The Parable of the Sower
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them[a] out of their means. 4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Observations and Reflections
Hearing the Gospel being preached and actually believing it are two different things. When Jesus refers to those who are able to hear, let them hear, He is not just talking about the physical act of hearing but of allowing for the message to infiltrate our hearts and changing our lives.
There are going to be those who upon hearing God’s truth being preached will either accept it or reject it. Those who choose to accept God’s word will grow into a deeper relationship with Christ and experience a type of intimacy that they will never experience elsewhere.
Prior to this parable we read about how there were women who were now following Christ that had been forgiven of their sin. They were women who were completely lost and yet Christ’s power was able to overcome all of that and they were now His followers and living lives that were aimed to draw closer into a deeper and loving relationship with Him. These women are examples of those who opened up their hearts to following Christ. They heard His message, listened to it and accepted it. It drastically changed their lives forever.