Sermon Title: The Gospel Project (The Sower)
Text: Matthew 13:1-23
Speaker: Ed Grable
Date: 9.6.2026
Sermon Discussion Guide
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Good morning, everyone! It's great to be here today. I want to extend a special welcome to those joining us at our North Main Campus. I look forward to seeing you all next week. Before we open God’s Word together, I have the privilege of praying for one of our ministry partners, Reach Global Crisis Response, as well as Eric and Amy Couch. So, let’s go to the Lord in prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you for Reach Global and for Eric and Amy Couch, who have answered your call to carry the hope of Christ to people whose lives have been turned upside down. Strengthen them when they are weary, protect them as they serve, and remind them that their labor is never in vain.
May lives be changed, hearts be healed, and many come to know Jesus because of their faithfulness. Thank you for allowing us to partner with them in your work. Unite us in the gospel and use us for your glory. We also pray for our upcoming trip to Hunt, Texas. Go before us now. Prepare our hearts, guide every detail, and use our team to be a blessing and encouragement to those we serve. May your name be lifted high, your kingdom expanded, and your love made known through all that we do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today, I have the privilege of wrapping up our Gospel Project series. Throughout the summer, we've been following the same curriculum our kids are studying in Kidway.
Our hope is that it gives families an opportunity to talk about what they're learning during the week and grow together in their faith and understanding of God's Word.
Just like our kids in Kidway, we're looking at the Parable of the Sower today. Now, I know many of you have heard this passage taught before. But don't check out on me yet. Don't start making your grocery list or deciding where you're going to lunch.
I believe there's something here that you may not have seen before. As I've studied this passage, God has shown me insights that challenged my own heart, and I hope they'll do the same for you. My prayer is that this message will lead each of us to examine our hearts. How deeply has God's Word taken root in our lives? How much influence does it really have? And what kind of fruit is it producing?
I also think this parable can help us better understand the people in our lives who have rejected God and his Word, as well as those who once professed faith in Christ but seem to have walked away from him. And finally, I hope you'll leave today with renewed hope for those people. Because as we'll see, no heart is beyond God's reach.
Even a heart that seems hard and lifeless can be transformed by the power of God's Word. The Great Physician can take what appears to be dead and bring it back to life.
The parable of the sower is found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We will be looking at Matthew's account.
So if you have your Bible, and I hope you do, turn to Matthew chapter thirteen, verse one. It’s the first book of the New Testament. If you need to use the glossary to find it, that's ok. As you find your way to Matthew, I want to tell you a story.
As I have shared in previous sermons, I’m adopted. I was aware that I was adopted from the very beginning. My name at birth was William Edward Parker, and I was the oldest of five boys. That was the extent of my knowledge until I turned eighteen, when my parents shared the names of my birth parents. I learned that I was named after my dad, and my mom's name was Ragina. That’s all I had, and that was enough for me.
Fast forward about thirteen years, and I was having some health issues. So my wife encouraged me to see if I could find my birth family in hopes of finding out if I had any inherited health issues. With a name like Parker, I figured it would be impossible, but surprisingly I found my family. And I learned that we had major heart issues. My grandfather passed at the age of thirty-nine, and my dad passed at forty, both from massive heart attacks. Well, that was all my wife had to hear.
Before I knew it, I was scheduled for a stress test to check out my heart. Now, if I'm honest, I went into that test thinking I was in shape, and the test would be a breeze. As the tech put on the patches, I was joking around with him, still believing I was fine. Then the test started.
I was like this is easier than I thought then all of a sudden the tech changed the speed and incline. I struggled to stay on the treadmill. I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. I started to breathe so heavily I sounded like a vacuum sucking up Legos. The tech looked at me and asked “Are you ok?” I said, "No, I thought I was healthier than this. He said “That’s always the case. People always think their hearts are healthier than they really are.”
Today we will be talking about four conditions of the human heart when it encounters the Word of God. I want to encourage you to be honest about how healthy your heart is and be willing to take the steps to make it stronger. Some of us need a little rehab to regain our spiritual strength. While others need surgery because there are deeper issues that must be addressed before we can become the Christ-followers God has called us to be. Now let's look at the parable of the sower. Starting in verse one, we read:
The Parable of the Sower
1 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."
