Loyal
THE SOWER
Matthew 13:1-9 (NKJV)
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
6 But 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 sprang up and choked them.
8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)
18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
IN the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, our Lord reaches a turning point in His teaching. He had come to the Jew first, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and had presented Himself as the Messiah, and they had refused Him. He then presents in parable form the mystery of the gospel in the Church age—a truth that had not been revealed to the prophets, having been kept secret from the beginning, as our Lord plainly stated
Matthew 13:35 (NKJV)
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."
He spoke in parables that His disciples might catch the deeper meanings, while blinded Jews—as Isaiah had prophesied—would hear but not understand.
These parables do not teach world conversion but rather the saving of a few, and a final judgment and separation. The parable of the sower, interpreted by our Lord Himself, shows only one-fourth of the sown seed of the Word taking permanent root.
Four types of human soil are presented:
- the superficial, upon whom no lasting impression is made;
- the emotional, making a fine start but not persevering;
- the preoccupied, soon choked out by earthly cares; and
- the truly receptive and productive.
Here is encouragement in preaching, for at least one out of four will receive the seed and bear fruit.
Yet here is warning against expecting universal acceptance of the gospel, for the three other types will last until the end.
The Word of God will not return void, for it will accomplish His purpose; but we must ever remember that it does not profit unless it is mixed with faith
Hebrews 4:2 (NKJV)
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Seed falling by the wayside indicates that there are those who do not understand the message and who do not care or even try to understand it. They give no earnest heed to the things which they have heard; they go to church and sit politely as did the people before Ezekiel
Ezekiel 33:30-33 (NKJV)
30 "As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'
31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
33 And when this comes to pass--surely it will come--then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
They hear but heed not, and the devil, ever watchful, snatches away the Word before they get home from church.
Then there are those of the stony ground, who go further than the first group. They receive the Word, a good beginning is made, but they do not hold fast that which is good. They taste the good Word of God, but while they endure for a while, they do not endure until the end. When trouble—which works for the faithful a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory—arrives, these fall away.
The third kind also springs up; there is a beginning made, but worldly cares distract—as they did to Martha, so that she neglected the main thing. The deceitfulness of riches, the love of money which is the root of all evil, soon chokes the Word, and the young inquirer goes away grieved, having great possessions—and having nothing! It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom because of the exceeding danger of earthly cares and fortunes.
The true believer hears the Word and understands it, being taught of the Spirit.
He is also a fruitful believer although there are degrees of fruitfulness.
Their hearts are honest and good, and they "bring forth fruit with patience"
Luke 8:15 (NKJV)
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Luke 8:18 (NKJV)
18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."
by Vance Havner - Reflections on the Gospels.
Matthew 13:1-9 (NKJV)
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
6 But 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 sprang up and choked them.
8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)
18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
IN the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, our Lord reaches a turning point in His teaching. He had come to the Jew first, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and had presented Himself as the Messiah, and they had refused Him. He then presents in parable form the mystery of the gospel in the Church age—a truth that had not been revealed to the prophets, having been kept secret from the beginning, as our Lord plainly stated
Matthew 13:35 (NKJV)
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."
He spoke in parables that His disciples might catch the deeper meanings, while blinded Jews—as Isaiah had prophesied—would hear but not understand.
These parables do not teach world conversion but rather the saving of a few, and a final judgment and separation. The parable of the sower, interpreted by our Lord Himself, shows only one-fourth of the sown seed of the Word taking permanent root.
Four types of human soil are presented:
- the superficial, upon whom no lasting impression is made;
- the emotional, making a fine start but not persevering;
- the preoccupied, soon choked out by earthly cares; and
- the truly receptive and productive.
Here is encouragement in preaching, for at least one out of four will receive the seed and bear fruit.
Yet here is warning against expecting universal acceptance of the gospel, for the three other types will last until the end.
The Word of God will not return void, for it will accomplish His purpose; but we must ever remember that it does not profit unless it is mixed with faith
Hebrews 4:2 (NKJV)
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Seed falling by the wayside indicates that there are those who do not understand the message and who do not care or even try to understand it. They give no earnest heed to the things which they have heard; they go to church and sit politely as did the people before Ezekiel
Ezekiel 33:30-33 (NKJV)
30 "As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'
31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
33 And when this comes to pass--surely it will come--then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
They hear but heed not, and the devil, ever watchful, snatches away the Word before they get home from church.
Then there are those of the stony ground, who go further than the first group. They receive the Word, a good beginning is made, but they do not hold fast that which is good. They taste the good Word of God, but while they endure for a while, they do not endure until the end. When trouble—which works for the faithful a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory—arrives, these fall away.
The third kind also springs up; there is a beginning made, but worldly cares distract—as they did to Martha, so that she neglected the main thing. The deceitfulness of riches, the love of money which is the root of all evil, soon chokes the Word, and the young inquirer goes away grieved, having great possessions—and having nothing! It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom because of the exceeding danger of earthly cares and fortunes.
The true believer hears the Word and understands it, being taught of the Spirit.
He is also a fruitful believer although there are degrees of fruitfulness.
Their hearts are honest and good, and they "bring forth fruit with patience"
Luke 8:15 (NKJV)
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Luke 8:18 (NKJV)
18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."
by Vance Havner - Reflections on the Gospels.
