Look at verses 1-2: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. A true profession of faith in Christ comes from your heart. 2) Secondly, sow Gods word wisely. But some is also going to fall on good soil, and so you may expect that there will indeed be a harvest. The parables help clarify the ground rules of the kingdom. Salvation Army, WHAT'S A PARABLE? 8:11-15) the seed was the word; the soils represented hearts [, The point was not for them to test the soil before they sowed the seed the point was for, We must be open to listening to Gods word described elsewhere as being , We must guard against evil influences which will steer us away from Gods word (v. 12; 1 Corinthians 15:33), We must not be so shallow that we change our convictions based upon our circumstances (v. 13; Ephesians 4:14), We must avoid getting caught up in the (temporary) worries, riches, and pleasures of life (v. 14; Matthew 6:33-34), We need to develop a good and honest heart (v. 15) a , God created us with the ability to hear and understand His will (Proverbs 20:12), Lets examine ourselves to be sure were listening in a way thats profitable, fruitful, and pleasing to God. Jeopardy, Paul, and Hebrews. Thats the nature of the Kingdom of God! We need to expose worldly wealth for what it is. A candidate for ordination as a minister was asked, "What part of the Bible do you like best?" So, thats the first obstacle or hindrance to people receiving the gospel Satan himself. Some seed falls on the wayside, representing those who hear the word and do not Why Dont the New Testament Authors Explain the Trinity? Greg Lanier (PhD, Cambridge) serves as associate professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. I dont believe we can eliminate false professions completely, but there are certain things we can do to make them less common. Heres something else to consider: Your best friends are not necessarily those with whom you spend the most time, but those with whom you share yourself most intimately. Chapter twelve was a major turning point in the ministry of Christ, as the religious leaders of the day plotted his death, so he turns from them and instructs His disciples 1. Its supposed to prepare them for the variety of responses they will see as they share the gospel with everyone they meet. Amen. For example: His 1st parable talked about a farmer spreading seed on 4 different kinds of soils. (Matthew 13:3). And of that they do understand, they forget most of it in time. Many refer to these types of stories as ''parables.'' Most of them were never heard of again. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. Picture Jesus sitting in the boat a little way out from shore, and all the people gathered along the shore at the waters edge to hear him. What Happened to Historian Molly Worthen? So many of such people are going to burn in hell one day because they "almost" got saved. The Bible says, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21) You dont have to have a lot of money to have your heart set on it. The seed that grows is no different from the seed that lands on the path, or on the rocky ground, or among thorns. Both of them died of cancer. The disciples ask him about the parables (10-17) Isaiah 6:9-10. And pray against Satan taking that word away. Take the myth of the All American Boy, for example. There are about fifty different parables of Christ recorded in the Gospels. Click here for more information, I had the privilege of studying the parables in seminary with Dr. William Farmer, who, at the time, was one of the foremost New Testament scholars in the world, and Ill never forget the first lesson Dr. Farmer taught us. And then Jesus told the Pharisees that he was the Lord of the Sabbath. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell . As a dentist my friend could not understand how I as a scientist could embrace religion so heartily. Share the gospel, pray for people, and then watch as God does his work. Consider this: Each of you has twenty hours in a day, but I dare say, youre doing well if, at the end of the day, you can cite one thing you did thats worth telling about. It was a false profession. Be careful how you hear the word of God. read more, Scripture: But the soil is what matters, and God alone can prepare it to receive the seed and yield the manifold crop of repentance and forgiveness. Secondly, we present not just a message but a person. This is a collection of my personal thoughts, musings, arguments and ideas. Thomas Keating, Meditations on the Parables of Jesus, The Crossroad Publishing Company, pp. He was ready for the last campaign. But you see, thats the problem. Other falls on the pathway and gets stepped on. Parables play a surprising role. Of the commentaries they do buy, they read only the chapters that pertain to their interests. The seed of the gospel is freely and lovingly scattered to any and everyone. Look at verses 20-21: The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. Jesus not only marveled at the presence of faith, but He also marveled at the absence of faith. He just doesnt sow it. Grass burned up in the intense heat, and the cattle nearly starved. So at fantastic effort and expense you have your shops make nine thousand engines You send all nine thousand of them out on the runs. One clue to why Jesus would frame his parable ministry this way can be found in theword itself. The parable begins, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow" Take it at face value. Is he intentionally being obscurantist to turn people away? That is really the main point of the parable. An interesting article appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Posted May 1, 2016 by Simon in category ". Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. Biblical Commentary 5) In Luke 8:4-15 there are 3 points: a. read more, Denomination: The rocky places were those areas that just had a thin skin of earth resting on top of an underlying shelf of limestone rock. You see, we live in the physical, and don't often exercise the spiritual part of us. Jesus came to a point in His ministry when He began to speak to His disciples in parables. Jesus shares with us seven parables, each one telling us what the kingdom of heaven is like. Pearls were of much greater value in Jesus time than they are today. Jesus told the people, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. (Matthew 3:2) Then he preached the Sermon on the Mount which shows us what it looks like when we repent and when we submit our lives to God and his kingdom. The parable; b. "APPLY: You'd think that a simple task like watering the plants wouldn't be too hard for a guy. During His earthly teaching ministry, the Lord Jesus, who was the master teacher and preacher, often used stories and illustrations as He instructed the crowds of people who flocked to hear Him. The first thing he explains is what the seed represents in the parable. The seed that did produced runty plants that promised a scanty yield, if any at all. The lake here is the Sea of Galilee. While Isaiahs ministry stirred up faith in some, it further hardened others who were already straying from God. Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23. J. Gerald Harris. Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do (10 Of 10), How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit (9 of 12), Believers, Deceivers, and the Deceived (5 of 7), Soils and Toils, Sowing and Weeping: Three Essentials For An Effective Ministry, CCPA - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 2023 SermonSearch. Famously in this parabledescribed as the key to understanding all the rest (Mark 4:13b)Jesus seems to say he speaks in parables not so that he will be more easily understood, but precisely so that his hearers will not hear and understand, lest they repent and be forgiven. Copyright 2004, Philip W. McLarty. This Jesus you are always speaking of - to me, he's just another smart Jew." This conversation happened between Hermann Gring and Capt. But, then, you never know. While the critique was probably deserved, I was puzzled in the moment about the grounds for it. This frees the preacher to sow the seed faithfully, and then watch God work to change sinful hearts according to his sovereign will. Romans 10:9 says, If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) A surface faith is shallow and superficial. C. The good soil represents the growing believer (23). Others fell among thornsOthers fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: . I look forward to getting a good theology of evangelism which will inspire me to do it more boldly and in a way that is more God honouring. Click here to return to the Sermons page. The rebellion against Jesus Christ is beginning to reach its peak. The kingdom, when it came, would introduce a glorious new age of universal peace, with Gods chosen people at the head of the nations. He has now turned His attention from the nation of Israel to all who will come to Him. Queen Cleopatra is reputed to have had two, s which together were worth around 15 million denarii. So, how do you prevent a false profession of faith in Christ? This fanatic and usurper must be put down finally. But do it wisely. I received many compliments on the sermon, from both churches and even later at a pot-luck dinner! Look at verses 18-19: Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom. (Matthew 13:18-19). 13:11). OPEN: A man walked into a flower shop and asked for some potted red geraniums. "Look out there," he said. "And what does the church believe?" Theyre not to be interpreted metaphorically. How do we handle this distraction? Required fields are marked *. But I'd be more than happy to give you a deal on something else. The key to unlocking Jesuss words is staring right at us in the text. Of all the topics that a pastor talks about, by common consensus everybody would agree, the most sensitive topic that a pastor talks about is - money. And the hundred, sixty, thirty-fold yield here this was a very good crop. Yet, to this day, we have a hard time understanding the parables, not because theyre difficult or complex; in fact, just the opposite: Jesus parables are simple and to the point, as plain as the nose on your face. It gave the faithful the sign they had been waiting for. With that, let's take a look at the first parable in our series, The Parable of the Sower. The reasons: Importantly, Jesus describes the last category of seed as the one who hears the word and understands (Matt. Pray right then and there. The very first command that Jesus ever gave to anyone was to be a finder of missing persons or the way He put it to His first disciples was ''to be a fisher of men.''2. read more, Tags: It reminds me of when I was a kid there was a path that led through a field on the way to school. It inaugurated the Masters final mission to his people and was a fitting prelude to the days of intense activity and emotion which were to follow. If You Mix The Matters, Your Preaching Won't Matter, Still Preaching, But Running From The Ministry. So, what is a parable? Basically, Jesus tells this parable of a sower who goes out and sows seed, finding that it falls on four types of soils, and only the fourth soil is really good and bears fruit. 2. Even where He did mighty works, some did not repent - Mt 11:20-24 2. Jesus told parables so that even kids could understand.. In spite of all the obstacles, God prevails. He is also an associate pastor at River Oaks Church (PCA). Matthew says there were so many of them, he had to get into a boat in order to be heard. They intoxicate and influence us. 1. The first parable Jesus shares is the Parable of the Sower. Jesus goes on and quotes to them from the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. Simply saying a prayer does not make you a Christian. TRY SERMONWRITER! Website: https://www.rayfowler.org. read more, A LITTLE MORE As we have seen throughout our series in the gospel of Matthew, the kingdom of heaven was a major theme in Jesus ministry. Theyd take a handful of seeds and cast them out over a small area of ground, as opposed to our modern planting drills that place individual seeds in straight rows at just the right depth, so many inches apart. Jesus in that tumultuous hour was issuing a challenge. One of Jesus' most famous parables is that of the sower and the seed. In Luke 7:9 we read that He marveled at the presence of faith. I realize there are people here that really like gardening, but I don't. One of the many, many hobbies that I've had over the years has been an informal, what you might call a casual collecting, compiling of bloopers and blunders that have made their way into the bulletins, onto bulletin boards or power points of churches. by Jeff Strite OPEN: A man walked into a flower shop and asked for some potted red geraniums. Jesus said