The Sower

Introductory Considerations

1. How could anyone not understand? The message of salvation is a simple one. The story of God’s great persistent love for us and the story of our rebellion.

2. And yet there are times when we try to share what it means with others and somehow they don’t understand - times when we may try to share with friend or relative that which is so precious to us and they walk away unaffected.

3. Like seeing someone drowning - throw they lifeline - life preserver They are looking right at us and we say - grab the preserver. But they only look at us with confusion.

4. We are called to communicate good news. Communication has two parts to it - sending the message and receiving it.

5. Greatest communicator was Jesus Christ - He was the Word. And yet as we read gospels, we see that often many did not understand Him.

6. The problem is not even the ears of those who hear but their hearts - the words are heard but they have no effect. They do not understand - like I might not understand calculus or science.

Teaching

1. In verse 11, Jesus is alone with disciples. He has been teaching people from a boat.

a. He told parable of sower - disciples asked why He spoke in parables.

b. Mat 13:11; Heb replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them."

2. In this verse Jesus says that what He is teaching is the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. - the reign of God - how God rules and is manifest in Christ.

a. In its present aspect - spiritual, where His sovereignty is accepted.

b. In its future aspect - new heaven and new earth - Rev - culmination.

3. Since we are by nature unspiritual we cannot by ourselves understand it. James calls earthly wisdom unspiritual.

4. We can only understand the secrets or mystery of the kingdom if we have hearts that are changed by the Holy Spirit.

5. And so for us the parables that Jesus teaches us help us to see the mystery of His kingdom while for others, the lack of understanding shows they have not been born again.

6. This evening we examine the first of the parables that Jesus taught.

7. A parable teaches a main point, a simple truth. We must be careful that we do not over-analyze it and tear it apart.

a. It’s like saying "you are as slow as a turtle" - and person responding "I don’t have a shell". Somehow they have missed the point.

8. The parable of the sower can be analyzed more than most parables because it is one of a few that Jesus actually explains.

9. Jesus says that the operation of God’s kingdom can be compared to seed.

a. He uses the idea of seed a number of times in different ways. Seed is alive, it has great potential, although it may seen dead and small.

10. Jesus tells of a farmer going out to sow his seed - he scatters it. The seed is the message about the kingdom - the news that God wants to rule in our hearts and that He sent His Son to enable us to do so.

11. That message includes God’s word - it also includes us. God sows us as messengers of the good news.

a. We both are the seed and we scatter it.

b. The seed is not our strength and efforts but the HS in us and the working out of God’s purpose in our lives.

c. Perhaps we could say we on own are just the seed cover.

12. Sometimes we may not see any results of the sowing we do or the sowing we are. Does that mean we are no good as seed?

13. The message is effectual. The power of the word of God cannot be diminished. If the seed does not sprout and grow the problem lies with the soil and the soil represents those who hear it or at least their hearts.

14. Jesus uses the locations or soil into which seed is scattered to show why people reject the gospel.

15. Some falls on the path - a unresponsive heart

a. This is a callous, hard heart that simply rejects the word and it finds no place it his heart.

b. There may be reasons - hurt, etc - but they are responsible.

c. And so devil takes away before it can find a soft spot.

16. Some falls on rocky places - an impulsive heart.

a. Seen people react with excitement to word.

b. If I call in 2 days, the enthusiasm is completely gone for they react on emotion only - emotion NB but must be more.