Sowers of the Seed
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Exploring the parable of the four soils from the perspective of the Sower.
Text: Luke 8:4-8
Date: 09/11/2022, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 76
Description:
After Jesus launches His second preaching tour in Galilee, Luke positions the familiar parable of the "Four Soils" right at the beginning to illustrate the eschatological scope of Jesus' preaching ministry. In this message we will approach the parable from the perspective of the Sower and concentrate on the way Jesus is revealing His infallible "battle plan" to establish the Kingdom of God in a darkened world. We will attempt to literally "put ourselves in the sandals of the sower", in order to realize the nuances of this well-known and therefore well-preached parable. We will use the metaphor of "sustainable farming" to realize this plan was designed to replicate itself, year after year, and generation after generation. Ultimately we will understand that as Christians we are not only planted as spiritual seeds by the Heavenly Sower, but as we grow and bear fruit in this "sustainable Kingdom", we become the sowers of the Seed until our Lord returns for the final harvest.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 8:4-8.
A. Context
1. The seeds of the Kingdom, Luke 8:1.
2. Digging deeper.
a. The miraculous catch.
b. The corpse of Nain.
c. Noticing the progression.
B.Introducing the parable of the Sower.
1. Understanding parables.
a. Simple stories from everyday life, Luke 7:41-42.
b. Jesus' use of parables.
2. Setting the scene, vs. 4.
a. A great crowd, Mark 3:7-11.
b. The "many" and the "few".
3. Visualizing the scene, vs 5a.
a. Identifying the parts.
i. Identifying the sower.
ii. Identifying the field, Luke 6:1, Ruth 2:3-4a.
1) The path.
2) The outcroppings.
3) The weeds.
iii. Identifying the seed.
b. Visualizing the act of sowing.
i. The state of things.
1) The timing.
2) The preparation.
3) The "resting", Ex 23:10-11, Hos. 10:12.
4) The intention.
ii. The mechanics of sowing.
1) Modern methods.
2) Ancient Palestinian methods.
4. Where the seeds fall, vs. 5b-8a.
a. Falling on the path, vs. 5b.
b. Falling on the rock, vs. 6.
c. Falling amongst the thorns, vs. 7.
d. Falling on good soil, vs. 8a.
C. Interpretation
1. The spiritual perspective.
a. The meaning of "the field".
b. The meaning of "the seed", Luke 8:1, 4:43.
c. The enemies of the Sower.
2. The battle plan of the Kingdom of God.
a. The opposing forces.
b. God's eternal plan unveiled, 1John 4:4.
i. The Sower.
ii. The Redemptive Seed, John 1:1,14, 12:24, Gen. 3:15.
iii. The Apostles.
III. Application, Matt. 28:19.
IV. Conclusion
