Thursday, March 5- Matthew 13:18-23

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
-So ask and you will receive. Jesus explains his parables to those that ask apparently.

19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
-Lack of understanding. Whose fault is this? The speaker for being confusing, or the hearer for lacking the energy to seek out meaning? It does seem like Jesus is confusing because he speaks in parables, but at the same time his parables are only "one step" parables. It doesn't take that much work to understand them.
-It's a bit frightening that Satan is so active in denying the gospel to people. We as believers must be aware of this for newer believers.

20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
-It's kind of sad that the person who receives the seed on the rock initially received it with joy, but later gets in trouble.

21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
-I've heard this parable a million times, but can't forget to overlook the importance of roots. Without roots we can only last a short time. In order to stay in the fight we need to develop foundations. This doesn't come without some work. Without roots we won't be able to stand long.

22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
-Guard against worries and wealth. In some ways they seem like to very different weeds, but they could also be linked. There is a lot to think about when receiving the gospel. What will your friends and family think? Can I really change like this? It takes to much time. Different concerns that could choke out faith that God can take care of it all.
-Desire for wealth is so powerful. Think about how much of God is neglected because of school/homework. It would be horrible to get to the end with money and not God.

23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
-Hears and understands are linked together. When one hears and understand, grows roots because of understanding, trusts God for their worries and finances they are the ones that produce fruit. And this fruit is abundant. What a blessing it must be to be this person.
-We usually look at this and apply it to ourselves and see where we're at, but its important to realize that this is also a guide for how we can care for those new in the faith.