"Pick Your Soil"

Part 1 of a series titled "Changing Soils"

 

The BIG Idea:

 

Jesus shared clearly in the parable of the soils that there is only one soil you want to be on in your life. As followers of Jesus, we want to be on the fruitful and good soil. However, most of the time we better identify with the thorns. God's Word shares that this isn't just a "next best" option for life, but rather that the two soils are the difference between death and life for us and generations to come.

 

ILLUSTRATION: Talent Shows and a Need for the Truth

 

It is difficult to see ourselves.

 

³ And He told them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴ and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵ Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. ⁶ But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸ But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.⁹ The one who has ears, let him hear." --Matthew 13:3-9 (NASB)

 

¹⁸ "Listen then to the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. ²⁰ The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away. ²² And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much." --Matthew 13:18-23 (NASB)

 

The Path = "Not Interested"

 

The Rocky Soil = "Too Shallow"

 

The Thorns = "Too Busy"

 

Good Soil = "Fruitful"

 

The goal for a follower of Jesus is to be planted IN the good fruitful soil.

 

The only description Jesus uses for the good soil is "multiplication".

 

Jesus cares about our souls and every other person's soul as well.

 

Our disagreeing with Jesus does NOT make Jesus wrong.

Most North American followers of Jesus relate with being too busy than spiritually fruitful.

 

ILLUSTRATION: "The Humble Brag" Harvard Study and Ramsey Solutions (8 Ways to Know You're Too Busy)

 

1.     You're always trying to multi-task.

2.     You're always exhausted and overwhelmed.

3.     You must schedule most things weeks in advance.

4.     You have a hard time focusing and enjoying the moment. (be where your feet are)

5.     You never take time off for vacation or replenishment.

6.     You feel "out of balance".

7.     You feel guilty a lot of the time for letting people down.

8.     You're filling your calendar with things you don't even want to do.

9.     BONUS: I don't need the previous 8 indicators. I already know I'm too busy.

 

How do I know if I've placed myself in the "good soil" Jesus describes?

 

1.     We spend daily time praying for the salvation and spiritual growth of friends and family.

2.     You regularly engage in spiritual conversations with people that don't know God.

3.     You view your neighborhood, workplace, and friendship groups as a mission field.

4.     You have led people in your life into a relationship with Jesus.

5.     You know how to share your testimony and do it frequently.

6.     You are discipling at least one person in their new faith at any given time.

7.     You have baptized someone you led into a relationship with Christ this past year.

8.     You have seen people you've discipled go on to disciple others.

 

ILLUSTRATION: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by Michael Zigarelli ('The Cycle') Survey

 

"Christians are assimilating to a culture of business, hurry and overload, which leads to God becoming more marginalized in Christian lives, which leads to a deteriorating relationship with God, which leads to Christians becoming even more vulnerable to adopting secular assumptions about how to live, which leads to more conformity to a culture of busyness, hurry and overload. And then the cycle begins again."

 

If we are truly on the fruitful soil your life trajectory is towards a greater dependance on God and rescuing others to do the same.

 

God uses our obedience of living in the fruitful soil to impact the lives of others.

 

Questions for Reflection:

 

Why does Jesus put such an emphasis on us passing on our faith to others?

 

Do any of the "8 Ways to Know You're Too Busy" resonate with you?

 

How do we know if we have placed ourselves in the "good soil" Jesus describes?

 

How does God use our choices to live in the fruitful soil?