Jesus sets out for us realistic expectations for his Word and the response it will receive. The four types of soil illustrate a very mixed response: three-quarters will be disappointing, but the good soil will produce a wonderful crop. We need to examine our own hearts as listeners—and we need to take encouragement as we sow the seed of God’s Word. The results will be mixed, but a great harvest will come.
I recently asked a room full of Christian leaders to share the Gospel as they would to a 10 year old child 3 minutes before they fell asleep. Then I asked them to share the Gospel as they would to a complete stranger on the subway who was getting off at the next stop. The results were a little disappointing to everyone involved. Most of us prefer to warm up to such things. Most of us would rather share the Gospel gradually, in snips and bits, over an extended period, within a safe and stable relational context. In general, I...
