Parable of the Sower
Welcome to Backyard Conversations, a resource ministry of One Hundred-Fold Ministries.
We are in a blog series called Pray Kingdom, Think Kingdom, Act Kingdom.
In this series, we are taking a look at the Kingdom Parables – the “stories” that Jesus told to help us understand this excessively big idea of the Kingdom of God, and the amazing, good news (Gospel) that the coming of the Kingdom brings with it.
Let’s start with some basics before we unpack our parable for today.
As you are aware, people have questions. For instance, “Why is Jesus so coy about His teachings regarding the Kingdom of God? If the Kingdom of God is all that Jesus, why can’t you be more direct?” It’s ok to have questions – even the disciples had questions!
In Matthew 13, the disciples ask Jesus why he uses parables to teach about the Kingdom of God. Jesus responds that using stories or parables results in His listeners responding in one of two ways. Some became intrigued and wanted to gain understanding in “the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). But others heard, but refused to let the words penetrate their hearts. As it turns out some people hear but fail to yield to the truth. A lot of people it turns out!
So, Jesus’ teaching in parables both invited his listeners into the Kingdom conversation, and interestingly enough it also sifted some out from the conversation. And this ‘sifting’ phenomenon was actually predicted in the Old Testament:
So, the answer to the question of why Jesus taught in parables about the Kingdom of God is that, in doing so, it fulfilled prophecy about Jesus himself!
But listen to this . . . Jesus does very much want us to understand the Kingdom! He is not being mysterious in His teaching – it is that the Kingdom of God is mysterious!
As we have noted in previous blogs here at Backyard Conversations, the Kingdom of God is a very big idea. Infinite in scope and application! And still, because it is so important, Jesus tries to put the infinite into a finite language that we can understand. And that is what makes the use of Story so effective; Story challenges our minds and stirs our imagination. Jesus says to his disciples (both then and to His disciples today!) . . .
This declaration by Jesus in verses 16 and 17 that we just read is sandwiched between Jesus’ first telling of the Parable of the Sower and his after the fact unpacking of the
symbolism in the story. The Parable of the Sower helps us understand why some people understand Jesus’ parables and some people don’t.
I think that right here you should perhaps stop and read the parable first (Matthew 13:3-9, Mark 4:1-8, or Luke 8:4-8) as we are about to fast forward to Jesus’ explanation of the story:
With this story and explanation in mind, let’s look again at our bullet points for the series,
Pray Kingdom, Think Kingdom, Act Kingdom:
Pray Kingdom: It seems that our prayers would be best applied to considering the condition of our hearts rather than my list of my top ten things that I would like God to do today to make my life easier. If the reward for my heart being well prepared for God’s word is up to or more than 100 fold, why would I settle for less?
Think Kingdom: The distinction here is not only is my heart engaged but so is my mind. Thinking means choosing based on the truth not on a feeling. If I am practicing a “top of the mind awareness” that the Kingdom of God is about to break into my life, the possibility of my actually seeing that happens goes up exponentially! I can also start thinking how I can protect myself from the heat of the sun, and the birds and thorns and the big rocks of my life!
Act Kingdom: I think the biggest challenge offered by this parable is to get busy. The Kingdom of God is “at hand!” That means it is moving in your life now, even if you aren’t aware of that fact. Yield your life to Jesus’ authority and follow hard. You will see the reward now, not just in Heaven!
Thanks for checking in here at Backyard Conversations. Maybe I will see you soon at Kingdom Offerings and you can also say hello at Dave@100foldministries.org!
Peace!
We are in a blog series called Pray Kingdom, Think Kingdom, Act Kingdom.
In this series, we are taking a look at the Kingdom Parables – the “stories” that Jesus told to help us understand this excessively big idea of the Kingdom of God, and the amazing, good news (Gospel) that the coming of the Kingdom brings with it.
Let’s start with some basics before we unpack our parable for today.
As you are aware, people have questions. For instance, “Why is Jesus so coy about His teachings regarding the Kingdom of God? If the Kingdom of God is all that Jesus, why can’t you be more direct?” It’s ok to have questions – even the disciples had questions!
In Matthew 13, the disciples ask Jesus why he uses parables to teach about the Kingdom of God. Jesus responds that using stories or parables results in His listeners responding in one of two ways. Some became intrigued and wanted to gain understanding in “the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). But others heard, but refused to let the words penetrate their hearts. As it turns out some people hear but fail to yield to the truth. A lot of people it turns out!
So, Jesus’ teaching in parables both invited his listeners into the Kingdom conversation, and interestingly enough it also sifted some out from the conversation. And this ‘sifting’ phenomenon was actually predicted in the Old Testament:
-
Isaiah 6:9,10
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.”
So, the answer to the question of why Jesus taught in parables about the Kingdom of God is that, in doing so, it fulfilled prophecy about Jesus himself!
But listen to this . . . Jesus does very much want us to understand the Kingdom! He is not being mysterious in His teaching – it is that the Kingdom of God is mysterious!
As we have noted in previous blogs here at Backyard Conversations, the Kingdom of God is a very big idea. Infinite in scope and application! And still, because it is so important, Jesus tries to put the infinite into a finite language that we can understand. And that is what makes the use of Story so effective; Story challenges our minds and stirs our imagination. Jesus says to his disciples (both then and to His disciples today!) . . .
-
Matthew 13:16-17
“Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
This declaration by Jesus in verses 16 and 17 that we just read is sandwiched between Jesus’ first telling of the Parable of the Sower and his after the fact unpacking of the
symbolism in the story. The Parable of the Sower helps us understand why some people understand Jesus’ parables and some people don’t.I think that right here you should perhaps stop and read the parable first (Matthew 13:3-9, Mark 4:1-8, or Luke 8:4-8) as we are about to fast forward to Jesus’ explanation of the story:
-
Matthew 13:18-23
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 their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
With this story and explanation in mind, let’s look again at our bullet points for the series,
Pray Kingdom, Think Kingdom, Act Kingdom:
Pray Kingdom: It seems that our prayers would be best applied to considering the condition of our hearts rather than my list of my top ten things that I would like God to do today to make my life easier. If the reward for my heart being well prepared for God’s word is up to or more than 100 fold, why would I settle for less?
Think Kingdom: The distinction here is not only is my heart engaged but so is my mind. Thinking means choosing based on the truth not on a feeling. If I am practicing a “top of the mind awareness” that the Kingdom of God is about to break into my life, the possibility of my actually seeing that happens goes up exponentially! I can also start thinking how I can protect myself from the heat of the sun, and the birds and thorns and the big rocks of my life!
Act Kingdom: I think the biggest challenge offered by this parable is to get busy. The Kingdom of God is “at hand!” That means it is moving in your life now, even if you aren’t aware of that fact. Yield your life to Jesus’ authority and follow hard. You will see the reward now, not just in Heaven!
Thanks for checking in here at Backyard Conversations. Maybe I will see you soon at Kingdom Offerings and you can also say hello at Dave@100foldministries.org!
Peace!