My Responsibility: Parable of the Sower Comparison

Personal Responsibility: Parable of the Sower Comparison Faith Baptist Church of Cherokee Road Matthew 13:1-23 (NKJV) Mark 4:1-20 (NKJV) Luke 8:4-15 (NKJV) Observations 13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: 4 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: Audience: Large Crowd Jesus spoke by parable "Behold, a sower went out to sow. 3 "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. Sower sowed seed 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Wayside: seed devoured by birds 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. Rock: Not much earth, lacked moisture Plant killed for lack of ability to take root with no moisture 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. Thorns: Plant killed by thorns with no crop 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." Good ground: Plant grew and produced crop of various degrees. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" 9 And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Hear the challenge 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" Disciples question the use and meaning of parables 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' 11 And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.' " 10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.' The Answer: Parables are used because of the hearer lack of responsibility to wisely use what they have already heard and have been told. The refusal to follow truth results in their continued lack of understanding. 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. God's blessing is upon those who hear and accept truth. 18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 13 And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Christ defines the focus of the parable: The Sower: person who gives truth Seed: the Word of God 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. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Seeds are sown Wayside: Satan deceives preventing acceptance 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Seeds are sown Rocks: Initially receive the Word but have no root and die when hard times and persecutions arise from the Word. They reject truth when it has cost. 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. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Seeds are sown Thorns: Pursuit of personal desires results in rejection of truth and unfruitfulness 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Seeds are sown Good Ground: Hear and accept the Word resulting in life and fruit produced. Parable Observations 1. The sower always sowed the seed of the Word of God. 2. The four soils reveal the heart responses to the Word of God. a. Wayside: Those who completely reject truth outright. b. Rocks: Those who initially hear truth but are not willing to pay the price (trials and persecution) of accepting truth and therefore reject truth. c. Thorns: Those who initially hear truth but are distracted by their own personal desires resulting in rejecting truth. d. Good: Those who hear the truth and accept/understand the truth resulting in lasting fruit. e. The interpretation was only given to the disciples as Christ was challenging the crowd about whether they would simply accept truth or not and the disciples about their responsibility. 3. The danger of not understanding this parable properly is: a. If I say the rocks and thorns are true believers I risk rejecting the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. b. Creating doubt that I may be rocks or thorns. The Rocks and thorns never had genuine acceptance of truth in their heart. This parable should never be used to create doubt or wonder in people's life of whether they have accepted Christ. c. Missing the main point - my responsibility to sow the Word of God to all people regardless of their response to the truth. Parable Principles 1. Satan is seeking to remove opportunity of the Word of God to be sown in people's hearts. 2. People reject truth because of multiple reasons from external pressures to personal desires. 3. The Christian's responsibility is not about others response to the Word but their faithfulness to sow the Word. Parable Applications 1. I must be willing to accept truth regardless of external pressures or personal desires. 2. I must be sowing the seed of God's Word in the relationships that God has given me. I should build intentional relationships in which I can share God's Word. 3. I am responsible for sowing, not people's response. I must not allow fear of rejection to keep me from declaring truth. My personal responsibility: accept and declare God's truth regardless of the possible responses to that truth.