Christ’s Object Lessons
Preparation of the Soil
Throughout the parable of the sower, Christ represents the different results of the sowing as depending upon the soil. In every case the sower and the seed are the same. Thus He teaches that if the word of God fails of accomplishing 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 what we will become. The wayside, the stony-ground, the thorny-ground hearers need not remain such. The Spirit of God is ever seeking to break the spell of infatuation that holds men absorbed in worldly things, and to awaken a desire for the imperishable treasure. It is by resisting the Spirit that men become inattentive to or neglectful of God's word. They are themselves responsible for the hardness of heart that prevents the good seed from taking root, and for the evil growths that check its development.
COL 56.1
The garden of the heart must be cultivated. The soil must be broken up by deep repentance for sin. Poisonous, Satanic plants must be uprooted. The soil once overgrown by thorns can be reclaimed only by diligent labor. So the evil tendencies of the natural heart can be overcome only by earnest effort in the name and strength of Jesus. The Lord bids us by His prophet, “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.” “Sow to yourselves in righteousness; reap in mercy.” Jeremiah 4:3; Hosea 10:12. This work He desires to accomplish for us, and He asks us to co-operate with Him.
COL 56.2
The sowers of the seed have a work to do in preparing hearts to receive the gospel. In the ministry of the word there is too much sermonizing, and too little of real heart-to-heart work. There is need of personal labor for the souls of the lost. In Christlike sympathy we should come close to men individually, and seek to awaken their interest in the great things of eternal life. Their hearts may be as hard as the beaten highway, and apparently it may be a useless effort to present the Saviour to them; but while logic may fail to move, and argument be powerless to convince, the love of Christ, revealed in personal ministry, may soften the stony heart, so that the seed of truth can take root.
COL 57.1
So the sowers have something to do that the seed may not be choked with thorns or perish because of shallowness of soil. At the very outset of the Christian life every believer should be taught its foundation principles. He should be taught that he is not merely to be saved by Christ's sacrifice, but that he is to make the life of Christ his life and the character of Christ his character. Let all be taught that they are to bear burdens and to deny natural inclination. Let them learn the blessedness of working for Christ, following Him in self-denial, and enduring hardness as good soldiers. Let them learn to trust His love and to cast on Him their cares. Let them taste the joy of winning souls for Him. In their love and interest for the lost, they will lose sight of self. The pleasures of the world will lose their power to attract and its burdens to dishearten. The plowshare of truth will do its work. It will break up the fallow ground. It will not merely cut off the tops of the thorns, but will take them out by the roots.
COL 57.2
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COL
Christ’s Object Lessons
[{"para_id":"15.5","title":"Preface","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0002_eng_m_preface_15_9.mp3#duration=159&size=1416620"},{"para_id":"15.31","title":"Chapter 1\u2014Teaching in Parables","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0004_eng_m_chapter_1_teaching_in_parables_15_31.mp3#duration=1011&size=8229322"},{"para_id":"15.78","title":"Chapter 2\u2014\u201cThe Sower Went Forth to Sow\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0005_eng_m_chapter_2_the_sower_went_forth_to_sow_15_78.mp3#duration=3321&size=26714600"},{"para_id":"15.221","title":"Chapter 3\u2014\u201cFirst the Blade, Then the Ear\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0012_eng_m_chapter_3_first_the_blade_then_the_ear_15_221.mp3#duration=673&size=5530461"},{"para_id":"15.254","title":"Chapter 4\u2014Tares","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0013_eng_m_chapter_4_tares_15_254.mp3#duration=535&size=4420861"},{"para_id":"15.279","title":"Chapter 5\u2014\u201cLike a Grain of Mustard Seed\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0014_eng_m_chapter_5_like_a_grain_of_mustard_seed_15_279.mp3#duration=497&size=4121197"},{"para_id":"15.296","title":"Chapter 6\u2014Other Lessons from Seed-Sowing","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0015_eng_m_chapter_6_other_lessons_from_seed_sowing_15_296.mp3#duration=1100&size=17736941"},{"para_id":"15.356","title":"Chapter 