THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER: FOUR HEARTS

THE STORY OF THE SOWER, THE SEED, AND THE SOIL

*  Matthew 13:1-8 (SLV) - "Later that day, Jesus went out of the house, and He sat down at the edge of the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered together to hear Him; so He got into a boat, and sat down; and the whole multitude stood listening on the shore.  And He began to speak to them in parables, saying:
Behold, a sower of seed went forth to sow; and as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the pathway, and the fowls came and devoured them:  some fell upon rocky ground where they had very little soil:  and when the plants began to grow, because they could not take root, when the sun bore down on them, they were scorched, and they withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns took over and choked them:  but other seed fell into prepared soil, and the plants grew strong and became fruitful; some produced a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold."

 

JESUS REVEALED WHY HE TAUGHT IN PARABLES

*  Matthew 13:10-17 (SLV) - "And His disciples came and asked Him, Why do You speak to them in parables?  Jesus answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever has faith, to him more truth shall be given, and he shall have his faith increased:  but whosoever has no faith, even the knowledge of the truth he has, shall be overcome by doubt.  Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they refuse to see; and they refuse to hear, and as a result, they do not understand.  And they fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing, you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing, you shall see, and shall not perceive:  for their hearts have been hardened, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; so they refuse to see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and to understand with their heart, so that they can be converted, and I should heal them.  But your eyes are blessed with seeing:  and your ears are blessed with hearing.  For I declare unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them."

 

CHRIST'S EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE

*  Matthew 13:18-23 (SLV) - "Therefore, listen to the parable of the sower.  When any one hears the Word of the Kingdom, and understands it not, then the wicked one comes, and takes away that which was sown in his hardened heart.  This is he who received God's Word on the pathway.  But he who receives God's word as rocky ground, the same is he who hears the Word, and with joy receives it; but it does not take root in him, his joy is short-lived:  for when tribulation or persecution comes his way due to his faith in the Word, by and by, he becomes silent.  And he who receives God's Word among the thorns is he that hears the Word; and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, distract him and he too becomes silent.  But he who receives God's Word into the prepared soil, is he that hears the Word, and understands it; and as a result, shares it; bringing forth fruit a hundred-fold, or sixty-fold, or thirty-fold."

 

HAS TRIBULATION OR THE TEMPTATION CAUSED YOU TO BE SILENT?

THEN THE WORLD IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN PLEASING GOD!