Introduction:  This appears to be one of the first if not the first parable given by our Lord.  At least on one occasion the Lord entered into a ship and sat down to teach those on the sea side and He began His teaching with this parable.  It was so important that the Lord Himself questioned the disciples ability to understand any parables if they could not comprehend this one (Mark 4:13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
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1. THE SOWER (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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1. The Preparations for Sowing
1. The sower’s choice to labour in the field.
2. The sower arises to go work in the field.
3. The donning of proper attire.
2. The Journey to the Field
1. The sower “went out” or “went forth” (Matthew 13:3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
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2. The sower left the comforts of his home to enter into the field.
3. The Job of Sowing
1. The offering of the seed
2. The sowing on all types of ground
2. THE SEED (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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1. The Purity of the Seed (Leviticus 19:19Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
   See All...; Deuteronomy 22:9Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.
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2. The Owner of the Seed (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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3. The Identity of the Seed (Luke 8:11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
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3. THE GROUND
1. The Ground is the Heart of Man (Luke 8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
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2. The Wayside (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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1. Parable
1. It was trodden down (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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2. The fowls of the air devoured it (Luke 8:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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2. Application
1. They hear the word (Luke 8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
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2. They do not understand the word (Matthew 13:19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
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3. Satan robs them of the word that was sown in their hearts (Luke 8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
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4. They are unsaved (Luke 8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
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3. The Stony Ground (Luke 8:6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
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1. Parable
1. The ground did not have much earth (Mark 4:5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
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2. Immediately it sprung up (Mark 4:5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
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3. It had no root (Mark 4:6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
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4. It lacked moisture (Luke 8:6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
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5. The sun scorched it (Mark 4:5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
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6. It withered away (Mark 4:6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
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2. Application
1. They hear the word (Mark 4:16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
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2. They receive it with joy (Mark 4:16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
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3. They have no root in themselves (Mark 4:17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
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4. They endure for a while (Mark 4:17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
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5. When tribulation or persecution comes because of the word’s sake they fall away (Mark 4:17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
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6. They are undiscipled.
4. The Thorny Ground (Luke 8:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
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1. Parable
1. Thorns sprang up with it (Luke 8:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
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2. The thorns choked it (Luke 8:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
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3. It yielded no fruit (Mark 4:7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
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2. Application
1. They hear the word
2. The word is choked by
1. The cares of this world (Mark 4:19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
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2. The deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
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3. The lusts of other things entering in (Mark 4:19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
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4. The pleasures of this life (Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
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3. They bring forth no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
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4. They are unfruitful
5. The Good Ground (Luke 8:8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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1. Parable
1. It sprang up (Luke 8:8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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2. It bore fruit (Mark 4:8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
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1. Some thirtyfold
2. Some sixtyfold
3. Some an hundredfold
2. Application
1. They hear the word (Luke 8:15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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2. They understand the word (Matthew 13:23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
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3. They keep the word (Luke 8:15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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4. They bring forth fruit (Luke 8:15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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Conclusion:  Have you evaluated what kind of ground you are?  The sower has gone forth.  He has cast the seed of the word of God your way.  Will it be received?  Will it bring forth fruit?