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· 6 viewsseekers are ready for planting and growing to produce much fruit
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Who are ready to hear the Word?
Who are ready to hear the Word?
Welcome to a discussion of the Parable of the Sower. My name is Dr Bill Pohnert, a Lay Servant and a Steven’s Minister.
Let’s us start off with a little humor.
This Parable is also found in and . They parallel Matthew and are similar. the word parable comes from two Greek words (para and ballo). Together they mean to throw along side. This compares a known truth with an unknown truth. A parable, like an illustration, makes a comparison between a known truth and an unknown truth, that throws them along side each other. In this parable the emphasis is on the soil, peoples harts.
The story tells of four types of people and how they respond to the Word. The Sower is God, the seed is all mankind, and the earth is the world.
The Sower is like the story of Jesus sending his disciples out to spread the Good News, cast out demons, and heal the sick as found in . They were to look for house holds that were willing to accept them and if not a to go on to the next village. They were looking for a “person of Peace” as Pastor Fred has defined in a recent sermon.
The story tells of four types of people and how they respond to the Word. The Sower is Jesus, the seed is his message , and the earth is the heart of people. The problem is not Jesus or his message. It is in the peoples’ hearts.
This is a story of three hearts who were not ready for the Word and one that was ready. The seed sown along the road heard the Word of God but did not understand it . That seed was taken by satan, represented in some versions of the Bible as ravens.
The rocky ground heard the Word and received it with joy. The shallow soil did not allow the seed to grow roots. When the sun came out they had no roots and were lost. As these people were persecuted or went through tribulation for the Word they fell away. For some the sun represents tribulation.
The people sewn among the thorns hear the Word. They also had shallow roots because of the competition with the thorns. The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word from them.
The people who hear the Word and understand it are the ones who bear much fruit. Their roots grow deep to allow them to bear fruit.
It appears that 3/4 of the people did not accept the Word. That is true in this parable. Jesus said in , “the harvest is great but the workers are few”. This means to me that there are many people looking but few to share the Good News. There usually more than 1/4 of those contacted that are seeking for some thing bigger than themselves.
First we will meet people who are not ready to hear the word. They may have had previous bad experience with religion or just not had any need for religion at this time. We need to move on and seek people receptive to receive the message of the Word.
We have seen how some people are not ready at all to receive the Word. Now we will think about those planted in rocky soil. They can see the Light of the Word. They want to follow the Word. Their faith is shallow and when distractions come they wander away to enjoy the world not the Word.
We have covered the peoples heart that don’t have a chance to hear the Word. There also people who have shallow faith and wonder away to the frivolities of life. There are people who are believers and the dark one places so many none believers in their life that they do not have a chance to grow in faith and be fruitful.
So far we have seen the people who are too distracted, and those who do not grow deep roots and fail in the Light. Just now we saw the effect on believers who just can not grow roots because of the competition prevents growth in the Word and be fruitful.
Now let us look at the people whose hearts are open and ready. They grow deep roots in the Word. This allowed then to grow much fruit.
Are you ready to hear the Word and bear much fruit? Are you seeking a more spiritual life? Then join a huddle and learn how share your faith with those around you.