MacArthur on the Lessons of the Parable of the Soils

From John MacArthur's sermon, The Responses to the Gospel:



The first lesson in the parable is to look at your own life to see what kind of ground you are. Here's the second lesson, and I love this. The second lesson is this, the issue in the parable is not the talent of the sower, did you get that? It is not the talent of the sower. You take a little kid, barefoot, five-years-old, wants to go out and sow a field with his daddy. His father knows how to do it beautifully, boy, he throws that seed just mechan ... and the little kid's going along throwing seed all over the place. And you know something? It may not be as much seed hit the good soil when the little guy throws it as when his dad does, but when the seed hits the good soil, it doesn't matter who threw it, right? It's going to grow. It does not depend on the talent of the sower. And that's so important to know.

Some people say - We'll I'd like to preach the gospel, I'd like to witness for the Lord, but I'm... I'm not very talented. That isn't the issue. You got the seed, the Word of God? Throw it! The issue is the condition of the soil, not the talent of the sower. I...I'm always amazed to hear people say - Oh, you know, if we could ever get so-and-so saved, oh howmany they could win to the Lord. No, no, no, no. Or, - If so-and-so ever got turned on, wow could they be a great soul winner. No, no, no, no. No, it is not the talent of the sower; it's the nature of the soil. But let me tell you something, folks, the more you throw the better the opportunity you're going to hit some good soil. I mean, some people are letting out a seed or two every year, and it is really tough. You just keep slinging it and you'll be amazed how much good soils lying around... no matter how incapable you may be as a sower.

And then, remember this. That sometimes the Lord plows up the stuff that doesn't receive the seed the first time, so don't give up. In fact, you know, they had a way of sowing sometimes in Palestine that was quite interesting. They would throw the seed first, and then plow it under afterwards. Sometimes you've just thrown the seed; you throw it there and before the birds can hit it, comes the Holy Spirit with the plow... and plows it under. So, be faithful ... hard soil, shallow soil, weedy soil, may not always stay that way, by God's grace He may do some tilling in that soil ... so keep throwing the seed in that same field over and over, over and over, over and over and see if the Lord won't break up the soil.


For more:
GBC - Things of This World - dc Talk
Sermon - November 8, 2009 - "God Be Merciful To Me a Sinner": The Gospel in 7 Words
GBC - Matthew Thus Far: Matthew 1-5
GBC - The Sermon on The Mount Series
GBC - Matthew 8-12 - The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
GBC - The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
GBC - Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series