Parable of the Sower & Intro

Kevin Eck

Parables - Service in the Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Sower scattering Seeds

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Parable of the Sower & Intro to Parables

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Intro

Group Intro

- What we do

Scripture

Hear God speak, not self help or opinions

Scripture transforms us

It is the foundation for the other two

Prayer

Us speaking back to God

Acknowledging the truth of scripture

Community

The context that scripture and prayer are effective

Not just socializing - ministering the gospel to each other

- Goal

Our kids and how they transitioned to solid foods

Thomas never embraced solids food and it leads him to be cranky sometimes

But Grace eagerly watched us eating, anticipating her opportunity

We are here to become spiritually mature

Regardless of your background or where you are in your relationship with Jesus, you are called to grow

Series Intro

We will be looking at some of the parables of Jesus

As Jesus taught people, he would often use these short stories

Some of these are well known - the prodigal son, the talents, the good Samaritan

And sometimes they are taken by us moderns as folksy trite teachings of primitive ancient teacher - like Aesop’s fables

But they are much more than a story of the tortoise and the hare

Jesus is using them to expalin His kingdom

Bill Gleason titled his study “Blueprints for the Revolution”

We will be focusing on parables that introduce the Kingdom of God

How do you become a part of it

Once you become part of the Kingdom, what does it look like to be a servant

Why study scripture?

God’s firm revelation

Do we or God define reality? Revelation givers vs receivers

“And we have something more sure [than the transfiguration], the prophetic word…for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” – , 21

Scripture has power, not just trivial truth

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” –

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” –

The Word of the Lord Interpretation

We will be looking at some of the parables of Jesus

As Jesus taught people, he would often use these short stories

Some of these are well known - the prodigal son, the talents, the good Samaritan

Purpose

And sometimes they are taken by us moderns as folksy trite teachings of primitive ancient teacher - like Aesop’s fables

But they are much more than a story of the tortoise and the hare

Jesus is using them to introduce His kingdom

Bill Gleason titled his study “Blueprints for the Revolution”

We will be focusing on parables that introduce the Kingdom of God

How do you become a part of it

Once you become part of the Kingdom, what does it look like to be a servant

Read Matt 13:1-23

The Word of the Lord Interpretation

Meaning vs application

Meaning of scripture

A definite unchanging meaning independent of the reader. Yet, one meaning does not mean the it is one dimensional

One meaning does not mean the it is one dimensional

Scripture is rich and multifaceted

Diamond analogy – Makes connections to multiple truths

Circle analogy - Certain aspects are more central than others

Ex: promise to David & his throne

One sense it was a promise to have a literal king over a literal Israel, but that only lasted 500 years

Another sense it means something greater - Jesus is king over the people of God throughout all time

Application of scripture

How does biblical truth intersect your life?

Looks different for individuals, cultures, times, etc.

ex. Idols - we are not bowing down to little wood figures, but we still have things in our life that we are worshipping instead of God

Scripture reading toolbelt (Hermeneutics)

You need the Holy Spirit and faith to properly understand

Not due to the fact scripture is inherently confusing. As we will see in the parables, even clear truths are obscured by our sinful nature

Exegetical understanding - We pull meaning out of the text, rather than bring in our own predefined categories

We pull meaning out of the text, rather than bring in our own predefined categories

Immediate context in passage & book

Means context is necessary to fully understand – ex. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. () on an inspirational calendar

Grammar and meaning of words (ultimately original languages)

Flow of thought – why is this here?

Historical context

Who, what, when, where etc.

Cultural references, etc (Meaning of swift she-camel)

Type of literature - figurative vs story

Scriptural context

Scripture interprets scripture

All scripture points to Christ

What themes does the passage connect to

Outside help - Our reason, commentators, preachers, & tradition

Our reason, Commentators, preachers, & tradition

Not all truths are explicitly stated – Trinity

But hold scripture, not our reason as ultimate

Tradition

We can be afraid of tradition as too Catholic

If we are coming up with something new, we should be concerned

Read

Parables - v. 10-17

What is a parable?

A Story, taken from daily life, using a familiar setting, to teach a new lesson - Kistemaker, S. J. (2002).

* * "A Story, taken from daily life, using a familiar setting, to teach a new lesson" - Kistemaker, S. J. (2002).

Many everyday settings

Some are blue collar farmers, some are white collar kings and money managers

Work, family, parties, 9-5

Here Christ puts truth in front of our eyes

We have been taught for 250 years that reason and logic are the only way to communicate truth.

But here we see Jesus give stories to present truth

its genius is in its ability to disarm the listener and persuade, catching one by surprise. Its vivid story or compelling intrigue makes it hard to ignore. … In part its impact is because it “comes suddenly, usually before people are able to defend themselves against its message” - Stiller, B. C.

Purposes

Reveal truth - clear up misconceptions

Stiller, B. C.

