Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower

Sermon of the seven parables

foretell how the gospel will be received by the various kinds of people. – their reaction and reception to God’s Word

Summary:

· God’s word produces results – Kenneth Copeland

· The parable of the sower concerns the fate of the Gospel to the people to whom it was preached. – Gordon Lindsay.

· You Receive what you Hear – Copeland

Matthew 13:1–9 ESV

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

Parable Questioned by Disciples

Matthew 13:10–17 ESV

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Parable Explained by Jesus

Matthew 13:18–23 ESV

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 what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Parable elements

Sower = Man of God

Seed = Word of God

Soil = Heart of Man

Seeds = Word of God

· WORD – what is sown into your heart

· 1 Peter 1:23 – by the incorruptible seed of the word of God, which lives forever.

· Words germinate into action

· SEED - All heard the Word, Word remains the same

Copeland - The WORD is most valuable

- any man who will hear God’s word can achieve results because it is the power of God’s word that will cause you to come to pass.

Enemy attacks the WORD

- not you

- He has no defense against it

- the reason that the enemy wants to stop the word is to stop your faith from operating.

- Enemy will do anything to stop the Word from reaching you or growing in your life

- he knows that faith COMES from hearing the Word – Rom 10:17

- Copeland – the word produces results when someone hears it, believes it, and receives it for himself personally.

Attempts to steal the Word:

· Persecution

· Affliction

· Cares of this world

· Deceitfulness of Riches

· Lusts of other things

Soil = Heart of Man

· HEART – path, ground, thorns, soil

· Four kinds of soil represent and Separates the hearers into four groups. – 4 classes of people (hearers, not races)

· 4 - represents the whole world – 4 corners?

· Potential = 100 fold for every hearer – depends on US, not God – only 25% produce results (fruit)

· SOIL - Path gets wider, deeper

4 groups – 4 responses

1. None

2. Some

3. Temporarily

4. Abundantly