There are many lessons for us in this parable.  First we will learn of the seed, the soil, and finally the planting of the seed.  The seed is the Gospel, the soil is the heart of man, and the planting is the preaching.  We will also have a lesson of why he spoke in parables is between the parable and the explanation of the parable. 

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER (LUKE 8:4-15 AND MARK 4:1-20) 
Matthew 13:1-23 
1.  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 
 2.  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 
 3.  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 
 4.  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 
 5.  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 
 6.  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 
 7.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 
 8.  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 
9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

WHY SPEAK IN A PARABLE? 
 10.  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
 11.  He 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. 
 12.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
 13.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
 14.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
 15.  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 
 16.  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
17. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE 
 18.  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 
19.When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 
(LUKE’S ACCOUNT GIVES THE NAME OF SATAN LUKE 8:12) 

 20.  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 
 21.  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 
 22.  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 
23. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 

I. SOIL PREPARATION (THE HEART) 

A READY SOIL 
KJV Acts 17:11 
 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

NOT A HARDENED HEART 
KJV Hebrews 4:7 
7.  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

THE BAD PLANTS NEED TO BE CUT DOWN BEFORE THE DAY THAT GOD WILL DO IT, AND NEW PLANTS PLANTED 
KJV Matthew 15:13 
13.  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 

THE HEART MUST HAVE ALL WORLDLINESS REMOVED (CAST DOWN) 
KJV 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 
4.  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 
 5.  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

A PURE HEART 
KJV Matthew 5:8 
8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 

THE HEART MUST BE READY TO SEEK THE THINGS ABOVE 
KJV Colossians 3:1-3 
 1.  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
 2.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 
 3.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

THE HEART MUST BE PURPOSED AND HAVE AN ATTITUDE TO DO RIGHT 
KJV Daniel 1:8 
8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 

II. SELECTION OF THE SEED 

THE SEED IS THE WORD 
KJV Luke 8:11 
11.  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 

THE WORD IS LIFE 
KJV John 6:63 
63.  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

THE WORD LIGHTS THE WAY 
KJV Psalms 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

III.  SOWING THE SEED (PREACHING THE WORD) 

WE PLANT AND GOD GIVES THE INCREASE 
KJV 1 Corinthians 3:6 
6. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 

THE WORD CANNOT BE HEARD IF IT IS NOT PREACHED 
KJV Romans 10:14 
14.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 

WE NEED TO DO EARLY AND THE EVENING SOWING 
KJV Ecclesiastes 11:6 
 6.  In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 

THE 1ST CENTURY CHURCH PREACHED EVERYWHERE 
KJV Acts 8:4  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. 

WE MUST TEACH WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND MAKE OTHERS ABLE TO DO THE SAME 
KJV 2 Timothy 2:2 
2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 

CONCLUSION: 

The seed must be preached to honest and ready hearts.  Those that hear of the death of the Lord and are pricked in the hearts the same as those in (Acts 2:37-38), that question what they must do.  Those that recognize that the blood of Christ will remit their sins (Matthew 26:28).  That they will meet that blood and have the washing away (Acts 22:16) in baptism that they will raise to walk in a new life (Romans 6:3-5), having been a person that has repented (Luke 13:3), and confessed (Romans 10:10).  This person will want to be a member of the Church the Lord’s blood purchased (Acts 20:28).  The ONE Church (Ephesians 4:4, 1:22-23).  The Church of which he is head (Colossians 1:18).  The Church that worships in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).  The worship you have seen this day and occurred in the Church you read about in the Bible (Acts 20:7, I Corinthians 16:1-2, and Ephesians 5:19). 

Come today! 
 
 
 
 

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