The Sower went Forth

Scripture

Matthew 13:1–9 NKJV

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 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. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Matthew 13:18–23 NKJV

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 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. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 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. 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. 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.”

Introduction

Introduction

As students of the bible, sitting at it were at the feet of Jesus, taught by the Holy Spirit, we come to understand fundamental biblical truths.

It is what I like to call the “Main and the Plain”.

There are two such truths that run through every book of the bible.

From Genesis through Malachi, in the OT

And from Matthew through Revelations, in the NT.

These two truths are distinct, yet inseparable.

Saved by Grace through Faith

The first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith.

Grace is “God’s unmerited favour”.

It is a gift. It is Unmerited.

And that gift is Jesus.

(Slide)

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

​ NKJVFor by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

To emphasis this truth, Paul basically says it twice in the space of three verses in .

The test of genuine faith is Obedience

If the first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith

The second inseparable main and plain truth is that the test of genuine faith is obedience.

This is the biblical truth that makes us somewhat uncomfortable.

As it should.

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Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

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John 14:15 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

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​ NKJV“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Legalism nor Liberalism

We dare not, and must not, get these two truths out of balance.

For fear of drifting either into legalism or into liberalism.

Both are equally destructive, to our relationship with God, and to others.

We are saved by grace through faith.

And the test of genuine faith is obedience.

The Sower went Forth

Today we are going to spend our time looking at the parable of The Sower. It is also called the parable of The Soils, the parable of The Farmer Scattering Seed.

Your translation may call it by a different name?

I would like to suggest that at the heart of this parable are these two fundamental truths, that

We are saved by grace through faith.

And that The test of genuine faith is obedience, or sustained discipleship that bears fruit.

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

Your translation may call it by a different name

This parable is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (, and ).

This parable is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (, and ).

Synoptic means “describing events in a similar way or “from a similar viewpoint” .

The gospel of John comes at things in a different way.

The Setting

Matthew 13:1–3 NKJV

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 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. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

Matthew 13:1–2 NKJV

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 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.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Matthew Parables of the Secret Kingdom (13:1–52)

That the parables address his people’s acceptance or rejection of the kingdom message follows from the context: Jesus speaks parables that same day that he has confronted Pharisaic opposition (12:24–45) and offered a culturally offensive statement about his family (12:46–50). The parables section closes immediately with an account of Jesus’ rejection by his hometown (13:53–58), so that rejection by his own frames his kingdom parables (compare 10:21, 34–37). This likewise implies that true disciples—those who follow the kingdom message—must be prepared to pay the ultimate price for doing so (13:20–22, 44–46).

That the parables address his people’s acceptance or rejection of the kingdom message follows from the context: Jesus speaks parables that same day that he has confronted Pharisaic opposition (12:24–45) and offered a culturally offensive statement about his family (12:46–50). The parables section closes immediately with an account of Jesus’ rejection by his hometown (13:53–58), so that rejection by his own frames his kingdom parables (compare 10:21, 34–37). This likewise implies that true disciples—those who follow the kingdom message—must be prepared to pay the ultimate price for doing so (13:20–22, 44–46).

The Sea

How many of you like to go and sit by the sea?

(Map)

Jesus is in Galilee.

How many of you like to go and sit by the sea?

Fishing and Agricultural economy.

The locals understood the context of the parable, probably better than we do.

The start of the Polarisation

Great multitude were there to listen to Him.

Jesus was popular. He is early in his ministry.

But opposition was growing.

Right up to the end Jesus has his supporters, but there was also growing polarisation of response to his ministry.

explains this polarisation through a series of parables.

By the end of this chapter in Matthew Jesus is rejected in his home town of Nazareth.

The fact is thast the Parable

Jesus words are being fulfilled as He speaks these parables in .

Jesus words are the Seed.

Understanding of parables is of an act of the will, more so than cognitive reasoning.

it is about acceptance of the message with humility.

The Wayside

(Slide)

Matthew 13:4 NKJV

And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

My wife does not like close encounters with Birds. It is a feathers thing! But she loves feeding birds from afar and taking pictures of them.

But she loves feeding birds from afar and taking pictures of them.

life Wasted hip

We have noticed just how hungry and aggressive seagulls can be around here. For Ice cream. For Sunday Lunch. Even the birds in our back garden devour the seed my wife leaves in a few days.

A person’s indifference to the gospel is really a demonstration of a person who is dead in sins and trespasses and under the control of the evil one.

Even the birds in our back garden devour the seed my wife leaves in a few days.

life of Discipleship

Jesus describes here His words falling by the wayside and having no affect.

The response of such a person is utter indifference.

Indifference is rejection of God.

As expressed by a Chinese proverb, what they hear enters the “east ear” only to leave immediately by the “west ear.”

There is no realisation of their personal need of the gospel.

They are inattentive, they do not understand (v. 19).

Seemingly the truth makes no sense to them.

The bible says such people are walking dead,

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Ephesians 2:

The birds here represent the evil one, the controlling personal force of all persons in such a sad state.

Though they know it not.

The Stoney Place

Matthew 13:5–6 NKJV

Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

The stoney place.

There is no deep and lasting change.

There is no real and lasting repentance.

It is all superficial, shallow and temporary.

There is no taking up the cross.

When the sun of adversity comes they wither.

They are in reality dead in trespasses and sins.

As one writer puts it, “Germination was rapid, but so was withering.”

How utterly sad!

The Thorny Ground

Matthew 13:7 NKJV

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

Matthew 13:22 NKJV

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.

They are choked by the the cares of this world, the pleasures of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.

There is a huge difference from being choked by these things vs walking with Jesus in the midst of such things.

Sanctification never takes deep root.

Judas was thorny Ground

Is Judas the ultimate biblical example of this?

Judas spent nearly three years with Jesus.

He listened to Jesus day after day, night after night.

He traveled with Him, through the highs and the lows.

He witnessed miracle after miracle.

Judas was given a position of responsibility. He was the treasurer.

And yet Judas betrayed Jesus.

On that infamous night in that garden.

Not just any garden, a garden of relaxation, a garden of fellowship, an initiate place, a garden with many memories.

I have been there.

Judas the Lost is the guide of that infamous group

Torches for the light of the world

weapons for the price of peace

Judas stands there with them, not with Christ.

The cares of this world, the pleasures of this world and the deceitfulness of riches can choke out the Lord from your life.

A person can have a form of religion, and yet be a terrible hypocrite.

The reality inside something else.

And often such a person knows that are not a genuine follower of Jesus but for some reason will keep up the pretence of it all.

I would suggest Judas knew he was not a genuine follower but he kept up the pretence.

How sad.

True Obedience

Oh to God that none here be such.

It is not too late to repent.

Understanding Jesus words is not so much cognitive, rather it is an act of the will and the heart.

The Good Ground

Matthew 13:8 NKJV

But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

If Judas may be the best biblical example of Thorny Ground, is Peter a supreme example of Good Ground?

Not perfect, but his will and heart were for the Lord.

We shall go back to that Garden

It was followed by betrayal and repentance.