"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away."
Jesus explained this part of the parable as referring to a certain class of hearers. He said: "He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for awhile: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended." This class of hearers is again represented by the parable of the foolish builder. Jesus says, "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
The seed sown upon stony ground finds little depth of soil in which to take root. The plants spring up quickly, but the tender roots cannot penetrate into the rock and find nutriment to sustain the growing plant, and it soon perishes. A large number who make a profession of religion may be represented by the stony-ground hearers. They are a class that are easily convinced; but they have only a superficial religion. As far as outward appearances are concerned, they are bright converts; but they are like the man who started to build without counting the cost of his enterprise, and they are not able to finish. There are those who receive the precious truth with joy; they are exceedingly zealous, and express amazement that all cannot see the things that are so plain to them. They urge others to embrace the doctrine that they find so satisfying. They hastily condemn the hesitating, and those who carefully weigh the evidences of the truth, and consider it in all its bearings. They call such ones cold and unbelieving. But in the time of trial, these enthusiastic persons too often falter and fail. They did not accept the cross as a part of their religious life, and they turn from it with dampened ardor, and refuse to take it up. They do not make the Lord Jesus their strength from the beginning to the end, and do not know what it means to fall upon the Rock and be broken. If they did but realize their great need, the Lord could be their strength, and would put his seal upon them. But they did not die to self that they might be born again, and their life was not hid with Christ in God. They did not become laborers together with God, bearing the cross, lifting the burden, that they might understand how great were the blessings of the service of Christ, in contrast to the poor pleasures of the world. If they had done this, like Paul, they would have been a partaker with Christ in his sufferings, and would have been able to exclaim, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
As the roots of a plant strike down into the soil, gathering moisture and nutriment from the ground, so the Christian must abide in Christ, drawing sap and nourishment from him, as does the branch from the vine, until he cannot be turned away from the Source of his strength by trials.
He who knows Christ, is willing to deny self, to suffer the loss of all things, if he may but have the privilege of laboring with Christ, for he lays hold of eternal realities by living faith, and develops a symmetrical character. But those who have but a superficial religion make it manifest that they have no vital connection with Christ; they are stony-ground hearers.
The Lord designs that every soul shall be tried, in order that it may be apparent who have a living connection with him. To every believer the testing time will come; and when it comes to the soul, how the angels of heaven watch to see what shall be the result of the trial. They know that failure to hold onto God means ruin, and tenacious faith means victory and life. For a time many who have only a superficial faith, appear to be charmed with the truth; but when the word of God points out some cherished sin, and rebukes some chosen course of action, or requires self-denial and self-sacrifice, they are offended. As the truth is brought home to the conscience, they see that some idol of their hearts must be sacrificed, renounced, if they become the followers of the Lord in deed and in truth, and they cling to the idol, and put aside the warnings of the Spirit of God. They look at the present inconvenience and trial, and forgot the eternal realities, and begin to measure themselves among themselves, and conclude that they are as good as those who make a profession of religion, and so reject the requirements of the gospel.
The stony-ground hearer says, "It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?" This is the way in which many reason, but they are under a deception when they entertain the idea that the religion of Jesus requires them to walk in mourning and sadness and weeping. I have not thus learned Christ. Jesus says, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you [what is the result?], and that your joy might be full." Those who see in the religion of Jesus only sadness and gloom and discipline, and go mourning their way to mount Zion, have not the genuine article; they do not know what pure and undefiled religion is.
Stony-ground hearers may rejoice for a season, for they think that religion is something that will free them from test and from all difficulty. They have not counted the cost. They do not understand the controversy that is going on between Christ and Satan over the souls of men. They do not realize that if they would stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, they must be willing to be partakers of his conflicts, and wage a determined war against the powers of darkness.
When thinking on the conflict, Paul writes to his Ephesian brethren, exhorting them to "be strong," not feeble, not wavering, tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. But in what are they to be strong? In their own might?--No. "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." He says, "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." What is the "all" that they are to do? Is it the many good works, upon which they may rely, and flatter themselves that they are good Christians?--No, the class that Jesus represents as stony-ground hearers trusted in their good works, in their good impulses, and were strong in themselves, in their own righteousness. They were not "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." They did not feel that eternal vigilance was the price of safety. They might have put on the whole armor of God, and have been able to stand against the wiles of the enemy. The rich and abundant promises of God were spoken for their benefit, and believing the word of God, they might have been clothed with a "Thus saith the Lord," and been able to meet every wily device of the adversary; for when the enemy should come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord would have lifted up a standard against him.
Instead of trusting to good works, the soul who would be saved must trust in the righteousness of Christ; for only in Christ can he work the works of God. Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Christ is the sinner's only hope. There is no comfort for the soul in looking at the good works he has done; for they are all mixed with pride and sin, and by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. In the righteousness of Christ the sinner may find refuge; for the repenting soul may lay hold of the merits of Christ, and find a remedy for sin, a healing for the wounds of the soul.
