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Return to the outline
archives (listed by topic)
here.
Matthew 13:1-9 & 18-23
Parable
means: "To cast alongside". It is a story cast alongside a
spiritual truth. In simple terms, "It is an earthly saying
with a heavenly meaning". Nearly 1/3 of the recorded
teachings of Jesus were given in parables.
* We see the importance of this parable by what Jesus said
in
Mark 4:13
* When Jesus spoke in
parables, He fulfilled Old Testament prophesy
Vs 34, 35
Notice
Vs 9
:
Many times when the Word of God is spokes, we place the
emphasis on the speaker, but here Jesus places the
importance on the hearer.
[Three
Thoughts on this Parable]
| 1. |
The Seed
Notice there is no problem with the Seed.
I Peter 1: 18-23
Psalm 126: 5,6 |
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It is a living seed, a life-changing
seed, a fruit-bearing seed. |
| 2. |
The Sower
Again, there is no problem with the Sower. It is Jesus
Christ, the Sinless Lamb of God.
I Corinthians 3:9 |
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We labor with God sowing the Saving
Seed of the Gospel. Those saved should be sowing:
Preaching
(Romans 10:17),
Teaching, Visiting, etc. |
| 3. |
The Soil |
| |
The truth of this parable is that the
problem is the soil in which the sower sows the seed.
* Have you ever wondered why certain are saved and
some are not?
* It is the Soil of their hearts. |
Four Types Of Soil
| 1. |
By the Wayside Soil
Vs 18,19 |
| |
This is the soil, which having been repeatedly walked
on, gets hardened.
Proverbs 29:1 |
| 2. |
Into the Stormy Places Soil
Vs 20,21 |
| |
The stony place is not just a place of
rocks, but rocks in which very little soil covers
them.
These may have made a profession of faith, and have
joy when they leave church, but are not really sold
out, not ready to live all the way for Jesus. |
| 3. |
Among the Thorns Soil
Vs 22 |
| |
This 3rd heart is a heart that is
crowded. Anything that crowds Christ out of your life
is a thorn.
Saying: "In laboring in the harvest of the Lord, we
must not forget the Lord of the Harvest.
[Three Reasons for Thorns]
"the cares of this world"
Worries, anxiety
"deceitfulness of riches"
Love of money, things - greed
Mark 4 "lust of
other things"
World
crowding our lives |
| 4. |
Into the Good Ground Soil
Vs 23
See parallel
(Mark 4:20 and Luke 8:15) |
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What kind of soil does your heart
have? What you get out of preaching/teaching says more
about your heart (soil) Than it does about the
preacher. |
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