Jesus Christ the Son of God shares many parables with us to reveal numerous secrets hidden since creation time (Matthew 13:35 (ESV): 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”). The Parable of the Sower is unique as it addresses both the reasons why some people fall away from God and why others prosper in God’s word. Knowing these reasons better informs productively applying these teachings to reach more people to follow Jesus and spread the Gospel worldwide, observing causes behind effective and ineffective results. Three Gospel accounts, the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 13), Mark (Mark 4), and Luke (Luke 8) all share the Parable of the Sower, emphasizing the parables’ importance and centrality. Understanding the Parable of the Sower properly positions you to better interpret all the parables (Mark 4:13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?“). All these reasons provide us impetus to analyze and study Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in depth, and to share these findings everywhere (Matthew 10:27 (ESV): 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops)
The Parable of the Sower focuses upon what happens and why it happens. The scriptures must be searched and consulted to understand more fully how it happens in the context of our responsibility. Many scriptures discuss God revealing his word and asking people to choose between life and death and between right and wrong. History records and the Parable of the Sower explains that what happens are some people use their reasoning to decide to resist and reject the message, some receive happily the message with a surface level depth only, and others have difficulty understanding and recognizing the message. Several successfully receive God’s message and come to understand it deeply, digging roots, and flourishing. They remain in the word, reaping the word’s benefits.
Despite the Gospel of John omitting parables, it articulates critical understandings about God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Key Parable of the Sower lessons are shared up-front at the beginning of the Gospel of John. God reveals his Word to people himself and through ambassadors, paralleling the Sower dropping seeds in the Parable of the Sower. (John 1:6-9 (NET): A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.) The errors in recognizing and receiving God’s Word parallels dropping seed on the path in the Parable of the Sower. (John 1:10-11 (NET)He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.) Those who believe and receive have the right to be like the plant in good soil, provided they avoid traps like rocks and thorns in the Parable of the Sower. (John 1:12-13 (ESV) 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.)
God instructs us that it is our responsibility to have an open heart towards him, removing the stubborn obstacles within our control, so when we hear his word, it will be fruitful like the seed sown on good ground described in the Parable of the Sower. (Jeremiah 4:3-4 (ESV): 3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”) People, who take that responsibility seriously and sincerely seek after God’s own heart, benefit themselves, and become a blessing to others. As in the Parable of the Sower, those trusting the Lord are like deeply rooted plants in good soil. They are able to withstand scorching heated opposition, producing good fruit despite life’s droughts that trouble others, because they are nourished by streams of God’s Word. (Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV): 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”)
To start your journey to delve deeper, follow these links:
- Reapers Roadmap (The 9 R’s Roadmap): https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/the-9-rs-revealing-reasoning-resisting-rejecting-recognizing-receiving-rooting-remaining-reaping/
- Revealing: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/the-9-r%E2%80%99s-focus-on-revealing/
- Resisting & Reasoning: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/the-9-rs-focus-on-resisting-reasoning/
- Recognizing & Reasoning: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/the-9-rs-focus-on-recognizing-and-reasoning/
- Receiving & Rooting: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-9-rs-focus-on-receiving-and-rooting/
- Remaining: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/the-9-r%E2%80%99s-focus-on-remaining-in-righteousness/
- Reaping: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/the-9-rs-focus-on-reaping/
- Repentance Raceway: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/the-9-rs-roadmap-repentance-raceway/
Reference Materials: Parable of the Sower
- Parable of the Sower: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/parable-of-the-sower-2/
- Parable Explanation: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/parable-of-the-sower-explained-mind-map/
- Parable of the Sower Mapped to The Reapers Roadmap: https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/parable-of-sower-mapped-to-the-9-rs-roadmap/
Key Points: Introduction:
- Parables reveal _______ hidden since creation time.
- The Parable of the Sower focuses on _____ happens and _______ it happens.
- The Reapers Roadmap focuses on ______ it happens.
- Our Responsibility is to _______ after God’s own heart.
- Understanding the Parable of the Sower positions you better to ________ all Parables.
Use of Visuals:
Visuals are provided for each key topic, acknowledging they aid with understanding and recollection. Suitable for outreach opportunities spanning the globe, regardless of technology available, these visuals can be reconstructed on pieces of paper or napkins or ground. Several visual figures are based upon Mind Map’s (TM) techniques developed by Tony Buzan http://www.imindmap.com
Key Points: Introduction:
- Parables reveal secrets hidden since creation time.
- The Parable of the Sower focuses on what happens and why it happens.
- The Reapers Roadmap focuses on how it happens.
- Our Responsibility is to seek after God’s own heart.
- Understanding the Parable of the Sower positions you better to interpret all Parables.
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
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