Matthew 13:16-23 - Good soil

Having spoken about the blindness of most, Jesus now declares the blessed position of the disciples. As I said yesterday, this cannot be because of any inherent great insight and wisdom the disciples had, for they were masters at getting the wrong end of the stick. The difference was that they were with Jesus, with the Son of God. Our great privilege is that we are filled with the Spirit of God. We are known by God and we can know God.

So often men think that if we gain enough knowledge then we will know God. This is entirely the wrong way round. The more we get to know God, the more He will give wisdom and insight to us.

Jesus then explains the parable of the sower. Sometimes people take a lesson from this that we should make sure we sow on good soil. Well maybe, but that does not seem to be what Jesus is saying here. Rather He is describing how things work, how and why we get totally different, and sometimes frustrating responses, to the word of God.

First there are those who the good news has zero effect on. As soon as they hear it they reject it. Some past event, some hardness of heart, some distraction, something ensures that it is snatched away.

Others receive it gladly, but it has no long lasting effect, because it does not take deep root. So as soon as any difficulties arise they lose faith. We need to let the word take deep roots in our life. We can also be sure that things will occur that test our faith. There will be storms in life.

Next there are those where other concerns and worries in life crowd out the word. We need to "seek first the kingdom". It cannot be one among many concerns, it has to be the concern. We need to be careful what we allow our lives to be filled up with.

One might think that all this is very depressing and discouraging, but finally we come to the good news. When the word does take deep roots in good soil it produces a harvest beyond anything that can be imagined. Note that they key is the heart of the person. As it says in Proverbs 4:23, we need to guard our heart above all things for it is the well-spring of life. 

Occasionally this 30, 60 , 100 fold increase is applied by some to money. Now God does make a difference to our finances, but this passage is not talking about money. It is talking about life in all its fullness, about kingdom life.