The Sower: Jesus Teaches About Listening to God's Words

Jesus was talking to a crowd gathered beside the Lake of Galilee. From where he was sitting, he might have been watching a farmer sowing seed on his land. The farmer would walk up and down scattering seed in handfuls from a bag slung across his shoulder. This was called 'broadcast' sowing. The farmer was never sure exactly where the seed would land, but he hoped to get a good crop from wherever the seed grew.

A seed has life in it, but it needs the right conditions to grow and produce fruit.

Jesus told lots of stories that had a deeper meaning. They are called 'parables'. This is one of parables that Jesus told about seeds.

He said, "One day a farmer went out to sow seed on his land. There was a path where the neighbours took a short cut across the field, and the soil was worn hard and smooth. As soon as the seeds landed there, they bounced off and the birds swooped down and ate them up."

"Other areas of the field had shallow soil because of the rocky ground. The seeds germinated and the plants grew up quickly, but the hot sun soon withered them because they couldn't take root."

"Other seeds landed amongst weeds and thorns, which were so strong and tall that the little seedlings were completely choked."

"But more of the seeds fell on soft, fertile soil where there was enough depth for strong roots to grow down, and enough sunlight and rainfall for the farmer to get a good crop. In some places the harvest was thirty, sixty and a hundred times what had been planted."

Jesus finished this story by saying, "If anyone has ears to hear what I have to say, let him hear!"

The disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to the people in parables, so he explained to them the deeper meaning of the story.

The farmer stands for a person who spreads the 'word' or 'good news' about Jesus Christ.

The seed that fell on the hard path is like the word of God falling on hard hearts and ears that don't want to listen. The enemy of God, like the birds, snatches the seed away.

The shallow soil covering the rock is like people who accept the good news about Jesus, but it doesn't make a difference to their lives. Problems get in the way, and as soon as difficulties come into their lives they give up. They have no staying power.

The thorny ground is like those who hear and accept the good news , but they are so taken up with the problems in life, and trying to get rich, that any thoughts about God get smothered. They end up not living very fruitful lives.

But the good soil is like the hearts of people who hear God's message about the love of Jesus. God's word takes root in their lives so that they understand and follow God's way, and become productive in God's kingdom.

You can find this story in the Bible. Read it for yourself in Matthew chapter 13 verses 1 - 23.