Secret in 13:11 is Mystery - as in a revealed truth

We are focusing on the ones on the Kingdom. Most of Jesus followers expected an earthly kingdom, a revolution against the Romans

Most of Jesus followers expected an earthly kingdom, a revolution against the Romans

They wanted an return to the good ole days of David - Gleason

We can imagine their disappointment: Just what kind of kingdom is this, anyway? - Bill Gleason

Instead this kingdom was like a mustard seed, like a plant growing slowly

It is is not an immediate earthly dominion

Holy Roman Empire

Christian American

Instead it is God’s reign over his people by faith in his Son

This is a major deal - they are getting inside information that Isaiah and Elijah wanted to know

Secret in 13:11 is Mystery - as in a revealed truth

Blessed are your eyes for they see… For truly, I say to you many prophets longed to see what you see

This is a proof of divinity - Jesus knows the mysteries of God

Conceal truth

The same stone can be a corner stone or a stumbling block

To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables -

The prophecy of Isaiah

You will indeed hear, but never understand… lest they should understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them -

We will see in fact in this very parable how this dynamic works - the same seed lands on different ground.

Believers hear the parables, and receive them in faith and understanding, even though full comprehension may come only gradually. Unbelievers reject the parables because they are alien to their thinking. They refuse to perceive and understand God’s truth. Thus, because of their blind eyes and deaf ears, they deprive themselves of the salvation Jesus proclaims, and they bring upon themselves God’s judgment. - Kistemaker, S. J.

The Parables: Understanding the Stories Jesus Told Purpose

Kistemaker, S. J.

Interpreting parables

Understand the setting

Meant to be ordinary examples to his audience

But we dont live in the same historical setting (None of us have a vineyard or hate Samaritans)

The stress point

Not the beginning (setting), but the end

We are not meant to get bogged down on what the inheritance is or where it came from in the prodigal son, but the response of the Father

This is often an unexpected twist - M Night Shamalyn

Not meant to be an allegory - Every detail translates to a truth in real life

A parable usually has one main truth, with some minor points

So be wary of taking framework elements as truth - i.e. The rich man in hell talking to people in heaven. That is a plot device

Applying parables

Not theoretical, but daily wisdom

Ask how does the core truth apply to today’s circumstances

Let the parable search you

Scripture is a two edges sword

We take that in terms of fighting enemies

But in the context it is cutting you - splitting joints and marrow

Ex. David was blinding himself to the truth of his sin with Bathsheba

So the prophet Nathan told him a parable of the lamb, which cut through David’s excuses before he realized it was about him

Parables are like a stealth bomber - Stiller

Let the parable show you what your God is like

Kingdom

Soil

Context

In Matthew, there has been several surface level disappointment in ministry

Misunderstanding and doubt by John the Baptist

Rejection by important cities like Bethsaida

Religious leaders begin to oppose him more strenously

This is a familiar setting to the rural Galileans

Modern may be the stock market

One of the few Jesus interperts

Action of the parable

The seed is the word of the Kingdom, the Gospel, scripture

Four soils are different responses of the heart of the listener

The duration of the life of the seed increases with each soil, but only the last bears fruit

First - Path

This would have been hard packed ground as tough as concrete

Here is immediate failure

This is the one who hears the gospel

But it is in one ear and out the other

In fact Satan comes and snatches it away

Second - Shallow Soil

The seed springs up immediately (seems promising)

But it has no roots

When external pressure comes (the sun), it withers and dies

ex. grass in the driveway cracks

There is not root to nourish them

This is someone who has superficial faith

They maybe had a emotional experience

This is the first ground that can fool you into thinking there is true faith (often explosive growth out of the gate)

Driven away by the cost and hardships of service to the Kingdom (much more to come this semester)

But this person doesnt have rooted faith

Often not drinking deeply from the Word itself (may be relying on other weaker foods)

Cheap grace, cultural faith

In this case, hardness of heart might not be visible on the surface, but it is only an inch or two below the surface. Bilkes, G. M.

In this case, hardness of heart might not be visible on the surface, but it is only an inch or two below the surface.

Think of the driveway example, under the little bit of soil is the concrete

Third - Thorny Ground

Bilkes, G. M. (2012). Glory Veiled and Unveiled: A Heart-Searching Look at Christ’s Parables (p. 31). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.

The plants also seem promising, they grow

But it is choked by weeds

We all know how quickly weeds can take over a flower bed or yard

California farmers spent $900M on fighting weeds in 2012

Weeds come and steal the nutrients, water, and sunlight from the good crop

This is the person who is distracted by the world

There are internal desires challenging the allegiance of the heart

We have talked often about idolatry,

All sin is ultimately worshipping something in creation instead of God

You devote your heart to money, children, power, romance, security, etc

But ultimately we know that no man can serve two masters

This is a longer term failure

It often takes time for the weed to surface

We have seen even ministers who it takes a decade or more for their sin to surface

Demas deserts Paul after years of faithful ministry

Fourth - Good Soil

Here the crop falls on good soil

The soil is soft and open to growth

Produces exceedingly abundantly

30x, 60x, 100x (10x was typical)

This is the person who hears the word and understands it

James says be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (1:22)

Much more than hearing the gospel once and walking down front at a revival

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

More than being on fire for God for a few months

This is someone who gospel message leads to a lifetime of being deeply rooted in scripture

Application

Sometimes we jump to putting ourselves in the place of the sower,

But the context points us to examine ourselves first

Jesus wanted the disciples, the crowd, and the religious leaders to stop and ask themselves - “what kind of soil am I?”

