GOOD GROUND - Parable of the Sower

by Danna Shirley

(Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)

The Purpose of Parables is:

1.   To make spiritual truths clearer to hearers.

2.   To put truth in a form easily remembered.

3.   To avoid offense with hostile people who would not receive the truth.

4.  To declare judgment upon those who were willfully blind. 

Jesus' followers understood the lessons taught by parables or were at least stimulated to probe for deeper understanding. Those who have already shut their eyes and ears to the truth will not realize the significance of what they are seeing and hearing, and consequently will not repent and receive forgiveness.

"He who has ears to hear let him hear" (Mk 4:9). Ears to hear denotes the essential need for a teachable, hearing heart to be present if the "seed" of the kingdom truth is to be received and become fruitful.

Spiritual Receptivity    vs.    Hardness of Heart

Mark 4:2-9 and Mark 4:13-20    

What kind of SOIL are you?

What kind of SOWER are you?

The Sower:     God (Is 55:11); You (Mk 16:15)

The Seed:       The Word of God

The Birds:      The wicked one/satan

The Four Types of Ground:

The Wayside: The heart that receives the Word with no understanding...satan comes and makes the Word of (vs. 15) no effect (impression). Taketh away (KJV-142) means make to doubt, remove.

Stony Ground: The heart that receives the Word with gladness but endures only for a while (having no root), (vs. 16-17) for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, he immediately stumbles.

Thorns: The heart that receives the Word, but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and (vs. 18-19) other desires choke (strangle completely) the Word and it becomes unfruitful.

Good Ground: The heart that receives the Word and accepts it, bears fruit from his understanding and in turn (vs. 20) produces more fruit. (Then you become the sower: Jn 15:16)  (Hos 10:12)

                                  

Fruit meaning a harvest. What kind of harvest? In our own lives...in someone else's life...(Ps 1:3, 126:5-6; Jn 12:24; 15:2,5; Gal 6:7-8; Prov 22:8) The seed of wickedness will reap an abundant harvest, too, so where do you want to plant your seed…into wickedness or into righteousness?

(Gal. 5:22-23) Only the Holy Spirit can produce this fruit, and not by our own efforts. When the Spirit fully controls the life of a believer, He produces all of these graces. 

We need to allow the Word to be planted in our "soil" (heart) as a source of conviction as well. The seed of conviction of sin will also bear a harvest of repentance and cleansing...if we allow it...which in turn makes our soil even richer for bearing more fruit.

So what is our responsibility? To be good ground (teachable) to receive the Word that it may take root and bring forth a harvest in us…AND…to be a good sower to sow the Word in someone else’s ground. If their ground is by the wayside, or stony, or thorny, then it’s our responsibility to till the soil, weed it, and remove the stones until it becomes good ground to receive the seed of the Word and take root. What you give to others you also receive in return. What you sow into someone else’s life, God will return to you a hundred fold. Hallelujah!!! 

Let's give God the finest soil in our lives to sow the seed of His Word that we may produce a rich harvest of good fruit.