4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth

“’The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.’ As He said these things, He would call out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’” (Luke 8:5-8).

Three of the gospel writers recorded this familiar parable Jesus told to the crowds who were following Him (Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8). The story is primarily understood to describe the various effects of the gospel message of salvation that Jesus was teaching: “Repent and believe, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” But I believe there is additional wisdom to be gained by those of us who have already come into the kingdom through faith in Jesus, as we examine our own hearts’ response to the continued teaching of the Word of God that should be part of a growing Christian’s life.

In this parable, only twenty-five percent of listeners bore fruit. In other words, while seventy-five percent showed evidence of hearing and even responding to the Word of God, it had no lasting effect on the majority.

Let’s read Jesus’ explanation with an adjusted perspective that He’s talking to us – His followers, those who are saved, born again believers. What can we learn about our own hearts when it comes to hearing God’s Word? And most importantly, what are some things we can do to make sure we maintain an “honest and good heart” that will bear fruit?

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:11-15).

1. Be Intentional and Focused Whenever the Word of God Is Presented

In the first example, the devil steals the Word before it can touch the heart. Has this ever happened to you? Perhaps you are sitting in church listening to your pastor preach. You soon realize that the words he is speaking from the Bible are convicting you about something going on in your life.

Immediately, a distraction comes. The baby behind you begins to cry. Your phone rings, although you’re sure you turned it off. Thoughts of what you need to get done before going back to work on Monday suddenly crowd into your mind. Before you realize it, you’ve lost your train of thought and when you leave the service, the conviction you were feeling is gone.

We’ve all experienced similar distractions when we read God’s Word for ourselves. Your spouse interrupts with something that could easily have waited until later. A neighbor knocks on the door. You remember an email or other task that you forgot to address. Our enemy will do whatever he can to keep the Word of God from penetrating the surface of our hearing and making its way to our heart.

2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to “take every thought captive” – thoughts described in Ephesians 6:16 as “flaming arrows of the evil one” specifically designed to distract us from hearing and obeying God’s Word. If we want to maintain a good and honest heart that bears lasting fruit, we must be intentional and focused whenever the Word is presented, acknowledging that it is God who is speaking and that He deserves our undivided attention.

“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

2. Stay in God’s Word until It Takes Root

I’ve been a serious student of God’s Word personally since my early twenties – almost forty years! Even before that, I was given a wonderful, strong foundation in Bible knowledge as my parents brought me up in a church where God’s Word was preached. Yet, there are still things I’m learning about God and truths from His Word that need continual review and repetition in my life.

If you wonder why you’re not seeing spiritual growth and fruit in your life as a believer, examine your commitment to continual study of God’s Word. In this parable, the listener responded to the words they heard, receiving them with joy. Yet just a short time later, we see they have returned to their old way of life, giving in to the temptations of the worldly lifestyle they claimed to have abandoned. The Word did not take root in their heart. It affected them on the surface for a time, but never became a true part of their inner being. Real spiritual growth takes time, and it will only happen as God’s Word grows deep roots in your heart, mind, and soul.

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:6-7).

3. Remove Anything in Your Life That Is Contrary to God’s Word

Jesus warns us of three specific hindrances to the Word of God bearing fruit in our lives: the worries of this life, the riches of this life, and the pleasures of this life. Worries are the cares and anxieties that steal our joy and trust in God. A fruitful life requires trusting in a sovereign God to provide for our needs, protect us from harm, and to always act in our best interests. Worry can stunt our growth.

The riches and pleasures of this life that Jesus speaks of can be summed up as “worldliness.” It’s not a sin to enjoy life; God created a beautiful world that gives us pleasure. He gives us talents, abilities, and athleticism that add meaning to our lives and the lives of others. And riches are not evil in themselves but can be used to grow God’s kingdom in many ways.

Like anything, however, we can take what God meant for His glory and use it to serve ourselves. When riches and pleasure become more important to us than growing in our knowledge and obedience of God’s Word, they will cause us to be unfruitful. We will never move from being an immature, weak follower to a mature believer who handles the Word of God effectively.

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

4. Live with a Humble Attitude, Acknowledging Your Continued Need of God’s Word

The words “good and honest” speak of humility. The growing believer realizes that his heart can be deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9). We never outgrow our need for the conviction and guidance of God’s Word.

Honest is translated from kalos, which can mean good, honorable, genuine, that which is well adapted to its circumstances or ends. Good is agathos, indicating good in character or constitution, beneficial in its effect. One commentator notes, kalos and agathos occur together in Luke 8:15, i.e. “the attitude of which is right towards God.”

The humble heart “holds fast” to the words of God. This phrase is the Greek word katechōi, meaning hold firmly, keep, to hold back from going away, to get, take possession of. And in humility, we are patient as God causes the spiritual growth – we bear fruit with perseverance.

Perseverance is also translated as patience, from the word hypomonē. It describes a steadfast waiting or enduring, literally “remaining or abiding under.” This word has been defined as “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.”

A fruitful, growing follower of Jesus listens with the intent to obey, giving God’s Word the focus and attention it deserves. He removes anything in conflict with the Word of God, and is committed to staying in God’s Word until it takes root in his heart and begins to bear fruit. He lives with a posture of humility – always learning, always listening, always asking God to show him where he needs to adjust his life to the plumb line of Scripture, and never assuming he’s “arrived” spiritually.

How is your heart?

Is it humble? Good? Honest? Or are there some weeds of worldliness or dangerous distractions that are keeping you from bearing the fruit of a true follower of Jesus?

God’s Word never returns void, but as His children, we have a responsibility to keep our hearts tender toward His work. That is the mark of a fruitful, growing Christian.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 4:6-7).

Photo credit: Unsplash/Markus Spiske

Author Sheila Alewine is a pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother of five. She and her husband lead Around The Corner Ministries, which serves to equip Christ-followers to share the gospel where they live, work and play. She has written seven devotionals including Just Pray: God’s Not Done With You Yet, Grace & Glory: 50 Days in the Purpose & Plan of God, and her newest one, Give Me A Faith Like That, as well as Going Around The Corner, a Bible study for small groups who desire to reach their communities for Christ. Their ministry also offers disciple-making resources like One-To-One Disciple-Making in partnership with Multiplication Ministries. Sheila has a passion for God’s Word and shares what God is teaching her on her blog, The Way of The Word. Connect with her on her blog, Facebook, and Instagram.