THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
This is a well know parable. What is a parable, and why did Jesus teach in parables?
Parable: It is an illustration alongside a truth.
This is a well know parable. What is a parable, and why did Jesus teach in parables?
Parable: It is an illustration alongside a truth.
It is an earthly story with heavenly meaning.
It is a physical illustration of a spiritual concept.
You see, we live in the physical, and do not often exercise the spiritual part of us.
You see, we live in the physical, and do not often exercise the spiritual part of us.
So these illustrations help the light to come on in our spirits. So, why teach in parables?
The disciples wondered the same thing,
Matthew 13:10 “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
In Matthew 13:11-12 Jesus says there are TWO reasons why He teaches in parables:
1. To reveal the truth.
2. To conceal the truth.
1. To reveal the truth.
2. To conceal the truth.
To reveal truth to those who have accepted Him and to conceal truth from those who have rejected Him. This principle applies to us today: if you respond positively to what light God has given you, then God will give you more light. But if you reject the light, you will not get any more light.
In this parable, there is no problem with the Sower, who is God Himself, or the seed, which is the Word of God. So the problem has to be with the soil, which is the human heart! This parable answers the question, “Why does everybody not get saved?”
As tremendous as salvation is, it is a wonder that so many do not get saved. If you fail to step into the light shone before you, no more is offered. Why should God give you more?
FOUR KINDS OF SOILS OR HUMAN HEARTS.
POINT: THE INDIFFERENT HEART.
Matthew 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.”!
The indifferent heart is pictured by ‘the wayside.’ This is the footpath alongside the fertile field. It is been walked on so much that that dirt is hard and the seed will not make it. This is a hardened heart! Just pray that God can break up that soil, and perhaps a seed can get into a small crack sometime!
Some will not look to God until they have a great need! Some need a near death experience to shake them up, to get their attention!
As tremendous as salvation is, it is a wonder that so many do not get saved. If you fail to step into the light shone before you, no more is offered. Why should God give you more?
FOUR KINDS OF SOILS OR HUMAN HEARTS.
POINT: THE INDIFFERENT HEART.
Matthew 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.”!
The indifferent heart is pictured by ‘the wayside.’ This is the footpath alongside the fertile field. It is been walked on so much that that dirt is hard and the seed will not make it. This is a hardened heart! Just pray that God can break up that soil, and perhaps a seed can get into a small crack sometime!
Some will not look to God until they have a great need! Some need a near death experience to shake them up, to get their attention!
POINT: THE IMPULSIVE HEART.
Matthew 13:5-6 “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.”
The impulsive heart is pictured by the ‘stony ground.’ It is totally different than the wayside. It is not rock on the surface, there is just a little soil, but then rock underneath. The seed does not get very deep, so it springs up quickly. But it has no root system, and dries up and withers away.
These are impulsive decision makers who actually make a profession of faith. Maybe it is an emotional, impulsive decision, yes, I want to be saved! I want to go to heaven! But there is no depth or root to them. And in a few weeks or months you cannot find them!
It says the sun comes out and they wither away. That is circumstances and problems. Some come to God with problems thinking that if they get saved their problems will all go away. If getting saved is the end of problems then, then we would never need to preach the Gospel ever again, people will be running to God!
THE IMPURE HEART.
Matthew 13:7 “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.”
The impure heart is the thorny places. The thorns and weeds here may have been cut away at ground level, but the roots were still there. Mow the dandelions in your lawn, have you got rid of them? Of course not, they will be right back! These thorns and thistles and weeds represent worldliness.
Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
The world and riches choke out the Word! The words repent means to turn, and as you turn TO CHRIST, you should also be turning FROM SIN, and the world system. We sing “The world behind me, the cross before me” because “I have decided to follow Jesus!”
Let us be clear now: these THREE examples are not believers who lost their salvation, they were never saved at all!
Matthew 13:5-6 “Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.”
The impulsive heart is pictured by the ‘stony ground.’ It is totally different than the wayside. It is not rock on the surface, there is just a little soil, but then rock underneath. The seed does not get very deep, so it springs up quickly. But it has no root system, and dries up and withers away.
These are impulsive decision makers who actually make a profession of faith. Maybe it is an emotional, impulsive decision, yes, I want to be saved! I want to go to heaven! But there is no depth or root to them. And in a few weeks or months you cannot find them!
It says the sun comes out and they wither away. That is circumstances and problems. Some come to God with problems thinking that if they get saved their problems will all go away. If getting saved is the end of problems then, then we would never need to preach the Gospel ever again, people will be running to God!
THE IMPURE HEART.
Matthew 13:7 “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.”
The impure heart is the thorny places. The thorns and weeds here may have been cut away at ground level, but the roots were still there. Mow the dandelions in your lawn, have you got rid of them? Of course not, they will be right back! These thorns and thistles and weeds represent worldliness.
Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
The world and riches choke out the Word! The words repent means to turn, and as you turn TO CHRIST, you should also be turning FROM SIN, and the world system. We sing “The world behind me, the cross before me” because “I have decided to follow Jesus!”
Let us be clear now: these THREE examples are not believers who lost their salvation, they were never saved at all!
The evidence of a true believer is that they bear fruit, Jesus said, by their fruits you shall know them. James was right: faith without works is dead!
THE BELIVERING HEART.
Matthew 13:8 “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
The last example is the only true believer: This is the heart that humbly receives the truth of the Word, in genuine faith and repentance this one gets saved and is filled with the indwelling Spirit of God.
What kind of ground are you? If you are one of the first THREE types of soil, the good news is, you do not have to stay that way. Make sure you have a fertile heart, ask God to stir your soul and turn the layers of your life over, and turn them over to Him!
CONCLUSION:
Consider the power contained in just a little seed. Within the acorn is the possible of a mighty oak tree. That is exciting, because even if we only preach to a handful of people if we can just get some seeds planted they can spread and reproduce and be fruitful for ages to come!
God has promised that His Word will not return void. Psalm 126:5-6
“Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.”
THE BELIVERING HEART.
Matthew 13:8 “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
The last example is the only true believer: This is the heart that humbly receives the truth of the Word, in genuine faith and repentance this one gets saved and is filled with the indwelling Spirit of God.
What kind of ground are you? If you are one of the first THREE types of soil, the good news is, you do not have to stay that way. Make sure you have a fertile heart, ask God to stir your soul and turn the layers of your life over, and turn them over to Him!
CONCLUSION:
Consider the power contained in just a little seed. Within the acorn is the possible of a mighty oak tree. That is exciting, because even if we only preach to a handful of people if we can just get some seeds planted they can spread and reproduce and be fruitful for ages to come!
God has promised that His Word will not return void. Psalm 126:5-6
“Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.”
