Parable of the Sower

Introduction

As we talked about yesterday, the parables are ___________

Today’s parable is no different

Who here has ever gardened or been to a farm before?

Okay so a good amount of you. The people that Jesus was speaking to here from his boat more than likely all had experience with farming. So this parable that we are going to looking at today would have been easily understood and relatable for all who are listening. Everyone could easily understand and identified with the sower and with the method behind spreading seed.

I have rarely seen a more organized place in my life then a garden or a farm. Every seed/plant needs to be this certain distance a part and this far in the ground in order for everything to grow properly. Farmer’s are very very meticulous and precise when it comes to planting.

Story Tell

Matthew 13:1–8 NLT

Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

Thankfully, this is one of the few parables that Jesus explains for us! The disciples needed some clarification, so they asked what it means. I am personally thankful for that.

Matthew 13:18–23 NLT

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Characters

The seeds = the word of God.

The four different soils represent four different responses to the seed - the word of God.

Hard Soil

Seeds on the Footpath = those who hear the message about the Kingdom and do not understand it

The ground is hard, the seed can not penetrate the soil and grow. Then the birds come and eat it.

Lack of understanding is the issue.

The birds that eat the seed = The devil/evil one

The devil is the ENEMY of the kingdom. He wants to do everything he can to distract people from following Jesus and continuing to build his kingdom.

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

The devil wants nothing more than to snatch up the word of God from growing in your hearts this week.

Rocky Soil

Seeds on the shallow rocky soil = those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy but do not last long because they do not have deep roots

This soil is the summer camp soil. EXPAND ON THAT

This seed is initially hopeful! It starts to grow!

This seed fails to survive also because of lack of understanding, but not understanding of the gospel, but without understanding the cost of following Jesus.

These are the people who make a superficial response to the gospel without counting the cost. When trials come, when trouble or persecution comes, they abandon the faith.

Luke 14:27–30 NLT

And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

Jesus is calling people to follow him in discipleship, and then he’s reminding them that it’s like building a tower that you don’t want to leave half-finished because you don’t have enough commitment or enough resources to finish it. It’s like going to war and realizing you don’t have enough soldiers to win the battle and defeat the enemy.

So, he says, “Be sure to count the cost before you sign up for discipleship with Jesus because it’s costly. I don’t want you to sign up naively and be surprised later when the cost is very high.”

DO I GET INTO THE COST HERE?

Thorny Soil

Seeds that fell among the thorns = those who hear God’s word, but the world comes and chokes it out

The first seed never grew, the second seed started well but didn’t survive, the third may have even survived and grew, but never produced any fruit.

This soil is different, this seed grows! But so do the weeds and the thorns. The danger to the seed here is not a lack of resources like the path or the rocky soil, the danger here is the competition.

If you have worked in a garden or done any landscaping, you know that weeds ARE THE WORST. No matter what you do they just keep growing. BUT YOU NEED TO WEED or else the plants will die because they will lose the nutrients that they need to survive.

The weeds and thorns in this situation represent the lure of wealth, fame, notability, things that this world has to offer. These people have a divided heart. They desire to serve God and Man.

Luke 16:13 NLT

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

Our Problems, God’s Solutions

PROBLEM #1: OUR HEARD HEART

SOLUTION #1: NEW HEART OF FLESH

PROBLEM #2: OUR SHALLOW ROOTS

SOLUTION #2: DEEPER ROOTS

PROBLEM #3: OUR WORLDLY DESIRES

SOLUTION #3: GODLY PRIORITIES

1 John loves the world

Three Interpretation Errors

That our ground conditions can not change.

Heart of stone - Nothing gets in - says no to God

Heart of flesh - Soft and receptive - says yes to God

God can cause you to love him most instead of loving yourself most.

That this is about other people.

That the sower is making a mistake.

1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

Vision Cast - Good Soil

THE GOAL

Seeds that fall on the good soil = those who truly hear and understand God’s word and reproduceGood soil produces good fruit.

This is possible.