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 their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
- P74
22The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
- P74
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.
- P75
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 uproot 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.’"
- P75
Jesus explains the parable of the sower: The seed is the message about thekingdom, and the soils represent different responses to it. Jesus tells anotherparable about weeds sown in a wheat field by an enemy. The field‘stells his servants to let both grow until the harvest, then to separate twnerwheat is to be gathered and the weeds are to be burned.
- P75
Jesus explains the meaning behind the parable of the sower. The seed represents God’s Word, and the different soils represent the conditions of the human heart. Though the same message is preached, the response varies. Some hearts are hardened, unable to receive the truth; others are shallow, responding with enthusiasm but lacking depth. They quickly fall away when they face persecution and trouble. Still others are choked by worries and the pursuit of wealth. - P76
However, those who hear, understand, and obey God will flourish, yielding many blessings with the seed of His Word that they have received in their hearts. - P76
May God’s Word transform us so that our lives may be a blessing to others and bring glory to Him. - P76
In this parable, Jesus paints a picture of the ongoing conflict between Godand the enemy of His kingdom. As the good seed of the gospel is sown,
the enemy sows weeds of wickedness. God allows both to grow togetheruntil the time of harvest because uprooting the weeds would also disturbthe wheat. This shows the reality of our world in which good and evil areallowed to coexist. - P76
We are reminded of God‘s wisdom and grace as Hewaits to execute judgment at the proper time. When Christ returns, thetruth will be revealed, evil will be uprooted, and the righteous will share inHis eternal kingdom. Until then, we are called to live faithfully, bearing thefruit of righteousness and trusting that God‘s justice will ultimately prevail. - P76
Lord, prepare my heart to be fertile soil for Your Word. Remove every distraction and fear, and help me to hear, understand, and obey Your truth so that my life may yield fruit that brings glory to You. In Your name I pray, amen. - P77
The beauty of this choice is that we see God‘s persistent and deliberate pur-suit of those that He created to know Him, receive His salvation, andin a committed covenant relationship with Him. Both parables show usthat, even with God‘s grace andmercy present, there will be those who hearGod‘s Word and receive it, but allow the chaos and troubles of this worldto keep them from having their hearts firmly rooted in the Lord. Yet, therewill also be those who, despite the persecution, opposition, and trouble inthe world, choose to persevere, becoming firmly rooted and steadfast inHim. Such people recognize the glorious gift they have in Jesus and knowthat following Him is worth every struggle they may face. That is the GoodNews that is found in Christ. - P77
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