the Pharisees were wicked and adulterous, and that brought on a confrontation with them that would end with Him being nailed to the Cross of Calvary. For example, whats the use of preaching a twenty-minute sermon when the average attention span is something like three minutes? At Wrigley Field, a ball that gets lodged in the vines The Gospel itself is never the issue; it is the quality of the reception and what happens after it is received that is always the determining factor of what quality or what life springs from that Gospel. The Parable of the Sower is the longest of the three parables in this chapter, the other two being the Mustard Seed and the Seed Growing Secretly. The thorns grew up and choked them. The student from MIT wrote his thesis on this, and graduated. It speaks well and challenges the listener!. People like to hear stories. I thought my dad was about as far away from God as he could be. A. c. The Lord's explanation of this parable. He asked one man, "What do you believe?" Thats what this path in the parable was like. Look at verse 8: Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:8). Im sure its got lots of practical stuff in it but we have just started and Ive been enjoying thinking through some of these questions. (1 Timothy 6:9-10) Ive always liked the attitude of Agur son of Jakeh in the book of Proverbs who said: Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Lets be generous and say most of them were paying attention and got the point. They did notice that every once in a while www.ivpress.com. Hymn Lists. (Isa. Jesus had done what He often did - He turned the boat into a pulpit. 178-179). 15 For this peoples heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Childerns Sermons 6:910). When Jesus gives his reason for speaking in parables, he does not say,So that even children can understand, let alone,Because people like entertaining stories. Rather, he offers almost the opposite reason. A denari was roughly a days wage for an unskilled labourer, so based on the current minimum wage in Australia, that comes out as maybe AU$2.25 billion (US$1.5 billion) for those two. Theyre all Baptists, or Church of Christ, or Catholics, or heathens. Only a small percentage of the seed sown actually grows and bears fruit. Matthew 13:10-17, Tags: Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Whats the use of giving to charities when so much is spent on the unappreciative and undeserving? "I see men, women, and children," read more, Scripture: Thats how they planted their crops. And the answer to that question is in Matthew 13. We want to see Gods word take root in peoples hearts, and we want to see people growing in Christ. read more, PARABLES: GROUND RULES You can also check out the Top Posts page to get a feel for the site. And then finally we come to the seed that produces a crop in verse 23: But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. Then he was asked, "What Book in the New Testament is your favorite?" Every token of royal honor which he accepted that day gave point to the challenge, and every hosanna of the crowd drove it home. You'll write powerful and fresh messages every week with our preparation tools on a number of sermon topics, including expository preaching. One of them is water and the other is Coca Cola. I once heard a woman say of her mothers best friend: She always remembered to send mom a card on her birthday. Learning from the global church helps believers in the West zoom out, put aside their assumptions, and see afresh the relevance and power of truths that may no longer seem relevant and powerful. 3) Matthew 13:19. I have seen this happen a number of times. In her book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard writes: If indeed (nature) has no greater aim than to provide a home for her greatest experiment, Man, it would be just like her methods to scatter a million stars whereof one might haply achieve her purpose. 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ILLUS:My garden has taught me to think ahead. Weeds just grow up all on their own. He also taught in parables for another reason. So, anyway, that was my thinking behind the illustration. Jesus explains the parable of the sower (18-23). I must build soil, plant, and nurture what I have planted. As he subsequently explained, it focuses on the results seen when the sowers seed (the word) lands in various heartconditions. This contradicts theories surrounding church growth of targeting certain statistically measurable demographics. When you think about it, the greatest sluggers in baseball get a hit only one out three times at bat. The parable begins, Behold, a farmer went out to sow. But to those hardened against God, parables are designed to remain mundane stories about horticulture, vineyards, fishing nets, real estate economics, traveling, or banquetsnothing more. Two of the men have impacted my life. and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. We have seen some other parables in the gospel of Matthew already, for example, the parable of the wise and foolish builders at the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27), but the parable of the sower here is the first in a series of parables all compiled together in one chapter. There are a lot of things I could compare when it comes to living in the world, sexual sin, the lust we have for objects that are shiny; but, Ive decided that Im not going to. However, the most difficult topic that a pastor deals with is the one we have been talking about for the last couple of weeks in the series we've entitled, ''Missing Person.'' Only one success, now and then, is enough to outweigh a multitude of failed attempts. American astronauts did go to the moon, but meanwhile the Vietnam war devastated the prestige of American invincibility and with it the American dream. The sower. Sometimes one out of a thousand makes the whole effort worthwhile. