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Post by jeremiah on Dec 9, 2008 10:43:25 GMT -5
The past few weeks I have appreciated reading Matthew 13 again. I don't know why I got so much more from this chapter time. This chapter is about the parable of the sower. Jesus told about a sower who sowed some seed. Some fell by the wayside and the birds came and devoured them. I think what happens with a bird feeder, and how seed seems to always get spilled like this. In this case some of the seed was scorhed by the sun, other seed fell among thorns and were eventually choked when the thorns sprang up. Other seed fell on good ground and brought forth fruit. It was especially interesting to read at the end of this chapter, the meaning of this parable. Jesus explained that he that soweth good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world. He told about how the tares are the evil people who will be gathered up and burned in a hell fire. The kingdom of heaven is for those who have God in their hearts and have lived to follow him. I just want to be careful not to be one of those weeds that would choke out good seed any place. I want to be more like fertilizer that helps them grow. I can do this through encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to know more of, and live my life according to the kingdom of heaven side.
This is my desire today.
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts about this.
Jeremiah
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delh
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by delh on Dec 10, 2008 13:21:30 GMT -5
Nice to hear your uplifting thoughts Jeremiah. The parable of the sower is a wonderful glimpse into the working of God in our lives isn't it? More importantly it records all of the different responses we might have to that working of God. I have written over that chapter "the soil must give of itself for the seed to prosper". I think of the soil with the stones. Stones are made up of lots of minerals which could be beneficial to the plant, but I picture the little roots clinging to the stone trying to get the nourishment it needs -- and nohting is given up of the stone. Then there is the soil that has all of the weeds taking away the nourishment before the plant can get to it. We once heard that all that satan has to do is keep the sheep so busy that they don't have time to rest and chew the cud --- and they perish. Perhaps the soil was just to busy trying to support to many "good" activities. Makes me want to make sure that my heart is given to God so that he can remove the stones and do the cultivation necessary for the seed he has sown to prosper.
Glad for your encouragement.
Delh
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Post by Joe on Dec 12, 2008 9:35:01 GMT -5
Thanks for your post Jerry.
Yes the sower and the seed is so much like our life, and the soil being our heart that feeds, cares for and nourishes the seed. As that wayside soil if the soil doesn't accept the seed, it will be taken away.
Jesus' words, the Word of God within our life will grow and fill us if we are careful and protect it. Our life then will be the encouragement via the Spirit within that you, we all want to be to each other.
Wishing you the best.
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Post by pianoman on Feb 5, 2009 12:33:40 GMT -5
Wonderful uplifting post.
I like to think of our lives as a little patch of ground, like a garden. If we are constantly tending to our soil, we will not have time to look up at others gardens and find fault.
When we see beautiful gardens, especially with flowers, we never think of the hand that took care of the soil, and cared for the flowers.
When we do lift our heads, to look to Jesus, for guidance, shouldn't the gardens of others be like the flower gardens, and draw our eyes to that, and help us to realize that we need to really take good care of our soil so our garden flourishes?
Also, the seed must be from the right source. We will not get tomatoes from sunflower seeds. We need to make sure that we have the right soil and let the right seed flourish.
Wonderful thoughts above, thanks Jeremiah.....................................Pianoman
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Post by nancye on Mar 4, 2009 13:02:11 GMT -5
I love Luke 8:15 - "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."
It's ongoing... Seeking to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) being honest before the Father...
I'm glad God is the husbandman. He is wise, and good and honest and He knows how to take
care of that which has been planted. I'm thinking of John 15 where Jesus talked about God being the
husbandman and that He is the vine. We are the branches that need tending by the husbandman. Understanding that without Christ we can do nothing....
John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples"...
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Post by good thoughts on Mar 4, 2009 14:42:56 GMT -5
This thread is a good reminder of what the purpose of life is.
To bear fruit for the glory of God and others, pure religion(&purpose for living) is to visit the widows and fatherless in their affliction, and to keep unspotted from the worlds corruptible (influence?) spirit.
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Post by ddddyyyy on Jul 5, 2009 22:09:27 GMT -5
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Post by ddddyyyy on Aug 26, 2009 2:17:30 GMT -5
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Post by eternally on Oct 1, 2010 15:46:32 GMT -5
I enjoyed every post on this board, especially Nancye's....it is so important that our little patch of ground..(our heart) be honest. Good seed cannot thrive in a dishonest heart. In different places in the Scripture, the word "rejection" is used. Bad soil rejects any seed that is foreign to it. Unfortunately, this is why there will be tares in the field that must be separated from the good seed, (children of God), at the end. In my life, I still have weeds that want to take over my plot of soil, robbing the space that the good seed needs for it to flourish. My fervent prayer is that the keeper of my garden (Jesus, by intercession for me to God), will have full control and that I will never have a spirit that will hinder His work in me. May God help me to bear fruit to His glory.
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Post by 4pilgrim4 on Apr 2, 2011 1:27:22 GMT -5
I look at Matt 13 as a lesson on how to deal with unrealized expectations. Any who aspire to become a child of God hope to be good, obedient and pleasing to the father in all things.
However there are things that impede this in ones personal life. The parable of the sower lists the stony ground, thorny ground, wayside soil etc. and the good soil. I would expect that any and all can identify these qualities that reduce the harvest to something less than 100 fold.
Likewise in a social sense, there are tares sown that are all about us as our peers. It would seem a good idea to join a "professing people commune" so as to separate ourselves from this. But that is not the plan of God. As such, at the end of time not all will be accepted, but some will be told "depart from me for I never knew you".
So that's how this chapter appealed to me.
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