Having no Root Within Yourself: Lessons From the Stony Ground

The parable of the seeds and sower is one of the more famous stories told by Jesus. The parable speaks of seed being scattered on various types of ground with differing results.

Jesus explains the seed  as being the word, and the ground as being people’s hearts; and throughout His description there is one type of ground that needs some special attention: the stony ground.

The stony ground is interesting, because Jesus describes it as first receiving the word with joy, but then it falls apart because it has no root. It’s this idea of not having a root that deserves closer study, and it is something that can prevent the word from growing in our lives.

Let’s examine the stony ground together, and see what we can do about it, as well.

The Stony Ground; A Shallow Place

As we read Jesus’ description of the different types of ground in Matthew 13:20-21, it is a fascinating bit of text. Let’s begin by reading the scriptures in question:

“ ²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it

²¹Yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution rises because of the word, by and by he is offended.”

Now, these verses of scripture are quite fascinating. In verse twenty, we see that the stony ground is likened to someone who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. That sounds like a good start! However, as we can see in the next verse, because this person has no root inside, they endure for a little while.

The point about enduring for a little while is significant because for a brief amount of time, the stony ground will appear to be fine. It won’t be immediately apparent that there is anything wrong with the stony ground at all. Yet, in times of pressure or persecution, the stony ground becomes offended.

The wording of these details is quite specific, giving us some extra detail.

Persecution Because of the Word

One of the things which is often overlooked involves the nature of the tribulation and persecution mentioned in verse twenty-one. The typical Christian teaching is that the stony ground fails to endure persecution from the world, and therefore doesn’t succeed.

Yet as we examine the verse closely, we can see that the common Christian idea is not what the verse is saying. Persecution from the world is not mentioned at all in relation to the stony ground; rather, it is persecution because of the word.

Notice that the verse doesn’t say that this stony ground person suffers worldly persecution and then crumbles due to pressure. Instead it says that tribulation and persecution rise because of the word, and the stony ground is offended. Now that’s intriguing!

While most Christians only consider the world, to be the single source by which persecution comes, there is another source of persecution which we sometimes fail to consider.

The Gospel message is antithetical to human nature; it speaks of unearned and unmerited salvation being freely given, whereas our natural tendency is to work, earn, and strive for what we want. It’s natural to want to reach for God, and earn our redemption and a place at His table. However grace can be downright offensive to our human pride— and this is the persecution because of the word, which causes offense… not external, but internal.

Grace, the Easiest and Hardest to Receive

To someone who had been raised in religion, with a performance mindset and their focus on works, receiving the free gift of God’s grace can be the most challenging of tasks. Even though you might initially receive the good news of what Jesus has done with joy at first, it won’t be long before legalistic thoughts, and pressures begin to manifest.

The trouble that can come from legalistic traditions and religious thinking can be overwhelming.  When the message of grace clashes with religious tradition, this is when the offense takes place… and remember, we are not even talking about the world, or any other person; this is all dealing with internal thoughts.

Hebrews 4:11 mentions that we labor to enter the rest of Christ, which seems contradictory at first. Laboring to enter God’s rest speaks of believing the promises of God when faced with adversity; and oftentimes there is nothing more troubling than contradictory thoughts or feelings.

You see, the stony ground isn’t offended by others, and it isn’t troubled by the outside… the stony ground is troubled and offended by the word precisely because of the conflict that the word brings, due to there not being any root.

The Root of Grace Within

Proverbs 12:3, tells us that none shall be established in wickedness, but the root of righteousness will never be moved.

We typically think of wickedness and righteousness as actions that we perform, however they are actually nouns; they are places that we exist in— namely, righteousness being in Jesus Christ.

Once we truly accept, believe, and receive the finished work of Jesus Christ personally, we are reborn, not as sinners again, but as  righteous new creations. Our position is changed from wicked to righteous, which is what scriptures such as Romans 6:2 mention.

Holding steadfast to and abiding in this faith of our reality in Christ everyday is the laboring to enter God’s rest that Hebrews 4:11 speaks about. And without this root of God’s righteousness, legalistic thoughts and the trappings of religion will cause us many offenses all too easily.

It’s very common for someone to experience the same pattern as the stony ground: initially receiving the gospel message with joy, until they encounter some challenge, perhaps they commit a sinful action, and then the legalistic thoughts begin…

God hates you now. You’re not really saved. You need to punish yourself. You’re such a loser.

And all of those thoughts are anti-gospel, and anti-Christ, because they fail to consider what Jesus accomplished on the cross for you. Ephesians 3:17-19 says it this way:

“ ¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

We are instructed to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ; that is, the love which comes from Christ, and of Him— through His redemptive sacrifice on our behalf. His love passes knowledge, meaning our human ideas, and thoughts cannot reason it away. And it is through His love for us, that we are filled with all the fullness of God.

Jesus Changes Your Ground

The stony ground has no root of righteousness, and is unable to receive the love of God, so when the challenges of religion come, the stony ground is offended; it doesn’t know that it is righteous in Christ, and slinks back to the old ways and traditions. The stony ground cannot thrive and flourish in Christ, because the root simply isn’t there.

While the stony ground starts out quite promising in appearance, it is all self-effort, and the results are superficial and short-lived.

So is there any hope for a stony ground? Actually, yes! In Ezekiel 36:26  God gives a wonderful promise: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Notice that the active agent here is not us, but God! He says that He is the one who will remove the stony heart, and place a new spirit, and a new heart of flesh within us. Notice also that the spirit comes first. 

These details are important because they highlight what our role truly is: acceptance. Simply accept what God has done. This is the beauty and the power of God’s grace.

I encourage you today, that the only spiritual labor which you should be engaged in, is to enter the rest of God in Christ. 

Be blessed.