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            Before we start Im feeling led to ask if you have accepted Jesus Christ in your heart? I feel like someone who is reading this hasn’t yet, but God is calling for you and you have been too afraid to answer. In the name of Jesus I command all fear and heaviness to leave right now. If you want to accept Jesus in your heart just simply say, “Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. I know you died on the cross for me and took my sins and you are the son of God. I surrender all to you Jesus. Lead me. Guide me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit.”

            This chapter begins with Jesus preaching to many by the sea about planting of the seeds, or sowing of the seeds. He compares a farmer who planted seeds, some fell on the wayside, stoney grounds and shallow soil, some fell on thorns and some fell on good ground. (Replace the word ‘seeds’ with ‘word’ and it will make more sense.) The seed (word) that fell on the wayside was devoured by birds where as the seed (word) that fell on stony ground immediately sprang up and then was scorched by the sun because their roots had no depth. Some seed (word) fell among thorns and the thorns sprung up and choked them but the ones that fell on good soil yielded crop. This parable illustrated the way people receive the word of God. Not everyone receives it the same and this shows that. This is great for self reflection, as yourself what type of soil do you think you are taking root in? Are you luke warm planted on shallow soil, or are you deeply submerged taking full root? It’s never too late to seek God more and ask for Him to help you with this, grow your roots stronger and deeper in Him. Seek a deep relationship with Him.

            (On a side note, don’t be afraid to share the gospel because of how others choose to receive the word. You have no control over how the person receives the word of God, the soil a seed is sewn in is not up to you. Its simply your job to sew the seed, the rest is between that person and God. I feel like at times people struggle with sharing the word of God because they are afraid of the reaction they will get, they are afraid of rejection and a seed being thrown on the wayside and mocking them in return. Just know, you have no control over how a person receives Gods word, that is between them and God you can’t force their ears to hear. All you have control over is will you step out in faith and share Gods word and plant those seeds?)

            The disciples asked why Jesus always spoke in parables. Jesus told them that it has been given (blessed) to the disciples to know the mysteries of heaven but to the others it has not been given. The disciples were blessed to know the mysteries of heaven but the others didn’t have ears to hear it yet, and what they did hear was being taken by satan. So Jesus talks in parables to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, the people didn’t have ears or eyes to hear and see. But if they ever soften their heart and hear/see Gods word then they can be converted and Jesus will heal them. Meaning its never too late, if someone has been closed off to God their life thus far it doesn’t mean they will always be closed off, just keep praying for them. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to share the gospel with a family member and they would ridicule me, mock me and mock God. I gave up on them and God showed me I was wrong for doing that, especially when that person randomly asked to get baptized later on. They didn’t have ears to hear in the beginning but some time later their heart softened and it was a light bulb moment for them. I couldn’t see what was going on in their heart or mind, but God could. Never count someone as done for or lost no matter how closed off they may seem. Just share the parables Jesus shared and let the rest be between them and God.

            Jesus said ‘blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear’. When you hear and believe the word of God you are receiving that, and its a blessing. Many prophets and righteous men desire to see and hear and they can’t. Blessed are you for being able to hear and believe and know Gods word. ‘Hear the parable of the sower, anytime someone hears a word of God and doesn’t understand it then the wicked one comes and snatches it out of his heart, this is the one who has received the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endure only for a while. When tribulation or persecution comes immediately he stumbles. He who receives the seed on thorns is he who hears the word, and cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches which choke the word and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.'

            The parable here is about a farmer who planted good seeds, but then in the middle of the night his enemy sowed tares/weeds. When the seeds sprouted, the weeds sprouted with it. The owner asked the servants if they indeed planted bad seeds and that’s why there was weeds, but the farmer explains that it was caused by the enemy and to leave them so that way when they uproot the weeds it doesn’t uproot the good crop. Instead, the farmer said to let them grow side by side and when the crop is ready then the weeds will be bound up first and burned, then harvest the good crop. The good crop is referring to believers and the weeds is referring to unbelievers. In this world we have to live side by side with unbelievers till Gods harvest (judgement) is here.

