Changing Soils
Week 1: Which Soil Am I on?
Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9 and Matthew 13:18-23

Matthew 13:1-9 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Matthew 13:18-23. “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

The Path = Not Interested.
Some hear the amazing news of Jesus' sacrificial death for our sins and just don’t understand.

The Rocks = Too Shallow.
Here the person appears to have received the good news. They often respond by praying a simple prayer and maybe even get their name embroidered on a Bible and check out some churches. Unfortunately, their new found joy doesn’t last when God doesn’t fix all of their life’s problems.

The Thorns = Too Busy.
Some people turn to Jesus and it’s not that they ever fully turn away, they just get so distracted by the stresses of life that they settle for only a fraction of the blessings God wanted to bring about in their life.

Good Soil = Fruitful Jesus shares that some people respond to the gospel in such a way that it overflows from their lives onto others.

Three simple observations that are pretty easy to understand but much harder to obey.
1. You want to be on the good fruitful soil.
2. The only description Jesus uses for the good soil is Multiplication.
3. Most Christians relate with being too busy than spiritually fruitful.