Matthew 13 Bible Study - The Parable of the Soils - which soil type are you?

This is a study that Dave Bigler gave at Adirondack Christian Fellowship. For more on ACF visit https://acfsaratoga.org

In Matthew 13, the Parable of the Sower (or the Soils) is used to illustrate how the gospel is received by different people based on the condition of their hearts. The "seed" represents the word of God or the message of the kingdom. The "sower" is ultimately the Holy Spirit, though God often uses people to spread the word. This teaching breaks down four specific soil types: the hard path where the word is snatched away by the enemy, the rocky ground where faith lacks depth and withers under trial, the thorny soil where worldly worries and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out spiritual growth, and the good soil where the word is understood and produces an abundant crop.

In this teaching Dave Bigler emphasizes that believers may find themselves transitioning between these soil types depending on their season of life. A central theme is the importance of maintaining "good soil" by trusting God as the ultimate gardener rather than relying on one's own efforts. This involves resisting the "weeds" of busyness and material security, which can lead to a lack of spiritual maturity. The lesson concludes with an encouragement to enter into God’s rest and allow the Holy Spirit to transform the heart from the inside out, ensuring that the word remains fruitful rather than being choked out by life's distractions.