Greatest Stories Ever Told: The Sower and the Seed

THE GREATEST STORIES EVER TOLD

THE SOWER AND THE SEED

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.  He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It 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.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

(Mark 4:1-9)

HEALTHY THINGS GROW

When they were alone the people around Jesus, along with the Twelve, asked him about the parables.“The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

(Mark 4:10-12)

“The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  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.  Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

(Mark 4:14-20)

• Seeds are made to .
• The goal is .

1. HEARTS: THE SEED THAT FELL ON THE

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 

(Mark 4:15)

2. HEARTS: THE SEED THAT FELL ON THE SOIL

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  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. 

(Mark 4:16-17)

• Jesus says that growth requires soil that is not only but also .
• don’t run very .”

3. HEARTS: THE SEED THAT FELL ON THE PLANT

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 

(Mark 4:18-19)

• Be careful that we do not end up with a of and a with .
• Will you start today?

1. , , AND HEARTS: THE SOIL

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.

(Mark 4:20)

• “Soil” that thrives , and it .
• If you are a follower of Jesus, you are both the and the .
• Which soil are you going to be?