(Week 4/2024)

Like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver Is a word spoken at the proper time – Proverbs 25v11

Over the past weeks we have considered what is known as the Parable of the Sower and the four types of soils (human hearts) on which the seed (God’s Word) fell. Today we conclude with the soil that brought a great harvest: Luke 8v8 “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown”.

This is the type of harvest that every sower dreams about after the disappointment of no harvest from the other seeds that fell on the hard ground, amongst stones and choked by thorns. Jesus explained the parable in verse 15: “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop”. What was special about this seed? Nothing – it was the same seed namely God’s Word that also fell on the unproductive soils – the difference is that this good soil was ploughed and ready to do what it was made to accomplish which is to be the medium in which the seed germinates, grows and produces a crop. The fertile soil doesn’t do anything other than house the seed and watch it grow. Noble and good hearts are receptive to the Word of God and retain it and are amazed as to how it brings forth a crop with no contribution of theirs to the process. However, the size of the crop is dependent on how much the soil retains moisture – is it sand which drains quickly, or rich loam which retains water? This is a picture of the Holy Spirit whom we must let water our souls so God’s Word can become a crop of note. Sadly, we all quench the Spirit to a greater or lesser extent so the crop is less than it should be. Even worse is if we grieve the Holy Spirit by deliberately living unholy lives – as David said:  “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”. (Psalm 119v11). What is the crop or fruit that the sower (God) expects?

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5v22)

Friends we, the soil, cannot develop this fruit on our own – we need to be soaked in God’s Word and allow His Spirit to have freedom to work in our lives. Our contribution is to be good and fertile soil which is an obedient and persevering heart. The early Christians turned the world upside down and so can we if we are the good soil which produces a hundred-fold crop of love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

Amen                                          

Graeme Greenwood