[Mar 4:14 KJV] 14 The sower soweth the word.
[Luk 8:11 KJV] 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Four types of ground (Stages of the Heart)
- Wayside ground
- Stony ground
- Thorny ground
- Good ground
[Mat 13:3-23 NLT]
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes–so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
The two types of ground we are dealing with in this session are:
- Wayside and 2) Stony
The Wayside Ground (Heart) (Mark 4:15; Matthew 13:19)
{Mark 4:24 AMPC] 24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [a][of thought and study] you give [to [b]the truth you hear] will be the measure [c][of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.
[Mar 4:15 KJV] 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
[Mat 13:19 KJV] 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
[Mat 13:19 NLT] 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
The Stony Ground (Heart)
[Mar 4:16-17 KJV] 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
Stony ground (a ground full of rocks)
Have no root in themselves
The Importance of meditating on the Word of God.
Endure for a time (for a season, enduring only for a while, temporary) until affliction, and persecution arise because of the Word.
Affliction (pressure and trouble)
Persecution (to make to run or to drive away)
[2Ti 3:12 KJV] 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
[2Ti 3:12 KJV] 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
[Mar 10:29-30 KJV] 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Offended (to entrap, cause to stumble)
Don’t get caught in the mouse trap or in other words, don’t fall for the cheese)
Offense is about stealing the Word out of our heart, keeping us from being unfruitful.
This is how we can rise above affliction, persecution, and offense:
Pray
[Jas 5:13 KJV] 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
[Psa 34:19 KJV] 19 Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Draw from God’s peace
[Jhn 16:33 KJV] 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
[Mat 5:44-45 KJV] 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
[2Co 1:3-4 KJV] 3 Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
[Rom 12:12 KJV] 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Knowing how to deal with affliction, persecution, and offense makes our faith known:
[1Th 1:5-9 KJV]
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
[1Th 2:13 KJV] 13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.