Words from the Pastor’s Desk

Matthew 13 records what is commonly called The Parable of the Sower. But, the focus of the story is actually on the condition of the soils on which the seed falls. The point of the parable is that the reasons that people do not respond to Jesus' message have to do with the conditions of their hearts.

Matthew 13 record what is commonly called The Parable of the Sower. But, the focus of the story is actually on the condition of the soils on which the seed falls. The point of the parable is that the reasons that people do not respond to Jesus' message have to do with the conditions of their hearts.The Preoccupied HeartSome have a preoccupied heart. The seed of the gospel falls into this person's heart and he responds favorably. But over time, spiritual interest is slowly choked out. Left to grow in the heart, the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of this life can choke out the beginning signs of spiritual life. There's no dramatic repudiation of the faith. Instead, the seed of the gospel slowly dies. They may still profess faith in Christ, but because of a preoccupied heart, the seed died long ago and they're just going through the motions.The Prepared HeartAnother type of soil is a prepared heart. What makes for good soil for planting and growing a crop? Hard work and careful preparation. The soil can't prepare itself. The only way hearts will ever receive the word and bear fruit is if God prepares the soil of our hearts to receive it. There is no good soil without His intervention. He prepares the heart to receive the truth. Left alone, we will respond sinfully.What happens in the soil that's been prepared by God to receive the seed? Some bear more fruit than others, but all bear fruit, if it's good soil. Notice that Christ identifies every soil that bears fruit as good soil regardless of the different rates of yield.What is this fruit that every true Christian will produce? Obedience to Christ, to His gospel, and to His Word. The word that was sown in the heart gives the fruit of further obedience to the word which continues to be sown in the heart.This parable helps you to understand the responses when we share the gospel. It also helps us examine our own hearts. Your heart is like one of the four types of soils Jesus described in this parable. Which one? That's absolutely crucial for you to know.You might ask, "How do I become the good soil if God has to prepare my heart?" You must repent of your sin and believe in Him as Lord and Savior.If you are willing to do that, then your heart proves to be good soil.

Matthew 13 record what is commonly called The Parable of the Sower. But, the focus of the story is actually on the condition of the soils on which the seed falls. The point of the parable is that the reasons that people do not respond to Jesus' message have to do with the conditions of their hearts.The seed is the word of God, and especially the good news about how to get into Jesus' kingdom. Sowing takes place when anyone teaches or explains the message about Jesus to someone else. Ultimately, the sower is any Christian who is sowing the seed, and of course, Christ Himself as the one after whom we are named.The Meaning of the SoilsWhat do the soils in this parable represent?Hard soil is the first type listed. It represents the unreceptive heart. Soil, of course, is not responsible for being hard and unreceptive to seed. But people are. When a person's heart is hard to the gospel, it is because that person has hardened his own heart against the truth. If you have a hard heart, if you are unreceptive to what Jesus taught and is teaching even through His word today, you ought to be afraid. Jesus Himself said there will come a time when you will seek Him and you will not find Him, and you will die in your sins.A second type of soil is the superficial heart. Jesus says this person hears the gospel message and comprehends it and accepts it as factually true. He responds to the truth emotionally and with joy, perhaps even with a highly emotional experience. However, he only believes for a while.Superficial hearts eventually desert the faith. Although for a time a person may look like the real thing, when trouble or persecution comes it becomes obvious this person was never a believer. The seed never took root. Judas Iscariot is an example. For three and a half years he looked like the real thing. So much so that when he left the room on the night of the last supper, not one of the disciples suspected that Judas was, in fact, the betrayer. He preached, he traveled with Jesus, he was enthusiastic in his support of Jesus, but when he saw that this kingdom thing wasn't exactly going to work out like he had hoped, he wanted out. He was scandalized and he turned on Jesus.Sadly, there are many who make a profession of faith in Christ and then trouble, hardship, or persecution arise, they reject the message they once received with such joy.Some hearts are hard. Others are superficial. Do you have a hard or a superficial heart? Examine yourself in light of God's word, and repent and believe in Christ.

Do you follow Christ's example in purposely pursuing social interaction with unbelievers to seek their repentance?

