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The Parable of the Sower. Entering God’s Kingdom. Matthew 13:3a And he told them many things in parables, saying…. Matthew 13:3b-9 --- Parable of the Sower …. Matthew 13:10-11
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The Parable of the Sower Entering God’s Kingdom
Matthew 13:3a And he told them many things in parables, saying…. Matthew 13:3b-9 --- Parable of the Sower…. Matthew 13:10-11 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven…
Matthew 13:3b-9 “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
The Sower and the Seed The Sower is…. The Triune God The Seed is… the Word of God Men are --- the hand of God ---the agent that God utilizes to spread the Seed
What of the Soil? “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
What Happens to the Seed? It falls on 4 types of Soil…. Path (hard, no topsoil) Rocky Ground (shallow soil over bedrock) Thorny Soil Good Soil
What do the Types of Soil Represent? Each Soil represents…. The condition of the Heart of a person The ability of the soil to enable the seed to sprout relates to…. the ability of the heart to receive Spiritual Truth
There are 4 Types of Hearts The Path (hard, no topsoil) --- Hard Heart Rocky Ground (shallow soil over bedrock) --- Shallow Heart Thorny Soil --- Distracted Heart Good Soil --- Born Again Heart
How Many Heart Types…. Have the ability to Support Spiritual Truth…. One --- the Good Soil (Born Again Heart) Have no ability to Support Spiritual Truth… Three --- the Hard Heart, the Shallow Heart, the Distracted Heart
To Consider…. Does God send His word over all types of ground --- onto every type of Heart? Yes... But only a Born Again Heart can receive Spiritual Truth
Heart #1 -- Matthew 13:4 “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
The Path --- The Hard Heart Is a Spiritually-Dead Heart 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things from the Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned
The Hard Heart Is openly rebellious Is often Atheistic Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Heart #2 -- Matthew 13:3b-5,6 “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed... 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
Rocky Soil --- Shallow Heart Is a Spiritually-Dead Heart 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things from the Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned
Rocky Soil --- Shallow Heart Are People who are seeking after the Things of God --- but not God Himself… So…. They at first respond, but… when faced with the real truth… and with trial… they leave for some other self-serving pursuit
Heart #3 -- Matthew 13:3b, 7 “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed... 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Thorny Soil --- Distracted Heart Is a Spiritually-Dead Heart 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things from the Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned
Thorny Soil --- Distracted Heart Is one who emotionally responds and initially is compelled to superficially agree to Spiritual truth, but…. There is no real commitment and distractions cause them to move on
There are 3 Types of Hearts that are Spiritually Dead The Path (hard, no topsoil) --- Hard Heart Rocky Ground (shallow soil over bedrock) --- Shallow Heart Thorny Soil --- Distracted Heart
To Consider…. We are all born with such hearts If God did not intervene --- by His Grace --- we would die with such a heart --- and we would never enter into the Kingdom of God
But…. For you and I…. God DID Intervene Ezekiel 36:24-27 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
What does that New Heart Look Like? Matt 13:3b, 8 “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed… 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
Why do we Praise Him? Because God the Father Choose us for Salvation God the Son Died for Us God the Holy Spirit applied the Merits of Christ to us and Changed our Heart --- to a Heart of Good Soil --- This is WHY we are already in the Kingdom of God
We are Saved by…. Grace Alone…. For it is by Grace that God changed our Heart --- He took us from the Spiritually Dead to Spiritual Life PRAISE HIM!!