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The Parable Of The Sower
November 22, 2015
Jesus gave several parables that help us to understand how we believers are to proceed in life. The parable of the sower of seed helps us to see how we are to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every person, no matter their age. It is not our job to determine who is a good candidate for Christianity. Our job is to sow the seed and water it, while God gives the increase. - Bernie Parsons
The Parable of the Sower
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 11-22-2015
Presented to Load church of Christ on 11-29-2015
Mark 16:14 "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat,
and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because
they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned."
In my lifetime, I have encountered Christians who make remarks like, “If
we could just convert this man, or that woman, they would make a good
Christian.” The truth is, we don’t know who would, or would not, make a
good Christian.
Jesus said to preach the gospel to every creature. It is not up to us to
pick and choose to whom we preach the gospel. Now, we know that not
every person who hears the gospel will obey it.
Matthew 7:12 "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is
the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it."
We know that some who profess to know Christ really don’t know Him at
all.
Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done
many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity."
Some will say that we should not preach the gospel to children, because
they cannot understand it. I am not talking about infants. I am talking
about young children. Yet, Jesus said:
Mark 10:13 "And they brought young children to him, that he should touch
them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them,
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of
such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed
them."
Some would say that it would be a waste of time to preach the gospel to
a rich man.
Luke 19:1 "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief
among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press,
because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for
he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said
unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide
at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to
be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of
my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man
by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house,
forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Some would say we ought not to waste our time with sinners.
Matthew 9:9 "And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named
Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow
me. And he arose, and followed him.
10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many
publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why
eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need
not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
Matthew 11:18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man
gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But
wisdom is justified of her children."
But it is not up to us to choose to whom to preach. We are sowers of the
seed. Our job is to distribute the seed on every kind of soil. It is God
who gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:5 "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers
by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall
receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are
God's building."
Here is how it works:
Matthew 13:1 "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."
Matthew 13:18 "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.
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."
We never know where the fertile soil is until the seed is sown. When the
seed does not grow, we simply move on, continuing to sow the seed
everywhere that we go.
