Parable
Parables are not unique to the NT – they were used in the OT, called Mashalim; an example is the "parable of the ewe-lamb" told by Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:1-9.
1. It’s so straightforward that the ‘wise’ of the world are confounded by it (1 Corinthians 1:27)
2. It provides a setting
3. It describes an action
4. It requires a decision
5. It shows end results
6. There’s always a lesson
SOWING
· Sowing inevitably raises the idea of reaping. (Galatians 6:7)
· When a seed falls to the ground, we expect it to go through a death and rebirth, and then we expect to get it back in a new form – as a fruit (John 12:24)
· In this parable, the problem is not with the seed, but with the soil.
· Biology 101: moisture/water, sunlight, air (Holy Spirit) and good soil (heart) with nutrients.
THE SOWER/FARMER
· You must go to the Master to get the seed … you cannot create it yourself. To be a sower, you must be in tune with the owner of the seed.
· The Sower went OUT … he had to leave his comfort zone and go to scatter seeds. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15).
· The sower had a PURPOSE and an EXPECTATION … Isaiah 55:10-11.
· He scattered the seed liberally everywhere, and as we have received liberally from Christ, so should we give and serve liberally. (Eccl. 11:1-6)
· If he knew where the best soil was to be found, perhaps he might limit himself.
· …sometimes we look at people before we share the Word with them. We target the people who are most likely to be receptive. Christ was liberal in showing compassion, sharing the Truth, with men, women, children, prostitutes, tax collectors etc etc…
· “.. he is not responsible for the harvest, he is only accountable for the care and industry with which he does his work” (Spurgeon)
The soil/heart is “prepared by the plough of conviction; but not knowing men's hearts, it is his business to preach the gospel to every creature—to throw a handful on the hardened heart, and another on the mind which is overgrown with the cares and pleasures of the world. “ (Spurgeon)
The Condition of your heart determines your spiritual journey
The heart is the hub of our being – we’re to guard it diligently
God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7)
PATH/WAYSIDE/FOOTPATH/ROADSIDE/WAY
1. They hear the word (perhaps in passing … on the radio, in a song, in a conversation, an encounter with an evangelist, a sermon etc…)
2. They hear, and then the devil takes it away … the last thing he wants to see is a soul making it to heaven. He is proactive and introduces distractions, doubts, ridicule etc… he takes it away from the hearts immediately and PREVENTS them for believing and becoming saved.
3. Taking away … (he comes to steal, kill and destroy: John 10:10) … he does all he can to keep us from believing, doubts, forgetfulness, sin and guilt, doctrinal confusion, prejudice, distractions etc…. anything to prevent salvation and growth.
4. Be alert! The devil prowls around looking for prey! (1 Peter 5:8).
“…the soil of your heart is so hard beaten by continual traffic, that there is no hope of the seed finding a living root-hold. Satan is constantly passing over your heart with his company of blasphemies, lusts, lies, and vanities. The chariots of pride roll along it, …You have no time, you say, to think of religion. your soul is an exchange, across which continually hurry the busy feet of those who make merchandise of the souls of men. You have no time, you say, to think of religion. No, the road of your heart is such a crowded thoroughfare, that there is no room for the wheat to spring up.” (Spurgeon).
ROCKS/STONY GROUND/SHALLOW SOIL/UNDERLYING ROCK
1. They receive the word with joy, and are excited momentarily – they spring up quickly, but lack deep roots.
“Their heart is as iron; the minister might as well speak to a heap of stones as preach to them.
Do these people come to our assemblies because it is respectable to attend a place of worship? Or is it that their coming helps to make them comfortable in their sins? If they stopped away conscience would prick them; but they come hither that they may flatter themselves with the notion that they are religious.” (Spurgeon).
2. They seeds actually begin to grow – there is topsoil, but hidden underneath is a rock.
3. It lacked moisture, and it sprang up quickly BECAUSE it had no depth or soil, it was shallow. The form of Christianity is seen, but there is no substance. There is barrenness and a hypocritical profession of faith.
4. They believe for a while, but do nothing to find cracks in the rock so they may deepen their roots. On the outside, people see your excitement, but you lack depth.
5. It started to grow, BUT it did not take the necessary steps to continue … Bible Study, Prayer, Fellowshipping with others, sharing faith etc…
6. Offenses come … people upset you in the church, and then you stop going to church, you quit the ministry, forgetting that it is God’s work, not man’s work (Col. 3:23-24).
7. It withered when difficulties came … it got too busy fighting on its own strength and lost faith… the devil from the wayside succeeded in frustrating this seed within the church.