Do you follow Christ's example in purposely pursuing social interaction with unbelievers to seek their repentance?A Disciple's MissionIn Mark 2:13-17, we read that shortly after Matthew became a follower of Christ, he held a dinner at his house in Capernaum. It was a huge party, and there were many tax collectors and sinners invited. Many of them had a real interest in Jesus. Some were apparently beginning to follow Him.Matthew invited all his former colleagues and friends because he was on a mission to introduce them to Christ. He hosted this party as a spontaneous expression of his joy, since he had come to the knowledge of his Messiah. He wanted to honor Jesus, and he wanted his friends to meet Jesus, his new Master.But as you would expect, there were critics. Many religious leaders had legalistic objections to what Jesus was doing. The scribes said to Jesus' disciples, "Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?" The word "sinners" could mean simply those who fail to keep their interpretations of the Law, or it may include those who were truly morally corrupt. Jesus was eating with Matthew, Matthew's dinner guests, as well as His own disciples. The scribes wondered, "Why would He eat with these people if He was, in fact, a Holy Man?" This was a major issue to the scribes. But in Jesus' mind, these people were sick and needed a doctor, spiritually speaking. They needed to repent.Powerful LessonsDo you intentionally make time with unbelievers to make known the gospel of Christ, or do you worry about how doing so might be viewed by your fellow believers? Jesus came on a mission. That was Jesus' perspective, and we thank God for that.In fact, this is the heart of the good news. Jesus only extends help to those who know they are sick, to those who know they need a doctor, to those who know that they are spiritually desperate. To desperate sinners, Jesus becomes the bread of life and water of life.If you know you are a sinner, and if you are willing to turn from your sin and believe in Him, this is how Jesus will respond to you. The same way He responded to Matthew and to Matthew's friends.In the future, the day is coming when Jesus the Messiah will sit down with sinners to whom He has extended grace at a great feast in the presence of the Father. When sinners like us will sit down with Jesus. He will forever be a friend of sinners - not sinners still committed to their sin, but sinners He has called to repentance and redeemed.Jesus, what a friend of sinners! Are you?

Matthew was irreligious. As a tax collector, he had been excommunicated from the synagogue and was considered a traitor complicit with foreign oppressors. He was viewed as dishonest, as an extortionist. Still, the spotless and pure Son of God sought Matthew out to be His disciple and friend.

The spotless and pure Son of God seeks out disciples whom he graciously makes His friends.In Mark 2: 13-17, we find one such story - the story of Matthew. Matthew means "gift of God." He was Jewish, lived in Capernaum, and knew Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.But Matthew was irreligious. As a tax collector, he had been excommunicated from the synagogue and was considered a traitor complicit with foreign oppressors. He was viewed as dishonest, as an extortionist.The Roman Tax SystemTo assist in the collection of taxes, the Romans had created a system called tax-farming. These were essentially tax franchises. At the top were Roman equestrians. These noblemen bid for the right to collect taxes over entire provinces.The Roman Senate determined a fixed amount due from each province and sold the right to collect that amount to the highest bidder. Any surplus that was collected was income for the bidder. The equestrian subdivided the province and made similar arrangement with publicani, or chief tax collectors (like Zaccheus). The chief tax collectors over districts sold the franchise rights for individual cities.The Mishnah forbade Jews from taking any money from tax collectors. They were viewed as so morally reprehensible that Jews were allowed to lie to tax-collectors with impunity. If a tax-collector so much as touched your house, it became ceremonially unclean.Opposition to tax collectors and to JesusThe Rabbis opposed Jesus' reaching out to tax collectors like Matthew, whom they viewed as sinners beyond the reach of grace. Specifically, the Rabbis objected to... Jesus' claim to forgive sins (2:1-12) Jesus' companionship with sinners (2:13-17) Jesus' unwillingness to keep their traditions (2:18-22) Jesus' violation of their Sabbath regulations (2:23-3:6)The CallVerse 13 says,"He went out again by the seashore, and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them."People kept coming to find Jesus and to hear Him, and He kept teaching them as they came.As Jesus headed to the seashore to teach, He passed by and saw Matthew sitting at the tax booth. Jesus called to him, "Follow Me!" Verse 14 says, "And he got up and followed Him." Luke adds, "And he left everything behind and got up and began to follow Him."What an amazing moment! Jesus arrives and sovereignly calls this undeserving sinner to Himself!The Spiritual PointIt's hard to come up with a modern equivalent to what Matthew was in the 1st century. If you want to come close, think drug dealer. Think Mafioso. Think gangster. Think terrorist. Those are categories into which Matthew fit. But Jesus, in sovereign grace, called him to be His disciple.Jesus still calls sinners to repentance. He remains a friend of sinners. Matthew heard the truth. He was called to follow Christ, and he responded in faith.There is no sinner beyond the reach of the grace of Jesus Christ.If you're a Christian and have experienced that same grace, as you look at Christ again, as you see His saving grace toward Matthew, your own heart should respond with great joy, gratitude, and adoration that He's still a friend of sinners!

