Sermons on Rocky Ground:

Rocky Ground Series

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Feb 19, 2003

A look at the parable of the sower

"I’ll Serve the Lord as Long as there are no Difficulties or Discouragements" Mark 4:1-9 According to John Gipson the following story was published in the Galveston, Texas paper. It concerned a woman and her parakeet named "Chippie." It seems that the woman was cleaning Chippie’s birdcage with a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Which Soil Am I On? Series

Contributed by James Chandler on Sep 10, 2024

God is the farmer

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Parables Of The Kingdom. Conditions Of The Heart. Matthew 13.1-23 Part 1 Series

Contributed by William Akehurst on May 24, 2025

Using the Parable of the Sower, Jesus teaches that the condition of your heart determines the fruitfulness of your life in response to God's Word.

2025.05.25.Sermon Notes. Parables of the Kingdom. Conditions of the Heart. The Heart of the Matter_Matthew 13.1-23 PART 1 William Akehurst, HSWC Scriptures: Matthew 13:1-23, Isaiah 6:9-10, Galatians 6:7-8, Jeremiah 4:3, Colossians 2:6-7, Psalms 1:1-2, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Isaiah 55:6-7 Big Idea: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23, Isaiah 6:9-10, Galatians 6:7-8, Jeremiah 4:3, Colossians 2:6-7, Psalm 1:1-2, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Isaiah 55:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seeds On The Rocky Soil Series

Contributed by Eric Lenhart on Aug 13, 2010

Differences between growing deep roots in the faith and having a shallow faith.

Seeds on the Rocky Soil (Matthew 13:1-23) 2nd in a series on: “The Parable of the Soils” Introduction: Over the past couple weeks I’ve been watching grass grow here at the New Song. Around the building, just like the Sower in the Parable of the Soils, I planted 120 pounds of grass seed. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Church Of God

Dangerous Grounds

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Oct 30, 2013

The soil, of course, represents the human heart, so the word of God falls on four different types of hearts. This parable is about salvation and three out of four of the soils represent people who are not genuinely saved.

Opening illustration: Growing up as a teenager, my dad would take me to watch the plowing of the field and planting of wheat and sunflower. The tractor would plow deep into the hard soil of central India usually slicing the big snakes hibernating below the earth. Their mangled bodies were brought ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thorny Ground Series

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Feb 19, 2003

A Look at the parable of the sower

Soil Testing: Thorny Ground "I’ll Serve the Lord as Long as It Does Not Interfere With Things That Are More Important" Luke 8:4-8 There was a young man who was doing everything possible to move up in his company. Over the past 3 weeks he had built us 52 hours of overtime working on a new project. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Sower

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 6, 2024

Jesus often spoke in parables, stories or allegories that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. With the natural amplification of His voice reflecting off the water, did Jesus hold a large meeting? Let’s find out in Matthew 13.

Jesus often spoke in parables, stories or allegories that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. With the natural amplification of His voice reflecting off the water, did Jesus hold a large meeting? Let’s find out in Matthew 13. On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Rooted And Grounded In Christ

Contributed by Jebryan Reiter on Dec 3, 2016

Making sure we are rooted and grounded in Christ that brings hope and life not just looking good and decorated on the outside like our Christmas Tree which are dying and life-less

Rooted and Grounded in Christ As I was pondering on what to share today, I began to think about my Christmas tree...yes my Christmas tree. I'm not sure what your typical tradition is, but we typically put up our tree as soon as possible after Thanksgiving day. And of course, we always get a REAL ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21, Ephesians 2:6-7

Denomination: *other

Rooted - Introduction Series

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Aug 28, 2017

First message in the series on being Rooted. This message goes over the bad grounds.

Title: Being Rooted Theme: Text: Mark 4:1 - 13 Introduction And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. (Mark 4:1) Then He taught them many things by ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-13

Denomination: Church Of God

Rocky Top

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Feb 27, 2004

Transfiguration - a mountan top expirence that is worth the climb.

I have had several opportunities to go to the top of mountains especially when we lived in Colorado. We drove up in all kinds of weather, even when it was snowing. I have taken the cable cars and when I was a kid hiked. It is interesting to me that going up has always seemed to take a lot ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:27-36

Denomination: Congregational

Rocky Road

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 28, 2025

The first step in our becoming ambassadors for Christ is to accept that the road of Christian discipleship is often a rocky one.

Ambassadors get VIP treatment: first class seats and free champagne, red carpets and limos, valet parking and 24-hour room service. Ambassadors get interviews with world leaders and press mavens. An ambassadorship is a class act, the apex of the diplomat’s career, the privileged crown on a lifetime ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Grounding Faith Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Jan 17, 2007

A series in James about possessing a foolproof faith. This message focuses on faith that is built upon the truth of God’s Word and the necessity of hearing God.

Foolproof – A Study of James GROUNDING Faith – James 1:19-27 Sunday AM Recap: We’re in a series in James about how to have a foolproof faith so that we won’t be fooled into thinking we have genuine faith when we’re only religious and so we can’t be fooled into embracing anything not of God. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-27

Denomination: Baptist

Parables Of The Kingdom – The First - The Sower Or Rather The Soil – Part 3 Of 5 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 31, 2025

We continue the Sower, considering the seed that fell into rocky ground, the shallow soil, with a warning. Temptation plus affliction and persecution will in time burn and kill off any mere profession. These hearers are only temporary. Then we begin the seed choked in the thorny soil.

PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM – THE FIRST - THE SOWER OR RATHER THE SOIL – Part 3 of 5 Last time we finished thinking about the good seed that was wasted on the barren pathways and beside the roadway. There was nothing wrong with the seed, but the reception was nil because men closed their hearts to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:5-6, Matthew 13:20-21, Mark 4:17, Luke 8:6, Luke 8:13, Luke 8:14, Matthew 13:7, Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:18-19, Genesis 3:17-18  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let's Be Good Ground For Jesus

Contributed by Randall Long on Apr 4, 2020

This message uses Jesus' Parable of the Sower to encourage believers to face the obstacles that hinder us from spiritual growth in our lives.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! PAY ATTENTION! THIS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO HEAR! Have I aroused your interest? Are you at least curious what I'm about to say that can justify such verbal arm-waving? Will you be upset (or at least disappointed) if I proceed to tell a story about some guy who has a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:3-9, Mark 4:13-20, Galatians 5:22

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Let's Be Good Ground For Jesus

Contributed by Randall Long on Apr 4, 2020

This message uses Jesus' Parable of the Sower to encourage believers to face the obstacles that hinder us from spiritual growth in our lives.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! PAY ATTENTION! THIS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO HEAR! Have I aroused your interest? Are you at least curious what I'm about to say that can justify such verbal arm-waving? Will you be upset (or at least disappointed) if I proceed to tell a story about some guy who has a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:3-9, Mark 4:13-20, Galatians 5:22

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance