith, hope and love – qualities that bear the sweetest fruit for others to taste and see that God’s way is good.