Life’s Paths, Life’s Choices: The Reapers Roadmap and The Parable of the Sower

Now available for download, the document “Parable of the Sower Reapers Roadmap Deep Dive 2011-07-16” in a PDF formatted version.

https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/parable-of-the-sower-reapers-roadmap-deep-dive-2011-07-16.pdf

Continue your studies on the Parable of the Sower in the web version:

Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower

https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/invitation-to-delve-deeply-into-the-parable-of-the-sower

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Parable of the Sower Explained

Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV): 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.”

Depth and Growth Chart

The Parable of the Sower Depth and Growth Chart shows key dimensions of each soil type. One dimension is depth and the other is growth achieved. The Parable explains too little depth is insufficient. To increase our own depth requires learning & following & giving ourselves to Jesus Christ more fully, and eventually completely. (Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV): You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.) Despite depth enough to grow, those who receive the message who fail to eliminate weeds present in their own life as scriptures require, later find the world’s demands detrimentally competing with their spiritual growth and impeding their fruitfulness. (Matthew 6:24 (ESV): “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”)

Exercise: Parable of the Sower Self-Assessment

Reflecting on your own journey, identify where you see yourself and those you know in The Parable of the Sower Meaning visual

This Parable of the Sower visual is based upon Mind Map’s (TM) techniques developed by Tony Buzan http://www.imindmap.com

The Parable of the Sower Self-Assessment Exercise has numbers on the mind map above, which maps to a position in the visual described in the following table.

Position	Definition	Here Now? Were Here?
1. Pre-Sower	Going to learn God’s Word
2. Sown	Just Recently Heard God’s Word
3. Not Understand in Heart	Ignore lessons from God’s Word to continue as were
4. Evil One Snatches Away	Focus quickly shifted from God’s Word to other things
5. Recipient Hears	Recently Heard God’s Word
6. Receives Joyfully	Initial inner excitement hearing God’s Word is basis of confidence
7. Falls Away Quickly	Inclined to discontinue to follow God’s Word when face opposition / trouble / persecution
8. Worries of Life	Concerns in life cause focus to shift from God’s Word to worldly things like food, clothing, friends, etc.
9. Deceitfulness of Wealth	Obsessive desire to be wealthy shifts focus from God’s Word to career and business for money
10. Understands	Understanding that what learned is really God’s Word brings you closer to God
11. Yields Crop	Reaping Spiritual Fruits due to following God’s Word

Next Steps

View the Parable of the Sower Slideshare Presentation.

You can also directly view the Parable of the Sower presentation at the Slideshare link http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/parable-of-the-sower-and-reapers-roadmap-slide-share

Continue your studies on the Parable of the Sower:

Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower

https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/invitation-to-delve-deeply-into-the-parable-of-the-sower

See related “Parable of the Sower” post at https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/parable-of-the-sower-2

Parable of the Sower: Further Study

Numerous websites, books, and blogs on the Parable of the Sower each offer insights and perspectives on how to understand and apply it. The Reformer Martin Luther offers many insights, several of which apply for those who religious at http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/mlsower.htm . Insights from the well-respected preacher and teacher Charles H. Spurgeon are available at http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/sower.htm .

Hand Drawn Parable of the Sower Meaning / Explanation

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