The Weekend Word

Matthew 13:18-30

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹⁸ “Hear then the parable of the sower:

• In an odd way, and you will probably only hear it here from me – v.11 & 12 are the parable of the sower.
• The explanation coming next is really based more on what he said in v.11-17.
• He is rejected – God made flesh and he is rejected.

¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

• This is the history of Christianity – sowing seed around the world and who snatches the word away?
• The evil one – where Jesus works, satan sets up shop. We will see that in the next parable – the weeds in v.25
• It has been this way for all church history and will continue until the end.

²⁰ As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,

• The new convert – very excited at first.

²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away,

• But then there are things that come up in their life and they are gone – and you never see them again.
• What are some reasons people fall away?
• What excuses do we come up with?

²² As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

• Worries & cares of this life. Hey, life is hard
• Deceitfulness of riches – if only I get this job, get this raise, get those riches – then I can pay attention to God.

²³ As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

• I think Luther said in the introduction to the Large Catechism “The more you study the word of God, the more fruit your life bears.”
• The more you study the same passages the more that comes to light
• How many times have you heard the parable of the Sower…

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

• OK, if you don’t get it – try this one.
• Jesus again is the key to the parable
• Note the fruit of Jesus’ preaching – he speaks and it bears fruit … believers.

²⁵ but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

• Here is the enemy at work –
• Who is it who goes to work when the word of God is spoken?
• The lord builds his church and the devil sets up his chapel right next door.

²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

²⁷ And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

• Look at the concern that Jesus has for the believers.

³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

• Now this does not mean that we do not speak a word of law tto these unbelievers
• The role of the law is to bring someone to Christ.
• The point of the parable is that God is the Lord of the harvest
• He will take care of it.