Behold, A Sower Went Forth To Sow;

Matt 13 v 1 – 23

I. THE FOCUS OF THE SOWER.3 Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

(A). HE SOWED THE SEED PLENTIFULLY. 2 Cor 9:6. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

(B). HE SOWED THE SEED PURPOSELY. Looking for a harvest Ps 126:5-6. They that sow in TEARS shall reap in JOY. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (C). HE SOWED THE SEED PATIENTLY. Gal 6:9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not

(D). HE SOWED THE SEED PERSISTENTLY. Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

II. THE FRUITFULNESS OF THE SEED. 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (A). IT IS PURE SEED 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom,

John 15 v 3 "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (B) IT IS PRECIOUS SEED. (Costly, valuable) Psalms 126:6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. This Precious Book Tells Of A Precious Blood: "1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: It Tells Us Of A Precious Faith: 2 Peter 1:1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: It Tells Us Of A Precious City: Rev 21:10-11. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; (C). IT IS POWERFUL SEED. Rom 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

(D) IT IS PRODUCTIVE SEED 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, some thirty.

III. THE FINDINGS OF THE SOIL 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, ("The growth of the SEED DEPENDS on the NATURE of the SOIL")

(A). THE CARELESS HEART. 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. The Unreceptive Heart (the Wayside Soil) vv. 18-19

Jer 17:5-10

5 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

(B). THE CASUAL HEART. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.