Thorny Ground Hearers

Driving home: For the whole truth of this parable is embodied in the concept. That the condition of the soil determined the issue of the seed.

Martin suggests renaming the 'Parable of the Sower' to the 'Parable of the Soils' to emphasize that the condition of the soil, not the seed or sower, determines the outcome, highlighting the hearer's responsibility.

Will you turn, please, to the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew chapter thirteen. Tonight is the fourth message in a series seeking to lay hold of some of the great principles of truth embodied in this first in a long series of parables given by our Lord Jesus Christ and commonly called the parable of the sword. I guess it's because I've somewhere along the line picked up some of Martin Luther's blood and have a little bit of the reformer in me that I don't like to just do things or say things because they've been done or said.

0:02 - 0:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reintroduces the Parable of the Sower, preferring to call it the 'Parable of the Soils' due to the soil's determinative role. He briefly reviews the wayside and stony…

The wayside hearer's heart is compared to a hard-beaten footpath that throws off the seed, illustrating how an uninterested heart rejects the gospel.

If you're talking to him about money, how to increase his stock investments, why his ears would just stretch out until he looked like a junior doctor. And he would be right with you. But because he's talking about forgiveness, peace with God, reconciliation of the guilty sinner with an offended God, he doesn't understand this. It doesn't speak to him in the area of his interest.

4:58 - 5:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reintroduces the Parable of the Sower, preferring to call it the 'Parable of the Soils' due to the soil's determinative role. He briefly reviews the wayside and stony…

The stony ground plant, with shallow roots over rock, appears to flourish but withers under the sun, illustrating a joyful but superficial response to the gospel that lacks deep root and fails under tribulation.

So his heart, like a hard beaten footpath which does not absorb and enfold the seed, his heart throws off the seed of the word, and immediately Satan comes like the birds of the air, snatches away that seed. And it never bears fruit in his mind or in his conscience. The second kind of soil is what's called stony ground. It was soil that looked soft and pliable, but just an inch or two beneath the top of that soil was a great shelf of rock, so that when that seed began to germinate, it could not send any root downward from which to draw up moisture and sustain its life, so all of

5:20 - 6:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reintroduces the Parable of the Sower, preferring to call it the 'Parable of the Soils' due to the soil's determinative role. He briefly reviews the wayside and stony…

Martin shares his personal experience of seeing joyful responses to the gospel after meetings, but expresses caution, knowing that the 'sun' of trials will reveal the genuineness of the conversion.

And so we learn four great principles from that parable. First of all, that all joyful response to the gospel is not a saving response to the gospel. We've seen some joyful response to the gospel this past week. I've had several people come to me and tell me that after the meetings they went home or on the way home and God met them and they're filled with joy, and I have a little leisure of rejoicing.

7:43 - 8:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But true faith is not the spurt of a moment or the fit of an hour, but it is a principle implanted in a man's heart by the Holy Spirit that will continue to abide until the day of Jesus Christ.

Tribulation, persecution, and temptation are called 'great revealers' and 'proving laboratories' that expose the true state of the soul, rather than creating it.

The second great principle we learned was that tribulation, persecution, and temptation are the great revealers of the state of the soul. They never make anything. That sun didn't make any condition in that plant. It just revealed the condition that was there.

8:50 - 9:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin describes the physical conditions of thorny ground: thorns were already present when the seed was sown. As the seed germinated, the thorn bushes grew alongside it, choking…

Martin explains that farmers in Palestine allowed thorn bushes to grow near fields because they provided good material for burning, making their presence in fields a familiar sight.

One writer, who spent a good bit of time in the area of Palestine and Syria, says that there are these thorn bushes which grow adjoining the corn fields and the wheat fields. And many times, the farmers allow these thorns to grow. Because, apparently, they made good substance for burning. And so, in the evening, when they wanted to have a fire, why, they would take some of these thorn bushes, apparently, and break them off and use them for fire.

10:56 - 11:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Rightly receive the word and understand what happens when we communicate the word to others, recognizing the different responses.

