Passion For The Word

Passion for the Word Understanding God’s Word

The Parable of the Sower    

  

Matthew 13:3-23 3 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop-- a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Jesus’ Explanation of the Parable  18

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  19 When 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.

 20

The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

 22

The 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.

 23

But 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."

1. 2. 3.

Parable of the Sower The Importance of understanding the word of God How to respond to the word of God

 1)

Man does not live by bread but by the word of God  Deut 8:3  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  We live by God’s word

 2)

the word is the only thing that will give stability in our life  Isa 40:8  The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

 3)

Nothing can make you stumble if you love the word of God  Ps 119:165  Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.  Ps 37:31  The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

4)It’s important because of the power of the word of God in our life a) we have been born again through it 1 Pet 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

 b)it

is a hammer that breaks the rock, like a fire.  Jer 23:29  "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

c) it keeps us from sin Ps 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. Ps 119:11 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

 d)

it gives understanding  Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."

 E)

it is part of the armor of God that we as his soldiers use  Eph 6:17  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

What must our response be to the Word ? 1.  

We must read the word determined to follow everything the Lord tells us Ps 40:8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

 2)We

must humbly accept the word planted in us  James 1:19-21  My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

 3)

We must keep His word  Rev 3:8  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

 4)

We must tremble at his word  Isa 66:2  Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

 5)The

word must be in our hearts  Deut 30:14  the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.  Deut 6:6  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

6) The word must constantly be in our consciousness and in our unconscious. Gising o tulog. Naglalakad o nakaupo.  Deut 6:7-9  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

 7)

Let the word of God be like water on your heart; let your heart drink it like plants drink rain, let it fall into your heart  Deut 32:2  Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

 8)

Love the word of God, delight in it…Think of the word all day long, think of it night and day  Ps 119:97  Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.  Ps 1:1-2  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

 Conclusion:  1.

We need to hear the word and understand it.  Ps 119:34  Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Once you understand, you will obey.

 Matt  Matt

13:9 He who has ears, let him hear.“

13:11-16  11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.  12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

 13

This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

 15

For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'  16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

 Let

us see with the eyes of our heart. Let us hear with the ears of our heart. And move on to understanding and obedience.

 Ps

25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.

 Proverbs

2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding

 Col

2:3 in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2. Let your heart be inclined to fear God and follow Him  Deut 5:28-29  28 The LORD heard you when you spoke to me and the LORD said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good.  29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

 3.

We must not be obsessed with wisdom and knowledge of the word.  It’s not just about wisdom, it’s about knowing the Lord.  It’s about loving the Lord. When we love the Lord above all else, we understand Him, we understand His heart.

 Mark

7:6  6 "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”

 Jer

9:23-24 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.