Some people think there are only two responses to the good news about Jesus. You either accept it or reject it. But Jesus teaches us that there are some responses where someone seems like they are accepting the good news, but it ultimately doesn’t bear any fruit in their lives. They liked Jesus for a little bit, but they weren’t changed by him.

But Jesus taught that when we really believe the real gospel, it changes us. Not always in one quick swoop overnight, but steadily over a long time—like a farmer with his field. Does that mean that if we decide to be a Christian, we have to work really hard to be good enough for God’s farm? No, if that were the case, none of us could be saved. Instead, we have to hold onto that gospel and let it go down deep into our hearts. The more we know the Jesus who died to rescue us from sin, the more we know the Father who sent his Son to rescue us, and the more God will bring change in our lives. Let’s have good soil and hold tight to Jesus’s gospel.