Jesus compares the kingdom of God to the sowing of seeds (Matthews 13). This is not merely and simile, but Jesus is explaining to the disciples the logic of the kingdom discipleship. They are sent out into the world to proclaim the message of the kingdom of God (Matthews 10:5ff) and they (we) need to know what our going to advance the kingdom will look like (Matthew 28:19-20). It is not what we might think.
God is in control, and, at the same time, there is a presence in the world that will seek to undermine every advancement of the kingdom. God is sovereign and in control; God's purposes will stand, and He will accomplish the whole of His will to perfection. Yet, the logic of the advancement of the kingdom in and through man will also include counter resistances of darkness. This includes, but is not limited to, the calculated temptations by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11), powerful deceptions (Matthew 10:16; 24:24), incessant and intense assaults of darkness (Matthew 11:12), betrayal (26:14-16), abandonment (26:30-46, 69-75) and a cross-life that looks like failure (27:24ff).
Matthew teaches us these things because this is what advancing the kingdom will bring. Yet, there is another aspect that is more complicating than those above. Matthew teaches us that the resistance to the kingdom of God will also come from within the heart of those called to advance it. Where Peter would say a most glorious, kingdom minded statement- "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), in a very brief time he would seek to rebuke the Lord's kingdom advancing work of the cross and our Lord would reply "Get behind me Satan! You are a hinderance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man" (Matthew 16:22-23).
Before we explore the nature of each of the four hearts mentioned I want to make this statement.
While these are four separate hearts, I believe that these also refer to four different seasons of the same heart. I think this is important to highlight because what we see in the gospels is the variety of ways the disciples responded to Jesus - doubt, fear, arrogance, denial, etc. This means that, within the heart of every believer exists the possibility to display the same reactions as the disciples. The kingdom of God will be advanced only through men and women in whose hearts it is advancing!
A principle that I want to promote is this: "The nature of any heart is always and truly exposed when the Word of the kingdom lands on it." It is the case with each heart in this parable.
We only know the nature of the heart by its response to the Word sown upon it. The Pharisees were the model of the kingdom, until the Word of the kingdom hit their hearts. Peter sounded off sound theology and yet, when Jesus landed the Word of the kingdom on his heart, Peter's response was radically different. Who we truly are and where we truly stand with the Lord is evidenced in our response to the Word of God. This is an aspect of what Jesus is teaching us in this parable. No one could see the hearts before the Word, but everyone saw the heart after the Word!
The advancement of the Word of the Kingdom takes place only by those in whom the Word is advancing. Wordless Christians are unstable and inconsistent because their hearts are not exposed to the Word and, therefore, the determination of the nature of their heart for Jesus is their own! They believe themselves to be growing in the Lord, but their lives reflect differently. The truth of who I truly am is only evidenced in my response to the Word sown. While I will elaborate, later, on the descriptions I will list, it is helpful to see how each heart can be a description of a professing disciple's heart.
The heart along the path is the indifferent life. You hear the Word but do not view it as authoritative; it is simply good advice.
The heart on the rocks is the emotion-driven life. You hear the Word and get excited, but when that wears down, you go back to life as usual.
The heart in the thorns is the comfort-focused life. You hear the Word and view it is a means to a good life until it requires sacrifice. At that point, you reject it.
The heart in good soil is the readied life. You hear the Word, and, through circumstances and previous obedience, your heart receives whatever the Word commands because you know it is the pathway for kingdom growth in you and through you.
Jesus is teaching the disciples, among other things, what the scripture has said elsewhere: "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23). So, if you want to know if the kingdom of God is advancing in the World ask yourself this question: Is the kingdom advancing in me?
A pure heart able to receive the Word.