Parable of Sower - Pt. II

Parables a reminder

They are for illustrations for life in action. The hearer, or reader in our day, is to do something with it!

Parables take up at least 30% of Jesus teaching. Some to masses, some to the disciples themselves.

They are all presented with a purpose, they have a single message.

To gain better understanding we need to look:

Historically

Contextually

Then look for the application

Another good reminder is to not use a parable for your theology, or to reinforce your theological beliefs. These are there for application!

Another thing to help you gain is to put yourself in the audience, listening, picture it there.

Last week

We looked at the setting and purpose (Mt13:1-9; Lk8:1-3)

Place, audience, culture

We discussed briefly the change in Jesus methodology from the Synagogues to the seaside.

We looked at the parable itself (Mt13:10-17)

We looked at the sower, the sowing, the soil

(Transition) So, this afternoon we want to go on and look at the explanation of the parable. First and foremost we need to see the passage for this is a parable that Jesus defines and explains

Our passage

Matthew 13:18–20 “18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;”

Matthew 13:21–23 “21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.””

Q: Anything stick out to you in this passage?

Q: Who is to hear the parable (v.18) and how do you know?

Q: what do you learn about the seed on wayside, roadside as explained (vv.19)

Q: Now, what can you show from the scripture about the seed on the rocky places (vv.20-21)?

Q: keep it going, look at (v.22) what do you know?

Q: And then finally (v.23), what do you learn?

(James take your time on this, let this develop, ask other questions along the way with each of the soils, like examples then and now).

Things to consider

Remember last week we did discuss about secrets/mysteries

Matthew 13:11 “11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”

Secrets, mystery was not about something being hidden from certain people, it was the Greek word “musterion” and it means something that has not been made known.

Notice one of the first words in (v.18) is hear, or maybe yours says listen. So there needs to be an active part.

Q: Can you hear but not really listen at times? (I’m Guilty). I diligently try to practice active listening skills

Remember we talked last week about the fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah too? (have everyone turn to Isa6:9-10)

Isaiah 6:9–10 “9 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ 10 “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.””

Q: A presumptive question, why do you think that people would not hear, perceive, see but not understand?

Some people would be unwilling to learn, they don’t want to learn. Not that it is not possible, but they choose not to.

Look at (v.19, 20, 22, 23) do you see the common thread? the seed was “sown” in each one.

Another good thing to see is how was the seed (the word) received each time

(v.19) - received in the heart

(v.20) Receives it with joy

(v.21) only know what happens, affliction, persecution comes

(v.22) sown among thorns (things of the world; deceitfulness of wealth) Worry of the world and deceitfulness choke it out (what, the seed, the word)

(v.23) received and understood, bears fruit.

Q: Here is another question to ponder. If the sower knows the soil, why sow where seed can be on wayside, rocky ground, among weeds?

Purpose

Parable of sower, parable of soils, it is the same parable is it not? Our focus is on the sower not the soils in this study. So, may we look at some words and define them?

Q: Who is the sower?

This would be anyone who teaches the word.

Q: What is the purpose of the sower?

To teach, to be willing to speak up and speak out so that it can bear fruit.

To teach is an awesome responsibility consider

James 3:1 “1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Q: What is the seed?

The word of God

And it must be done accurately

2 Timothy 2:15 “15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Q: What is the soil?

The hearers of the word

Some will be receptive, others will reject (will hear but not understand, will see (dimly) and not be able to see the truth of the word.

Q: What is the purpose of the seed?

To produce fruit, and notice (v.23) it will produce.

Expand on fruit is not always new believers, that is great but that is not the only fruit.

Q: What is the requirement to obtain the purposed results?

You need the seed! So, you need to put the seed in you so the seed can be scattered on the soil. You cannot scatter something you do not have.

We want to sow faithfully and abundantly right?

The sower (teacher) cannot know the heart of the soil (the people), so needs to sow faithfully knowing like the farmer who plants having faith there will be a crop.

The soils are different, different receptivity of the seed.

Q: can soil be cultivated to be more apt to receive the seed? (STOP HERE AND DISCUSS, CULTIVATING)

Q: Does the sower plant and forget? If not forget what do you think the sower has or does when the seed is planted?

The sower cultivates, cares for the seed, waters it, nourishes it, waits patiently for it to grow.

Learning to live the parable

Take good care of the seed given to you (it is the word of truth, able to save souls)

Pray for the seed that is to be sown that it may fall on receptive ears

As a good farmer prepared soil for planting, do your part too be willing to prepare the soil.

Pray for the receivers (the soil) that they would be receptive (good listeners, willing to learn) so they do not miss out on what is being taught.

In the sowing learn to be a good farmer, sower, be patient and wait for the seed to grow and to produce fruit, the first fruit being of salvation. We do not see the seed germinating, but the Lord does! He causes the increase. It does make me think of

1 Corinthians 3:6–9 “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Something else to consider we are not soil inspectors. Our task is to sow the seed. Sometimes what we see that may not be good soil is just the right soil for God to do something amazing in!

Don’t get discouraged if you do not see the increase right away. Just remember this

Matthew 13:23 “23 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.””

THERE WILL BE FRUIT!

(Summarize) (Pray)