SOWERS ARE NEVER WITHOUT SEED

Sowers Are Never Without Seed
Genesis 8:22 NLT
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night.”
Read aloud Matthew 13 NLT
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
13 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd
soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the
people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this
one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.4 As he scattered them across his
field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds
fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil
was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t
have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked
out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop
that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been
planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the
people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secretsof the Kingdom of Heaven,
but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be
given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not
listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from
them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they
hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what
you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t
hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting
seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message
about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches
away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil
represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But
since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they
have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell
among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the
message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is
produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and
understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times
as much as had been planted!”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who
planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came
and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to
grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that
good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until
the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles,
and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard
seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of
garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman
used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of
flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds.
In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.35 This fulfilled what God
had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said,
“Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Manis the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field
is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are
the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among
the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world,and the harvesters are the
angels.
40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of
the world.41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his
Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw
them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone
with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field.
In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money
to buy the field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice
pearls.46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and
bought it!
Parable of the Fishing Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water
and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the
shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones
away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and
separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery
furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all
these things?”
“Yes,” they said, “we do.”
52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the
Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of
truth as well as old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of
the country.54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the
synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the
power to do miracles?” 55 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we
know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,Simon, and Judas. 56 All his
sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57 And they
were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown
and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of
their unbelief.
YouTube: It’s All In The Seed Part 1-K. Copeland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iLtT16WsOI