The Four Soils (13:1-23)

The Gospel According to Matthew
Jesus for President (Part 37: Jesus the Story-Teller)

S.M.A.R.T. Strategy for Studying Jesus

Stories
Miracles
Actions
Relationships
Teaching


Why Study Jesus’ Stories?
His stories are memorable
His stories are mysterious
His stories are metaphors
His stories are meaningful
His stories are meat
His stories are mirrors

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23)
A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.

You can respond with a Hard Heart (19)
You can respond with a Shallow Heart (20-21)
You can respond with a Polluted Heart (22)
You can respond with a Good Heart (23)

Next: The Wheat & the Weeds (13:24-30, 36-43)