to the world was so new
to all the people that
they had trouble understanding
them. Jesus's Disciples
also had trouble understanding
these things. But Jesus wanted
everyone to learn. Not just
the ones that were educated
and wise, but all people.
Including those who thought
little at all except about
their everyday problems.
Jesus knew that the people
would have a hard time
understanding so he told stories
that would help them to
understand more easily.
These stories are called parables.
The first parable that is
in the Bible is about a
farmer and it is called the
Parable of the Sower. In
those days, some plants
were planting by scattering
or sowing the seeds upon
the ground.
Jesus told the people about
a farmer who was sowing
seeds. As he sowed,
some of the seeds fell
beside the road where they
were trampled by people and
destroyed. Some of the seeds
also fell where the soil
was thin and rocky.
These seeds grew quickly,
but in the summer when
the sun was too hot the
rocks made the plants dry up.
There was not enough
soil to hold the moisture in
for them to grow. Some
seeds also fell where weeds
were growing. Since there was
so many weeds these seeds
could not grow either. But
some of the seeds fell
into the rich earth that the
farmer had prepared. These
seeds grew and produced
far more wheat and grain
than the had planted as
seed.
The Disciples were not sure
of the meaning of this
parable. When they were
alone with Jesus they
asked Him. And He explained
the Parable of the Sower
to them, so that they could
truely understand it's meaning.
Jesus told His Disciples
that in the parable, He
Himself was the sower,
the One who spoke God's
words. And that the seeds
were the words that He
spoke.
The seeds that fell by the
road were His words heard
by people who did not really
listen. The truth was quickly
taken away from them by
the evil forces of life.
The seeds that fell on the
rocky ground were His
words as heard by those
who responded to them with
joy and excitement, but
who had so little depth
of thought that they were
soon distracted by other
interests. The plants died before
they bore grain.
The seeds that fell among
the weeds and thorns were
His words heard by those
whose lives were to crowded
by the little problems of living.
They could not think about
new ideas and went on worrying
about their petty affairs.
But the seeds that fell
on the fertile ground were
His words heard by those
who listen, who care, who
take the truth into their
hearts and keep it alive.
Through them the seeds will
bear beautiful grain.
My Favorite Web Sites
Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Lycos - Search the Web
CareerPath - Where Employers and Employees Click