7\u2014Like Unto Leaven","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0016_eng_m_chapter_7_like_unto_leaven_15_356.mp3#duration=798&size=6529126"},{"para_id":"15.393","title":"Chapter 8\u2014Hidden Treasure","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0017_eng_m_chapter_8_hidden_treasure_15_393.mp3#duration=1412&size=11440088"},{"para_id":"15.462","title":"Chapter 9\u2014The Pearl","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0023_eng_m_chapter_9_the_pearl_15_462.mp3#duration=725&size=5945908"},{"para_id":"15.487","title":"Chapter 10\u2014The Net","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0024_eng_m_chapter_10_the_net_15_487.mp3#duration=171&size=1509993"},{"para_id":"15.497","title":"Chapter 11\u2014Things New and Old","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0025_eng_m_chapter_11_things_new_and_old_15_497.mp3#duration=1268&size=10291825"},{"para_id":"15.555","title":"Chapter 12\u2014Asking to Give","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0026_eng_m_chapter_12_asking_to_give_15_555.mp3#duration=1444&size=11700456"},{"para_id":"15.617","title":"Chapter 13\u2014Two Worshipers","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0027_eng_m_chapter_13_two_worshipers_15_617.mp3#duration=1703&size=13768681"},{"para_id":"15.681","title":"Chapter 14\u2014\u201cShall Not God Avenge His Own?\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0028_eng_m_chapter_14_shall_not_god_avenge_his_own_15_681.mp3#duration=1989&size=16058701"},{"para_id":"15.766","title":"Chapter 15\u2014\u201cThis Man Receiveth Sinners\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0029_eng_m_chapter_15_this_man_receiveth_sinners_15_766.mp3#duration=1541&size=12470079"},{"para_id":"15.833","title":"Chapter 16\u2014\u201cLost, and Is Found\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0032_eng_m_chapter_16_lost_and_is_found_15_833.mp3#duration=1495&size=12106797"},{"para_id":"15.899","title":"Chapter 17\u2014\u201cSpare it this Year Also\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0033_eng_m_chapter_17_spare_it_this_year_also_15_899.mp3#duration=773&size=6327363"},{"para_id":"15.934","title":"Chapter 18\u2014\u201cGo Into the Highways and Hedges\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0034_eng_m_chapter_18_go_into_the_highways_and_hedges_15_934.mp3#duration=2164&size=17454024"},{"para_id":"15.1027","title":"Chapter 19\u2014The Measure of Forgiveness","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0035_eng_m_chapter_19_the_measure_of_forgiveness_15_1027.mp3#duration=990&size=8067490"},{"para_id":"15.1070","title":"Chapter 20\u2014Gain that is Loss","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0036_eng_m_chapter_20_gain_that_is_loss_15_1070.mp3#duration=771&size=6314475"},{"para_id":"15.1104","title":"Chapter 21\u2014\u201cA Great Gulf Fixed\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0037_eng_m_chapter_21_a_great_gulf_fixed_15_1104.mp3#duration=1447&size=11722408"},{"para_id":"15.1160","title":"Chapter 22\u2014Saying and Doing","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0040_eng_m_chapter_22_saying_and_doing_15_1160.mp3#duration=1403&size=11365188"},{"para_id":"15.1222","title":"Chapter 23\u2014The Lord's Vineyard","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0041_eng_m_chapter_23_the_lord_s_vineyard_15_1222.mp3#duration=2905&size=23389316"},{"para_id":"15.1349","title":"Chapter 24\u2014Without a Wedding Garment","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0044_eng_m_chapter_24_without_a_wedding_garment_15_1349.mp3#duration=1480&size=11982461"},{"para_id":"15.1417","title":"Chapter 25\u2014Talents","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0045_eng_m_chapter_25_talents_15_1417.mp3#duration=4934&size=39618941"},{"para_id":"15.1643","title":"Chapter 26\u2014\u201cFriends by the Mammon of Unrighteousness\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0060_eng_m_chapter_26_friends_by_the_mammon_of_unrighteousness_15_1643.mp3#duration=1036&size=8429662"},{"para_id":"15.1690","title":"Chapter 27\u2014\u201cWho is My Neighbour?\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0061_eng_m_chapter_27_who_is_my_neighbour_15_1690.mp3#duration=1488&size=12045429"},{"para_id":"15.1754","title":"Chapter 28\u2014The Reward of Grace","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0062_eng_m_chapter_28_the_reward_of_grace_15_1754.mp3#duration=1667&size=13480812"},{"para_id":"15.1833","title":"Chapter 29\u2014\u201cTo Meet the Bridegroom\u201d","mp3":"\/mp3\/15\/0063_eng_m_chapter_29_to_meet_the_bridegroom_15_1833.mp3#duration=1652&size=13358634"}]