Even in places where Jesus did mighty works, some did not repent… Matthew 11:20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in

which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

Some sought to trick Him, so they might have reason to accuse Him… Matthew 12:9 Now when He had departed from there,

He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Jesus began teaching publicly in parables… Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came and

said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Many had ears that had become “hard of hearing”… Matthew 13:14  And in them the prophecy

of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 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.'

“THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER” MATTHEW 13:3-9, 18-23

The significance of this parable… Mark 4:13  And He said to them, "Do

you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

Explanation of the parable… Who is the Sower?

Compare with Matthew 13:37  ”He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. “ This is in explanation of "The Parable of the

Wheat and The Tares"

“THE SEED” Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom,

and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

Acts 28:30  Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

“THE WAYSIDE” (The 1st soil)… Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom,

and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

Matthew 13:15  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.‘

Luke 8:12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

2Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

“THE STONY PLACES” (The 2nd soil)… Matthew 13:20 But he who received the

seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

Matthew 13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

“AMONG THE THORNS” (The 3rd soil)… Matthew 13:22  Now he who received seed

among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Luke 8:14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

THE CARES OF THIS WORLD… Luke 21:34  "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts

be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Luke 12:29  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

THE DECIETFULNESS OF RICHES… 1Timothy 6:9  But those who desire to be rich

fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

PLEASURES OF LIFE… Galatians 5:17  For the flesh lusts against the

Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

“THE GOOD GROUND” (The 4th Soil)… Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on

the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.“

Luke 8:15  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

“Understanding” AND “Bearing fruit”… Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on

the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.“

Colossians 1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

What kinds of fruit will one bear? Romans 1:13 Now I do not want you to be

unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Romans 15:27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

There are different kinds of fruit… Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Colossians 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Not everyone will bear the same amount of fruit… Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground

is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.“

Matthew 25:14  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

1Peter 4:10  As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Are you like “THE WAYSIDE”? If you have heard the gospel of Christ and His

kingdom, but are not yet a Christian... You may be in the process of hardening your

heart the longer you wait! You are susceptible to Satan's deception in

some form, to blind you and not allow the Word of God to have its intended effect!

Are you like “THE STONY PLACES”? If you responded to the gospel at one time,

but are not being grounded in the faith... You will likely fall away when persecution

or temptation comes your way!

Are you like the soil “AMONG THE THORNS”? If you responded to the gospel at one time,

but are becoming too preoccupied with the cares, riches, and pleasures of this world...

You will not be able to bear much fruit! And remember what Jesus said about

branches that don't bear fruit! - John 15:1-6

Remember what Jesus said about branches that don't bear fruit! John 15:1  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the

vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Are you like “THE GOOD SOIL”? If you have responded to the gospel, and

are bearing fruit... Then you’ve shown several key things:

You have a good and noble heart! You have come to understand the Word! You have been keeping it with patience!

IN CONCLUSION… Matthew 13:9  ”He who has ears to hear,

let him hear!“ Not all who have ears to hear , really listen!

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How well have you listened to this parable of

Jesus and His explanation?