GOD’S WORD IS SEED
Matthew 13:19-23 NKJV
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
This is such an important parable that I thought it would be good to go over it again. Jesus said this was a foundational principle of God’s kingdom; seed time and harvest.
The seed of God’s Word is sown on four different kinds of soil which represents the heart of man. And the seed will produce. God’s Word is called incorruptible seed; in other words, it is not flawed or deficient. The condition of the heart is the determining factor.
The first condition of the heart is the person who does not understand God’s Word. A Bible dictionary says the word understand means “to hear, notice, perceive, recognize, understand, reason things out, and make sense.” The words perceive and recognize stood out to me. A person who does not perceive and recognize God’s Word as valuable and important will not receive it into their heart. And the word, seed, not received is the word, seed, snatched away by Satan. I am fully convinced this is not an intellectual inability to understand but a heart that is not receptive.
The second condition of the heart, soil, is the person who receives the Word with joy. This is the person who perceives and recognizes the value and importance of God’s Word and is happy about it. After all, the gospel is good news! This is the person who acts on God’s Word, puts it into practice, but only for a short time. But when the pressure is on or there is persecution, this person abandons what they were initially excited about. The seed does not have an opportunity to produce fruit.
The third condition is the person who hears the Word and receives it into their heart. But God’s Word is crowded out by the other things that so easily occupy our mind and attention—the cares of this world. What is important in the eyes of man takes a higher priority than God’s Word. Add to that the deception that enough money will produce happiness, so money takes first place, and God’s Word is pushed to the side. In the overcrowded heart the seed does not have an opportunity to be productive.
The fourth condition is the heart of the person who hears, perceives, and recognizes the value of God’s Word. This is the person who does what the other three did not. This is the person who stays with God’s Word even when the proverbial heat is on. This is the person who does not allow the cares of this world or the allure of money to divert their focus from acting on what God has said. And depending on the level of commitment, this is the person who produces a harvest 30, 60, or 100-fold. Indicating there are varying degrees of production that are a function of the person, not the seed.
I love this parable. The principle of the seed and harvest is far-reaching and profound, and yet simple to grasp. The good news is that all of us can be that good ground that is productive. Use the other three conditions of ground as a place to examine your heart, but don’t stop there. You may recognize tendencies to be one who gives up or the one who is way too distracted, but that is not your future. Let’s all pray this prayer.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for Your Word that produces in my life. Show me where I need to adjust so that I might be that good ground that is highly productive. Wherever I am now, I can improve.