The parable of the sower describes how the seed, which represents the word of God, is scattered and received differently depending on the condition of the soil, or heart. Some seed falls on the path and is snatched away by birds, some on rocky ground and does not take root, and some among thorns which choke it out. But the seed that falls on good soil produces a crop of up to one hundred times what was sown. Jesus explained that the different types of soil represent those who do not understand or accept the word, those who receive it temporarily but fall away due to hardship or temptation, and those who receive it, understand it, and go on to bear much fruit.

1. THE PARABLES OF JESUS
The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:1-23
March 10, 2013
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Reference:
The Complete Guide To The Parables
By
Dr. R. T. Kendall
What is a parable?
1. “A simple story that illustrates a profound truth.”
2. Greek is “parabole” means a placing beside or a comparison.
3. One third of Jesus’ teachings were in parables
Why did Jesus use parables?
1. “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation
of the world.” Psalm 78:2
2. Allowed Jesus to move from the natural level of life to the spiritual level.
3. Allowed for those for whom it was intended to understand.
Parable of the Sower

2. The Parable of the Sower
1. Included in all 3 synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke.
2. Probably the 1st parable Jesus taught.
* Begins with the sowing of God’s Word.
* Others state “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…..”.
3. Jesus told the meaning to the disciples
Matthew 13:1-23 NKJV
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And
great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat
and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower
went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the
birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they
immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the
sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered
away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked
them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in
parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance;
but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and
hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the
prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for
assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see

3. what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear
it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word
of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and
snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the
wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears
the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself,
but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because
of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among
the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 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.”
Matthew 13:1-23 NKJV
Elements of the Parable of the Sower
1. Seed
2. Sower of seed
3. Soil
SEED – Word of God
Jesus’ message about the Kingdom of God
The power of the seed – God’s Word
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and
of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Hebrews 4:12

4. SOWER – Preacher, Teacher or Reader
1. Holy Spirit is revealer of God’s word
John 16:13
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;
for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak;
and He will tell you things to come.
John 16:13
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all
things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
2. Sower does not make judgments.
* Broadcasts in all directions
3. Parable does not assign responsibility of response to the sower.
SOIL- Condition and Depth of Heart
1. Growth of seed is related to:
* Depth of soil
* Presence of contaminates (thorns)
* Types of Soil: All look the same from the surface
1. Path (Wayside in KJV)
2. Rocky
3. Thorny
4. Good soil
PATH SOIL
1. Hard and non-penetrable (compressed)
2. Resistant to God’s word
3. Satan (world) has control of the hard heart
4. God’s word is snatched away
5. Applies to believers and non-believers

5. Birds Eat Seeds
ROCKY SOIL
1. Looks normal, but hard underneath
2. Quick initial response; fizzles out
3. Immature in the faith; easily deceived
4. See no victory in Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28 NKJV
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NKJV
5. Applies to believers and non-believers
THORNY SOIL
1. Bad seeds mixed in soil
* Sin nature present in everyone
2. God’s word grows but little fruit produced
* Thorns outgrow crop
3. Limited spiritual growth; lose focus
4. Applies to believers and non-believers
Thorn Chokes The Plant

6. GOOD SOIL
1. Soil that is fertile and fruitful
2. Accepts God’s word and Jesus as Savior
3. Fruit of spirit is multiplied
4. Applies only to believers
THORNY SOIL APPLICATIONS FOR BELIEVERS
1. How can you know if bad seeds are in a Christians life?
2. Who is in charge? Holy Spirit or sin nature?
3. Galatians 5:22-23 – The fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
Jesus tells us what thorns make us unfruitful?
Matthew 13:22
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and
the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he
becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22
The worries of this life
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what
you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than
food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all
his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of
the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much
more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’
or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to
you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its

7. own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:25-34
The deceitfulness of wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
What is the cure for the thorns of life?
Galatians 5:16-26 NKJV
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For
the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are
contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if
you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,
drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also
told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And
those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,
provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:16-26 NKJV
1. Crucify your sinful nature – Daily
2. Keep in step – Daily
* Confess sins
* Read God’s word
* Obey His word
* Pray

8. Importance of Sower Parable
1. We should never be surprised when people don’t persevere.
2. Not everyone who makes a profession of faith is saved.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to
Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I
will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23
3. We should never try to judge who is saved and who is not saved.
4. The truths contained in this parable will always be relevant.
5. A person’s initial response to the Gospel need not be permanent.
6. The parable does not refer only to preaching to the lost.