August 28 & September 1, 2019
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” —13:1-9
The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; > though hearing, they do not hear or understand. —Matthew 13:10-13
Parables both REVEAL and CONCEAL!!!
Insight into truth is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. —1 Corinthians 12:3
Insight into truth is as much a matter of the heart as it is of the head.
“The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay; the difference in effect comes not from differences in exposure to the sun but differences in the material it shines upon.”
The POINT OF THIS PARABLE: The condition of your heart is even more important than the intelligence of your head.
The Hard Heart
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. —Matthew 13:18-19
The Shallow Heart
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. —Matthew 13:20-21
The Divided Heart
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. —Matthew 13:22
The Open Heart
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. —Matthew 13:23
What type of heart do you have … right now?
FILL OUT THIS WEEK’S CONNECTION CARD HERE
- Today, I receive Jesus in my life for the first time.
- I have a hard heart and need a changed life.
- My life has been distracted from God and I need to refocus my life.
- I need to not live from my emotions alone, but work on developing roots.