Sermons on rocky ground:

Parables Concerning The Kingdom, Part 1 (Matthew 13:1-23)

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Apr 13, 2025

Matthew, Chapter 13, presents a series of stories, or parables, Jesus used to illustrate the concepts of the kingdom of God, the approaching judgment, and the work of the devil. Listen, if you have ears to hear.

The thirteenth chapter of Matthew's gospel focuses upon the parables of Jesus. As the Master got into a boat while teaching the people on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He told a story about a man whose job it was to sow seed into ground that had been tilled in order to grow crops. In the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-53, Mark 4:1-9, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:16-30, Luke 8:4-8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Seeds Series

Contributed by Tim White on Mar 11, 2014

Jesus teaches of the ways people receive the truth.

A pastor once preached on this passage: A mother of 12 came forward, concerned that her life has not produced any eternal fruit. She told the pastor, “I am not sure that with my responsibilities, I have time to do anything of value to God.” The pastor tried to comfort the lady, prayed ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Looking And Waiting

Contributed by Dr.w.samuel Legon on Feb 19, 2015

Holy ground with God.

LOOKING AND WAITING Exdous 3:1Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Four Soils

Contributed by Clark Frailey on Nov 10, 2002

A look at the Parable of the Four Soils using contemporary illustrations.

I. Seeds fell along the Path (v. 4) EXPLANATION: The Soil on the Path will not grow a seed. Or that part of the gospel message that can be sowed in us. This first seed falls by the wayside or on beaten path bordering the garden. This is sun-baked hard ground, completely useless for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-9

Denomination: Baptist

Responding To The Word

Contributed by Paul Sandford on Jul 13, 2011

A sermon about response preached at an infant Baptism, where the parents were committed, though the family might not be.

Text: Matthew 13:1-23 - The Parable of the Sower Introduction 1 The Parable Let me begin by retelling the parable in a different context. The football manager went into the youth team dressing room and sat down to teach. "Once there was a scout who brought in four talented players. The first ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Anglican

Four Soils

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Nov 18, 2006

This message compares the soil types of the ground with the soil types of the heart.

Message: “Four Soils” Text: He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand” (Luke 8:10). What is a parable? The American Heritage Dictionary ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Denomination: Christian Church

Psalm 1 – This Way And That Way – Which Way Are You On? Part 2 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 5, 2022

Part 2 continues the examination of Psalm 1, the Psalm of The Two Ways. One is either in Christ or not in Christ; in the camp of the saved, or the camp of the unsaved; living with a glorious hope, or living with a fearful expectation. We draw out lessons from this Psalm.

PSALM 1 – THIS WAY AND THAT WAY – WHICH WAY ARE YOU ON? PART 2 PSALM 1 – THE TWO WAYS This message continues on from PART 1 THE TREE OF VALUABLE BLESSING VERSE 3. {{Psalm 1:3 “and he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6, Jeremiah 17:5-9, John 10:27, John 21:19, John 21:22, Matthew 8:23-27, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Ephesians 3:16, Romans 12:1-2, Jeremiah 21:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Living Self-Control Emancipated In Perseverance Series

Contributed by Raymond Smith on Jan 23, 2008

#4 In the scriptures there is the assumption that anyone who is born again of the Spirit of God, that that person has the very power of God to live a life of godliness. This is not a life that is some unproductive barren wasteland, but a life that is full

The Enlargement of Life Living Self-control Emancipated in Perseverance Reading: Luke 8:11-15 (2 Peter 1:5-11) Even a quick reading of the N.T. reveals that God has a plan and a purpose for anyone who will be fully open to Him. This plan is that we might have a life, and a way of life that is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Harvest: What Kind Of Soil Are You?

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Sep 30, 2007

A short, challenging, all-age talk given at a harvest festival service.

I love the ‘Mr. Men’ books by Roger Hargreaves! I also enjoy reading the ‘Little Miss’ books too, but my favourite has to be Mr Greedy. A few years ago it was the children’s book that I read more than any other and as a result it’s required a lot of sticky tape to hold it together. I particularly ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Denomination: Anglican

Knowing When To Stay And When To Go Series

Contributed by Kurt Heisey on Nov 5, 2002

This message is second in a series on discerning the will of God. The first dealt with how to judge a prophetic word of God, this one is a continuation of how do we know when we should stay or go. Also entitled, "How not to leave a church"

Determining the will of God (2) (How to leave a church) 10/20/2002 I. Intro A. Review -- Last time we saw 3 different things to consider 1. Prov. 11:4 - Multitude of counselors 2. Amos 3:3 -- Power of agreement 3. Heb. 13:17 -- Relating to authority B. II. There are times when God orchestrates a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:15, Ezekiel 14:3-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sermon On A Spring In The Step

Contributed by William Meakin on Mar 27, 2023

Spring is defined as the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to appear, in the northern hemisphere from March to May and in the southern hemisphere from September to November.

Anne Bradstreet, an early English poet and author who resided in North America, once remarked: “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” Song of Solomon 2:11-12 confirms: “For behold, the winter is ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 6:2, Proverbs 16:15, Zechariah 10:1, 2 Peter 3:18

Of Seed And Soils

Contributed by Gary Roth on Jul 15, 2002

God is the good gardner, working his people into good soil, fit to plant in the seed of his presence.

"Of Seed and Soils" Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 I would like to fancy myself a gardener, although I’ve only been at it about thirty years, and am humbled at the presence of some of you Master Gardeners in the congregation. I am also finding out that gardening in the south is a different kind of animal ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Lutheran

Are You Without Or Are You In?

Contributed by Ronald Crandall on Jan 15, 2003

Takes a look at are crowd pleasers or God pleasers? Are we in an intimate relationship with Jesus or do we just know him from the crowds and what we are told or maybe have seen?

Are you without or are you in? By: Pastor Ron Crandall Mark 4:1-20 1 And He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very great multitude gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And He was teaching them many things ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20

Denomination: Pentecostal

Are You Wasting Seed?

Contributed by David Elvery on Nov 22, 2006

A look at the parable of the seed

Are you wasting seed? Luke 8:1-18 Gladstone Baptist Church – 30/10/05 am I love big machinery. I’m an engineer still at heart and I love to figure out how machines work. One of the fascinating areas of machinery I think is agricultural machines. Have you ever seen a combine harvestor ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Works Of A Sower

Contributed by George Smith on Jan 9, 2002

A look at how we need to prepare the ground to sow seed.

PARABLES OF THE SOWER (Effects of Preaching Gospels truths) MATTHEW 13:3-8 & 18-23 (Study reference Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:5-8) Mark8:13-20 ; Luke8:11-15 Intro. WE have work to do but it seem that no one is willing to put there hands to the plow. BUT WE ARE LIKE FARMERS V. 3 And he spake many ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational