Mark 4.20 observes, the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.

What separates the good soil from the three other soils? All of the ground received the word. All of the ground welcomed the seed onto it’s presence. The purpose of the ground is to receive seed, but for what?

The first soil didn’t have much time with the seed, it was to hard so the seed was taken by birds who found it available since the ground didn’t open for it to do its work. The second soil is shallow, the seed couldn’t take root, so that soil had nothing to show for the seed planted. The third soil is polluted, nothing came of the seed planted because it was choked by other things.

What makes the fourth soil unique and thus good? Results! Reproduction or fruitfulness, a harvest! God expects the word planted within His people to result in more people coming to faith in Him. When Jesus choose the twelve He told them His purpose for choosing them: to make them fishers of men. Those who claim to be Christians prove their nature through reproducing the life of Christ in others.

The mission, the Great Commission, is for all Christians to go, lead people to faith, and help them obey Jesus even as we daily seek to obey Jesus. Within the good soil a different yield is experienced but all good soil produces eternal fruit.

If we have no fruit in our lives, if we can point to no one who is part of the Church because of our efforts, can we really claim to be good soil? If we are not good soil are we really Christian?