This summer at Wellspring, we’ve launched a new teaching series called Stories by the Sea, where we’re exploring Jesus’ parables—stories he told on the shores of Galilee that were simple on the surface but packed with eternal significance. In the first message of the series, Pastor Matt Ayars unpacked the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–23), and challenged us to ask an uncomfortable but necessary question: What kind of soil is my heart?
Jesus told the parable from a boat, speaking to a crowd gathered on the shore. That detail matters. Water in Scripture is often symbolic—it speaks of life and death, chaos and new creation. Jesus, seated above the waters, speaks with authority as the Master of the sea, calling us to cross from death to life through the waters of baptism. To hear and receive his word, we must die to ourselves.
But not everyone receives the word the same way. Jesus describes four types of soil that represent the condition of our hearts when the word of God is sown.
1. Hard Soil – The Resistant Heart
This soil represents a heart that is closed off to God. The word of God can be read, heard, even respected—but it doesn’t penetrate. Nothing grows. Pastor Matt reminded us that one of the greatest dangers of a hard heart is that it’s often unaware of its own condition. People with hard hearts are rarely convicted, slow to repent, and quick to blame others. Often, hardness of heart stems from trauma, pride, or defensiveness.
Ask yourself: When was the last time God’s word convicted me? When was the last time I changed?
2. Shallow Soil – The Unrooted Heart
The seed on shallow soil springs up quickly but withers just as fast. This is the emotionally driven faith—full of excitement, but lacking depth. It thrives in moments of inspiration but struggles when life gets hard. Pastor Matt observed that many believers have been exposed to spiritual experiences, but not true discipleship. As a result, their faith depends on feelings, not deep conviction or perseverance.
Ask yourself: Am I growing in spiritual maturity? Is my faith steady even when I don’t “feel” it?
3. Thorny Soil – The Distracted Heart
This is perhaps the most common condition in the modern church. The word begins to take root, but the cares of life, the pursuit of comfort, entertainment, success, and busyness choke out spiritual growth. It’s not that God is rejected—it’s that he’s crowded out.
Pastor Matt didn’t hold back: “We are the most comfortable generation in history—and one of the most miserable.” Our lives are saturated with distraction, and our anxiety is evidence that the thorns are real.
Ask yourself: What’s choking out the voice of God in my life? What needs to be cut away to make room for fruit?
4. Good Soil – The Receptive Heart
Good soil is soft, deep, and free of thorns. It receives the word, retains it, and produces fruit. But this kind of soil doesn’t happen by accident. It’s cultivated through humility, repentance, consistent spiritual practices, and deep desire for God. It’s a radical heart—a heart that’s passed through the waters of baptism, died to self, and been raised with Christ.
The parable of the sower is not about the seed—it’s the same seed in all four cases. It’s about the soil. Transformation happens not because of more information, but because we allow the truth of God’s word to take root in us, change us, and bear fruit.
Final Reflection:
Jesus ends the parable by saying, “He who has ears, let him hear.” That’s a call not just to listen, but to respond. The difference between knowing and growing is obedience. And the condition of your soil determines whether the word will bear fruit—or get choked out before it ever has the chance.
This week, take some time to ask yourself honestly:
Which soil best represents my heart right now?
Where do I need to soften, deepen, or declutter my spiritual life?
Am I being transformed, or am I just informed?
Let’s be the kind of soil where the Word of God takes deep root and transforms everything.
Next Week: We’ll continue our Stories by the Sea series with another parable that Jesus taught by the water. Until then, may your heart be open, your soil be rich, and your life bear fruit that lasts.