So Matthew gives us a clear picture of what he saw that day. Jesus is sitting on the shore of a lake, and a large crowd gathered. The crowd became so large that Jesus got into a boat to preach from a place where everyone could see and hear him. The crowd was made up of all kinds of people, but farming was a way of life in that region. So when Jesus began talking about a farmer sowing seed, everyone immediately understood the picture he was painting.
In fact, the crowd was probably able to see a nearby field from where they were sitting. Knowing this, Jesus used a farmer as a modern-day example, making it relevant to the people and region he was teaching in. Farming during this time was quite different from modern-day planting. Farmers had a plot of land where they scattered seeds by hand.
They threw the seed, and if it landed in an area where it wouldn't grow, it was considered an acceptable loss. After the seed was dispersed, the farmer used a tool to work the ground, covering the seeds. Now, there is one thing I want to point out before we move on: Jesus didn’t explain the parable to the crowd. He hid the meaning, knowing that the unbeliever with a hardened or dull heart would wrestle with the meaning, seeing it as a puzzle.
But he knew those in the crowd who had followed Jesus and wanted to understand would seek out the meaning, desiring a closer relationship with him. That’s why Jesus ends the parable with, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” This was Jesus saying, “Listen to the story, understand its deeper meaning, and respond to it.” Now let's look at the disciples' response to the parable and Jesus' explanation. Starting in verse ten, we read.
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 secrets of 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!"
How many of you enjoy puzzles? I'm talking about the kind where you have to find the key to solving it. Without that key, you're never going to figure it out. Let me use an example that my fellow Gen Xers will probably remember. How many of you got one of these for Christmas in the 80’s? (Pull out Rubik's Cube) I hated this thing! I spent hours trying to figure this thing out. My cousin came over and had it all matched up in two minutes. No matter how much I messed it up, he could solve it in about a minute. I was so frustrated I said, "How do you do that?" He said I just know the key to solving this problem. He knew the answer to the puzzle.
Before we continue, I want to give you the keys to the story that will help you solve the puzzle Jesus is presenting to the crowd, the disciples, and us. First, we have the farmer. God is the main character of the story, so when the story talks about the farmer, Jesus is speaking of God. Next, we have the seed which the farmer is scattering, and that seed is the Word of God. Finally, the soil on which the seed is being cast is the human heart.
It is important that we have a biblical understanding of who God is, some insights into the Word of God, and, lastly, what the Bible says about the human heart. I am going to give you a quick overview of each so that you can see the real joys and tragedies of this parable.
First, we see throughout Scripture that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He’s all-knowing and shows us mercy, loving us so much that he sent Jesus to secure our rescue.
We also see that God is sovereign, and we can trust his providence. In other words, he controls all things, and he knows all things, including how someone is going to respond to his Word. Scripture says that:
Ephesians 1:11
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.
Paul also says:
Romans 11:33
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
And the Psalmists write:
Psalm 135:6–7
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths. 7 He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.
Second, we must understand what Scripture can tell us about the Word of God. Paul, writing to Timothy, says:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Matthew states:
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The prophet Isaiah writes:
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
One of the biggest takeaways from this parable is that God and his Word never change, and both can be trusted. But the soil, or the human heart, is what changes. Scripture tells us that the human heart is:
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Paul says this about the heart:
Romans 7:18
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
Now, with that in mind, let's break down each type of soil, or condition of the heart, so we can better understand where we are when it comes to our own hearts and the Word of God.
The first soil we see is the hardened path or calloused heart.
We are back in verse 19.
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.
This heart, like the path, has been trampled, disappointed, and hardened. This person has heard the message about the kingdom of God, and they don't understand it, or they don't think it is for them, so they dismiss it. Then the enemy comes along and steals away anything to do with the Word of God, and the hardening of their heart begins.
Many people lost today did not develop a hardened heart overnight. No, they chose to sin over and over to the point that they become so closed off to the Word of God that when it is shared, it lands but can't penetrate the heart of stone. Now, if we’re honest, some of us have given up on someone like this in our lives. I know I’m guilty of this. But Scripture tells us there is hope even for the hardest of hearts. God is the great physician, and the writer of Hebrews tells us that:
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Did you catch that? God's Word is living and active. It's sharper than any two-edged sword, reaching deep into our hearts and exposing what needs to change. It's like a surgeon's scalpel in the hands of a skilled physician, carefully cutting away the callouses that have built up around our hearts so we can once again experience his love, grace, and mercy.
