“A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:5-8 (read v. 4-15)

From Jesus’ parable of the sower, we learn that not all who hear the Word of God with their ears rightly receive it in faith. In fact, some who initially hear it and come to faith in Jesus fall away again; but, by the grace of God, some of the seed of God’s Word falls on good ground – prepared by the Lord – and grows and produces faith and its fruits.

As we read the parable of the sower and its explanation, we are quick to identify people we know with the poor kinds of soil and ourselves with the good ground. But, when we do this, we miss the warning and comfort of this parable for ourselves.

This parable certainly warns against being like one of the three poor kinds of soil. We may think of ourselves as the good soil, but how often do we not also fit the descriptions of the poor ground!

Many times we are like the hard ground. The Word of God is sown upon us, but it doesn’t sink in and produce fruit in our lives because we have either been uninterested or inattentive. Then the Word is snatched away by the devil.

This even happens during our church services when the Word is read and preached and we fail to listen attentively and let its message sink down into our hearts and minds. We leave, not even remembering what was read and preached to us. The devil snatches it away before it can sink in and grow!

Often we are also like the rocky soil. In times of trouble, affliction or persecution, we shrink back from a bold and faithful confession of the truths of God’s Word because we have not let that Word sink its roots deep into our lives. When trouble comes, or persecution, we turn away in doubt and unbelief.

This happens when we hear the word with our ears but don’t let it put down deep roots into our lives – when we don’t receive the promises of the Gospel with a faith that lives by the Word of God. Then, when persecution, trouble, or other challenges come up in our lives, we shrink back from the truth taught in God’s Word instead of holding fast to Christ and His Word in faith.

Sad to say, we are often like the thorny ground, we let the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things in this life keep us from faithfully hearing and learning God’s Word! These things choke out the Word and keep us from living our lives by faith in Christ Jesus.

This is so common among those professing to be Jesus’ disciples. We become so busy with the cares and concerns of this life – our jobs, our interests, our families, recreational activities, and even church work – that we let these things choke out God’s Word and keep it from producing faith and the fruits of faith in our lives.

And, when we are good soil, we can take no credit. We must say with Jesus that it is a blessing of the Lord when the Word sinks in, grows and produces fruit in our lives (Matt. 13:16).

It is the Lord who cultivates the soil of our hearts, breaking up the hard ground, removing the rocks and pulling out the weeds, that the Gospel of forgiveness of sins and life eternal for the sake of Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross might be heard and believed by us and produce fruit in our lives, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

For example, we see in Romans 3:9-26 how far short we have come and that we are all guilty before God, but then we learn of the righteousness which is imputed to those who despair of their own righteousness under the law and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross for our sins. We hear that God graciously forgives sins and justifies those who turn to Christ in faith.

So, what kind of soil are you? Certainly. According to our corrupt and sinful nature inherited from Adam as a result of his fall, we are poor soil, unfit for the seed of God’s Word to grow. But the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God, breaks up the hard ground, removes all the rocks, and pulls out the weeds and thorns that the seed of the Gospel – God’s promises of forgiveness and life everlasting to all who look in faith to Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross – may grow in our lives, spring up and bear abundant fruit.

Almighty God, Thy Word is cast like seed into the ground; now let the dew of heaven descend and righteous fruits abound. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, “Almighty God, Thy Word is Cast,” Verse 1)

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]