Asmall area of my garden just couldn’t seem to get going. The grass always seemed sparse in that spot, no matter how well I watered it.

So, one day I stuck a shovel into this troublesome patch and discovered the problem: just below the surface was a layer of stones about three inches deep. I replaced the stones with rich topsoil in which new seeds could take root.

Jesus talked about seed and soils. He told a story to explain what happens when the seed of the gospel is sown in various kinds of ‘ground’ (people) (Matthew 13). He said that seeds that land on stones and “not much earth” grow quickly but then die in the sun (vv.5-6). He was speaking of a person who has heard and received the gospel, but in whose life the message doesn’t take root. When trouble comes, this person—who is not a genuine believer—falls away.

How grateful we can be for Jesus’ words that conclude this parable: “He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the Word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit” (v.23). What a reminder of both the honour and the responsibility that our salvation is.

Praise God for the seed of the gospel that changes peoples’ lives.

Author

Dave Branon

Topics

Our Daily Bread