God speaks to us through his Son, and reveals to us the mysteries of heaven and earth. Particularly, when the Jewish delegation came from Jerusalem to watch him, Christ did not explain the principles of his kingdom clearly, but he used parables that one might think and conclude the hidden meaning through contemplation. In such thinking, the preparedness for the truth grows and develops. In this manner, Christ kept himself and his followers away from the religious leaders and police officers that they might not arrest him on the charge of misleading or attacking the religion. Christ preached the whole truth but prudently and cleverly according to his statement: “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
In the parable of the sower, Jesus manifests himself to us, and makes us partners in his experiences with respect to the acceptance of the word of God by the hearers. This is the principle in preaching: Not all the people hear and respond in the same way. There are four kinds of impression with the word of God in different hearts.
Did you ever see a paved way? No one sows on it, for it is fruitless. But God offers the chance of salvation even to the hardhearted. However, all those who expose themselves, at all times, to the effect of amusements, religious fanaticism, or factional propaganda become hardened. They neither hear nor listen, because their thoughts are busy, and their hearts are filled with empty principles and laws. As time passes, they cannot think but according to their deadly doctrinal molds. The word “way” has many synonyms in the religious field, which may lead you to more meanings.
He who is superficial is enthusiastic and frivolous. He quickly answers Christ’s calling, and with the same velocity he also falls away, for emotional faith is not sufficient at the times of hardship which require deep penetration, and power for patience and mercy through heart brokenness in the innermost being.
He who suffers poverty and worries drinks the word of God eagerly, as a final comfort for his earthly troubles. But if he does not deny himself, refuse his love of money, and give himself up completely to God, he will hate God and blaspheme against him as his troubles become greater, after all his problems. If he does not continue in the love of the Father bearing his divine life in himself, he will forget the word of God for being completely busy with himself. But the brokenhearted repentant who hastens to God, not proudly but ashamedly because of his sins, not longing for any human help or esteem, but seeking true forgiveness and victory over his corrupt character, becomes filled with the Holy Spirit. He bears all the fruit of this Spirit, which come from hearing the word of God. In the repentant, the Lord finds the good soil for his powerful word.