THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Matt. 13:18-23; Mark 4:14-20; Luke 8:11-15

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. There are many interesting and informative things in the
      parable of the sower.
      1. It is prophetic.  Jesus anticipated how people would
         react to His word.  Nearly twenty centuries later, people
         are reacting exactly as Jesus said they would.
      2. It is profound.  Although it has great simplicity, it is
         profound.  Jesus revealed in great simplicity the real
         reasons people become unfaithful.
      3. It is personal.  Jesus talked about you and me in this
         parable.  He did not use our names; nevertheless, He
         identified us, all of us.
   B. In this parable, Jesus stresses the responsibility of the 
      hearers.
      1. The different types of soils in their capacity to grow seed,
         represent different types of hearers in their response to
         the Word.

I. THE WAYSIDE SOIL.  Matt. 13:19  This is the one who hears,
   but heeds nothing.
   A. The soil had been so hardened by the treading of many feet,
      the grain could not penetrate it.  The grain landed on the
      pathway, or roadway.   The birds quickly devoured the
      exposed seed.
   B. Likewise, a heart can be so hardened that it cannot understand
      the Word.  Matt. 13:19  For example, a heart can be hardened
      by:
      1. Prejudice.  Matt. 13:15
      2. Continuous evil thinking.  Gen. 6:5
      3. The deceitfulness of sin.  Heb. 3:13
      4. Being trained in covetous practices.  2 Pet. 2:14
   C. We should earnestly strive to understand the Word.  Eph.
      5:17
      1. We must apply our hearts to understanding.  Prov. 2:1-5
      2. The Word gives understanding.  Psalm 119:104
      3. We cannot lean on our own understanding.  Prov. 3:5
      4. We need to pray that we might be filled with knowledge. 
         Col. 1:9-10
   D. Satan knows the power of he Word of God and, thus, is ever
      ready to take the Word from the hearts of the would-be
      converts.
      1. Satan uses every trick in the book in order to deceive.  2
         Thess. 2:9-10
         a. With all power - Includes emotional stress.
         b. Signs and lying wonders- Fake, pseudo miracles.
         c. Unrighteous deception - He deceived Eve through
            cunning craftiness. 2 Cor. 11:3
   E. Are you like the wayside soil?
      1. You can turn from the power of Satan unto God. Acts
         26:18
      2. You can be delivered from the power of darkness and
         translated into the kingdom.  Col. 1:13-14.  Chart #1

II. THE ROCKY GROUND.  This is the one who hears and heeds,
      but is choked by external things - difficulties from without.
   A. The seed that falls on rocky ground lies in a thin lawyer of
      topsoil.  It springs up, but when the sun shines on it, it 
      withers and dies because its roots do not reach down into the 
      soil where it can obtain moisture.
      1. The seed on rocky ground is like the heart that eagerly
         accepts the truth, but falls away when difficulties come.
   B. Have you known a person who was reared up in a Christian
      home, obeyed at a young age, but later left the Lord?
      1. Have you known someone who started attending with a
         friend, obeyed, but later left?
      2. Have you known someone who was converted through
         home Bible studies, but later left?
   C. Jesus is explaining what happened.  Three things are
      mentioned in the three accounts.
      1. Tribulation. 
         a. Becoming a Christian may mean that one will
            experience some trouble that he would not
            otherwise experience.
         b. People in our country have been indoctrinated by the
            television preachers of "the gospel of health and
            wealth."
            (1) "Just become a Christian and you will be
                immune from troubles, and you'll have nothing
                but joy, peace, and prosperity!"
         c. The religion of Christ demands cross-bearing.  Luke
            9:23; 14:26-33
            (1) "Must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all the
                world go free?  No, there's a cross for
                everyone, and there's a cross for me."
      2. Temptation.  Luke 8:13
         a. Becoming a Christian does not deliver one from
            temptation.  As a matter of fact, Satan will probably
            intensify his efforts on the new convert.
         b. Before long, the new convert is thinking that God's
            expectations are too high, and the daily temptations
            are too strong to live the Christian life.
      3. Persecution.  Persecution may come by:
         a. Rejection, rebuke, and scorn from family.
         b. Being terminated by a prejudiced employer.
         c. Verbal abuse from friends and relatives.
         d. Some husbands have made life miserable for their
            wives who have become Christians, and some wives
            have so responded to their husbands who have
            obeyed.
   D. The three things that cause some who "received the word
      with joy" to give up, are actually symptoms of a fundamental
      problem.
      1. The real problem, Jesus said, is "He had no root in
         himself."
      2. They soon quit because they have no true conviction, no
         firm foundation, or no fixed determination to serve the
         Lord and go to heaven.  Chart #2

