Parable of the Sower

The Parable of the Sower

Jesus tells us the parable of the sower and compares it to the kingdom of Heaven. This is not something that we have made up for ourselves. We are not commanded to seek decisions. We are commanded to sow the right seed. We must sow before decisions are sought. Does a farmer look for a crop he has not yet planted? He would be mistaken to look for a crop he had not planted or at least someone else planted. He would be mistaken if he did not water his crop but expected it to be mature and ready for the harvest. And it would be wonderful to believe that all who say the sinners prayer would go to heaven, but it just isn't true. If it were not true, then why would Jesus talk about these things? Someone must plant and not only plant, but have the patience for God to grow it. Life is a miracle. Being born again is a miracle. God tells us we will sow while another one reaps. Sometimes we will reap from the labors of other sowers. Someone has to sow and that someone is us, the body of Christ. Have you ever stopped to wonder about the seeds you plant throughout the day and that another laborer in the Lord will water that seed you planted and one day, it will grow into a a tree of righteousness?

It's human nature to want to see results from our evangelistic efforts, but Jesus did not call us to check results, He called us to sow. It is His job to take care of the rest. He is the one who keeps track. God tells us, let us not grow weary in well doing, in due season we will reap if we faint not. It can seem discouraging when we don't see results from the efforts of our evangelism. Our discouragment can be nothing more than lack of faith. We should just trust and obey, for there is no other way.

Read further to see what Jesus was talking about regarding sowing seed. We are commanded to spread seed, to sow.

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ²Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹He who has ears, let him hear."

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¹⁸"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹When 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. ²⁰The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²²The 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. ²³But 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."

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
²⁷"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
²⁸" 'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
²⁹" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
³⁷He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
⁴⁰"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴²They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.