In Matthew 13:3-9 Jesus is recorded as telling the following parable, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seeds fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
God’s Word sometimes falls on the ears of people whose heart is calloused by sin, on whom it makes no real impression. Like seed on a hard-packed road, it is consumed before it ever has a chance to develop. Such hardened people soon lose interest in Christ’s good news and continue in the ways of the world.
Over time those that reject the Gospel again and again will become hardened to the Truth. While this hardening may have started because of hurt or shame, there comes a point when sin becomes a way of life. These men and women boldly sin and condemn others living in Grace and truth as the ones that are lost. Some will declare the righteous person as backwards and missing out on the pleasures of this world. Because they have no solid foundation their hearts become solid. They live a life as a path that carts, travelers, and more pack down the dirt again and again. Seed struggles to find a place to get below the surface. While many of these men and women declare that they do not believe in God or at least do not believe in a god that would hold them responsible for their choices, they often stumble in worship of idols.
We were created to worship the King of Kings. That is deeply wired into our system. German philosopher and atheist, Fredrick Niechzte once told the story of a wise man who led his donkey up into the mountains. At a stop he told the people that God was dead. The people celebrated freedom and rejoiced that they could now live life on their own terms. Pride swelled as the people suddenly felt very powerful. But the next day the wise man was surprised to see the people began to worship the donkey that had brought the wise man. There is no way to live a life without worship.
Maybe your god is sports, academics, arts, science, or politics. Where do you spend your passions and energy? That likely is where your god is. Once you choose any god you are in the category of willful sin. Your sin is becoming harder. You will not accept any data or ideas that do not comply with the words of your gods. While these are powerful gods, know this when you give yourself to these lesser gods, there are always at least two. For example, let’s say you worship politics. You wake each day ready to rumble with the other side and it gives your life purpose and joy. That is God 1. But behind the scenes you will discover God 2. This god is yourself. You fear being wrong and will deny all facts in fear of looking foolish and incorrect. You live life with a plank in your eye calling out the specks in your adversary. You become your own god and this god is very demanding and controlling and requires lies, deception and pride to survive. The longer you worship this god the more in bondage you become.
