The Parable of The Seeds

Matthew 13:18–30
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Bishop Warren A. Candler of Atlanta enjoyed telling about the time he went to have a haircut in an old-fashioned local barber shop."Mornin’, General,” said the barber as he seated the bishop in a chair. “I’m not a general,” the bishop explained. … More

Profession

Jesus explains this parable of the sower to His disciples (vv. 18-23). He asks us to listen to the meaning of the story (v. 18). The seeds that fall along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom and the devil comes and snatches it from their hearts (v. 19). The seeds that fall on the rocky ground are the people who accept it but they don’t have deep roots and as soon as life gets hard they give up (vv. 20-21).

The seeds that fall on thorny ground are people who hear the message but start worrying about their needs and greeds and never produce anything (v. 22). The seeds that fall on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message and produce good crops. “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (v. 23). God wants us to hear, understand and put into practice His counsel and instruction. He doesn’t see us as vaults into which He hides His Word, but rather as gardens in which the Word can sprout and grow.

Jesus presents another parable about a farmer sowing his wheat (vv. 24-30). The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who scattered good seed in the field and left (v. 24). Then while everyone was sleeping an enemy comes in and sows weeds on the same soil (v. 25). As the wheat grows so do the weeds (vv. 26-27). If the farmer tries to remove the weeds before the harvest he will also destroy the wheat (vv. 28-29). Then He told them to leave the weeds alone till harvest time (v. 30). Tell the workers to gather the weeds and burn them. They will have the wheat left to store in the barn.

Application

Have I ever tried to pull up the weeds (professing Christians) in a group. What has been the result? I must remember that my job is to sow seed, not pull up weeds.

Matthew 13:18-30 (English Standard Version)

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