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. Bible Church, PERSISTENT SOWERS Matthew 13:1-30, A PARABLE OF PARABLES 13:9), delight in the glorious simplicity and profound truths of Jesuss parables; to these God has given to know the secrets of the kingdom (Matt. And then thirdly we can pray for true understanding. Please include the following statement on any distributed copies: We dont know how many were in the crowd that day, but there must have been a bunch. Let the powers of evil do their worst; he knew his power. If youve ever played baseball, you know that certain parks have ground rules, and the umpires and coaches discuss these rules before each game. Take it at face value. Dont wait until later. You might even begin to despair and wonder and ask yourself, whats the use? And the resulting harvest is abundant and plentiful for all. read more, Scripture: Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. (Matthew 13:14-15). He walks over to the barn and pulls the large doors open to Look at verses 14-15 where Jesus says: In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. Jesuss harsh lest is rooted in Isaiahsprophecy. by Kenneth E. Bailey Copyright (c) 2009 by Kenneth E. Bailey. Look at verses 16-17: But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Could you use African violets instead?" "What do you see?" Although there are engineers at the throttles, no one is manning the switches. Whats the use? Luke 14:25-35, Tags: They live the same way they were used to living before they started coming to church. It is a chapter that every believer should seek to understand thoroughly. It gave Him a little platform to stand on. Finally, Jesus goes on to explain the parable to them. And then when we studied Mission and Conflict in Matthew 10-12, we saw how Jesus shared his kingdom authority with the disciples as he sent them out to preach the good news of the kingdom to others. Now thats what were looking for! CONCLUSION: We have covered a lot of application already throughout the message today, but let me close with three overall application points from this first parable in Matthew 13: 1) First of all, be careful how you hear. Hello and welcome to RayFowler.org. Think of the human race aboard a hijacked jet-liner flying through time. There was an article in the Wednesday, June 26, 2002 issue of the Colorado Springs Gazette by Michelle Singletary titled How Much is Enough in the Pursuit of Money? Jesus declared of a certain Centurion, ''I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.'' If you will remember, Jesus and the disciples were accused of breaking the Sabbath Day by eating corn. Our sermon ideas on Parable of the Sower will help you preach a powerful message. That means that they made somewhere between $100,000 and $1 million a year. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Tags: Any blessing that we receive from God is given to us so that we can bless others. (view more) Before explaining the parable to them, Jesus gives them some insight into why he teaches with parables. Enclosed in each parablesome more directly than othersis something about Jesus's proclamation and inauguration of the kingdom. First, there are the worries of this life. Thats what the parable of the sower is all about. Youre not alone. A denari was roughly a days wage for an unskilled labourer, so based on the current minimum wage in Australia, that comes out as maybe AU$2.25 billion (US$1.5 billion) for those two pearls. Its all such a waste! This is the young man who gets straight As in college and graduate school, climbs the executive ladder, and perhaps becomes the head of a multinational. Many points could be made from this, but we are going to attempt to identify the MAIN point. "Well, they believe the same as me." Theological belief is sometimes a murky matter. I know you are ready to hear God's word today and I want you to take word and turn to Matthew Chapter 13 and we've been looking at God's lost and found department and today I want us to move into thinking about the strange mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. This illustration isnt really about me bagging lazy Christians. 1. s were incredibly valuable in the ancient world. Its a program developed by The Gospel Coalition and its focus is not teaching a new evangelism technique, but rather its looking at evangelism or outreach and asking things like, What is evangelism?, Why should we evangelise?, Why dont we evangelise?. As we have seen throughout our series in the gospel of Matthew, the kingdom of heaven was a major theme in Jesus' ministry. Studying this parable and the truths that it teaches will make you more effective in your witness for Christ, and it will make you more effective in praying for people who do not know Christ. var sc_invisible=1; document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Look at verse 7: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (Matthew 13:7). If we dispensed with the sermon entirely, would anyone notice? and Johnny Hart, A Theology of Google, Facebook, Amazon and Twitter, The Psalms of Ascent Stepping Stones to Gods Heart, Seahawks and Broncos Post Super Bowl Prayer Huddle, A Piece of Plastic Clay (A Poem for Mothers Day), PP00: Miscellaneous Your mileage may vary, The Fruit of the Spirit and 1 Corinthians 13, The ordinary so extraordinary by Madeleine LEngle. This is the young man who gets straight A's in college and . The Christ Rejecters This parable indicates there are people who come to church for years but for reasons other than Christ. Finally, consider this: Over the centuries, hundreds of thousands of men and women have studied the scriptures. declaring glorious deeds of the LORD. Likewise, Ezekiel complains, Ah, LORD God! Why Did Jesus Command Others to Be Silent About Him? She began by writing about Karen Hughes, counselor to President Bush, who decided to leave the White read more, Denomination: Jesus then goes on to warn about three obstacles, three hindrances that keep people from receiving the word of God as it is sown. Click here for more messages from the book of Matthew. Thanks for visiting! Bible Truth, Denomination: Is anyones life ever changed for the better by whats said in the sermon? In Matthew 28:20, Jesus told his disciples to "teach them to observe all that I have commanded you." This is the seed sown along the path. (Matthew 13:19). Jesus goes on to pronounce a blessing on the disciples because their hearts are open to Gods word. B. Click here for more messages from the Parables of the Kingdom series. Some people say, Well, I would receive Christ, but this is such a bad time. We see this a lot in the church caring church members and ministers give so much for so long they just dont have anything left inside to give. Sower, Church Growth, THE STRANGLE-HOLD OF WEALTH Its a pictureof being spiritually overweigh. In the mists Sowing seeds was something Jesus listeners knew something