Christ knew that the people could learn best if He taught them through simple analogies that they could relate to. Through the things with which His hearers were well acquainted, Christ sought to present the gospel. He taught in parables to bring before our minds object lessons to be studied in the natural world. It is very interesting to note that when sin entered there came a veil that in a certain sense covered nature’s lessons from the eyes of the majority. Christ wanted to remove the “barriers” which obstructed their view. He desired for them to see for themselves object lessons from nature and hear the Holy Spirit speaking to their soul. Jesus taught the unknown through the known and used illustrations that could be remembered as the people labored from day to day. “[Jesus’] words placed the teachings of nature as well as of the Bible in a new aspect, and made them a new revelation.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 18.

So, don’t you think it’s important to study the parables that our Lord has so graciously given to us? Let’s study one right now!

You have probably heard this parable many times, but since it has a very important meaning we are going to take a moment to look at it carefully:

Matthew 13:3-8 says that Jesus “spake many things unto [the people] in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”

“He who gave the parable of the tiny seed is the Sovereign of heaven, and the same laws that govern earthly seed sowing govern the sowing of the seeds of truth.”—Ibid., p. 33.

Let us study carefully the following facts.

Wayside: Birds came and ate the seeds.

Stony Ground: There was not enough soil. The sun scorched them. They withered.

Thorny Ground: The thorns choked the good seeds.

Good Ground: The seeds sprung up and produced fruit abundantly.

What does all this really mean? First of all, what is the spiritual seed? “. . . Christ came to sow the seeds of truth.”—Ibid., p. 37.

Let’s look at the different kinds of ground and what kinds of hearers they represent.

Jesus tells us who this kind of ground represents. “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side” (Matthew 13:19).

This kind of ground represents hearts that are so absorbed in worldly ambitions, are so absorbed in self-gratification, selfish amusement, and sinful indulgences that even as they hear the truth they do not see their personal need of a Saviour.

“The seed sown by the wayside represents the word of God as it falls upon the heart of an inattentive hearer. . . . The spiritual faculties are paralyzed. Men hear the word, but understand it not. They do not discern that it applies to themselves. They do not realize their need or their danger. They do not perceive the love of Christ, and they pass by the message of His grace as something that does not concern them.”—Ibid., p. 44.

Can plants grow in rock? No—why not? It is because there is very little soil there for them to grow in. Sometimes in this little bit of soil the plant springs up anyway. But there the plant cannot find nutrients to sustain itself and it withers away. The same problem occurs in a heart that is satisfied with a superficial profession of religion. The person is not willing to be dead to self.

“The seed sown upon stony ground finds little depth of soil. The plant springs up quickly, but the root cannot penetrate the rock to find nutriment to sustain its growth, and it soon perishes. Like the rock underlying the layer of earth, the selfishness of the natural heart underlies the soil of their good desires and aspirations…. This class may be easily convinced, and appear to be bright converts, but they have only a superficial religion.”—Ibid., p. 46.

Have you ever had a garden? If you have, you know that one of the biggest jobs is weeding it. But what happens if you leave the patch for a few weeks? Probably there will be more weeds than good plants. How did those weeds appear? You didn’t plant them! They didn’t even need cultivation! The same scenario happens in our hearts. The Lord sows seeds of truth in our hearts—but what happens if we don’t pull those nasty weeds? They grow and choke out the good plants. We have to be constantly on guard so that we pull each weed before it gets big. The bigger it becomes, the harder it is to pull out and very soon it chokes the good seeds so much that they die. We don’t want that to happen!

“The gospel seed often falls among thorns and noxious weeds; and if there is not a moral transformation in the human heart, if old habits and practices and the former life of sin are not left behind, if the attributes of Satan are not expelled from the soul, the wheat crop will be choked. The thorns will come to be the crop, and will kill out the wheat.

“Grace can thrive only in the heart that is being constantly prepared for the precious seeds of truth. The thorns of sin will grow in any soil; they need no cultivation; but grace must be carefully cultivated…. If the heart is not kept under the control of God, if the Holy Spirit does not work unceasingly to refine and ennoble the character, the old habits will reveal themselves in the life….

“Christ specified the things that are dangerous to the soul. As recorded by Mark He mentions the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things. Luke specifies the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. These are what choke the word,the growing spiritual seed. The soul ceases to draw nourishment from Christ, and spirituality dies out of the heart.”—Ibid., pp. 50, 51.

“The sower is not always to meet with disappointment. Of the seed that fell into good ground the Saviour said, This ‘is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also bearish fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’ ‘That on the good ground are they, which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.’

“The ‘honest and good heart’ of which the parable speaks, is not a heart without sin; for the gospel is to be preached to the lost. Christ said, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Mark 2:17). He has an honest heart who yields to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He confesses his guilt, and feels his need of the mercy and love of God. He has a sincere desire to know the truth, that he may obey it. The good heart is a believing heart, one that has faith in the word of God. Without faith it is impossible to receive the word. ‘He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ (Hebrews 11:6).—Ibid., pp. 58, 59.

What can we learn from all this? With Christ’s help, let us strive to pull out the weeds in our hearts. Let us realize our need of a Saviour. Ask God to help you be truly dead to self. And may we be represented by that good ground!