That's why we should pray God's Word over our prodigal sons and daughters. Let it saturate your marriage, your friendships, and even your workplace. You don't have to force the change. God's Word will do the work that only God's Word can do. Hold on to the promise God gave through the prophet Ezekiel. As he spoke about God's covenant with his people, he pointed ahead to what God would ultimately accomplish through Christ.
Listen to these words from Ezekiel 36:26:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
So once again there’s hope for those with hearts of stone.
The second condition Jesus describes in the parable is the rocky soil or a shallow heart. Continuing in verse 20, we read:
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.
On the surface, it looks like good soil, but beneath a layer of dirt is a shelf of rock. Whatever is planted grows quickly, but in the heat of the day it dies because its roots don't go deep enough to sustain life. Healthy roots need nourishment, and our souls are no different. We grow strong when we're rooted in Christ. Listen to how Jeremiah describes those who trust in the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:8
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
In the parable, Jesus describes someone who accepts the Word with joy and grows for a moment, but when their newfound faith brings trouble or persecution, they quickly fall away and reject the truth they once embraced. Just like the human heart, you don't know how strong your faith is until it is tested by pressure, trials, or temptation. To illustrate this, consider four examples of shallow faith.
1. The Crisis Convert
Some people turn to God during a major crisis such as a divorce, job loss, health scare, addiction, or the death of a loved one. In desperation, they seek God, but once the crisis passes, so does their interest in him. They wanted relief from their pain more than a relationship with Christ. They are like someone who only visits the doctor when they're sick.
2. The Relationship Convert
Others embrace Christianity because of a Christian spouse, dating partner, or friend group. They attend church, join Bible studies, and become involved socially. But when the relationship ends or the group changes, their faith often fades because it was rooted in people rather than in Christ.
3. The Emotion-Driven Convert
Some make dramatic commitments to Christ after a retreat, revival, youth camp, conference, or powerful worship service. While their response is sincere, the emotional high eventually fades. When faith requires discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance, they discover they have not developed deep roots.
4. The Prosperity Convert
These individuals are drawn to Christianity by promises of a better life, financial blessing, or freedom from problems. But when suffering, disappointment, or unanswered prayers come, they become discouraged and walk away. Their faith was built on expectations rather than on Christ himself.
In each case, faith is rooted in circumstances, relationships, emotions, or personal benefit instead of a deep conviction about who Jesus is. When those supports disappear, commitment often disappears as well. If you know someone who fits one of these examples, don't give up on them. Many are simply lost sheep who need guidance back to the Shepherd. Continue to love and encourage them, praying they will return and allow Christ and his Word to be the authority in their lives.
Continuing in our verses, Jesus describes the thorny soil or the crowded heart. We jump back in at verse 22.
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.
If there is one soil in this parable that describes a common struggle today, it is the thorny soil. The seed takes root and begins to grow, but before it can mature, the thorns choke it out. These are people who hear God's Word and start growing in faith, yet over time they become distracted by the worries of life and the pursuit of wealth.
They become consumed with success, recognition, promotions, financial security, and the approval of others. None of those things are inherently wrong. The danger comes when they begin to control our hearts and define our worth. Maybe it's working so much that you miss precious family moments just to get ahead.
Or perhaps your joy rises and falls with the value of your investments. That is exactly why Jesus warned about the deceitfulness of wealth. Money itself is not the problem. The problem is when our hearts become attached to it. The love of money keeps us chasing the next raise, the next purchase, and the next achievement, only to discover that none of it truly satisfies. As you examine your own heart, where do your loyalties lie?
Think about the end of your life for a moment. Will your greatest regret be that you didn't spend more time at the office, make more money, or buy more things? Probably not. More likely, you'll wish you had spent more time with the people you love. The relationships we often neglect are usually the ones that matter most in the end. Just something to think about.
Jesus concludes the parable by describing good soil and a surrendered heart. We are in verse twenty-three.
