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concepts, designs, structures and realities are
often misunderstood by us mortals, simply because
they are invisible to the human eye. Messiah knew
this and used parables to unveil and explain "things
which had been kept secret from the foundation
of the world" (Matthew 13:35).
Indeed he never preached a sermon without using
a parable (Verse. 34). To the spiritually 'blind'
the parables were at best 'mystifying tales' of
little value. But to those with spiritual 'eyesight'
they were visual aids, dramatic word-pictures
of real life truths. Parables unlock spiritual
mysteries hitherto beyond the believer's comprehension.
Virtually every good teacher the world over uses
'parables,' ' illustrations' and 'visual aids'
to put across his/her lessons. So effective was
this method of preaching that when the Savior
had finished one great session of parabolic instruction
he asked this question: Matthew 13:51 'Have you
understood all these things?' They say unto him,
'Yea Lord.'
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| The
Sower |
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He went forth |
| Matthew
13:3 Behold (look,
see, turn your attention to) a sower went
forth (he went out of his way) to sow.
The Master Sower
is the Savior (see Verse. 37); but in this
parable other sowers (Apostles, ministers,
missionaries, ordinary believers etc) are
also involved in sowing. They too go forth,
go out of their way, to sow. Sowing requires
knowledge, will, effort, endurance and seed.
The good sower has all these. |
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He Sowed Unsparingly |
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On
the wayside, stony places, among thorns
and on good ground. There are no reservations
here, but with deliberate tread the sower
works, ensuring that every piece of land
within his reach is covered with seed. |
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| The Seed:
The word of God |
Vs. 19: When one heareth
the Word of the Kingdom ...
Vs. 20: …the same is he that heareth
the Word ...
Vs. 21: ... persecution because of the Word
NOTE: From these Verses we can see the good
seed is the Word of God, especially as it
relates to the Kingdom of God. How little
is heard these days about the Kingdom of God.
Preachers must also beware of sowing 'corrupt
seed,' 'counterfeit seed,' 'seed mixed with
tares,' seed that is not based on the Real
Word of God. |
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| Four Types
os Soil - People |
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| The
Wayside |
| Verse.
4 Some seeds fell by the wayside.
19 These are those who hear the Word
of God and understand it not.
Many souls fail to understand the
message of the Kingdom of God in the
Word of God. To them it is a mystery:
deep, irrelevant and not worthy of
much attention. Before the sacred
seed can germinate in their minds
it is snatched away by the Evil One.
It is forgotten. |
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| The
Stony Place |
Verse.
5 Some fell on stony places, where
they had not much earth.
20.
The same is he that heareth the Word
and with joy received it.
21. Yet hath he no root in himself,
but dureth for awhile: for when tribulation
or persecution ariseth because of
the Word, by and by they are offended.
This,
sad to say, is a common occurrence
in the church. It needs little if
any explanation. People give up productive
work in God's field for all kinds
of trivial reasons. But the most common
is that they are offended because
of tribulation and often by a lot
less. So be on your guard and do not
let offences blight the harvest in
your life. If your spiritual roots
go deep you will not whither when
tribulation arises because of the
Word of God. |
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| The
Thorny ground |
| Verse.
7 Some fell among thorns and the thorns
sprung up, and choked them.
22. He also that
received seed among the thorns is
he that heareth the Word; and the
care of this world, and the deceitfulness
of riches choke the Word and he becometh
unfruitful.
This is also
a sad situation for a soul to get
into: poverty on the one hand, and
riches on the other. Look about you
in this world and you will see how
prevalent these two conditions are.
Extreme poverty on the one hand and
unhealthy wealth on the other. Are
they not choking spiritual productivity?
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| The
Good Ground |
| Verse.8
But other seed fell into good ground
23. But
he that received seed into the good
ground is he that: heareth the Word
and understandeth it which also beareth
fruit and bringeth forth some an hundredfold,
some sixty and some thirty. |
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| Self Analysis |
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Broadly speaking the parable
of the Sower is telling of 4 types of people.
These have been explained. Looking deeper
we detect 4 types of responses to God's Word;
responses which can and often do exist in
even the best of believers.
I cannot understand the message
This is when a truth from God’s Word
is heard and not immediately understood.
No effort is made to investigate, examine
and discuss the message. Because it is not
easily grasped, (or perhaps even feared)
it is quickly rejected without further investigation.
Are you - on occasions - guilty of responding
to the Word in this way? Do you reject a
truth simply because you cannot understand
it?
Or are you like the ancient Berean believers
who with all readiness of mind searched
the Scriptures daily? (Acts 17:10-11). These
are important questions because they classify
your response to the Word of God. Beware
of the wayside mentality, the one that rejects
truth because investigation may prove too
much of a challenge.
No staying power
This reaction to truth is very
common. Believers rejoice when new truth
is presented. They are thrilled with it;
but it isn't long before they are offended.
Like marriages that break down, their love
for truth collapses at the first difficulty,
they become offended and give it all up.
They bear no fruit because they have no
staying power, no spiritual stamina or depth
of soil.
Reacting to circumstances
This condition - economically or spiritually
- can be extremely dangerous. I am rich
and increased with goods and have need of
nothing (Revelation 3:17) is a common reaction
to the Word these days; but it is a fatal
one. Or, I'm too poor to produce any results;
it's easy for the rich folk. These believers
forget the fact that spiritual growth is
much harder to achieve for the rich than
for the poor. Matthew 19:24 And again I
say unto you, It is easier for a camel to
go through the eye of a needle, than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of
God.
Bearers of fruit
This is the only praiseworthy
reaction to hearing the Word of God.
No matter what His message may be, when
it drops into the soil of your mind.
Examine it and make every effort to understand
it
Prove it against the whole of the Scriptures.
And when you are sure that it is the Word
of the Most High, then obey it.
This is the only response
to God’s Word that will win His favor.
If you do these things you will bear fruit.
Sometimes 100 fold: on other occasions 60
fold or even at worst 30 fold. Can you find
a farmer who is producing harvests as bounteous?
The benefits of investing in the things
of the spirit are incalculable. No earthly
business project comes anywhere near the
above mentioned gains.
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