https://youtu.be/Ikp4pcOBMdk

Sow what? 

What we do with the Word of God matters to us- How we receive it, what we do with it, and how we apply it to our lives matters. The parable of the sower is what we are going to cover today- big portion of scripture- but we must cover it all at once because Jesus himself is going to explain to us what the parable meansJesus said this about this parable-Mark 4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?The primacy of understanding and applying this parable cannot be understated- if you are in this room today- you need to lean in, remove distractions, internalize and apply this sermon today-your very soul is as stake- you must understand it! READ Matthew 13:1-8 Now- we’ll get into the meaning of this in a moment- because later in the scripture Jesus explains this to us himself- so just hold on and we’ll get to it but let me give you a sneak peek- The seed is the Word. God’s ONLY tool is the Word of God. Everything He does, He does through the Word!The sower is God. He is scattering seed daily and Satan is trying to pick it up.The ground is you. The ground determines all the results of the sowing.So your job- is make sure you are good ground to receive the word so you don’t end up like the other ground- anyone who has planted will tell you- soil prep is paramount!Isaiah 55:11 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.Matthew 13:10-17Before we get to the explanation- his disciples ask him “why do you speak to us in parables” Fair question- some of these parables are easy- but some are cryptic- but they all MEAN something- Jesus is speaking to his disciples to direct THEM (why unsaved cant ed. Me) There’s 2 parts to that answer- first part is that it is a fulfillment of prophecy- Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’Which is to say- this prophecy is fulfilled- I’m speaking stuff but there’s some people who aren’t going to understand it- they just aren’t- that’s been the plan all along- Here’s the second part- the use of parables is a judgment upon those who are hearing that are in sin because of their unbelief, so Jesus pronounces judgment on them in that they can’t understand- God’s judgment is upon those who reject the message- One commentary said this- their present moral blindness and deafness are represented as the reason for the use of parables. Parables are themselves the punishment; the people are fit for nothing elseThey have the ABILITY to hear and understand, but they don’t have the WILLINGNESS to apply it to actually grow in their acceptance of Jesus- so Jesus refuses to plainly speak to them- they can just be confused until they are ready to receive it. He says- v14 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.’But he has this encouragement to those who are willing to hear- 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 what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.Here’s what I want to do- right now- bow your head and close your eyes- do you want to know what Jesus is saying? Do you want to understand what he is trying to do in your heart? Its like this- have you ever been in a situation that someone is trying to explain to you how to do something, and its not that easy, so you act dumb so they will just get frustrated and do it themselves? You’re unwilling to learn!