SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 13:1-9
Jesus was sitting by the lake (Sea of Galilee), but the crowds were so big that he got into a boat so the people could see and hear him better. He told the parable of sower. Some of the seeds that the farmer scattered fell on rocky places. They sprang up quickly, but because the soil was shallow, they withered due to a lack of root. Other seeds fell among thorns, which choked the plant. Other seeds fell on good soil where it produced a good crop.
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 13:18-23
Jesus explains the meaning of the parable of the sower. When people hear the message about the kingdom of God and do not understand it, the evil one takes away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places hears the Word and receives it with joy. But he falls away when trouble arises because he has no root. The seed in the thorns is the man who hears the word, but is unfruitful because of his worries and deceitfulness of wealth. The one who received the seed on good soil hears the Word and understands it. He produces a good crop.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 3: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
6) He uses temptation, deceit, greed, and all the other sins to snatch us away.
7) It can be easy to focus on your problems, rather than your blessings.
8 ) John 15:5 reminds us that if you are close to Jesus, you’ll bear much fruit. When you stray, you can do nothing. Philippians 2:12-13 reminds us that God works in you for His good purpose. We all have our seasons of when we are following God’s will closely and when we stray. I think this is why our fruit can vary. God gives us all different gifts and opportunities to grow with Him. The difference in fruit lies in your obedience to these gifts and opportunities given.
9) We all need strong roots so that we won’t be tempted by the devil. If we have strong roots and are faithful, we’ll bear good fruit for the evil one will not be able to snatch us away.
10) The soil of my heart is a yearning for God and His will. I know because He is with me always, and I strive to follow Him and His path.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 3: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
More of a personal day, but an encouraging one. We will bear fruit if we follow Jesus and God. No one says it’s easy, but it will pay off.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 3: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
MATTHEW 13:1-9
The boat gave Jesus a platform to speak from (Mark 4:1).
Parables are meant to teach one main principle to those listening. They made the idea easier to remember, and it stayed longer with the people.
Jesus spoke to things the people would understand. Everyone understood farming.
The seeds fell on four places:
- Next to the path — this was where many people walked and thus the seeds would be trampled and not grow.
- In rocky places — characterized by thin soil as we are told
- Amongst thorns — fertile ground, but with hazards
- On good soil — fertile and free of other plants growing
Jesus uses “he who has ears, let him hear.” to call attention to his words.
MATTHEW 13:18-23
Each soil type represents one of four ways that we respond to Jesus:
- Next to the path — those who hear God’s Word, but are unaffected. Their hearts are hardened, so they have no real understanding of what they are hearing. You must understand God’s Word before you can take action.
- In rocky places — those who are super excited when they first hear God’s Word, but then their excitement quickly fades and they fade away, too when times get rough
- Amongst thorns — those who grow with God for a while, but then are taken down by the evil one, temptations, worries, and deceitfulness of wealth
- On good soil — those that hear God’s Word and stick it through, bearing fruit along the way
What the Parable of the Sower Means to Us
We all go through the different types of soil in our lives — times where our faith wanes or where we are on fire for God. However, what matters in the end is that we strive to be the good soil and bear fruit in all that we do.
It can be helpful to ask yourself which soil are you and what can you change to become the good soil.
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