Parable of the Sower & the 4th Seed

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       Today, Christianity has become just another religion of many, with over 41,000 different denominations. Many people label themselves as Christian. Unfortunately the word Christian has become tainted. The word means "to follow Christ" however many people forget that "follow" is an action word. The parable of the sower is a demonstration of the types of people who believe in Yeshua but only 1 group actually does the will of our Father. (The fourth seed sown in good soil). Listen closely and see what category you fall into. It's a self reflecting and very personal question. 

• Luke 8:4-21

4 And when a large crowd was gathering and those from various towns were traveling to Him, He spoke by means of a parable. 5 “The Sower went out to spread his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road and was trampled; and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 And other seed fell on rock; when it came up, that seed withered away because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And other seed fell into the good soil; and when it came up, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” While saying these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 9 Now His disciples were asking Him what this parable meant. 10 Then Yeshua said to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to the others it is given in parables, in order that ‘Seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not understand.’ 11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 Those beside the road are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 But those on the rocky places are the ones who, when they hear, accept the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a season, and in a time of testing fall away. 14 Now that which fell into the thorns are those who were hearing; but as they go along the way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good soil are those with a praiseworthy and good heart, who have heard the word and hold it fast and bear fruit with patient endurance. 16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it with some object or places it under a bed. But he puts it on a lampstand so that all those who enter may be able to see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor secret that shall not be known and come into open view. 18 So pay attention how you listen. For whoever has, to him more will be given. And whoever does not have, even what he supposes he has will be taken away from him.” 19 Yeshua’s mother and brothers came to Him but were not able to reach Him through the crowd. 20 Now it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.” 21 But answering, He said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who are hearing the word of God and doing it.”

• Mark 4:2-20

2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” 13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

• Matthew 13:3-23 

And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a Sower went out to spread some seed. As he was scattering the seed, some seeds fell by the road; and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil. They sprang up immediately, because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched; and because they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew and choked them out. But others fell on good soil and were producing fruit. They yielded a crop—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” And He replied to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have plenty. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand.” And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing but will never understand; you will keep looking but will never see. For the heart of this people has become dull, their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts. Then they would turn back, and I would heal them.’ “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Amen, I tell you, many a prophet and tzaddik longed to see what you are seeing and did not see, and to hear what you are hearing and did not hear.” “You then, hear the parable of the Sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one having been sown along the road. “The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root himself but lasts only a short while; and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. “But the one sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word; and the worries of the world and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. “Now the one sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands. He indeed bears fruit, yielding a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”

     So, when we have a circumcised heart and have been baptized by the Holy Spirit, we strive with all we have to be that 4th seed in the good soil. Be sure that you are set apart and doing the will of your Father.  Be doers of the Word and not just hearers.