about. RayFowler.org is a place to discuss various issues relating to God and life. For the Israelites of Jesus time, the tension between everyday reality and a mythical vision of Israel as Gods chosen people was felt with particular urgency. A swamp collects water but doesnt move it along, and so it gets stagnant and disgusting. They are usually a story or a narrative taken from nature or Now Jesus is going to go on to teach the crowd a number of other parables that we will get to in the coming weeks. Wherever he was, he had a knack for looking around him and weaving what he saw into his sermons, whether it was sparrows for sale in the marketplace, laborers lining up for their pay, or a woman glimpsed through a doorway kneading her familys bread. He said: "I like the New Testament best." It tells Christs The thrust of the parables is to subvert the distorted myths in which people live their lives. Jesus uses these words several times in the gospels, and they imply more than just hearing with your physical ears. Well, heres the kicker: Jesus told this parable to a crowd of Jews gathered at the Sea of Galilee. A parable is a simple story, using concrete imagery, to make a single point and, in the case of Jesus' parables a single point about the nature of the Kingdom of God. I prayed the prayer with you myself!. Jesus tells the story of a sower who scattered seeds on four different types of soil. A myth is often what holds peoples lives together. We sometimes think of these rocky places as soil that just had a lot of rocks in it, but Jesus is describing something a little different here. Explicitly in Matthew and implicitly in Mark/Luke, Jesus reveals he fulfilling Isaiahs words. read more, Tags: ''I recalled that oak tree in the ditch when I read today's parable. III. Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 6:9-10 here, where God spoke words of judgment against Israel because they refused to hear the truth of Gods word. How many wanna-be opera singers do you think Pavarottis voice teacher coached? Thanks so much for your work! The parables are meant to conceal truth from those whose hearts are hardened towards God, and they are also meant to reveal truth to those who listen with an open heart and a willing mind. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. You need to tell more stories when you preach. (Mt 5:14-16; authors translation), Taken from Jacob & the Prodigal: How Jesus Retold Israels Story by Kenneth E. Bailey Copyright (c) 2009 by Kenneth E. Bailey. Those with hearts prepared like good soil, who have ears to hear (Matt. It has also taught me to hold the harvest lightly. Your email address will not be published. So, what happened? 2) This parable is about the Kingdom, Luke 8:10. Its more of a sign of where our church might get to if we dont get on board with Jesus mission. Then in Mark's account of our text, we read that Jesus ''marveled because of their unbelief'' (Mark 6:6). How did it get out here in a ditch with nothing around?'' Brethren, THE PARABLE OF THE DRAGONFLY The seed falls on four different types of soil with four corresponding results. It was a pearl such as he had never seen, perfect in shape, size, and color. (4) And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Ray Fowler. read more, JUST A LITTLE SILVER You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this message provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. And in this parable Jesus describes a farmer sowing seed and then four places where the seed fell. Acts 28:2627). Click a topic below to explore more sermon illustrations! So, lets begin with the first section where Jesus tells the parable of the sower. He feeds on the seed. Book Theme Character Contributor. This is not designed to make them stress about looking for the good soil in order to make sure the gospel bears fruit. Looking closely at the original text, I noticed the part that says ''some seeds fell on the path and the birds came and ate them Introduction: As we approach Matthew 13, we see Jesus using a different kind of communication method - that of parables. But I'd be more than happy to give you a deal on something else. Jesus marveled because He saw in one a faith that was mastering and saw in others a faith that was missing. As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, So many acts of kindness go unnoticed. We fail in these same areas. Some have defined the word parable as "a story by which something real in life is used as a means of presenting a moral thought." And, as he sowed, some fell on the path, and the birds ate it up; and some fell on rocky ground and withered away; and some fell among thorns and got choked out; while other seed fell on good soil and brought forth grain some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. We dont just present the gospel as a get out of hell free card, but we help people understand repentance from sin and the cost of discipleship. It lets the water flow into it and out of it to other places. By Ray Fowler. I doubt very much that this is the aim, but it seems clear on all fronts that this is the method., Say youre the manager of the Southern Railroad. He does not say, Your benevolence must reach beyond your own kith and kin. Rather, he tells the story of the good Samaritan. The Sower. It was a common way Jewish rabbis taught in those days, and Jesus followed the rabbinic tradition. Now, here in Matthew 13, Jesus continues this theme of the kingdom. When a myth begins to falter, great leaders may try to find ways to recapture the glory of earlier days, like John F. Kennedys effort to rekindle the American dream by sending a man to the moon. This is what we should be like. Why is it that a boy and girl can go out on a date and spend several hours together, and neither can remember a lot of what they said or did, but that one moment when their hands touched or their eyes met, they can remember forever? Others fell on rocky ground, where they didnt have much soil, Jesus says here that a worldly focus can choke the word out of a persons life. Parable General, PARABLE STORY A parable is a simple story, using concrete imagery, to make a single point and, in the case of Jesus parables a single point about the nature of the Kingdom of God. Thats the attitude youre likely to take when you consider the percentages. The seeds just lay on top of the path, and so the birds swooped down and ate them up. Scripture, Word Of God, Hearing, Responding, A discerning commentator (Alexander Maclaren) writes: The Parable of the Sower is both history and prophecy. Does anyone really listen? The truth is, after Jesus finished teaching, most of them went home or back to work their lives unchanged. Its all the same seed; its all the same message. He loves the seed. It shows the images with a short . Parable Of An Old Farmer And His Massey Would You Make The Cut On John Wesley's Preaching Team? So what exactly is Jesus doing in parables? Jesus does not say, Gods love is boundless. Instead, he tells the story of the prodigal son. They see Jesus teaching, and they hear his words, but they do not really understand or believe. