Seven Parables of the Mysterious Kingdom of God -- Matthew 13 Part 3

     If you wish to see Part 1 and 2, go to my website: sandrakingministries.com

Seed Sown in Thorny Soil

        This is the crowded heart. Thorns or weeds in scripture represent the curse and sin. Thorns/weeds grow everywhere in any kind of soil. The thorny ground hearer is double-minded. They hear the Word and receive it, but the thorns of sin and worldly matters choke its effectiveness and growth. The cares and worries of life, the deceitfulness of riches, the lust and pleasures of life will choke the spiritual life of God within them, and they will be unfruitful.(see Mark 4:18-19)  The cares and lusts of the world, the deceitfulness of riches and worldly power come in and ruin the Word of God in their hearts and the work of God in their lives. They become lazy and deterred. The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.” Proverbs 15:19 Slowly and surely, this person will lose interest in the things of God. There will be a scarcity of the Word in this person’s heart. The sin in their lives and worldly things will crowd out their kingdom life. “But the land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. Hebrews 6:8  “Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21 The person who gets lazy about God’s Word and his or her spiritual life will be unfruitful for God’s Kingdom. The fault is not with the Word. The fault is the heart condition and the ears of the hearer.

            Jesus’ explanation of this ground is, “this is the man who hears the Word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful”

            Let’s look at what the Word of God says of ears and hearts:

                  Ears:

·         Dull ears – Acts 28:26-27; Hebrews 5:11

·         Uncircumcised  ears – Acts 7:51

·         Itching ears – 2 Timothy 4:3-4

·         Forgetful ears – James 1:22-25

·         Hearing ears – Proverbs 20:12

·         Opened ears -- Psalm 40:5-9

·         Obedient ears – Proverbs 25:12

Followers of Christ must take heed “what” we hear and “how” we hear. To the hearing ear, more will be given. (see Luke 8:18 and Mark 4:23-25)

      Hearts:

·        Rebellious and revolting heart – Jeremiah 5:23

·        Uncircumcised heart – Jeremiah 4:4; 9:26

·        Deceitful and desperately wicked heart – Jeremiah 17:5-10

·        Accept the Word in their hearts – Luke 11:28

·        Keep the Word – do it Luke 11:28

·        Have good and honest hearts – In other words, they are honest with themselves, with God and with others. Matthew 5:8 The ground of their heart has been broken open and is ready to receive the seed of the Word. “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12

·        A new heart – Ezekiel 36:26

·        A clean heart and broken and contrite spirit – Psalm 51:10-17

·        A heart that knows God – Jeremiah 24:7

·        A heart that is guarded – Proverbs 4:23

Thorny ground hearts and hearers respond to the Word but have no mature fruit because other things in their heart and their life choke the Word. Their hearts are crowded. At first those sown among thorns cannot be distinguished from the others because outwardly they look and act like the others. However, their hearts are still full of sin which chokes out the Word. If the Sower tried to uproot the weeds, He might harm the good plant, so He lets them grow with the others (godly ones) until harvest time. At that time, He will separate the true from the false.

              Next week: Seed Sown in Good Ground