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!"
This soil is soft and easily tilled; no rock shelf lies underneath, and the thorns have been removed by the root and burned. It is not perfect soil, but it is prepared soil.
The heart of this person is healthy; it hears the Word, understands the Word, holds the Word close, and obeys the Word. This believer desires the same as King David when he says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; search me and know my heart."
God loves a surrendered heart sustained and guided by his Word. The result is a crop that produces a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what is sown. Is your life and faith guided by the Word of God producing any fruit? People who bear fruit stay close to Jesus, maintaining a close relationship with him. They also live transformed lives that reflect God's character. And they are disciples making disciples. A simple definition is: fruit-bearing is the visible evidence of a life connected to Jesus, allowing his love and truth to flow through you.
I want you to see one more powerful thing about this parable. The farmer (God) keeps sowing. He doesn't avoid the hard soil; he doesn't skip the rocky soil; he doesn't avoid the thorny soil; he keeps sowing seed because he believes the soil can change. What he is saying is your heart can be healed, restored, and made new again if you give your heart to him fully today. I want to circle back to how I began today.
After my stress test, my doctor called and told me I have Supraventricular Tachycardia, or SVT. Sometimes my heart gets out of rhythm and beats faster than it should, often triggered by stress. Now, thankfully, I don't have any stress in my life anymore. At least that's what I keep telling myself. As I was talking with a friend about it, he shared his own heart story. He had open-heart surgery and a valve replacement. He walked me through the procedure, and one detail stuck with me.
During the surgery, the heart is stopped while a machine keeps blood flowing through the body. The surgeons do their work, make the necessary repairs, and then comes the moment when they need the heart to beat again. What amazed me was how simple it can be. Sometimes a surgeon can gently flick the heart with a finger. Just a small touch. And a heart that was completely still suddenly begins to beat again.
I couldn't stop thinking about that. Because I wonder if that's what God has been doing in some hearts today. Maybe, as we've worked through this parable, you've realized your heart isn't as healthy as you thought it was. Maybe God has exposed some hard soil, some shallow roots, or some thorns that have been choking out your faith. If that's you, don't be discouraged. That's why the Great Physician is here.
The same God who can take a heart of stone and give it life can restore a wandering heart, strengthen a weak heart, and revive a weary heart. My prayer is that today would be the day you let him do his work. And with just the touch of his hand, a heart that has grown cold would begin beating passionately for Christ once again.
Let’s Pray.
Father, thank you for loving us regardless of the condition of our hearts. Thank you that your grace reaches us when we are hard-hearted, distracted, discouraged, or spiritually weak. Thank you that your Word has the power to soften hardened hearts, strengthen fragile faith, and clear away the distractions that keep us from you.
We pray for those who have rejected your Word, those who have drifted from you, and those whose faith has grown shallow. We lift up those who are struggling under the pressures of life, facing temptation, disappointment, suffering, or doubt. Lord, draw them to yourself. Open their eyes to your truth, remind them of your love, and help them see that nothing this world offers can satisfy the deepest needs of the human heart.
Father, protect us from becoming consumed by the cares of this life. Guard us from placing our hope in money, success, comfort, or the approval of others. Help us to find our identity and security in Christ alone. Teach us to seek first your kingdom and to trust you with every area of our lives.
Create in us hearts that are good soil, hearts that are receptive to your Word, willing to obey, and eager to grow. Remove the stones of doubt, the thorns of worldly distraction, and any hardness that keeps us from fully surrendering to you. Help us not merely to hear your Word but to live it out each day.
Thank you that you never stop pursuing us, even when we wander. Thank you for your patience, mercy, and faithfulness. Continue to shape our hearts, deepen our faith, and help us bear fruit that brings glory to Christ. May our lives reflect your love, grace, and truth to those around us.
And Lord, for anyone who needs to take a step toward you today, whether through repentance, renewed commitment, faith, or obedience, give them the courage to respond. Let your Holy Spirit lead them and remind them that it is never too late to come home to you.
We ask all of this in the powerful, precious, and saving name of Jesus.
Amen.
May you go this week with hearts open to God's Word, rooted in his truth, and ready to bear fruit for his kingdom.
You are Sent!
Have a great week!
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