During His personal ministry on earth, Jesus used "parables" in His teaching. A parable is defined as meaning "to lay aside." However, a simpler way to explain it is "an earthly story with a heavenly (spiritual) meaning." In this article, we examine the Parable of the Sower. For this study, we will use Luke's account in Luke 8:4-15.
The Seed. "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." {Luke 8:11} The crop cannot be harvested unless the seed is planted. The seed is what we are to plant into men's hearts-God's word. It is God's power to save (Romans 1:16). Remember, the seed can reproduce only after "its own kind." Only by planting the true gospel of Christ can one Christian reproduce another Christian.
The Soils. "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." {Luke 8:12-15}
Why do the soils differ? When we teach God's word, men receive it into different types of hearts. Notice that different soils brought different results. Each person takes God's word and determines what he/she will do with it. How people receive God's word brings varied results. The same word can produce spiritual desire and total rejection. This shows that man has a role to play in this equation.
The increase. "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." {1 Corinthians 3:6-8}
Too many of God's children take the hearer's rejection. Don't forget that man is a free moral agent who makes his own choices. Samuel had the same problem when Israel demanded a king {1 Samuel 8:7-19}. God reminded Samuel that He was Israel's king, and they had rejected God-not Samuel.
All Christians should be spiritual farmers. God requires us to be busy "planting the good seed" into the hearts of dying sinners. Our duty is to provide sinful men with the "seed" thus giving them the opportunity for salvation. The person who plants the seed is not important-just that the seed is planted. No crop has ever sprung up, spiritually or otherwise, unless seed is first planted. Let us do our part, and God and His word will take over from there.
During 2005, let's look for more opportunities to plant this good seed into the hearts of those who are lost and without God. God depends on our work to enable Him to do His work-saving those who are lost. Good luck my fellow farmers!