The Parable of the Sower- Matthew 13:1-23

The chapters leading up to Matthew 13, our text today. Jesus is showing himself to be the LORD of the Sabbath.

He speaks forth words of warning and judgement.

He invites the weary and heavy burdened to come to him and find rest for their souls.

He claims to be the LORD of the Sabbath.

He heals on the Sabbath.

He speaks very clearly. Matthew 12:30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

He then refers to a tree and said that a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. “the tree is known by its fruit.”

His communication up to this point is pointed, clear and some have followed him, some have wanted what he might could offer them, and some have been incited by him and angrily hate him.

Parables: are real-life stories from which one or possibly a few basic truths are drawn. Jesus used them to reveal and conceal kingdom truths, especially after his enemies increased in their opposition. Often shocking stories that incite a response. These stories are well known in culture. People who are not Christians use some of the ideas that are in Jesus parables in everyday life. That person is a good samaritan. Or that guys daughter is a prodigal. These parables describe the kingdom- Para means come alongside. Puts the kingdom alongside other things to compare in order to see truths about the kingdom. Some of the parables are similes.

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things to make a description more vivid and engaging.

Once the story begins, the characters and objects become metaphors because they directly represent spiritual realities without using "like" or "as." For example in our story today

The seed is the gospel of the kingdom, or the word of God.

The sower is Jesus and eventually whoever sows the word of God.

The soil is the human heart.

Read the text: Matthew 13:1-23

Tell the story: Our text today has three clear sections. 1- Jesus tells the parable to a huge crowd without explanation. (verses 1-9) 2- An interlude when the disciples ask “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 3- Jesus Explains the parable that he told in the first section.

Walk through verses 1-9 briefly.

The seed is scattered haphazardly- no self respecting farmer would sow seed so indiscriminately. But this is the way of the kingdom. The seed is actually what helps determine whether the soils is fruitful or not. This in the first century would have been radical. But it is the way of the kingdom.

Outline the Problem: Even if you have never heard this parable before. Look for the tension in the story. The tension is, will the seed (the word), when it is sowed by the sower (Jesus) , bear fruit. That is dependent on the soil (the heart) where it is sowed. Another way to say fruitfulness is flourishing. Humans want their lives to matter. We want to make a difference, have impact. The bible is full of this tenstion of fruitfulness or unfruitfulness. Just a few weeks ago in Galatians 5 we read about this stark contrast. Lives that are marked by works of the flesh, or the fruit of the Spirit.

People want their lives to matter. They want to live fruitful lives. So the question is how do we become fruitful people?

This parable is getting at the origin of the Christian life, What has to happen for a persons life to bear fruit and ultimately be a life of flourishing.

Textual Idea: Jesus reveals that fruitful disciples are those who hear the gospel of the kingdom and it takes root, leading to obedience and supernatural flourishing.

Big Idea: A fruitful life is cultivated by standing under God's Word.

Transition: To understand the fruitful life we need to first look at the unfruitful heart:

The Unfruitful Heart (verses 18-22)

Explanation: There are three types of soil, or hearts in our parable. The first three are unfruitful. Hearts that actually inhibit a fruitful life.

Hard heart- The first type. Sown along the path. The word is sown and some falls on the hard path that is worn (puddles when it rains) or water just washes over it). It just does not receive. The calloused hard hearted person cannot understand and obey the word of God. This is not simply a logic, or intellectual idea. It’s connected to faith and obedience. Does not receive it, comprehend and become transformed by grace so they do not believe.

Illustration: We stole Herndon’s candy bars ate them. Put the wrappers back in the tin. We did not hear anything about it so his room mate pulls out the tin and said Herndon you have been holding out on us. Opening them, did you eat all these candy bars and not tell us. He said yes and that was it. We intercepted the snickers and he forgot they were there. Similar to the hard heart, it just went nowhere.

Shallow Heart- Rocky soil. The word immediately represents this heart type. ( Without delay or hesitation.) Hears the gospel of the kingdom and immediately receives it with joy. A quick reception, but there is no root. Learners rooted in Christ and His word. (Leaners, Servants and Neighbors) so endures for a while (not lasting, temporarily) when tribulation or persecution arises immediately he falls away.

Illustration: Guy I discipled, read through the book of John. Cost him something at work and he hid and was gone.

Christianity will cost you something. Friends, finances, respect. Jesus is referred to as a man of sorrows. Places in the world that perscecution is way more costly,

Strangled Heart- Thorny soil. Cares of the world and the deceitfuness of riches choke the word. Happens more slowly. Pot in the kettle.

Cares or concern of the world. The cares of the world are sometimes not explicit sins; they are the everyday duties that slowly demand more of our attention than our relationship with God. Good things that become God things and choke out the word, the gospel of the kingdom.

Today-cares of this word might be intense desire to be viewed by the culture as compassionate, inclusive, and morally on the right side of history. Deconstruction.

Deceitfulness of riches- wealth. the deception of how important it is. For the rich to keep what they have or to obtain more and the poor to become rich. A focus that chokes the word. Anxiety.

Argument: James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Application: View your heart- does the word bounce off of you. No receptivity. Do you get excited and respond quickly but then lose it?

The Fruitful Heart (verse 23)

Explanation:

Hears the word and stands under it. comprehends, believes, trusts, and obeys. Is a hearer and a doer. The seed goes into the soil, goes deep, is rooted, and stands the test of time, endures.

Endures- Tempted by tribulation, perseverance the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.

Bears Fruit

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Multiplication: The seed when sowed goes in the ground and in the good soil grows, flourishes and bears fruit, that fruit contains many seeds. The seed to be sown is in the harvest. This is an incredible promise. Though it seems slow, the fruit seems to come hard at times, the good soil produces supernatural fruit that carries forth generations. The gospel is sown, you have no idea where it my sprout forth. We sow faithfully, we sow generously. and we make disciples.

Sow faithfully, sow generously, sow in faith. You may sow in tears but you will reap in joy.

Argument:

A 25% success rate in discipleship is good. The fruitfulness outweighs the metrics.

Application:

Do you love the word?

Are you growing in hunger for and understanding of the word? Pray about your love of the word. Now.

Are you standing under the word as a doer of the word and not a hearer only?

The Receptive Heart (verses 10-17)

Explanation: How do we have good soil? Why do some people have good soil and others not? The disciples ask why do you speak to them in parables?

verse 11- Given- is grace language. God in his sovereign plan gives some to know the secrets of the kingdom. to hear and understand and be transformed.

Quotes the Isaiah Passage- where Isaiah says I will go and he tells him they are not going to hear. But a remnant hears and beleives.

Blessed are your ears and eyes.

Illustration: I have had a friend for over twenty years, whose heart is good soil, he hears, receives, stands under the word, withstands persecution and tribulations, continues through temptations and anxieties and fears. He bears fruit, he sows more seed, it multiplies. Few people know his name, he is no longer a pastor or an elder at this time but his heart is good soil. That my friends is the point.

A fruitful life is cultivated by standing under the word of God.

Argument:

If you are here and don’t yet believe, and the LORD is at work drawing your heart. Ask him to open your eyes and your ears. Ask him to bless you with faith. Turn to the LORD and believe.

If you are here and you do believe it is by grace, it was given to you so humble yourself and praise him for he is good.

Application:

Ask the LORD to bless your ears and eyes so that you may have a fruitful life.

Praise the LORD for blessing your ears and eyes.

Sow God's seed generously in faith.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 “23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”