The Parable Of The Sower

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Monday July 27, 2009

The parable of the sower is a story we've most likely all heard before, but it never hurts to look at it again! (I know that steak tastes good, but I won't turn down another one!!)

Matthew 13:3-9 (NIV)
3. Then he (Jesus) told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9. He who has ears, let him hear."

Jesus gives the interpretation later in the same chapter:

Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
18. "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
22. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
23. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Verse 19 tells us that the seed is the message of the Kingdom Of God! The entire New Testament addresses the Kingdom Of God, since it is a spiritual kingdom that we enter upon being born again:

Luke 17:20,21 (NIV)
20. Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21. nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Colossians 1:13 (NIV)
13. For he HAS (past tense) rescued US (talking to believers) from the dominion of darkness and BROUGHT US (past tense) into the kingdom of the Son he loves

Therefore we know that the seed Jesus was referring to was the New Testament Gospel, and the Word Of God in general! For like a seed, the Word Of God is living and active:

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
12. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Jesus explained that the seed sewn along the path is the Gospel told to someone that doesn't understand it. The devil steals the Word away, since there is no understanding of it. That's why we must A.) explain the Gospel in a way that people will understand it, and B.) Give out the Gospel AT THE PROPER TIME!!

1 Timothy 2:5,6 (NIV)
5. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6. who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given IN ITS PROPER TIME.

If there is a PROPER time to give testimony of Christ's ransom for all men, then that means there is also an IMPROPER time!! Often we are so anxious to preach the Gospel that we do so in a wreckless way, to anyone who might hear. But that is NOT how God wants us to do it!

Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)
13. for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15. And HOW CAN THEY PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Notice that those who PREACH the Gospel must be SENT! That isn't talking about a "general" sending, it's talking about a SPECIFIC sending that is at the "proper time"! We know this by the examples in the Word:

Acts 8:26-38 (NIV)
26. Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27. So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28. and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30. Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
33. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."
34. The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35. Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38. And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Notice that the Holy Spirit SENT Philip to this eunuch, because God knew that the eunuch was ready to RECEIVE! Philip therefore gave the testimony IN ITS PROPER TIME!

Getting back to the parable, some seed fell in "rock places". Jesus said, "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away."

The person represented by the rocky places is READY to hear the Gospel, so he receives it with joy. But he has "no root", which means he did not receive further teaching and instruction in the Word:

Colossians 2:6,7 (NIV)
6. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7. ROOTED and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were TAUGHT, and overflowing with thankfulness.

If we study the Word, we will get ROOTED and built up in Christ, and we will bear good fruit with our lives!

Jesus also explained that the the seed that fell "among the thorns" is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. That means there IS a way to make the Word unfruitful in your life! That way is by being worried about your life and getting caught up in wealth (greed)!

Finally, Jesus explained that the seed (Word of God) that fell on good soil was received by the man who heard it, AND understood it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Once again, the two most important parts of preaching the Good News are A.) making it understandable (like Philip did with the Eunuch), and B.) Presenting it AT THE PROPER TIME! (As led by the Holy Spirit)

The Word tells us that the way Philip went about preaching is the way we ALL should do it!!

John 3:8 (NIV)
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with EVERYONE born of the Spirit."

PRAYER
Thank You Father for sending Your Son Jesus to set me free from the kingdom of darkness and sin. Help me understand Your Word so I can let You govern my life more completely.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

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