Martin describes common outcomes of witnessing: some are indifferent ('don't bother me'), some are initially joyful but quickly fall away under pressure, and some show signs of life but never bear fruit.

And this should be instructive to us as we seek to rightly receive the word, as we seek to understand what happens when we communicate the word to others. We will see this continually going on before our eyes. Some that you witness to, what happens? That don't bother me.

19:22 - 19:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Tear out the 'thorn bush' of covetous, idolatrous attachment to money before the seed of faith can germinate and bear fruit.

The rich young ruler is presented as an example of a thorny ground hearer, whose covetous attachment to money (the 'thorn bush') prevented him from truly receiving Christ's seed of truth.

Our Lord recognized this principle when he dealt with men. Behold him dealing with a rich young ruler. He came and said, good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And the Lord Jesus began to deal with this man.

21:58 - 22:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The thorny ground illustrates that a Christian profession without a deep work of repentance, where 'thorn bushes' are torn out by the roots, will ultimately be choked. Martin uses…

The woman at the well is used as an example of Christ addressing a 'thorn bush' (immoral practice) before sowing the seed of salvation, showing the necessity of dealing with sin for true fruitfulness.

Notice with the woman at the well. Jesus was talking about physical water. And then he moved to spiritual water. And you remember what happened?

24:24 - 24:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Be willing to face your sin before you can know the wells of salvation springing up to everlasting life.

The three individuals who approach Jesus in Luke 9 are used as examples of Christ challenging 'thorn bushes' of worldly cares, family attachments, and looking back to the old life, before they can truly follow Him.

And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I'll follow you wherever you go. Boy, if you and I met somebody who'd come up to us and said out of the clear blue sky, look, I want to be a Christian and I'll do whatever Jesus Christ wants me. Well, we'd have him on his knees in two seconds. We just don't meet people like that.

26:30 - 26:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be double-minded, with your hand on the plow in one direction and your heart in another; be fully committed to the kingdom.

Judas Iscariot is presented as an example of someone whose initial enthusiasm for Christ was ultimately choked by the unmortified 'thorn bush' of covetousness, leading to betrayal.

And our Lord, in dealing with men, recognized the principle that he himself enunciates, that anyone who begins and carries on with the will of God, on a Christian profession without a deep work of repentance, will ultimately find that the thorns that were unchallenged at the apparent germination of gospel seed will ultimately cause the killing of the seed. That's what happened to Judas.

29:31 - 29:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What you and I spare, will ultimately, will ultimately destroy us.

Demas, initially a fellow worker with Paul, is cited as an example of someone whose love for 'this present age' (a 'thorn bush') ultimately choked the word and led him to forsake the apostle.

Look at Demas. One place Paul calls him his fellow worker. Then he had to say those sad words, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved, what? This present age.

30:58 - 31:09 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin shares a story from a missionary in New Guinea about a young convert who had to physically uproot a weed planted in honor of a demon, shaking off all dirt and exposing it…

A missionary story about a New Guinea convert who physically uprooted a weed planted in memorial to a demon, carefully removing all roots and drying it out, illustrates the radical, thorough repentance needed to deal with 'thorn bushes' in one's heart.

Before I move on to that, I forgot an illustration I wanted to use. I think it will help you. The story was told to me by a missionary who ministered in New Guinea for some 30 years. Arthur Mao.

32:11 - 32:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be damned by innocent things, or stifled in your growth by the choking influence of the cares of this life, such as preparing and eating meals.

Martin shares his observation of people collecting welfare checks and spending them on alcohol, refusing to work, to illustrate the problem of indolence and the misuse of resources, connecting it to the 'deceitfulness of riches' and the 'cares of this life'.

And we've got a government that is stealing from the industrious and those who've used wisely in their investments and is stealing from them to give many times to indolent, lazy people who have no desire whatsoever to help themselves. That's not true in every case, but it's true in great measure. When you've been as I have been in places, where you see people collecting their welfare checks and going down to the local booze halls and drinking it up and standing around lazy and indolent and not going out and even looking in a paper for a job, turning down jobs because it doesn't quite suit them...

