We're All Just Seeds Aren't We?

Today I want to talk to you about  Four attitudes of receiving the Word.

My scripture text is from:  Mat 13:1-9 and 18-23

This parable of the sower always reminds me of the garden in my dad’s backyard. I remember how I spent hours there preparing the ground. Sowing the seeds, chasing the dog, the cat, the birds – you name it—and then in the end how my mother would come pick the veggies and share them to the neighbors. I never could understand why…..we raised it…..for us to eat…..but then years later it become more clear to me that the joy of giving outweighs the joy of receiving.  Jesus uses the parable of the sower to teach us a valuable life lesson.

So we have heard the word now let’s study this parable and trust the Lord to help us to be honest with ourselves when the Word speaks to our hearts.  So now let’s look at possible the attitudes:  I have come up with four of them: 

1. The Wayside attitude

2. The Stony attitude

3. The Thorny attitude

4. The Good attitude

 1. The Wayside Attitude is shown to us in Matthew 13:4 “And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up”:

So what does a wayside attitude look like? 

These kinds of people never grow in their Christian life.

Notice: There is no mention of growth here.

They are drifters, jump from one church to another.

Always looking for new sowers.

You can’t satisfy these people.

They’ve got their own plans and agendas.

What kind of General remarks would you likely hear from Waysiders:

“I know the Word”

“I’ve tried praying but it takes to long”

“The Bible is to0 difficult”

“I don’t like your kind of worship”

Waysiders even have biblical views….:

Matthew 13:19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understand it not, then comes the wicked one, and catch away that which was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the way side.

A Waysider’s biggest excuse: “I can’t understand it!”

Well….let me tell you waysiders…..You can only understand it if you spent time with it.

I understand Frank better than 11 years ago (I hope so!) because I’ve spent time with him. Midway…let me tell you…..It’s your duty to understand the Word.

The second attitude is The Stony Attitude:

Matthew 13:5-6 says, “Some fell upon stony places, where they did not have much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth”:

[6] “And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.”

Notice: Where they fell?  They did not have much earth

There was some earth but not much!  Not enough for them to take root and grow.  There are too many stones that occupied the land.

They did not take all the stones out like:

Isaiah 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

It hurts to take stones out and they leave these big holes in the ground.  Every Thanksgiving my husband’s family would gather for a big feast…..but before we could eat….we had to all go out into his 60+ acres of pasture land and pick up rocks.  I hated this job….but it was necessary….but it would hurt.  Today I am not talking about “real” stones.  I’m talking of stones of unforgivness, anger, and jealousy.  Stone Hearts are so full of other stuff that there is no place for the Word of God.

General remarks from Stone hearts;

“I forgave them but I can’t forget”

Biblical view of Stone hearts:

Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and anon with joy received it; [21] Yet hath he not root in himself, but duress for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.

God does not want Stone hearts:

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Our third attitude is The Thorns Attitude:

Matthew 13:7 tells us, “And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them”:

General remarks from Thorn hearts:

“Holiness is an option”

There is too much fun to miss in the world”

Biblical view of Thorn hearts:

Matthew 13:22 - He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.   The sad part is that Eventually the Word will choke.

Our last attitude is  The Good heart attitude:

Matthew 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.

Identification Good ground - They bear fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”.

They hear Word,  spend time in it, and most importantly they understand it!

General remarks from Good hearts

“I can do all things through Christ”

The Word is a mighty tower for me.

Their Biblical view:

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This is someone who hears, understands and does what the Word teaches.

So my question for you this morning….which attitude do you have?