This document discusses four types of soil that represent how people respond to God's word based on Jesus' parable. The third soil represents those who are initially receptive but fall away due to worries, wealth, and desires. To move beyond this, the document recommends: 1) Living for God's praise, not man's, 2) Avoiding comparison, 3) Practicing self-forgetfulness, and 4) Lifting others up. It concludes by describing the fruitful fourth soil and calling believers to have the same humble mindset as Christ.

2. “God can do great things through the person
who doesn’t care who gets the credit.”

3. Mark 4:15-20
Some people are like the seed along the path, where
the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes
and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word
at once and receive it with joy. But since they have no
root, they last only a short time. When trouble or
persecution comes because of the word, they quickly
fall away.

4. Mark 4:15-20
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the
word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of
wealth and the desires for other things come in and
choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed
sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and
produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a
hundred times what it was sown.

5. Third Soil Characteristics
• Initially Fruitful
• Lust for What the World Holds
• Pride of Life
• Desire for Glory and Wealth
• Robbed of their Purpose

6. How can we move beyond the third
soil?

7. 1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s

8. 1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s
Learn from Nebuchadnezzar
“That the Most High rules the kingdom of men, gives it to
whomever He will, and He sets over the kingdoms the
lowest of men.” Daniel 4:17

9. 1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s
Downfall started when he wanted praise and Glory all for
himself (Third Soil)
Result:
• The king was driven from his throne
• Lived with the beasts of the field for seven years

10. 1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s
Redemptive story here:
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour
the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and
His ways just. And those who walk in pride He is able to
put down.” Daniel 4:37

11. 2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –
STOP IT!!!

12. 2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –
STOP IT!!!
Saul
“Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands”
1 Sam 18:7
Fourth soil people:
• Genuinely happy for others
• Rid themselves of envy and jealousy
• Reproduce people to go ahead of you

13. 2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –
STOP IT!!!
• In the end Saul was not going against David, but God
himself
• His enmity towards David turned out to be hid enmity
towards God

14. 2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –
STOP IT!!!
How did David move beyond the third soil?
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

15. 2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –
STOP IT!!!
• Respect the calling on others people
• Honour Differences
• Avoid pulling down those with great influence
• Love what God is doing in you

16. 3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’

17. “There is a world of vices hidden in the soul,
but self-denial is the remedy of them all” –
John Calvin

18. 3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’
Lesson from Judas

19. 3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’
Lesson from Judas
• None of us are immune to being a third soil
• Need to check our hearts daily

20. “Without the principle of self-denial we are
either led to indulgence in the grossest vices
without the least of shame, or, if there is any
appearance of virtue in us, it is spoiled by an
evil passion for glory” – John Calvin

21. “God is so far from being pleased either with
those who are ambitious of popular praise,
or with hearts full of pride and presumption,
that He plainly tells us ‘they have their
reward’ ” – John Calvin

22. 4. ‘Lift others up’

23. 4. ‘Lift others up’
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who
weakened the nations! For you have said in your
heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the
congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the
Most High.'” – Isaiah 14:12-15

24. 4. ‘Lift others up’
• I will ascend into heaven
• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
• I will sit on the mount of Congregation
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds
• I will be like the Most High

25. 4. ‘Lift others up’
• Serve others
• Affirm and be interested in others
• Choose contentment

26. The Fourth Soil

27. The Fourth Soil
“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the
word, accept it and produce a crop 30, 60, or even
100 times what was sown.” Mark 4:20

28. The Fourth Soil
‘Live for God’s praise not man’s’
‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ So STOP IT!!!
‘Practice self-forgetfulness’
‘Lift others up’

29. Philippians 2:5-11
“In your relationships with one another, have the same
mind-set as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be
used to His own advantage;

30. Philippians 2:5-11
rather, He made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

31. Philippians 2:5-11
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
and gave Him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is
Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”