Get Connected
Click here to fill out the Get Connected Card
Message Notes
Mark 1:15
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Psalm 103:19
“The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”
The Kingdom of God – “God’s rule and action in the world, where God’s will is done.” —Dallas Willard
“The Kingdom of God is God’s active and sovereign reign through history, bringing about His purpose in the world through Jesus Christ. Simply put, the Kingdom of God is what the world looks like when Jesus gets His way.” —Jeff Christopherson (The Kingdom Matrix)
“The Kingdom of God is what our lives should look like when Jesus is ruling and reigning over everything.” —Brian Bloye
Matthew 6:33– About His Kingdom
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
What is a Parable? “Parables are subversive stories that challenge listeners to break free from worldly values and embrace the radical teachings of Jesus” —Dallas Willard
Matthew 13:1-8
“1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
1) Several Questions About this Parable.
Question #1 – Who is the Sower?
Answer - Jesus
Question #2 - What Is the Seed?
Luke 8:11
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”
Answer - God’s Word
Question #3 – Why did Jesus speak in parables?
Matthew 13:10-11
“10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”
2) What Are the Four Different Types of Soil Conditions?
Soil #1 - The Hardened Soil
Matthew 13:18-19
“18 Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”
Result – Satan snatches the word away.
Soil #2 - The Shallow Soil
Matthew 13:20-21
“20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.”
Result – Enthusiastic and joyful, yet they fall away because of trouble and persecution.
Soil #3 - The Thorny Soil
Matthew 13:22
“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Result – Stagnant and unfruitful
Soil #4 – The Fertile Soil
Matthew 13:23
“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Result – The word was accepted, and the fruit grew and multiplied.
What Kind of Soil Are You?
Matthew 13:9
“He who has ears, let him hear.”