Those who would understand the way of salvation should study the word of God. In the Bible they will find the most precious instruction, and the richest promises whereby they may become partakers of the divine nature. In time of need the Comforter will bring the admonitions and promises of God to your remembrance, and so the mind may be clothed with the "whole armor of God," and having done all, the soul may stand. In time of trial you may stand, not moved away from your position of faith, not deprived of hope and courage in God, but you may be like valiant soldiers, able to endure hardness for the Captain of your salvation. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit," and then what?--"And watching thereunto, with all perseverance." Those who would not be numbered with stony-ground hearers, must heed the instruction given them in the word of God. They must watch on the right hand and on the left, praying, and not giving up when they are tempted to think that their prayers are not answered.
The beginning of yielding to temptation is in the sin of permitting the mind to waver, to be inconsistent in your trust in God. The wicked one is ever watching for a chance to misrepresent God, and to attract the mind to that which is forbidden. If he can, he will fasten the mind upon the things of the world. He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good; but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm subjection to reason and conscience. Then Satan loses his power to control the mind. The work to which Christ calls us is to the work of progressive conquest over spiritual evil in our characters. Natural tendencies are to be overcome; for the natural disposition is to be transformed by the grace of Christ. Appetite and passion must be conquered, and the will must be placed wholly on the side of Christ. This will not be a painful process, if the heart is opened to receive the impression of the Spirit of God. "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Sinners may understand the gospel in theory, they may be stirred under the preaching of the word, and be disposed to do much for the cause of God, and may appear to be Christians, but they may do all this and yet be strangers to Christ, because they have not opened the door of the heart for his entrance there. Their hearts are not placed upon spiritual things; they do not mind the things of the Spirit. Many, many who profess to be Christians, choose the things that please themselves, instead of the things that please Christ. They prefer the things of time and sense to the invisible, the carnal to the spiritual, the temporal to the eternal, and they walk in the sparks of their own kindling. They are in a state of false security, and unless they repent and come to Christ, they shall lie down in sorrow.
Let the parable of the sower be carefully studied by all who make a profession of religion, that you may ascertain whether you are a stony-ground hearer. Let us put the questions to our souls, "Are we carnally minded? Do we mind the things of the flesh, or the things of the Spirit?" Stony-ground hearers endure only for a time; for when persecution ariseth because of the word, they are offended. I warn you that profess to be Christians, not to allow any worldly motive to influence you while considering the question of your eternal welfare. Be true to your allegiance to Christ; for it is in half-heartedness in the Christian life that you become feeble in purpose, changeable in desire, and find no rest for your soul. This seeking to serve Christ and the world makes you a stony-ground hearer, and you will not endure when the test comes upon you. The religion of Christ permits no compromise, no yielding to the influences of the world. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."
There is a disposition among those who are half-hearted followers of Christ to make much of the ignorance of those who believe the truth for this time. They are continually pleading for the development of a more pleasing kind of religion than we see in our churches. But if they mean that they desire the followers of Christ to meet the world's standard, to try to be attractive to the world from their point of view, we say, No, no. It should be our aim ever to be more and more familiar with the character of Jesus, that we may follow in his footsteps, and not shape our course of action so that we shall commend ourselves to the devotees of fashion. The religion that is fashionable, that is popular in the world, is not the religion of the meek and lowly Jesus.
Many of those who feel that they have much polish because of their education or advantages in society, do not make it manifest in a way that would commend it to the true Christian. Too often they manifest an unchristlike spirit toward those whom they do not regard as their equals. They are proud, prejudiced, cold, and full of Pharisaical spirit that has not the slightest resemblance to the love of Christ. They show an interest in those of "our set," but others have no part in their interest and affection. They have a theory of what the standard should be, but it is false, and leads away from the simplicity of the gospel, from the meekness and lowliness of Christ. If the persons with whom they are brought in contact meet their standard, they will be courteous to them; but if they do not, they treat them with indifference or contempt. In their narrowness they chill and kill the life of true godliness from the soul. They are self-righteous, self-centered, too tenacious of their own ideas to learn anything from others.
The religion of Christ is not after this bigoted order. The Prince of glory left his exalted throne that he might become the friend of sinners. He died for the salvation of the world, and if we would be his followers, we must labor for the same end as did the Master. Whoever will be a worker with Christ in the broad field to which he has called his followers, must learn of him how to present the truth in an attractive light, and in a manner that will meet the people where they are. The believers in Christ will manifest the characteristics of Christ, and by their fruits they are known to be the children of God.
The work we have to do calls for consecrated energy. It demands the whole heart, the faculties of the mind, and the physical powers. The truth of God must be presented with soul fervor. Not much can be accomplished without it. Let enthusiasm be kindled in the church, and let her God-given powers be roused to activity. But a small proportion of her intellect or wealth is enlisted in active effort for the glory of God. There is enough to do in places where the truth has not been preached. As you look at the cross of Calvary, work, O, work with burning enthusiasm. This enthusiasm means the fullness of divine inspiration, a consecration of the whole soul to the work. Beholding the life of Jesus, his self-denial and sacrifice, his matchless love, man becomes transfigured, uplifted, filled with the fullness of God. To be an enthusiast in Christ's work is to be a partaker of the divine nature. The Holy Spirit has taken possession of the soul; the Sun of righteousness has shone into the chambers of the mind and heart, and all-absorbing truths have sanctified the mind. Let none fear this, but pray for it most earnestly, and live for it perseveringly. It will make you strong as workers together with God. With such laborers, the church will arise and shine, for her light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon her. I call upon you, my brethren, to practice self-denial, to lift the cross, and plant the standard of truth in places far and near.