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Parable of the Sower #1
January 21, 2007 (AM) - Pastor Ronnie Wolfe
Mt 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it]
not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown
in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
There are several elements in this parable which we may
consider as we speak of the parable of the sower. This parable of Jesus
deals with elemental and very basic concepts of the Gospel and its
application to people as it is preached. Let’s notice several things in
this first part of the parable.
I. HEARETH THE WORD
We are constantly hearing the word of God from
different aspects of life.
We hear the word of God in the wind, in the rain, in
storms, in the calm, warm and pleasant days through his creation.
We hear the word of God from each baby’s cry, every
child’s complaint and joy, every conversation we have, every relationship
we have with others.
We hear the word of God in a general way in almost
every facet of life, yet we do not really hear, we really do not see, we
really do not understand.
II. THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM
The word of the Kingdom is the word of the Gospel,
which is a very specific message from God. It is the message of the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
People hear the Gospel all the time.
They hear it in songs that are sung on radio and TV
and in church.
They hear the Gospel when they attend a
Bible-preaching church.
They hear the Gospel when they read their child’s
Sunday School lesson with them.
They hear the Gospel from their children as they
rehearse what they learned in Sunday School.
People hear the Gospel when they read tracts and
books sometimes.
They sometimes hear the gospel by way of a church
sign or a personal witness of a Christian.
They hear the Gospel when someone comes to their
house with the message of God’s saving grace.
The Gospel is being preached every day all over the
world.
This is not just any word, but the word of the
Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom
There is a difference between the Kingdom of God, the
Family of God, and the Church of God.
The Family of God includes every believer in every
age both in heaven and earth (Eph. 3:15).
The Kingdom of God is represented by all saved on
earth at any time, including in some parables those who profess to be
in that Kingdom but are not.
The Church of God is the concept of local
assemblies meeting together under Christ as their Head, and these
churches are the government of the Kingdom of God on earth. These
churches regulate the proper pattern of worship and evangelism
throughout the world.
III. UNDERSTANDETH IT NOT
Understanding with the Heart
Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
In order to be in the Kingdom of God for sure, a
person must believe with the heart, and faith comes by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.
Every truth that a believer knows is taught by the
Holy Spirit of God, and these truths are spiritually discerned or
understood.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is
come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is
true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God, and eternal life.
Understand Not
It is impossible for the carnal or human mind to
understand the things of God.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Tim. 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling
in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen,
nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Ro 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there
is none that seeketh after God.
There are reasons why the human does not understand
the Gospel, and this is discussed in this verse a little.
IV. THAT WICKED ONE
"That Wicked One" is the Devil.
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Believers have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:13
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from
the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the
wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the
Father.
It seems that Satan, the Devil, is always coming
around and trying to disrupt what God is doing.
He came when Jesus was hungry to tempt him.
Sometimes he binds people: Luke 13:16 And ought
not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound,
lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
He binds us with sickness, depression, hardships,
temptations, hatred, pride, loneliness, etc.
V. THE CATCHING AWAY
But especially when the Gospel is being preached the
Devil loves to come by and snatch it away from the hearers.
Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that
hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their
hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
The catching away of the word of God is for the
intent that people will not be saved.
As long as Satan is allowed to snatch away the word
of God, the Gospel, from you, you will never be saved. It is only by the
grace of God that anyone has heard, understood and believed the Gospel.
VI. SOWN IN THE HEART
To be sown in the heart does not mean to be sown within
a man spiritually by the grace of God, for that can never be taken away,
and the Devil has no power of that.
But this means being sown in the thoughts by memory,
knowing the Gospel in the mind. Remember that Mary kept Jesus’ sayings in
her heart. This means that she remembered them and pondered them.
Many people know, memorize and ponder the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, bud sadly they do not trust him by God’s grace.
If the Gospel ever is planted in your heart spiritually
by the Holy Spirit and by the grace of God, you will never forget it, and
Satan cannot break through and steal.
When you hear the Gospel by God’s grace, you will believe in Jesus’
death, burial and resurrection, and you will have eternal life? Do you
have that today, or have you heard the Gospel by the wayside?
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