III. THE THORNY SOIL.  This is the one who hears and heeds, but
      is choked by internal things - difficulties from within.
   A. They indeed "received the seed," but their situation is like
      falling into ground where there are weeds and thorns.  The
      seed springs up, but the plant is "choked."
   B. Again, Jesus mentions three things by which people are
      choked:
      1. Cares of this world.  For example, a Christian lady is so
         involved in her family that the only thing she can think or
         talk about is her husband and children.
         a. She becomes more concerned about dust on the
            furniture than sin on the soul.
         b. She is like Martha instead of Mary.  Luke 10:41-42
      2. Deceitfulness of riches.  For example, a Christian man is
         being successful in business so he gives less and less time
         to living the Christian life.
         a. Studying the Word of God all but disappears from
            his life.
         b. His business spreads and his riches increase, but his
            spiritual life deteriorates until it is completely
            choked.
         c. Instead of teaching his fellow man, he says, "I can't
            let religion interfere with business."  However, he
            has let business interfere with religion.
      3. Pleasures of this life.  For example, a Christian family
         once had family devotionals, prayed and studied
         together, but now they are so involved in secular things
         (ball games, recreational activities, watching TV, movies,
         etc.) that they have no time for those spiritual things
         anymore.
         a. Many love football, baseball, or basketball, hockey,
            tennis, boating, fishing, sewing, decorating,
            remodeling, gardening, (you name it), so much they
            don't have time for God.
         b. It is the desire of other things that choke out the
            spiritual.  Mark 4:19
      4. Is Jesus describing you when he talks about the thorny
         soil?
         a. Were you once a joyful Christian, but no longer find
            joy in serving God?
         b. Do you rejoice in worshiping God, or rejoice in
            something else?
         c. Is study and prayer your delight, or playing ball,
            shopping, or whatever?
         d. Has the care and desire for other things choked your
            spiritual life?

IV. THE GOOD SOIL.  Jesus closes with a positive note.  This is the
      one who hears, heeds, and brings forth fruit.
   A. Every good farmer and gardener knows that the secret to
      success is good soil.
   B. We need to be like good soil - with good and honest hearts,
      embrace the Word, and patiently bring forth fruit to
      perfection.
      1. We should listen to the Word as though our eternal
         welfare depends on it, because it does.
      2. Not only does the good and honest hearts understand the
         Word, but responds by producing fruit.  1 Cor. 15:58
         a. By patiently doing the will of God, we store up for
            the great day of harvest.  2 Tim. 1:12; 1 Tim. 6:19 
            Chart #4

Concl.
   A. In this brief parable of our Lord, lies the picture of the
      responses of all human hearts to the Word of God. 
   B. We are not born with hearts totally depraved.  We have free
      choice.
      1. We determine what kind of hearts we have.  We make
         our hearts what they are.
      2. We have the ability, yes, the responsibility, to determine
         what kind of soil we will be like.
   C. What is your response to the Word?  Chart #5
      1. Are you like the wayside soil?  Are you like those who do   
         not understand and the devil quickly takes away the Word
         out of their hearts?
      2. Are you like the rocky ground?  Are you Like those who have 
         no depth of conviction, who receive the Word with joy, but
         external things like tribulation, temptation, or
         persecution, cause them to fall away?
      3. Are you like the thorny soil?  Are you like those who hear  
         and accept the word, but let internal things like the       
         cares, riches, and pleasures of this life choke the Word?
      4. Or, are you like the good ground?  Like those who hear
         and receive the Word, and patiently bring forth fruit to
         perfection?
   D. As long as life remains, we can change.  For example, if we
      have been like any of the first three soils, we can change and
      become like the good soil.
      1. Again, what is your response to the Word?

Chart #1
ARE YOU LIKE WAYSIDE SOIL?
Does Not Understand
The Devil Takes Away The Word

Chart #2
ARE YOU LIKE ROCKY GROUND?
Have you quit because of:
Tribulations?
Temptations?
Persecutions?

Chart #3
ARE YOU LIKE THE THORNY SOIL?
Have you been choked by:
Cares of this World?
Deceitfulness of Riches?
Pleasures of this Life?

Chart #4
ARE YOU LIKE THE GOOD SOIL?
A Good and Honest Heart
Keep the Word
Bear Fruit With Patience

Chart #5
ARE YOU LIKE WAYSIDE SOIL?
One Who Did Not Understand and the Devil Took Taken Away the
Word.

ARE YOU LIKE ROCKY GROUND?
Have you quit because of: Tribulations? Temptations? Persecutions?

ARE YOU LIKE THE THORNY SOIL?
Have you been choked by: Cares of this World? Deceitfulness of
Riches? Pleasures of this Life?

ARE YOU LIKE THE GOOD SOIL?
Those Who With A Good and Honest Heart, Keep the Word, and Bear
Fruit With Patience.