Integrating the Gospel Into Your Life

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 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. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
(Matthew 13:18-23 NKJV)

The key to this parable is how one receives and acts on the “word of the kingdom”.

STAGE 1 – IMPROBABLE CHRISTIAN (“received by the wayside”) (13:18)

This person is not a Christian. The fact that the person did not understand it and did not receive it – because the understanding was taken away – proves that this person is not a Christian. Satan prevented this person from receiving the Gospel.

Satan spends time trying to prevent people from hearing, understanding, and receiving the Gospel. He often sends deceiving messages to make it hard for the message of the kingdom to be heard.

The next three stages are for Christians.

STAGE 2 – IMMATURE CHRISTIAN (“stony places”) – “receives with joy and stumbles” (13:20-21)

First, this person receives Jesus with joy. But soon, this person stumbles. The stumbles reveals the immaturity of the new Christian.

STAGE 3 – INDIFFERENT CHRISTIAN (“thorns”) – “hears and becomes unfruitful” (13:22)

There is a difference between an immature Christian and an indifferent Christian. The immature Christian cares, and then fails and then gets back up. The indifferent stopped caring once they have heard and accepted Jesus.For the indifferent Christian, Jesus has become their Savior, but not thier Lord.

Some say that you will be one of three types of Christians. If you are type 1 or 2, then you are a bad Christian. But God says that you still are a Christian, just not a fruitful one. So it s not an either/or, but an all/every. These symbols in the parable are stages, not types.

STAGE 4 – INTEGRATED CHRISTIAN (“good ground”) – “hears, understands, and bears fruits and produces…” (13:23)

Everyone goes through these stages – or at least this is the intention. The prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-10 is quoted in Matthew 13:14-17. The prophecy says that there are people who will go from closed to open hearts. It also says that people will go from hurting to healing hearts. Understanding, therefore, comes with the heart, not the head. As a result, one who hears and understands with the heart will go through each of these stages.

You become a Christian when you turn your heart to Jesus.
You become a mature Christian when you turn your heart to Jesus.
You become a different Christian when you turn your heart to Jesus.
You become an effective Christian when you turn your heart to Jesus.

You move through the stages with your heart, not your mind. You can think all you want, but God moves in His people through their hearts, not their heads. When you are open to hear and see what God has for you (13:16), then God can help you go through the stages.

Even in the final stage, you become more integrated and more effective. The final stage is a never-ending stage of life. As you become fruitful, you can learn to be more fruitful – or more effective in the work that God has called you to do. This is the meaning of the phrase “some 100, 60, 30…”. Some people who have just reached this stage in one area of their life has become integrated. The can produce 30. But as they become more integrated and more effective Christians, they learn to be more efficient with what God has given them. For example, a teacher learns to disciple one person. But then he learns what it means to disciple 10, then 30, then 60 people – each in a more effective manner. The fruit of his work multiplies as he turns his heart over to God in this area. God chooses to help you become more efficient and effective in the gifts that He gives you.