Understand

Good Morning: 

Today, we are discussing the interpretation that Jesus gave concerning the parable of the sower.  It is a very popular parable in the life of the church but I’m asking you to read it carefully today and try to analyze where you are or see if you can identify yourself in it.  I just finished reading it and it encouraged me so, I immediately shook off this “haunting” thought in the back of my head that was trying to bring worry on and I decided to hear the word, understand it and bring increase in my life.    Read below and you’ll see what I mean.   

Our text is: 

Matthew 13:18 ”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.”  

In this parable, you will see that what is key is people hearing the word and understanding it.   UNDERSTANDING.  

Let’s look at the first scenario.  In this example, the person mentions matches the sower who scattered seed and some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up.  This is the person who hears the word and does not understand it and the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.   A seed was planted in their heart but because there was no understanding as to what to do with it then the evil one snatched it  and made it unfruitful. 

The second scenario is the seed that fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil and sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.   This is the person who receives God’s word  with joy but because they have no foundation or not rooted in anything or haven’t made any commitment to the things of God, they only last for a while and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word they quickly fall away because they were never really committed. 

The third scenario is the seed that fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked the plant.  This is the person that hears the world but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of riches chokes the word and makes it unfruitful.   

The last scenario is seed that is planted and fell on good soil where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.    This is the person that heard the word, and understands it and acts on it and gets an increase in their life of more than what they received. 

This is just so refreshing and powerful to me.  Understanding is key.  If we really understand the word and how powerful it is and how effective it can be if implemented then we would experience phenomenal returns. 

Stay encouraged!!!! 

All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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