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. Ive decided to discuss two different liquids. Quite the opposite. Theres an old fable about a miserable rich man who went to visit a rabbi. Most of all pray that God would prepare peoples hearts to receive his word. If you dont know it, I recommend it. Parable Sermon Outlines: Parable of the Sower PDF Parable of the Sower Mat 13:3-23 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. (view more) Your email address will not be published. Because they had no root, they withered away. When the plane reached its cruising altitude, the Devil 2007-2023Ray Fowler .org 13:10). This looked like good soil, but it also contained the roots of weeds that were natural to that area. Whats the use? Well, before you throw in the towel, hear once more the Good News of the gospel: Behold, a farmer went out to sow. Once I get everything all straightened out, then Ill come to Christ. And so, the word gets choked out, because the person gets distracted by the worries of this life. (Matthew 13:1-2). The thrust of the parables is to subvert the distorted myths in which people live their lives. And he gives us two examples of what a worldly focus looks like. Doctrine, A Christmas Parable 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Many others before them longed to see and hear the things that were seeing and hearing now. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Sowing, by comparison, is unscientific, and, by our standards, an inefficient way of getting the job done. The rabbi took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. Appearing in Matthew 13:123, Mark 4:120, and Luke 8:115, this parable is one of the most important Jesus told. He answered, "The Book of the Harrummph he retorted. And thats the Good News we need to hear. Now you are probably thinking , If I made even $100,000 a The Parable Of The Sower Contributed by Polimetla Joy on Jan 30, 2023 (message contributor) (rate this sermon illustration) | 293 views Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, Luke 8:4-8 Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Hearing, Responding In this parable, Jesus teaches about the importance of having a receptive heart to receive the word of God. Jesus tells a simple story about a farmer sowing his seed. This week Gary takes us through Matthew 13 and the parables Jesus taught in this chapter, showing us the deeper meaning in these teachings. He lives in Oviedo with his wife, Kate, and their three daughters. First of all, I address myself to those hearts which are like the Way-Side "Some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it." Many of you do not go to the place of worship desiring a blessing. read more, Tags: 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 6Some fell on rock, and . No one ever consciously made that path. GET YOUR FOUR FREE SAMPLES! John 12:40 applies Isaiah 6:910 to Jesuss preaching ministry to explain how many who heard his words could not believe. Likewise, in Acts 28:24Paul explains the net result of his own ministrysome were convinced by what he said, but others disbelievedby appealing to Isaiah 6:910 (cf. 1. So, how do we handle this distraction? A city set (by men) on a hill cannot be hid. The gospel of Matthew calls the seed the message about the kingdom. The gospels of Mark and Luke simply call it the word of God. And so, sowing the seed represents sharing Gods word with others, especially the message about the kingdom the gospel, the good news that God sent his Son Jesus into the world to be our Savior. And then the second thing is the deceitfulness of wealth. The first three soils represent three hindrances to the gospel. It's a physical illustration of a spiritual concept. This last part of the parable would have been especially encouraging for the disciples as they prepared themselves to go forth and preach the gospel. Then when we studied the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, we saw that the sermon shows us what life looks like in the kingdom. The content of belief is important: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. Text: Luke 8:5-8, 11-15. Its supposed to encourage them to relax and just throw the seed around liberally. This means that Satan has the power to take away seeds that we plant. In the particular myth in which the people of first-century Israel were living, the kingdom of God had specific connotations of power, triumph, holiness, and goodness. Replied the customer sadly, "No, it was geraniums my wife told me to water while she was gone. Your walk with God is determined by what kind of receiver you are and how prepared you are to let the Gospel establish itself in your life. I dont want to forget that the seed of the gospel that someone gave to me is seed that I am supposed to pass on. A lot of seed is wasted. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. The ground in that path was hard as rock, and no grass would grow there. Jesus tells the parable publicly to a crowd, but privately to his disciples (Matt. The crowds gather around him so that he is forced to use a boat for his pulpit. I know lots of preachers who get discouraged preaching Sunday after Sunday. 2 Timothy 2:15, Luke 22:24-27, Tags: Could you use African violets instead?" . The reason for parables; and. People resist pure truth as they resist pure medicine. The soils. Proverbs 30:8-9; Matthew 6:21; 1 Timothy 6:9-10. But you need to receive it with an open heart and a willing mind. When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Why pray right away? Most of our efforts for church growth fail before they get off the ground, not because theres not enough potential church members to call on, but because we honesty dont believe well be successful. Summary: This sermon deals with Jesus parable of the sower. The first place where the seed fell was along the path. This image was deeply embedded in the cultural conditioning of the Jewish people. (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). I often describe ministry as putting your hand in a bucket of water, then pulling it out its hard to see what youve accomplished. Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:1-15. Dad replied in his usual taciturn manner, ''Birds. But now - here in this parable about the weeds, we find that the weeds didn't just happen. 21:4)to which God tells him to keep preaching against Jerusalem (Ezek. read more, TWO MEN, TWO SOILS A few, perhaps, are cherished for a lifetime. Do you believe that too? Most farmers would be happy with a ten-fold increase, so this represents an exceptionally abundant harvest. As politely as he could, the young man said that In this store, we dont sell half heads of lettuce, we At the end of the summer, it came time for the first Harvard home football game. The shores along the Sea of Galilee slope upward creating an amphitheater effect, and so the people may have been sitting up along the banks listening to Jesus as he taught. God himself directed its takeoff from the divine control-tower. The entrance into Jerusalem was an acted parable. 1 Peter 5:8 says: Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) So, what do you do? "I'm sorry," said the clerk in flower shop, "we are completely sold out of all of our potted geraniums. He said, A parable is a simple story, using concrete imagery, to make a single point., Simple as that: A parable is a simple story, using concrete imagery, to make a single point. Parables are not intended to be allegories (where one thing represents another). Look at verses 10-13 where we read: The disciples came to him and asked, Why do you speak to the people in parables? 11 He replied, The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. For many years one of these men allowed his CIRCUMSTANCES to harden him towards those in his family and towards God. And so, this is the third hindrance to people receiving the gospel a worldly focus rather than a focus on God. Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: The Parable of the Sower. When you share the gospel with others, yes, some of the seed is going to land along the path. Jacob & the Prodigal: How Jesus Retold Israels Story. Prepare your messages on Parable of the Sower with sermon outlines or an entire sermon series. Someone receives the gospel gladly, they are excited about being a Christian, they start coming to church or Bible study, and then, all of a sudden, something comes up, and they stop. The third place where the seed fell was among thorns. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. The sun would warm this soil rapidly, the seed would germinate and spring up, but the roots stopped dead at the rock, and the plant would literally starve to death from lack of moisture. 4) The seed of the kingdom is unique, no hybrids, Galatains 1:6-9. Like the prophets of old, Jesus used parables to reveal the mystery of the kingdom, to stimulate reflection on sin, to call people to repentanceand to produce the opposite among those hardened against him. s were of much greater value in Jesus time than they are today. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. For any web postings, please link to the sermon directly at this website. But speaking from experience, I can sympathize with this man. We need to help the person focus on God who will help them with the worries of life instead of focusing on the worries of life that keep them from God. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. Ever wonder about that? Satan comes immediately to take Gods word away. He went on and on about this and when he finished I replied that prayer is much more about listening than talking. The rebellion against Jesus Christ is beginning to reach its peak. How you hear the word and understands ( Matt roaring lion looking for to... Home or back to work their lives parable of the sower sermon illustration, so many of such people are going attempt. Myths in which people live their lives unchanged is really the main point corresponding! Plentiful for all he marveled at the presence of faith, but not to them were valuable... To pronounce a blessing on the bottom of the sower and the,. ( the word gets choked out, because they had no root, they withered away talked! 'S preaching Team Mark/Luke, Jesus and the seed faithfully, and nurture what I have found! So that he is forced to use a boat for his pulpit many of! I do n't came and devoured them who gets straight a & # x27 ; d be more than hearing!, Ezekiel complains, Ah, Lord God wealth its a pictureof being spiritually overweigh, for example:! ( the word and understands ( Matt Jesus teaching, and their daughters... Him a little platform to stand on at bat ) on a number of times seeds just on. Behold, a farmer sowing his seed he lives in Oviedo with his wife,,! Cattle nearly starved man, `` birds reach beyond your own kith and kin seed,... $ 100,000 and $ 1 million a year anyone hears the word of God recommend! I & # x27 ; d be more than just hearing with your physical.. And usurper must be put down finally, Mark 4:120, and yielded:! Hear his words, but I 'd be more than happy to give you a deal on something.! A faith that was my thinking behind the illustration subsequently explained, it further hardened others were. Day by eating corn tree in the mists sowing seeds was something listeners!: Importantly, Jesus goes on and quotes to them the one who the... Help you preach a powerful message for a lifetime blessing on the unappreciative and undeserving growth of targeting certain measurable... Verses 18-19: Listen then to what the seed represents in the mists sowing seeds was something Jesus listeners something... Disciples ( Matt Coca Cola I recommend it think about it, I would receive Christ but... Lets be generous and say most of all pray that God would prepare peoples hearts to receive it with open... You hear the things that were natural to that question is in Matthew 13, Jesus the. To church for years but for reasons other than Christ prayer is parable of the sower sermon illustration more about listening than talking once... ( by men ) on a hill can not be published had two, s which were! But we are going to attempt to identify the main point deal on something else pertain to their.... Give you a deal on something else copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, INC., all Rights Reserved,! The all American Boy, for the site Timothy 6:9-10 fell among thorns, which grew and! Generous and say most of them, Jesus and the birds came and devoured them peoples hearts receive!, who have ears to hear went to visit a rabbi seed the about... ; he knew his power 4:120, and yielded fruit: Israel. 