Good Ground: by James Lantz

      Jesus taught the crowds with earthly stories that revealed eternal truths. Those who desired to receive the benefits spoken of in these parables would draw close to Jesus and ask him to explain how they could act on these truths and receive the benefits. Those who believed God’s words and did them became disciples. There is one parable that is foundational to successfully finishing our assignment on the earth. Jesus said that if we fail to grasp the truths in this parable that we will not be able to grasp the truths in any of them!  Mark 4:13 NLT  Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?  This refers to what we call the parable of the sower. God, in His goodness, desires that each one of us become productive and receive a full reward! God’s desire for our success is greater than our own!

 Mark 4:3-8 NLT  “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

The main subject in this parable is the seed which is the Word of God!  Luke 8:11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  The Word of God is eternal, all powerful, incorruptible and will never fail to produce a harvest after its kind! These four types of soil represent four categories of people and the conditon of their heart. The same powerfull Word of God was sown into the heart of each person but only one out of four people received the word and maintained a right heart that nurtured the word to harvest or completion.  Luke 8:15  But 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.  Notice that Jesus said it is the person that has an honest and good heart and does the Word of God continually that receives the harvest (reward). God sent the Word that all might receive eternal life and that all might prosper and be healed. We see this truth in the Word being offered to the person along the way (path). Their heart was hard towards God, taking the approach that nurturing a relationship with Jesus was not very important, thus the devil quickly stole the Word of God out of their heart. This same anointed, life giving, Word of God was shared with those whose hearts are like the stony ground. These received the Word of God with joy but because of what they didn’t know fell away when the pressure and persecution came. The third group are those who received the Word of God but did not follow the Lord’s instructions to refuse the evil thoughts, words and actions. Words are thought capsules! We must receive God’s thoughts and refuse Satan’s thoughts. The gospel is the message of blessing to all of mankind.  Galatians 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.  It is good to receive the Word of God but fear, worry, sickness, lack, greed, lies, and selfishness are to be resisted. God is a jealous God and in order to walk with Him we must resist evil. This third group received the Word of God initially but were taken out by the devil’s counter punch. Their thoughts and words gravitated onto the worries of this life and the lure for wealth instead of the Word of God and the victory that was given them in Christ. They took their eyes off of God’s command to build His church, seek His righteousness and put His things first and sought their own gain. This opened the door for the curse to come on them.  Jer. 17:5 NLT  This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. 

      Since the incorruptible seed of the word of God will never fail to produce a harvest of like kind we must understand our responsibility to esteem highly, receive joyfully, and nurture faithfully the precious Word of God.  Harvest or fruitfulness is not automatic! Understand that each type of soil has the potential for a full harvest! The hard ground is representative of the person whose heart was so hard that they were sure that God would do nothing good for them. The truth is that God has already provided grace for every sinner!  Jer. 4:3  For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.  Notice that the responsibility to break up the fallow ground (repent and turn away from idols) is something they have to do. The rocky soil person does not have the right foundation but with God’s help they could become firmly grounded in the truth. Walking with God requires humility, perseverance, and faith! We must draw near to God if we want His help.  Jas. 4:8  NLT  Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.  The thorns are the cares of this world and the love of other things. We must fight the good fight of faith to keep our love for God and His things front and center in our life. These people start out really good in their walk with God but they begin to take the gift of God (Jesus and eternal life) lightly. They grow cold in their relationship with God and they turn to their own efforts trying to have success in this world. We are commanded to be careful for nothing and to not worry about anything but many regard God’s commands as suggestions that are impossible to keep. With God all things are possible! The false doctrine of once saved always saved has been a stumbling stone for people to become careless about their walk with God. The Bible teaches that there will be some who came to God and  then walked away and are eternally lost!  Mt. 7:21 NLT  “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  2 Pet. 2:21  NLT  It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.   Jude 11 WNT  Alas for them; for they have followed in the steps of Cain; for the sake of gain they have rushed on headlong in the evil ways of Balaam; and have perished in rebellion like that of Korah!   The next verse refers to being twice dead, or spiritually dead again just like they were before they came to Christ. Those who overcome will not have their names blotted out of the book of life.

      We need to be honest and acknowledge that without Jesus (The Word) none of us are righteous and good. God has qualified us in Christ Jesus to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (see Col. 1:12)  Everyone who is in Christ Jesus includes those that have become hard, those with no foundation, those who lack self control and yes, with enough grace every heart can become fruitful.  James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  We must take the responsibility to feed on

We must start where we are or we will stay where we are!

the Word of God and allow the life of God to change us! We are to value the reading and meditating of God’s word. We must persevere in our study of the Word of God so that we are not moved off of our foundation. It is our responsibility to renew our minds with the Word of God until we think like our Master and resist every evil thought. Resist the devil and he will flee from you! Simon the sorcerer, who delighted in the praise of men, was born again in Philip’s city wide crusade. When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Spirit was given he tried to buy this holy gift.  Acts 8:20-23  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  Simon did repent and asked Peter to pray for him. All of us came to Christ the same way! We were sinners in need of a Savior and our thinking did not get perfected on that day when our spirit was born again. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Fearing the Lord is doing what He says to do! This will require humility and repentance as we realize that God wants things done differently now that we are in His kingdom. God’s grace empowers us to receive of His mercy! God is not concerned about the size of man’s sin because Jesus blood washes and cleanses from all sin. God is looking for us to turn from pride and stubbornness and agree with Him and His plan for our life. It does not matter to God what you did or didn’t do in the past but if you will turn from your own way and yield to His way He will help you and cause you to prosper.  James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Eph. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.