Fertile Soil for Christ
A friend of mine was singing and had some voice issues. He mentioned, "I have this crud in my voice," intending to refer to sinus drainage. However, in Canada, the word "crud" in that context refers to diarrhea! As you can imagine, the looks on everyone's faces were priceless!
This experience serves as a reminder of how important it is to be mindful of the words we use, especially when it comes to our Christian language. Words like "rooted" can carry various meanings depending on the context.
This experience serves as a reminder of how important it is to be mindful of the words we use, especially when it comes to our Christian language. Words like "rooted" can carry various meanings depending on the context.
- "Rooted" might mean [worn out or exhausted]. For example, "By the end of the trip, I was completely rooted!"
- "Rooted" can also mean [broken or badly damaged], like, "The front wheel looks rooted!"
- But when we talk about being "rooted" in a biblical sense, it refers to a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. "I am rooted in Jesus, and He is in me!"
Colossians 2:6-7 NKJV
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Start 2025 Rooted!
Let's begin by considering the "soil" we need for growth, which represents the foundation of a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.
Remember, Jesus is teaching, and many are eager to understand His purpose and actions. They want to know why He does what He does and what He’s all about. So, He speaks to the crowds, sharing a parable. The people listen intently, but then His disciples, puzzled, asked his questions.
Let's begin by considering the "soil" we need for growth, which represents the foundation of a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.
Remember, Jesus is teaching, and many are eager to understand His purpose and actions. They want to know why He does what He does and what He’s all about. So, He speaks to the crowds, sharing a parable. The people listen intently, but then His disciples, puzzled, asked his questions.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Mark 4:13-20
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Mark 4:13-20
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Big Idea: Jesus Never Stops Sowing, Be Fertile Soil For Christ
1. Sower: Jesus
Mark 4:14
The sower sows the word.
Jesus never stops sowing, never stops pursuing us. He is constantly reaching out, planting seeds of truth and love in our hearts. Scripture reminds us that God is the initiator of these spiritual pursuits, always taking the first step in drawing us closer to Him.
Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Romans 3:10–12
10 “There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
John 6:44
Jesus said that no one can come to Him unless the Father first draws them.
Jesus told numerous parables that beautifully illustrate God's relentless pursuit of mankind. In fact, the entire Bible tells the story of God pursuing us, from beginning to end.
From the very start, God has been in pursuit of us. When Adam and Eve sinned, they didn’t run toward God; they fled from Him, hiding among the trees in the garden (Genesis 3:8). Yet, despite their attempt to hide, God pursued them. "The Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9). This moment marks the first missionary effort, as the Creator sought out His lost creation. God pursues us because we matter deeply to Him, made in His image (Genesis 1:27).
The sower sows the word.
Jesus never stops sowing, never stops pursuing us. He is constantly reaching out, planting seeds of truth and love in our hearts. Scripture reminds us that God is the initiator of these spiritual pursuits, always taking the first step in drawing us closer to Him.
Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Romans 3:10–12
10 “There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
John 6:44
Jesus said that no one can come to Him unless the Father first draws them.
Jesus told numerous parables that beautifully illustrate God's relentless pursuit of mankind. In fact, the entire Bible tells the story of God pursuing us, from beginning to end.
From the very start, God has been in pursuit of us. When Adam and Eve sinned, they didn’t run toward God; they fled from Him, hiding among the trees in the garden (Genesis 3:8). Yet, despite their attempt to hide, God pursued them. "The Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9). This moment marks the first missionary effort, as the Creator sought out His lost creation. God pursues us because we matter deeply to Him, made in His image (Genesis 1:27).
2. SEED: The Gospel Available to All
Mark 4:15,16,18,20
15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.
16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns;
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground,
The Bible teaches that if salvation depended on our own efforts, none of us would be saved:
Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Psalm 143:2 “...No one living is righteous before you.”
Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
Romans 5:20 "...But where sin increased, grace increased all the more."
The Scriptures are full of examples of individuals who were saved despite their sinful pasts. The apostle Paul wrote to Christians who had once been trapped in various sinful lifestyles, including:
But Paul reassured them that, through salvation, they were transformed:
1 Corinthians 6:11 “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”
15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.
16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns;
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground,
The Bible teaches that if salvation depended on our own efforts, none of us would be saved:
Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Psalm 143:2 “...No one living is righteous before you.”
Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
Romans 5:20 "...But where sin increased, grace increased all the more."
The Scriptures are full of examples of individuals who were saved despite their sinful pasts. The apostle Paul wrote to Christians who had once been trapped in various sinful lifestyles, including:
- sexual immorality
- idolatry
- adultery
- homosexuality
- thievery
- greed
- drunkenness
But Paul reassured them that, through salvation, they were transformed:
1 Corinthians 6:11 “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”
No matter our past, God's grace is more than enough to wash us clean and make us new.
3. Birds: Satan will try to Destroy all you can be
Mark 4:15
Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts . . .
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts . . .
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Satan's sole mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. He doesn’t wait; he attacks immediately, attempting to pull our focus away from God’s truth and into distraction, even in the very moment we're trying to listen or grow.
He steals our peace by creating unrealistic standards—pressures to have the "right" degree, the "perfect" job, or the "ideal" appearance. These worldly standards are designed to rob us of true happiness and joy, leaving us constantly striving but never satisfied. Satan thrives on seeing us upset, insecure, or unfulfilled.
But his destruction doesn’t stop there. Satan seeks to lead us away from Christ entirely. He encourages doubt, agnosticism, atheism, and false belief systems that ultimately pull us away from the truth. His ultimate goal is to prevent the lost from coming to know Jesus, knowing that without Christ, they are destined for eternal separation from God.
Satan’s ultimate aim is our complete destruction—an eternal fate in the fiery pits of hell and the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, 21:18). Though he cannot change our salvation once we are in Christ, he will do everything he can to tempt us, lead us into sin, and create stumbling blocks to hinder our walk with God.
He steals our peace by creating unrealistic standards—pressures to have the "right" degree, the "perfect" job, or the "ideal" appearance. These worldly standards are designed to rob us of true happiness and joy, leaving us constantly striving but never satisfied. Satan thrives on seeing us upset, insecure, or unfulfilled.
But his destruction doesn’t stop there. Satan seeks to lead us away from Christ entirely. He encourages doubt, agnosticism, atheism, and false belief systems that ultimately pull us away from the truth. His ultimate goal is to prevent the lost from coming to know Jesus, knowing that without Christ, they are destined for eternal separation from God.
Satan’s ultimate aim is our complete destruction—an eternal fate in the fiery pits of hell and the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, 21:18). Though he cannot change our salvation once we are in Christ, he will do everything he can to tempt us, lead us into sin, and create stumbling blocks to hinder our walk with God.
4. Soil: Us
Fertile Soil: [A heart that encompasses a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.]
What type of soil are you? Jesus has sown the seed in every heart, but the condition of our hearts determines the outcome.
What type of soil are you? Jesus has sown the seed in every heart, but the condition of our hearts determines the outcome.
Which One of the 4 Soils Are You?
Mark 4: 15-20
- The Wayside Soil
15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. - The Stony Ground
16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. - The Thorny Ground
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. - The Fertile Soil
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
The condition of our hearts shapes the fruit we bear. Which soil are you? Is your heart open, receptive, and ready to grow in Christ?
Be Rooted in Christ, with fertile soil in your heart, that you may sow His love and truth into others.
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