The Parable of the Sower

1
Lesson 4 The Parable of the Sower
2
The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The Sower
• The sower went forth to sow, as was common in
  those days
• Initially, the sower represented Christ, who went
  out teaching and sowing the Word.
• In application and principle, it is the
  responsibility of every Christian to be the
  sower, sowing the seed of the kingdom (cf. Acts
  84).

3
The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The Sower
• Some Truths for the Sower
• He must sow the seed and leave the increase to
  God (Isa. 5510-11 1 Cor. 36).
• He must sow at all times, not waiting until
  everything is favorable (Ecc. 114-6 2 Tim.
  42).
• He must sow, realizing that others may reap the
  harvest (John 435-38).
• He must sow on all kinds of soil (Matt. 133-8).
• He must sow with the right attitude (2 Tim.
  224-28 Eph. 415).
• He must believe in the seed he sows (Rom. 116).

4
The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The Seed
• The seed was dispersed by the sower.
• The seed is the Word of God (Luke 811).
• The seed, representing the Word of God, is that
  which contains life (John 663 1 Peter 123).
• The seed always produces after its kind (Gen.
  111 Gal. 67).
• The seed produced Christians only in the first
  century and will produce the same today.
• The seed can be mixed (Mt. 1324-25 Ga. 16-9).

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The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The Soils
• The soils denote the various sorts of attitudes
  that men have towards the gospel.
• The success of the sowing depends upon the soils
  into which the seed falls.
• Hearts must be prepared to seek and receive the
  Word (2 Chron. 193 3019 Ezra 710).

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The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The SoilsThe Wayside Soil
• (Matt. 133-4, 19 Mark 415 Luke 85, 12)
• Hard path that is fertile, but packed unplowed
• The seed makes contact, but because the soil is
  so hard, it cannot penetrate.
• The wayside soil represents
• One who does not believe, because (Luke 812)
• He has chosen not to understand, because
• His heart has been hardened to the truth,
  because
• He is not interested in the gospel (Matt. 1319)

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The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The SoilsThe Wayside Soil
• (Matt. 133-4, 19 Mark 415 Luke 85, 12)
• The birds symbolize Satan (Matt. 1319)
• Satan comes immediately (Mark 415) and snatches
  the seed away (Matt. 1319)
• Satan only takes the seed after the soil has
  rejected it
• Satan is ever happy to cooperate with those who
  reject the truth (John 1327 Matt. 274 Acts
  53-4)
• If the Word dwelt in the heart long enough for
  faith to result, salvation could follow (Luke
  812).
• What methods does he use to snatch the Word away?

8
The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The SoilsThe Wayside Soil
• (Matt. 133-4, 19 Mark 415 Luke 85, 12)
• What are some reasons hearts are hardened?
• Pride (cf. Prov. 1618)
• Prejudice, come with idol in heart (cf. Ezek.
  141-5)
• Fear of giving up things (cf. Luke 1818ff)
• Worldliness (cf. Eph. 417-18)
• No love for truth (cf. 2 Thess. 210)
• Continually resisting the truth (cf. Ex. 819-20)
• Habitually practicing sin (cf. Heb. 313)

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The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The SoilsThe Wayside Soil
• (Matt. 133-4, 19 Mark 415 Luke 85, 12)
• Do you know any wayside soils?
• Hear the Word with their minds already made up
  (cf. Acts 1721)
• Hear but think the truth applies to someone else
  (cf. John 833)
• Hear but go out and live as they did before (cf.
  Jas. 122-25)
• Hear but have allowed the world to trample hearts
  so long that they are untouched (cf. 1 Tim. 41-2)

10
The Parable of the SowerThe Narrative
Mt. 133-8, 18-23 Mk. 43-8, 14-20 Lk. 85-8,
11-15

• The SoilsThe Stony/Rocky Soil
• (Matt. 135-6, 20-21 Mark 416-17 Luke 86, 13)
• A thin layer of soil overlying a solid ledge of
  rock fertility is not the problem, depth is
• Plants spring up immediately (b/c lacks depth)
• The stony/rocky soil represents
• One who lacks any strong convictions /
  earnestness
• One who is an emotional, superficial, impulsive
  hearer
• One, possibly, who is won to Christ on basis of
  frills
• One who sees only pleasant elements of
  Christianity
• One who does not count the cost (Lk. 1425ff
  923)