            The next parable is regarding the mustard seed. Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man sows in his field, which is the least (smallest) seed a farmer sows yet grows bigger than herbs into big trees. The kingdom of heaven begins in you small like a mustard seed, but its like a muscle, the more you build it and work it the stronger and bigger it gets. You don’t do this on your own merits, but by simply growing closer to Jesus.

            The next parable is about leaven, which is yeast. In the Bible its referred to as a sign of evil or sin/uncleanliness. Yeast seems like a small ingredient compared to the amount of flour it is generally baked with, yet it permeates through the loaf and changes the way it turns out drastically. The kingdom started out small but is continuously growing and having bigger impacts on the world as each day passes. Jesus spoke these parables to fulfill prophecy.

            Jesus further explains the tares of the field parable, explaining that the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, good seeds are sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the ons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed the bad seeds is the devil, the harvest is the end of age and the reapers are the angels. When the tares are gathered and burned together it will be the same at the end of age, the Son of Man will wend out His angels to gather out all of the things that offend and those who practice sin and will cast them into the fire. The righteousness will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father.

            The next parable explains that to receive the kingdom you must surrender all to Him. All fleshly and worldly things you must be willing to give up to Him. That doesn’t mean sell your house and car tomorrow, it just means that you must be open to Jesus and whatever it is that He is telling you do to. Whether that be to literally sell everything and be a missionary or be a disciple in a job He has picked for you. He has already planned out our paths, this parable means we need to be willing to give up our ideas and plans and take on His path and plan for us. Surrender all and give Him the reins of your life, trusting in Him and not in money or worldly things.

            The next parable explains how the kingdom pays the price to redeem us. God paid the ultimate price to redeem us when He sent His one and only Son to die for us. If He can ( and did) give that up how could we not surrender all to Him? Ask yourself if you have surrendered all to Him? Have you asked Him if you are where He wants you to be or doing what He wants you to do?

            The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet (fishing net) that was cast into the sea parable is explaining the same thing the seed and tare parable is. All of the fish (people) will be gathered into the net and then will be gone through and the bad will be cast aside and the good will be picked, another parable for the end of age. It is never to late to turn to Jesus, surrender all to Him and make sure you are a good crop and not a weed, or a good fish vs a bad fish. You don’t want to be an unbeliever and face eternity in a fire pit. Jesus explains in more than one parable that this will happen, there will be a judgment day, make sure your on the right side. Believe in the old testament and obey the ten commandments but receive the grace that Jesus shows and gives in the new testament and build a relationship with Him. The scribes wanted nothing to do with Jesus, they thought the old testament prophecies of a war like king who was going to go to war in the flesh for them. They didn’t know anything of God’s grace so they not only followed the ten commandments but they lived by the law purely and didn’t realize anything of the spiritual. They didn’t have old and new treasures, they held onto the new and their legalism blinded them of seeing and receiving the new. It is not up to us as to who will be believers and who wont. Its only up to us to disciple and spread the good news.

            Jesus finished the parables then went to His hometown and preached there. However, all of these people knew Him as the carpenter or Mary’s son, they couldn’t see Him as the Son of God because of the image they had already had of Him. He didn’t stay long and do many miracles there because the town wasn’t open to it, there was too many unbelievers. This shows that our faith can affect things.

            The prophet Jeremiah also received rejection and disbelief in his hometown when He shared His learnings from God. Even members of Jeremiahs family rejected what he had to say because they too couldn’t get their original image of him out of their minds. Mostly everyone grows up, evolves and changes and that a lone can be hard to accept. Some parents can find it hard to believe when their child is gown and an adult, siblings can find it hard to see that the baby is no longer a baby. It can be a hard thing to see someone for who they became verses who they were as a child. But when it comes to man of God it can be even harder because its not that the person grew up but they adapted a new life and belief in something that doesn’t come by sight but faith. That can be even harder for them to accept which is why sometimes God has to move you to have you teach His word somewhere else, where there isn’t prejudgment of you and people can actually be open to receive His word without distractions of what you were before you got born again.