“And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung
up, and choked them”–Matthew 13:7.
“He also that received seed among the thorns is he
that heareth the word; and the care of this world,
and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word,
and he becometh unfruitful–Matthew 13:22.
Then that which comes of his sowing is unfruitful, the
sower’s work is wasted: he has spent his strength for
nothing. Without fruit the sower’s work would even seem
to be insane, for he takes good wheat, throws it away,
and loses it in the ground. Preaching is the most idle
of occupations if the Word is not adapted to enter the
heart, and produce good results. O my hearers, if you
are not converted, I waste time and energy in standing
here! People might well think it madness that one whole
day in the week should be given up to hearing speeches-
madness, indeed, it would be if nothing came of it to
conscience and heart. If you do not bring forth fruit
to holiness, and the end is not everlasting life, I
would be better employed in breaking stones on the road-
side than in preaching to you.
Fruit-bearing made the difference appear in the various
soils upon which the sower scattered seed. You would
not so certainly have known the quality if you had not
seen the failure or success of the seed. We do not know
your hearts until we see your bearing toward the
Gospel. If it produces in you holiness and love to God
and humanity, then we know that there is good soil in
you; but if you are merely promising people, but not
performing people, then we know that the ground of your
heart is hard, or stony, or thorny. The Word of the
Lord tries the hearts of the children of men, and in
this it is as the fire which distinguishes between
metal and dross. 0 my dear hearers, you undergo a test
today! Peradventure you will be judging the preacher,
but a greater than the preacher will be judging you,
for the Word itself shall judge you. You sit here as a
jury upon yourselves; your own condition will be
brought clearly out by the way in which you receive or
refuse the Gospel of God. If you bring forth fruit to
the praise of God’s grace, well; but if not, however
you may seem to hear with attention and may retain what
you hear in your memories, if no saving effect is
produced upon your souls we shall know that the soil of
your heart has not been prepared of the Lord and
remains in its native barrenness.
What fruit have you born hitherto from all your
hearing? May I venture to put the question to each one
of you very pointedly’? Some of you have been hearers
from your childhood–are you any the better? What long
lists of sermons you must have heard by now! Count over
your Sundays; how many they have been! Think of the
good men now in heaven to whom you once listened!
Remember the tears that were drawn from you by their
discourses! If you are not saved yet, will you ever be
saved? If you are not holy yet, will you ever be holy?
Why has the Lord spent so much on one who makes no
return? To what purpose is this waste? Surely you will
have much to answer for in that great day when the
servants of God shall give in their accounts, and you
shall have no joy when they come to mention you. How
will you excuse yourselves before God for having
occasioned Him so much disappointment?
At this time I will only deal with one class of you. I
will not speak to those of you who hear the Word, and
retain none of it because of the hardness of your
hearts; such are the wayside hearers. Neither will I
address myself to those who receive the truth with
sudden enthusiasm, and as readily quit it when trial
befalls them; such are the rocky-ground hearers. But I
will deal with those of you who hear the Word
attentively, and, in a sense, receive it into your
hearts and understandings so that the seed grows in
you, though its fruit never comes to perfection. You
are religious persons, and to all appearance you are
under the influence of godliness. You exhibit plenty of
leaf, but there is no corn in the ear, no substance in
your Christianity. I cannot speak with any degree of
physical vigor to you by reason of the infirmity under
which I struggle, but what I do say to you is steeped
in earnest desire that the Lord may bless it to you. An
eloquent congregation will make any preacher eloquent:
help me then this morning. If you will give me your
ear, you will make up for my deficiency of tongue:
especially if you give to God your hearts, He will
bless His truth, however feebly I may utter it.
First, I desire to talk to you a little about the seed
which you have received; secondly about the thorns;
thirdly about the result.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