Jesus healed all who were ill with various diseases: fever, leprosy, paralysis, a withered hand, a flow of blood, a deaf and mute man, two blind men, and raising a dead girl. Luke adds, "And laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them."

Jesus taught - and acted - with authority. In Mark 1: 21-34, we see His authority displayed in healing and exorcism.Peter's wife had become sick. As Jesus left the Capernaum synagogue, immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. He came to her and taking her by the hand, raised her up, rebuked the fever and it left her.This is a fascinating glimpse into the heart and compassion of our Lord. Why this miracle? It was very personal to Peter. It shows Jesus' genuine compassion for people and authenticates His healing ministry.Mark goes on to say that when evening came, the people began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. Practically the entire city gathered gathered at the door - an estimated population of over 1,500.Jesus healed all who were ill with various diseases: fever, leprosy, paralysis, a withered hand, a flow of blood, a deaf and mute man, two blind men, and raising a dead girl. Luke adds, "And laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them."He also cast out demons, not permitting them to speak, because they knew who He was. Luke writes, "Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, 'You are the Son of God!' But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ." Some around Jesus had questions about who He was, but the demons already knew the answer.How do you apply these truths?There is nothing in your life that's too big for Jesus of Nazareth! Yet, there is also warning. Many are happy to have Jesus as their "personal genie" who provides for all of their perceived needs, but who will not put their trust in Him as Lord. The city of Capernaum witnessed the authority of the Son of God and saw the outflow of His compassion. They heard His teaching and His message. They were happy to take, as long as He was giving. But they refused to repent, to turn from their sin and to embrace Him as Lord.It's a sober reminder: Jesus is compassionate, but if you want to come to Jesus, you must repent of your sin. If you are willing to turn from what you know to be sin and embrace Jesus, He will become your loving, gracious Lord.

Our world is filled with people who want to speak with authority. Whenever something newsworthy happens, the media searches for authorities or experts who can comment on that particular event or issue. Jesus was notably different than those who seek authority in our world but don't have it. He both spoke and acted with real, compelling authority.

Our world is filled with people who want to speak with authority. Whenever something newsworthy happens, the media searches for authorities or experts who can comment on that particular event or issue.Jesus was notably different than those who seek authority in our world but don't have it. He both spoke and acted with real, compelling authority.In Mark 1:21, Jesus entered Capernaum's synagogue and began to teach. Jesus taught the Scripture expositionally in the regular Sabbath synagogue service. He stood to read the Scripture, then He sat down to teach.The Scribes were in the audience. They were the experts, the teachers and judges of interpreting and applying the Torah.How did the scribes respond to Jesus' teaching? Mark 1:22a says, "They were amazed at His teaching." Literally, the text says, "they were struck out of themselves."Mark 1:22b reveals the primary reason:"For He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."Why was Jesus' teaching so different from the Scribes? William Hendricksen suggests these reasons: Jesus spoke the truth - their sermons were often marked by corrupt and evasive reasoning. Jesus spoke about issues of great importance - they wasted their time on trivialities. Jesus had a plan and organization in his teaching - as the Talmud shows, they rambled. He illustrated the truth - their sermons were as dry as dust. He loved those He taught - they did not.Jesus' disciples would later teach with the same authority. Where does a pastor or teacher's authority come from? 1 Pet. 4:11 explains, "If anyone speaks, let him speak as one who speaks the utterances of God."How can you apply these truths? Listen to and obey the Word of God. When Jesus spoke, He was speaking the Word of God, and is always authoritative. The church must insist that the Word be taught - that is its only source of authority. Teachers must never use their own imagination - because the Word of God is authoritative.That's God's plan that we see fleshed out in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. May God give us the same commitment.