Matthew 13:22

  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful”. Matthew 13:22

T he Parable Of The Sower ❦

                      Wisdom and Truth always came from the mouth of Christ, but many of those truths were hidden in parables. That was the purpose of Christ’s parables– to hide the Truth from those who did not love it. Still, many were drawn to the teachings of Christ. Thousands followed him and multitudes sat at his feet to hear his message. One particular day, the crowds gathered at the seashore to hear Christ as he spoke to them from a boat. Jesus told them a parable about a man who went out to sow seed. Some of the seed was tossed by the wayside and eaten by birds. Some seed fell on stony ground where there was little earth. This sprang up quickly, but was soon scorched by the sun because it had no depth. Then some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns overtook the seed and choked out its life. Finally, some of the seed fell on good ground where it took root and grew, producing a rich crop. At the end of this parable Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Very few would walk away with understanding of the words Jesus had spoken. But Jesus gave time to those who wanted to know the Truth, and he warned them against loving the world, lest it choke out their life.

The Seed Among The Thorns ❦

                      The are many who refuse the truth of the gospel for what is temporal. Few are willing to sacrifice the idols of this world to worship the true God of Heaven. A rich young ruler once came to Jesus to ask how he could gain eternal life. When Jesus reminded him of God’s commandments the man replied, “All these things I have kept from my youth”. But Jesus knew this was not true. He had broken the first commandment of God. Jesus said, “One things you still lack; sell all that you possess, and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me”. Jesus offered the rich young man eternal treasure in return for his temporary riches. But the man was so tied up in his wealth that he could not give it up. The man’s sin was not that he was rich, but that he allowed the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches to take precedence over Christ. His wealth hindered him from gaining eternal life. One must let go of the world to embrace their cross and follow Jesus; There is no alternative.

            “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

            Too often people reject eternal treasures for temporary pleasures, thinking there is something to gain by doing so. But there is nothing to gain apart from Christ. The Spirit of God reasons within us that this is true:

            “Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he can not understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

I Corinthians 2:12-14

             A worldly mind set is a breeding ground for thorns and briars, the cares of the world, which choke out the Word of God and make a person ineffective in the Kingdom. The rich young ruler was given direction towards obtaining eternal life, but the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of the world choked out the truth, forbidding it to take root in his heart. The fruit of the Spirit cannot grow in one who quenches Him.(I Thess. 5:19) Those who allow themselves to become consumed with earthly desires lose their love for God. So it is vital that Christians do not allow worldly cares and riches to choke out the Word of God when it is preached, taught, or read. Believers must remain alert and sensitive to God, prizing Him above all else.

Bouquet Of Weeds ❦

           Children often love to give their parents and friends gifts. During the warmer months of the year when pretty things are growing, bouquets make popular presents. Most of the time these flowers consist of everyday weeds. The bright yellow head on a dandelion can be very alluring. Children tend to find their flowery weeds much more pretty than the buds of real flowers. Yet a parent can tell the difference between a dandelion and a tulip, and knows that while weeds may be welcome in a vase on the kitchen table, they have no place in a garden.

            Apart from Christ, people cannot discern true worth from briars and thorns. They think that they are choosing what is best when in reality they are forfeiting their souls. Everything God gives is a blessing, but it is not to become a god. Christians must mature and continue growing in Christ to keep the world from taking precedence over their life. While money must be used wisely and daily life has responsibilities that must be tended to, the believer ultimately gives everything over to the Lord. Everyone must give everything to God; Christians simply make that choice now because they desire treasures in Heaven.

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