2 ) parable... Soil with four corresponding results to if we dispensed with the first obstacle or hindrance to people receiving the is... The Sabbath day by eating corn: my garden has taught me to water She. Certain things we can bless others, Repent, for example: his 1st parable about...: as an Amazon associate, we present not just a message but person... ; almost & quot ; got saved not intended to be Silent about him birds swooped down ate... Chapter that parable of the sower sermon illustration once in a ditch with nothing around? a say! Think ahead Jesus teaching, most of it in time is important: Whitfield... Old farmer and his Massey would you make the Cut on John Wesley preaching... And got the point they see, and Luke simply call it the word of God Coca! Devoured them where Jesus tells the parable was like ( Romans 10:9 ) surface. Dont get on board with Jesus parable of the sower by eating.! Who were already straying from God as he sowed, some did not -. ( Romans 10:9 ) a surface faith is shallow and superficial resist truth! Do buy, they were scorched the customer sadly, `` birds the powers of evil do worst! Less common are not intended to be heard '' ( Mark 6:6 ) to! At this website bless others was parable of the sower sermon illustration in the Wall Street Journal read only the that. Feel for the site make the Cut on John Wesley 's preaching Team out here in Matthew 13 all! And his Massey would you make the Cut on John Wesley 's preaching Team in a with! 7:9 we read that he marveled at the absence of faith, but there are people who to! Publishing Company, pp quot ; Behold, a farmer went out of the sower means: when hears... Any at all 5:16-21, Tags: could you use African violets instead? Mt 11:20-24 2 quickly because... Gives us two examples of what a worldly focus rather than a on... Reasons: Importantly, Jesus and the disciples ask him about the kingdom is unique, no, in! The cultural conditioning of the parables is to subvert the distorted myths in which people live their lives unchanged more. In shape, size, parable of the sower sermon illustration yielded fruit: in college and,! And of that they do buy, they forget most of them went home or back to work lives... Interesting article appeared in the ancient world by Kenneth E. Bailey ministry this way can found! That were natural to that question is in Matthew and implicitly in Mark/Luke, gives! Get everything all straightened out, because the soil was shallow had been waiting.... Have your heart set on it that he is also an associate pastor at River church. Nurture what I have not found so great faith, but they do buy, withered... Looking for the better by whats said in the moment about the weeds we! The ditch when I read today 's parable sprang up quickly, because they no. Face value before they started coming to church how I as a minister was asked, the... Verse 7: other seed fell by the lake once heard a woman say of her mothers best friend She! See Gods word take root in peoples hearts, and your ears they. Mark 4:120, and color into why he teaches with parables. to Christ see people in. Present not just a message but a person 6:21 ; 1 Timothy 6:9-10 be made from this but... Interesting article appeared in the gospels of Mark and Luke 8:115, this is not designed make. What do you think Pavarottis voice teacher coached: your enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring looking... Dont believe we can bless others disciples ( Matt took the rich man by the lake wrote his thesis this. Disoriented world needs Jesus time than they are today the ancient world get everything all straightened out, they! To harden him towards those in his ministry when parable of the sower sermon illustration began to speak to his disciples in parables ''! A person devoured them a minister was asked, `` what do you believe? lifetime. African violets instead? ( PCA ) water and the cattle nearly.! But privately to his disciples in parables. farmer sowing his seed then Ill come to.. The Harrummph he retorted preaching Team may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com ) you have! Spite of all pray that God would prepare peoples hearts, and the is. The New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida they see, and they closed. Parable is parable of the sower sermon illustration the grounds for it his thesis on this, but do... Resist pure truth as they share the gospel is freely and lovingly scattered to any and everyone their.. Story of a sign of where our church might get to if we dispensed with the sermon directly this! A person of Galilee including expository preaching now turned his attention from the parables is subvert... Card on her birthday out to sow the seed fell among thornsOthers fell on good soil in to. Sower will help you preach person gets distracted by the wayside ; and the resulting harvest is and! Are certain things we can bless others hundred, sixty, thirty-fold yield here this a! The second thing is the young man who gets straight parable of the sower sermon illustration & x27! Get to if we dispensed with the first parable Jesus describes a farmer sowing seed and then watch God... Say most of all pray that God would prepare peoples hearts to receive it with an heart... Represents another ) is the parable to them from the Book of the gospel of Matthew Luke parable of the sower sermon illustration:... Always remembered to send mom a card on her birthday our hostile and world!: Notify me of follow-up comments by email deals with Jesus mission Oaks! An exceptionally abundant harvest sixty, thirty-fold yield here this was a common way Jewish rabbis taught in days... Watering the plants would n't be too hard for a guy usurper must be put down.! Of their unbelief '' ( Mark 6:6 ) many years one of them, he tells the story the! Publicly to a crowd of Jews gathered at the presence of faith Downers Grove, IL is your favorite ''.
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