In the parable of the sower, Jesus speaks of the various types of soil into which the gospel seed falls. By the wayside, in stony places, among thorns, and in good ground. To those who hear the Word and receive it, the most precarious soil appears to be that where thorns once grew. The wayside seed is inevitably wasted; it could never take root, for the soil of the heart has not been prepared. The stony ground has no depth, and thus the gospel seed can barely enter, and is soon burnt off by the sun. But that which fell among thorns appears to fall into good soil. It takes root, grows strongly and brings forth fruit. But by and by the soil is neglected, the thorns are permitted to grow and choke the growth of the true plant, “and it becometh unfruitful”.
It is to be noticed that the plant does not die. Unlike the wayside seed that is carried off by the birds of the air, and the stony ground plant that is scorched by the sun and -withered away”, this continues to grow, “but it becomes unfruitful”. “He that hath ears to hear” said Jesus in this parable, “let him hear”. In simple words, -Take heed!” Those in whose heart the gospel seed has been planted, has taken root, has brought forth fruit—take heed of these words of Jesus spoken through Mark (4. 19): “And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the Word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
“Where thorns once grew”, can be said of any soil, and the human heart from which has been removed the thorns of worldly things must be continually cultivated to prevent their regrowth. Not one of us can boast that we are too far removed from this danger. The cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things are, as it were, just below the surface. And, if the nurture of the true seed is neglected, they will soon grow and take over the affections of the heart, and our life in the service of Christ will become unfruitful. We are all fully aware that the roots of old habits and practices that were once cut down to make way for the growth of our new life in Christ are still there, and they will sprout again, unless the “inward man is renewed day by clay.” Even as the roots of the natural plant strike down deep into the soil and, hidden from sight, nourish the life of the plant, so it must be with the true believer. It is only by that invisible union with Christ, through daily prayer, meditation and faith, that the spiritual life is nourished.
Thorns will grow in any soil. They need no encouragement, no watering, no cultivation; and no mere theory of truth or profession of discipleship will keep them in check. We may profess to believe the gospel, but unless we are sanctified by the gospel the thorns that were once cut down will grow apace, until in the end our whole life will be overspread with them.
Christ specified the thorns that are particularly dangerous to the growing spiritual plant: “the cares of this world . . . the deceitfulness of riches . . . and the lusts of other things.” These do not necessarily kill the plant, but they cause it to become unfruitful.
“The cares of this world” we cannot escape, for they are ever with us, but they must not dominate our lives. “Take heed to yourselves”, said Jesus, “lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and the cares of this life.” We can permit our whole energy to be absorbed in the cares of home, of family, ambition, business, etc., to the complete exclusion and neglect of the things of the spirit. Thus we can separate ourselves from God and become unfruitful. We are enjoined in the Scriptures to be “not slothful in business”. We are to labour that we may impart to him who needs. We are to work and to provide for our families; we are to accept domestic and business responsibilities. But we can become so absorbed in such things that we have no time for prayer, no time for the reading of God’s word, no time to be actively engaged in the service of Christ. The things eternal are thus made subordinate, the things of the world supreme.
“The deceitfulness of riches” is a thorn that has pierced many a heart. It develops insidiously: it almost creeps in unawares. Many who might otherwise be fruitful in God’s service have been overcome by its deceptive power. Too often they forget that worldly treasure is a God-given blessing to be used in His service. Instead of regarding wealth as a talent to be employed for the glory of God and the benefit of those in need, the whole life becomes dominated by the desire for more. Thus the true life of the spirit is overwhelmed and it becomes unfruitful. “For they that will be rich”, said the beloved Apostle, “fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
“And the lust of other things”: these are not necessarily things sinful in themselves, but something that is made first instead of the Kingdom of God. Whatever detracts the mind from God, whatever draws the affections away from Christ is a thorn which in the end will choke the Word that has been sown in the heart. All habits of indulgence that weaken the physical powers, that becloud the mind, or that benumb the spiritual perceptions are “fleshly lusts which war against the soul”. Throughout the parable of the sower Christ represents the different results of the sowing as dependent upon the soil. In every case the sower and the seed are the same. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of God and the seed is the Word. Thus he teaches that if the Word of God fails to accomplish its work in our hearts and lives, the reason is to be found in ourselves.
But the result is not beyond our control. True, we cannot change ourselves, but the power of choice is ours, and it rests with us to determine the things we do and the things we do not. Perhaps in our lives, unwittingly, we have permitted thorns to spring up which are depriving our true life in Christ of nourishment and productivity, but it need not remain so.
Soil overgrown with thorns can be reclaimed, but only by diligent labour; so also the spiritual life that has ceased to bear fruit in the service of Christ through the growth of uncontrolled natural tendencies. It is only by earnest effort in the strength that comes from above that the natural and cultivated habits of the old man can be restrained.
“The words that I speak unto you,- said Jesus, “they are spirit and they are life.” Every seed has in itself a germinating agent. In it the life of the plant is enfolded, and provided it is daily watered and nourished it will bring forth fruit after its kind. “If any man love me”, said Jesus, “he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him”.
The effects of this living connection with the source of all strength will be the strong growth of the physical plant—the victory over sin. Through daily contact with the life-giving Word our whole being will be brought into captivity to Jesus. He will be in us and His character will be reproduced in our nature. . . . Thus and thus only will we bring forth fruit to the glory of His Name—some thirty, some sixty and some hundred fold.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One