The parable of the sower (1)

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11
The parable of the sower is one of the best-known parables of Jesus. He tells the story of a sower who went out sowing seed, which fell on four different kinds of soil. We’ll discuss what happened to the seed on each of the different soils in the next few days. But for today, let’s look at the seed itself.
The meaning of the parable is easy to interpret, because Jesus Himself tells us what all the symbolism means. The seed is the word of God. In fact, in all the parables where seed is involved, the seed represents the word of God in some aspect (see also Matt. 13:24-30, 37-43 – the seed that was planted and seeds of poisonous weeds planted afterwards, where both grew together until they were ripe – representing the righteous and the unrighteous; Mark 4:26-29 – the seed planted which grows all by itself). So let’s ask the question: how is the word of God like a seed?
A seed is something small, which grows into something large and ultimately produces more of the same thing from which it came. So too with the word of God: it contains all that is needed to produce spiritual life in a person. But it doesn’t always come into that full potential, as we will see in the next few days. If the seed doesn’t grow, it is not the fault of the seed – it is because of the environment it finds itself in. The seed is the same; the soil is what determines how much it will grow. So it is with us. Is God’s Word growing in your heart today?