So, what kind of soil are you?

First are you receptive to the Word? Are you deeply rooted in that Word? Are there competing desires in your heart?

The parable is meant to make us uncomfortable, to not be so secure in our position

When do we ignore scripture? What truth are you hard to right now?

What truth

Are rooted in scripture? What kind of heat could cause you to wither?

What thorny idols are choking you to death? Are you secretly giving them space to grow in your heart instead of pulling them up by the root?

Are you bearing fruit 30x, 60x, & 100x?

Encouragement to us when we look like the first three soils

The Spirit softens hearts

All of us were hard as concrete in the first place

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.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

His word is powerful

God made all things by the power of His Word

it shall not return to me empty,

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

He will break us of our idols

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

He will break us of our idols

He disciplines those whom he loves - 2

This is part of the reason I have fallen in love with the OT over the past few years - You see God pursue broken people

Sower

There is secondary understanding of this parable

While Jesus does tell the crowd this parable, He teaches his disciples its meaning

He is training them as servants in the kingdom. He is telling them what to expect

As we will see,the parables will show there are no spectators in the kingdom.

As we called into it, we are to be active servants.

All of us are ministers

So from the sower’s perspective, what does this mean?

What we are called to sow

The emphasis is on the seed and its action, not the sower

Preparatory actions (plowing, etc) and tending actions (watering, fertilizing) are not mentioned

The power is entirely in the seed, that is the Word of God

The effectiveness of the gospel is not tied to our effectiveness

We are not called to be eloquent teachers with polished words and every argument in our pocket

These were indeed rural Galileans who would take this message to the world

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We are called to spread the gospel on all soils

We see the seed spread on all ground

God is the one who softens soil, and we cannot see the hearts of men

We are called to do our duty of sharing the Word and let God take care of the growth

What to trust in for encouragement

The timing of the harvest

How many people came to small group, how many people are saved, the compliments, popularity, the tithe numbers, etc, etc

But we are called to minister the gospel to those God has placed in our lives, regardless of their response to it

The timing of the harvest

The rocky soils and thorny soils seem to be good immediately

The test is not immediate growth, but the long term harvest

We are often results focused in our ministry

How many people came to small group, how many people are saved, the compliments, popularity, the tithe numbers, etc, etc

But we are called to minister the gospel to those God has placed in our lives, regardless of their response to it

Many people today want to hear the same kind of news: “Christ will certainly and quickly bring good things into your life. Believe this morning, and you’ll see success by evening.” Bilkes, G. M.

Sometimes you plant a seed, and the harvest is decades away. Dont get caught up in immediate results

Did the sower stop after three failures?

In the same way, we must not be discouraged on the outward effects of our ministry

Many people today want to hear the same kind of news: “Christ will certainly and quickly bring good things into your life. Believe this morning, and you’ll see success by evening.” This

The rocky soils and thorny soils seem to be good immediately

Bilkes, G. M. (2012). Glory Veiled and Unveiled: A Heart-Searching Look at Christ’s Parables (p. 31). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.

The test is not immediate growth, but the long term harvest

Sometimes you plant a seed, and the harvest is decades away. Dont get caught up in immediate results

Notice the abundance of the harvest outweighs the seed lost

Lost 3/4’s of his seed

But gained 100x of the fruitful seed - which is bigger, 100 or 3?

How many of you have heard of Edward Kimball? He taught a rowdy boys sunday school. He pursued Dwight Moody and pointed him to Christ. That led to Wilbur Chapman, who led to Billy Sunday, who led to Mordecai Ham, who led to Billy Graham. Edward Kimball planted a seed that led to literally billions hearing the gospel over the next century and a half.

The Word of God wil not return empty

What are ways this can be an encouragement to us as fellow crops or servant farmers?

This sets the tone for the rest of the parables

Two purposes

To get us into the Kingdom by understanding the Word

To make us faithful servants of the Kingdom

Our goal this semester comes from

We are to be scribes trained for the kingdom

Image - A master of the house who has a well stocked store room (treasury).

A host who has a well stocked store room.

A host and hostess who ducks into the kitchen after dinner to bring out the coffee while and dessert, providing for every want

The host who has stock of nice wine. They choose a perfect pairing instead of having to go out last minute

I think of my Grandma who had everything. Need a snack? go out to the garage and bring back ice cream sandwiches. Hurt? Open up their medicine cabinet and has everything to take care of us

Meaning - We are thoroughly stocked up on scripture

We have prepared ahead of time - studying scripture, learning wisdom of the community of the church

We then bring out to those around us the richness of the God’s Word

* * * And now the Lord... warns them ... that his object...was not merely that they might be well informed, but that they might communicate to others what they had received.

And now the Lord... warns them ... that his object...was not merely that they might be well informed, but that they might communicate to others what they had received. Calvin

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