DCLM Daily Manna 17 June 2024 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Sower, Seed And The Soil
TOPIC: The Sower, Seed And The Soil (DCLM Daily Manna 17 June 2024)
KEY VERSE: “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).
TEXT: Matthew 13:1-23 (KJV)
1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
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.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
MESSAGE:
One feature of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ while He dwelt among men is the use of parables. His parables were made to teach life-changing lessons and express profound spiritual truths relating to God’s kingdom. Like theories, parables provide simplified explanations of complex realities. They dwell on principles that are applicable to different situations and times.
The parable of the sower in the text is one of the most popular and profound parables of Christ. The story has to do with a sower who sowed seeds that fell on four different grounds – wayside, stony places, among thorns and on good ground. Where the seeds fell determined what eventually happened to them. The only seeds that became productive were the ones that fell on the good soil. The wayside seeds were quickly picked up by the birds, the stony-ground seeds sprung up fast but had no depth of soil and got withered; and the seeds that fell on thorny ground germinated but were choked by the thorn upon becoming plants. Christ also interpreted the parable. The seed is the word of God; the sower is the preacher while the different soils represent the hearts of men. Some people possess the wayside kind of heart that neither understand nor care about God’s word because Satan has blinded their minds. The stony-ground heart belongs to people who hear God’s word but are carried away by the frills of religion and lacking spiritual depth, are scorched by simple challenges. The seeds prove unfruitful in thorny hearts that are beset by the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.
The good ground represents the heart that is prepared to receive the word. They apply the word, which in turn produces positive results – to differing degrees in their lives.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The seed of God’s word remains potent, but the receiver determines what to make of it.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Colossians 1-4
Deeper Life Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
