Seeds

Memory Verse: Galatians 6:7

 

Life Application: We will reap what we sow.

 

Bible Text:

Galatians 6:7-9

1 John 1:9

2 Samuel 12:13-14

Luke 8:5-18

Matthew 13:24-30

Matthew 13:37-43

　

Sowing and Reaping

Galatians 6:7-9 NKJV

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

When a person sows seeds of sin / corruption the seed will produce something. Whatever type of seed we sow in our lives will bring a harvest. God designed every seed to produce after its own kind. That which is sown will produce what is sown. In the natural when we plant a seed of corn we harvest, or reap, corn.

We mislead ourselves when we think that it doesn’t matter what we sow. Sooner or later every person reaps what they have sown. All our choices have consequences and all the seeds that we sow ( good and bad) produce something. Sowing bad seeds and then praying for a crop failure is not Biblical.

1 John 1:9 NKJV

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When we ask God for forgiveness He forgives us and we no longer have to pay the penalty for our sins. However, that doesn’t mean that the consequences of our sins suddenly disappear. David is an example of this. He committed the sin of adultery and murder, then he confessed the sin to God and God forgave him. However, David still had to face the consequences of his sin. But he still had to reap the harvest of his sinful actions.

2 Samuel 12:13-14 NKJV

“So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

　

The Parable of the Seeds

There are four types of people that hear God’s Word. In the Parable of the Seeds each of these are described.

　

Luke 8:5-18 NKJV

““A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’ “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”

1. The seeds that fall by the wayside represent people who hear the Word, then the devil comes and takes away the Word out of their hearts, because he doesn’t want them to believe and be saved.

2. The seeds that fall on the rocks represent people, who when they hear the Word receive the word with joy, but they do not have any roots. They believe for a while, but in time of temptation fall away.

3. The seeds that fell among thorns represent people who hear the Word but are choked with cares of life, riches, and pleasures of life. They never mature.

4. The seeds that fell on the good ground represent people who hear the Word with a good heart, keep it and bear fruit. These people act upon what they hear.

 

Wheat and Tares

Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”

In the parable of the wheat and tares, there are two sowers (one good and one bad), two kinds of seed (one good and one bad), and two harvests (one good and one bad). The field in this parable is the world.

The land owner sowed good seed (wheat) in his field, but while he and his servants were asleep an enemy sowed bad seed (tares) in the same field. The servants were told to let the tares grow until the time of harvest. If they pulled up the tares during the growing process it could hurt the wheat.
While growing the wheat and tares looked the same. However, as the final fruit began to appear the workers could tell the difference. The grain of the wheat was a golden color but the tares were almost black. Farmers weed out tears just before the wheat harvest because they are poisonous. They had to be removed before grinding the wheat

Matthew 13:37-43 NKJV

“He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

There are both true and false believers in the world (and church). Instead of removing false believers from the world (or church), Jesus allows them to remain until His return. If the false believers are removed it could hurt the immature believers while they are growing. At Jesus’ return, angels will separate the true from false believers.

　

　

　

　

Review

1. A _______________moral or religious story: a short simple story about something from everyday life intended to teach, or illustrate, a moral or religious lesson, or important truth about God.

2. Who taught in parables?

 

3. The seeds that fall by the wayside represent people who hear the Word, then the devil comes and ___________ ________ ______ _________ ________ ____ __________ ____________, because he doesn’t want them to believe and be saved.

4. The seeds that fall on the rocks represent people, who when they hear the Word receive the word with joy, but they do not have any __________. They believe for a while, but in time of temptation fall away.

5. The seeds that fell among thorns represent people who hear the Word but are choked with cares of life, riches, and pleasures of life. They never _____________.

6. The seeds that fell on the good ground represent people who hear the Word with a good heart, keep it and ________ __________. These people act upon what they hear.

7. In the parable of the wheat and tares, there are two ____________ (one good and one bad), two kinds of ________ (one good and one bad), and two ______________ (one good and one bad).

8. What does the field in the parable of the wheat and tares represent?

 

9. What happened while the land owner and his servants were asleep?

　

10. The servants were told to let the tares grow until the time of ________.

11. If tares are pulled up during the growing process it could do what?

 

12. There are both ________ and __________ believers in the world.

13. Instead of removing false believers from the world, Jesus allows them to remain until His ____________.

14. If the false believers were removed it could __________ the immature believers while they are growing.

15. When Jesus returns what will happen?

 

16. All seeds __________________ something.

17. God designed every _________ to produce after its own kind.

18. Sooner or later every person ____________ what they have sown.

 

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