Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-08
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

The rocky soil represented the shallow
souls. They lacked depth. They may pc
enthusiastic and emotional, eager 10
promise, but when faced with the neces-
sity of self-denial, sacrifice and service
that interferes with their personal COM
fort and pleasure, the evidence of their
superficiality is soon apparent. Tney
reveal a selflshness and their interest In
things of the kingdom quickly withers
because they were not thoroughly rooted
and grounded in Christ Jesus. They are
spasmodic and superficial professors Oh
Christ.
The thorny soil represents people with
preoccupied hearts. They are not marc
hearted nor shallow, but they have not
completely surrendered their lives to
their Lord. They have a divided al
legiance, seeking to do the impossible,
serving Christ and the world. They are
attracted by the pleasures, profits and
prospects of the material age in which
they live, so that they hesitate to give
up anything Of this worlds goods or at
fractions so that they could enter whole
heartedly into the Masters service. The
facts are that they are so preoccupied
by the affairs of the moment that they
| have no time to consider the affairs OF
| the Master and work Of the Kingdom OF
God. They might have been vigorous
| and influential Christians, but they al
lowed the cares, riches and pleasures Of
| this world to crowd out their proper de-
votion to Christ and His Church.
| The good soil represents those whose
| hearts are reverent and hungry for a
| larger knowledge of the gospel. "They
see the immense superiority of goodness
| over worldlineSs; of spirituality over
sensuality; hole-heartedness over half
ileartedness, and gladly sacrifice what
ever there is in the world that interferes
with growth in grace to the heavenly
fruit which they see promised in the
dent, reliable loyal and are the de-
pendable folks in every good work.
The Fate Of the Seed.
The fate of the seed is determined
by the character of the soil, just as the
attitude of the nearer determines his
reception of the gospel. ut is worthy
of thought that in our Lords great ex-
position of this parable He Identifies
the nearer with the word, or the sol
with the seed" If any one hears the
gospel and is not saved by 1t the fault
is not in the message, but in the
hearers, because they have not appre-
eiated and accepted as they ought the
word that is able to make men wise
unto salvation. 1t is not the sower, for
Jesus Christ is the sower of the word
If Gods message miscarries it is due to
the way the individual hears the truth
of God.
The effective work of Satan keeps the
wayside nearer from taking in the seeds
of salvation. Although the prince of
the power of the air "taketh away the
word out Of their hearts lest they should
believe and be saved" he can only do
this when individuals voluntarily re-
fuse to hear with proper attention and
to open their hearts to the gospel of
salvation. The superficial nearer wants
to be carried to the skies on howery
beds of ease" or not at all, hence he is
not willing to endure any trials that
call for him to make any sacrifices,
self-denialS or attempt any service for
the Lord or His church. The preoccu-
pied nearer is unwilling to give up any
thing to serve Jesus Christ. He is will
ing to worship God and serve his own
idols at the same time. He fails because
he wants to enjoy the fruits of the
worlds fellowship and allow the spirit
| of the age to choke the development of
O. good Christian character. The seed
was the same that fell by" upon, y
among" and Unto" the ground. Only
the seed that fell into the ground
where there was no interference with
its development, brought forth hun
dredfold. The good seed, which is the
among men and each soul determines
by it's attitude toward Christ and His
gospel what the results Of the word will
be in his own life. The acceptance and
development of the truth depends upon
the life that receives and hears the
gospel. Let us take heed how we hear
Gods word.