The Parable of the Seed
Copyright © August 2, 2004
by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.
The seed is the Word of God which transcends eternity.
The sower of the Word is Jesus during his Earthly ministry.
The different types of ground are the hearts of all humanity.
The hard ground represents a hard heart that has no flexibility.
Spiritual truths may be heard but the person does not believe,
and the Words are quickly forgotten to avoid future anxiety.
The rocky ground is a good heart that is timid and cowardly.
Spiritual truths they do quickly and joyfully receive,
but they quickly abandon them at the first threat of hostility.
The thorny ground is a good heart crowded with responsibility.
Routine daily cares and concerns are given the top priority,
and the Word of God produces no fruit due to the lack of maturity.
The good ground is a good heart that is managed carefully.
Problems are dealt with and time is set aside to read the Word and study,
and the Word of God is shared with others at every opportunity.
What type of ground does your heart resemble most closely?
Hard Ground - No desire to be someone who knells on bended knee.
Rocky Ground - Not really a Christian, and probably never will be.
Thorny Ground - A Christian who does not attend church regularly.
Good Ground - A witness for Christ who also attends church faithfully.
Jesus promised a crown to the last one above but not to the first three.
Reference Scripture Verses
Matthew 13:3-9 - 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. He who has ears, let him hear."
Matthew 13:18-23 - "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 his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Mark 4:13-20 - Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive 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. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
Luke 8:11-15 - "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Revelation 2:10 - Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com