39:08 - 39:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be damned by innocent things, or stifled in your growth by the choking influence of the cares of this life, such as preparing and eating meals.

Riches are described as deceitful because they promise happiness and security that they cannot deliver, as true happiness is not found in financial solvency.

So there's nothing wrong with riches, but it's the deceitfulness of riches that choke the word. How are riches deceitful? Well, they promise what they can't give. How many of us here tonight, be honest now, you say, boy, if I could just have right now about $500 to get a few payments ahead on my car and to clear off my account at Sears and to put a little nest egg away here, boy, life would just be wonderful.

39:51 - 40:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow the deceitfulness of riches or the determination to accumulate more than God has given to choke the word, leading to no time for reading, prayer, meditation, or heavenly perspective.

Martin mentions bank advertisements promising safety and security for money, highlighting the deceitfulness of riches that appear abiding but are not, as seen in historical events like the 1929 crash.

I get tickled every time I listen to the 8 o'clock news. And the whole pitch, and you excuse us for making this reference, we have someone who works in the bank with us tonight, a mother whose daughter works there, but the whole pitch of the banks that advertise and promote the 8 o'clock news over WOR is, you get your money with us and it's really safe. You get it with us, never miss the payment in so many years. That's the deceitfulness of riches.

41:02 - 41:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow the deceitfulness of riches or the determination to accumulate more than God has given to choke the word, leading to no time for reading, prayer, meditation, or heavenly perspective.

Young couples sacrificing and scrimping to accumulate material possessions (cars, swimming pools) are used as an example of how the 'desire to be rich' can choke the word, leading to neglect of spiritual disciplines.

For it's not the possession of riches alone which chokes the word, but it's the desire to possess what we don't have. That's why we read in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 9, But they that would be rich fall into many hurtful snares which drown many in perdition. Oh, how often I've seen young couples willing to make sacrifices and scrimp and save because they've got in their mind's eyes that little dream. There it is.

42:26 - 42:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow the deceitfulness of riches or the determination to accumulate more than God has given to choke the word, leading to no time for reading, prayer, meditation, or heavenly perspective.

Martin shares his personal pleasure in watching his children play, using it to illustrate that pleasures themselves are gifts from God, but can become 'thorn bushes' if they draw the heart away from Him.

Something as perfectly innocent as money becomes a deceitful, snaring thorn bush. And then the third thing, the pleasures of this life or what we read in one of the other gospels, the lust of other things entering in. God has given us a capacity for pleasure. At times I can't help but sneak out of my study and I go over to the little window down there and just watch my kids out in the backyard.

44:11 - 44:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of anything, no matter how innocent it may appear, which draws your heart away from God.

The pleasure of good food and the capacity to appreciate beauty are given as examples of God's good gifts, emphasizing that the problem is not the pleasure itself but when it absorbs interest and energy, choking the Word.

This is given of God. Good food. When you thank God for that food and going down it just makes you salivate real good and taste good on those taste palates. That's of God.

45:10 - 45:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Free yourself from anything that draws your heart away from God if you value your soul and long to bear fruit.

Martin shares his personal experience with golf: it was innocent, but when he played regularly, it began to distract him during prayer, leading him to conclude it was a 'thorn bush' for him.

gauge. Anything wrong with playing golf? Not a thing.

48:06 - 48:10 Read in full sermon

The point: In romantic relationships, ensure that the relationship deepens your relationship to Jesus Christ and mutually strengthens you in the direction of God, holiness, obedience, and Christ's purpose for your life.

Romantic relationships, though innocent and pure, can become 'thorn bushes' if they lead to cutting corners on time with God, serving as a test for young people seeking counsel.

Now I'm swinging on myself because I can do that. Now you be honest with yourself. What is that innocent thing with you? It can be a relationship with a fellow, with a girl.

49:05 - 49:20 Read in full sermon