8. Jesus said in Matthew 5:11 that blessed are we, when we are persecuted for righteousness sake … not when we bring the persecution upon ourselves, but when it is undeserved. He blesses and preserves us if we will listen and hold on to our faith.
THORNS/THORN BUSHES
1. The seed grew
2. The weeds also grew/sprang up. This is good soil, for it grows thorns.
“… See how happy he is when in a month or two he visits the spot. The seed has sprung up. True, there's a suspicious little plant down there of about the same size as the wheat. "Oh!" he thinks, "that's not much, the corn will out-grow that. When it is stronger it will choke these few thistles that have unfortunately mixed with it." Ay, Mr. Husbandman, you do not understand the force of evil, or you would not thus dream! He comes again, and the seed has grown, there is even the corn in the ear; but the thistles, the thorns, and the briars have become intertwisted with one another, and the poor wheat can hardly get a ray of sunshine. It is so choked with thorns every way, that it looks quite yellow: the plant is starved. Still it perseveres in growing, and it does seem as if it would bring forth a little fruit.” (Spurgeon)
3. This permissive Christianity – an environment where anything and everything is allowed to grow. A clear sign of spiritual immaturity where there is no discernment and one foot is in the world and the other in the kingdom of God. God spews the lukewarm out of His mouth – you must be hot or cold, not in-between (non-committed,, following the form and lacking the substance).
4. Catch the little foxes! (Songs 2:15).
5. The distractions may not necessarily be bad, but we become fixated on them, and they steal us away from God. Busyness about mundane things, chasing after riches, comfort etc… 1 John 2:15-17 – the lust of the eyes and flesh, pride of life.
6. These things take away the necessary conditions that the plant needs, so the plant is starved to death – starved of sunshine, water/moisture, air and nutrients. Kwashiorkor, anemic and emaciated Christians.
7. These seeds do not mature, do not bear ripe fruit… they do not last all through the journey, and they get choked. The strongman wins. Our leftover time is what we give to God.
8. Persecution may come BECAUSE of the Word: but we must still press on. Push through!
GOOD SOIL/FERTILE SOIL/ GOOD GROUND/GOOD EARTH
1. Hear the word … hearers >>> keepers >>> doer >>> pleasers
2. Retain/keep it
3. Persevere, make the effort to become more like Christ
4. Bear fruit with patience, endurance, continuance – the earlier external elements are all present – the birds, people’s feet, the scorching sun, weeds etc…
5. Presume there is a combo of all the above conditions … the devil and birds, dry seasons in our lives etc…
“In some cases it produced fervency of love, largeness of heart, devotedness of purpose of a noble kind, like seed which produces a hundredfold. … it fell on another, whose abilities and talents were but small; he could not be a star, but he would be a glow-worm; he could not do as the greatest, but he was content to do something, however humble. The seed had brought forth in him tenfold, perhaps twentyfold. How many are there of this sort here? Is there one who prays within himself, "God be merciful to me a sinner"? The seed has fallen in the right spot.” (Spurgeon)
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER ...
1. All the types of soil have potential … (ever seen mimosa and other plants growing in cracks?)
2. The ground is described as "good": not that it was good by nature, but it had been made good by grace. God had ploughed it; he had stirred it up with the plough of conviction (Spurgeon)
3. Like the seed that fell among thorns, sometimes we may not even realize it, but we may be in the middle of a subtle and slow death … you don’t see it coming … you gradually pull away from the things that grow you as a Christian, and like the frog in the kettle, you die an ‘invisible death’. We must guard against this with all our hearts.
4. There is always the promise of a harvest. God has made the provisions … even in the natural sense, He gives sunlight, rain and air. We have to cultivate the soil. Cultivate habits that draw you closer to Him and transform you to be more and more like Him – BS, prayer etc.
5. Salvation is ONLY the beginning point. Nurturing is a must. You cannot expect the seed to mature and bear fruit with no intervention … spiritual growth and maturity are not automatic… we’re to work at it with fear and trembling.
6. Even though there were different yields, Jesus focused on the fact that they bore fruit.
7. We must allow the Spirit of God to fertilize our hearts.
FRUIT = THE FULL CHARACTER & VOCATION OF CHRIST (Gal 3:27)
· Salvation is NOT an end in itself, but the beginning of growth and transformation, becoming more like Christ, bearing fruit and enjoying eternal life with God in heaven … that is the end. (Eccl. 12:13).
· Spiritual disciplines … Richard Foster – the mystery of growth – we cannot see or conjure it … that transformation ONLY comes from God Himself. Spiritual disciplines grow us – it puts us in the place where God can do His work.
· The miracle of growth – it is not in the hands of man, but ONLY God can bring about that transformation …. From seed to plant, from fetus to newborn baby. (John 3:8)
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