Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture

Introduction

Introduction

As students of the bible, sitting at it were at the feet of Jesus, taught by the Holy Spirit, we come to understand fundamental biblical truths.

It is what I like to call the “Main and the Plain”.

There are two such truths that run through every book of the bible.

From Genesis through Malachi, in the OT

And from Matthew through Revelations, in the NT.

These two truths are distinct, yet inseparable.

Saved by Grace through Faith

The first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith.

Grace is “God’s unmerited favour”.

It is a gift.

It is Unmerited.

And that gift is Jesus.

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​ NKJVFor by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

To emphasis this truth, Paul basically says it twice in the space of three verses in .

The test of genuine faith is Obedience

If the first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith

The second inseparable main and plain truth is that the test of genuine faith is obedience.

This is the biblical truth that makes us somewhat uncomfortable.

As it should.

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​ NKJV“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Legalism nor Liberalism

We dare not, and must not, get these two truths out of balance.

For fear of drifting either into legalism or into liberalism.

Both are equally destructive, to our relationship with God, and to others.

We are saved by grace through faith.

And the test of genuine faith is obedience.

The Sower went Forth

Today we are going to spend our time looking at the parable of The Sower.

It is also called the parable of The Soils, the parable of The Farmer Scattering Seed.

Your translation may call it by a different name?

I would like to suggest that at the heart of this parable are these two fundamental truths, that

We are saved by grace through faith.

And that The test of genuine faith is obedience, or sustained discipleship that bears fruit.

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

Your translation may call it by a different name

This parable is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (, and ).

This parable is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (, and ).

Synoptic means “describing events in a similar way or “from a similar viewpoint” .

The gospel of John comes at things in a different way.

The Setting

That the parables address his people’s acceptance or rejection of the kingdom message follows from the context: Jesus speaks parables that same day that he has confronted Pharisaic opposition (12:24–45) and offered a culturally offensive statement about his family (12:46–50).

The parables section closes immediately with an account of Jesus’ rejection by his hometown (13:53–58), so that rejection by his own frames his kingdom parables (compare 10:21, 34–37).

This likewise implies that true disciples—those who follow the kingdom message—must be prepared to pay the ultimate price for doing so (13:20–22, 44–46).

That the parables address his people’s acceptance or rejection of the kingdom message follows from the context: Jesus speaks parables that same day that he has confronted Pharisaic opposition (12:24–45) and offered a culturally offensive statement about his family (12:46–50).

The parables section closes immediately with an account of Jesus’ rejection by his hometown (13:53–58), so that rejection by his own frames his kingdom parables (compare 10:21, 34–37).

This likewise implies that true disciples—those who follow the kingdom message—must be prepared to pay the ultimate price for doing so (13:20–22, 44–46).

The Sea

How many of you like to go and sit by the sea?

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Jesus is in Galilee.

How many of you like to go and sit by the sea?

Fishing and Agricultural economy.

The locals understood the context of the parable, probably better than we do.

The start of the Polarisation

Great multitude were there to listen to Him.

Jesus was popular.

He is early in his ministry.

But opposition was growing.

Right up to the end Jesus has his supporters, but there was also growing polarisation of response to his ministry.

explains this polarisation through a series of parables.

By the end of this chapter in Matthew Jesus is rejected in his home town of Nazareth.

The fact is thast the Parable

Jesus words are being fulfilled as He speaks these parables in .

Jesus words are the Seed.

Understanding of parables is of an act of the will, more so than cognitive reasoning.

it is about acceptance of the message with humility.

The Wayside

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My wife does not like close encounters with Birds.

It is a feathers thing!

But she loves feeding birds from afar and taking pictures of them.

But she loves feeding birds from afar and taking pictures of them.

life Wasted hip

We have noticed just how hungry and aggressive seagulls can be around here.

For Ice cream.

For Sunday Lunch.

Even the birds in our back garden devour the seed my wife leaves in a few days.

A person’s indifference to the gospel is really a demonstration of a person who is dead in sins and trespasses and under the control of the evil one.

Even the birds in our back garden devour the seed my wife leaves in a few days.

life of Discipleship

Jesus describes here His words falling by the wayside and having no affect.

The response of such a person is utter indifference.

Indifference is rejection of God.

As expressed by a Chinese proverb, what they hear enters the “east ear” only to leave immediately by the “west ear.”

There is no realisation of their personal need of the gospel.

They are inattentive, they do not understand (v.

19).

Seemingly the truth makes no sense to them.

The bible says such people are walking dead,

Ephesians 2:

The birds here represent the evil one, the controlling personal force of all persons in such a sad state.

Though they know it not.

The Stoney Place