Evangelism: The Parable of the Sower & Seed
Mk 4:1-20 1And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4"And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5"Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6"But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7"And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8"But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." 9And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Which are the 4 types of people who hear the Word and the problem with 3 types?
- without understanding – do not receive the word!
- do not 'listens' to what he/she hears!
- Just around to enjoys the present material blessings / miracles
- receives with joy but dies quickly without deep-roots
- With out any root in the Scriptures (Pro 10:21b fools die for lack of wisdom)
- Only surface level knowledge (Hos 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge)
- Lack of Holy Spirit! (lacked moisture/ living water) (Jn 7:37-39)
- Can't stand for the Word in persecution/ tribulation
- fall away in temptation quickly
- receives and grows for a while
- as they grow, they are chocked by worldly pleasures
- and is deceived by fleshly lusts (1 Jn 2:16)
- do not achieve spiritual maturity
- Will not be fruit bearing
- who hear the word and bear fruit (their character separate section)
Why did Jesus say “he who has ears, let him hear”? / Why did he spoke in parables?
10But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12"so that Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.' "
Why did the disciples did not understand the parable? / What type of people are they?
13And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
Isa 6:9-10 9And He said, "Go, and tell this people: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10"Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."
What was the meaning of the parable?
14"The sower sows the word. 15"And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16"These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17"and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 18"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19"and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20"But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Mt 13:19, 23 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. … 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."
Lk 8:5-8 5"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6"Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8"But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."
Lk 8:11-15 11"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12"Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13"But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14"Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 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.
Character of fruitful people:
- hear the word - listens
- understands what he listen to → Holy spirit and roots in Scriptures
- accept the Word with a noble & good heart
- keep the Word/ put into practice – a doer of the Word
- bear fruit with patience!
Why there is difference in fruitfulness on the good-ground?
- According to the ability – 30/ 60 / 100! → God's gift as per need!
- different between individual believers but for the edifying of the body (Eph 4:11-12)
How can we make our evangelism efforts fruitful?
- Use only good ground to sow – do not sow in the way-side!
- Do not cast pearls before swine lest they trample them under feet! (Mt 7:6)
- Test the ground! - Discern which one is good ground (guidance of HS is essential)
- It only waste our time as well as promotes hostility
- remember that its the Lord's work not 'ours'! (1 Cor 3:7 Lord gives the increase)
- Prepare the ground if its stony-ground
- Plough the ground - awareness to spiritual reality !
- Col 4:5-6 5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
- Genuine interest & friendship for people else like Pharisees (legalism)
- show our faith in our work else is useless (Jas 2:14-17)
- never give up on people! (Gal 6:9-10)
- Prepare the ground by removing the thorns
- awareness to eternity and the deceitfulness of the world
- crucify own flesh to put the Lord first
- essentially teach them to 'count the cost'! (Jas 1:2-5)
- Endure temptation (Jas 1:12, 14-15)
- Make them mature by sound doctrine (Scriptural!)
- Do not rush people for decisions!
- Make strong in faith by Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
- like house on a rock (Mt 7:24-25)
- A fruitful tree by the waters! (Ps 1:3)
- Pray for them (ministry of intercession)
- Ask the Lord to guide in the preparation of the ground
- Ask for guidance in sowing the seed (method, watering, frequency ...)
How is this applicable in our personal spiritual life?
Meditation:
- What kind of ground am I for the Word of God?
- Which steps do I need to follow to be more fruitful?
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