Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-06-18
The Parable of
the Sewer
SusaHy Sohosl LstsOn for June 19. 1910
Specially Arranged FOR ms Pager

your souls. Jas 81 Or. W
TiME.-Thc autumn % 4. - -. six
months before the last lesson
PLACE.-Resids the Sea % Gaiuee
probably near Capernaum.
Suggestion and Practical Thought
When a Boat Became Pulpit-Vs
l-3a- When was this parable spoken7
The same day, "a day OF which we
have conspicuously fun record. when
Jesus healed the blind and dumb
demoniac. CNIait. p: 2245). and had
discussion with some scribes from
Jerusalem when his mother and
brothers sought him Matt 70. $500.
ne proclaimed bis disciples as hts
kindred Then. leaving the house. DE
went on 90 the seashore. ard there
spoke a series OF seven parallels
Who made up Christ's audience ,
Great multitudes." "out Of every
city as Luke says. Christ had been
teaching and healing in all their cities
(Luke S. y. and hundreds must have
followed the great rabbi and miracle
worker, 90 see more wonders or 20
gain new blessings for themselves or
their dear ones
What was Christs pulplt2 The
crowd was so great that GA order 20
gain vantage ground whence he
could be seen and heard. our Lord en-
tered a boat
What was Christs sermon7 He
spake many things unto them I'm para
bles" These seven PARALLELS mark
adds an eighth "are a great whole.
setting forth tho mystery OF the king
dom In its methods OF establishment.
Its corruption. ITS Outward and inward
growth. the conditions OF entrance into
II. and its final puriacation. Alex
ander Maclaren. The first parable is
ftungiy an illustration OF how the
kingdom gets q foothol4 n fails to-
In human hearts and lives. through
good and bad listening II Is less the
parable OF the sower' than "the nara
BILE Of the gro0nd" that is offered 20
the sower.
-Four Kinds OF Ground VS.. 3b-a
What scene had Christ Ga mind as tho
basis q the parallel "a sower went
forth 90 SOW"
What IS the first kind OF ground on
which the seed feue "The way side d"
for graindelds in Palestine are Seldom
fenced. and both pedestrians and
beasts Of burden use freely the narrow
paths intcrsecting them. The ground.
OF course. IS beaten hard. and the seed
that falls there remains conspicuously
on the surface.
What Is the second kind OF ground
stony places. where they bad not
much earth
What IS the third kind OF ground?
Some feN among thorus."
How did the seed fare in that sou7
The thorns sprung up. and choked
them"
What IS the fourth kind OF ground
Good ground. " rich. responsive and
permanently productive or course
most or the seed fell upon such soil.
How did the seed fare I'm this
ground III brought forth fruit. some
an hundredfo,d. some sixtyfold. some
thirtyfold
-Four Kinds OF Hearers.-Vs. 1924
Why did the disciples seek an ex.
PLANTATION OF the parallel II seems
simple and clear 20 as only because
we are so familiar with the interpre.
taton. Really, 10 was susceptible OF
many meanings.
Who Is the sower? Again. as IN the
next parable. the Son OF man: but he
Is the head farmer. and all Christians
are 10 be farmers under him
What IS the seed? The word OF
the kingdom" whatever utterance or
act has 10 do with the coming of the
Kingdom OF heaven on earth.
What Is the soil? II IS the heart OF
man. which responds to the truth in
many ways
VINO are wayside hearers, Those
that do not understand "the word of
the kingdom"
What befalls the truth In such
hearts? Then cometh the wicked
one" Satan. the reality of whose
existence and baneful activity our
Lord so often avouches. and catcheth
away that which was sown.
Who are the stony ground hearers
They make an advance over the first
class, for they receive the word and
even with joy; but they obey it only
90 certain extent and for a short
time When obedience TO il gets
them into trouble.
Who are the thorny ground hear
ers? Those In whose hearts the word
OF truth is choked by the care OF this
world, the eeceitfulness of riches
and. as Mark adds. "the lust other
things"
Who are the good ground hearers >
Those that hear the word and take
II in. receive II in an honest and good
heart. hold IL fast. and bring forth
fruit with patience luke s:I5. r. W
How can any heart become good
grouEd? BY yielding itself 10 the in
huence OF Gods Holy Spirit
No good seed equals the Bible IN
efficacy. The word Of God is the most
popular book In the world Every
year the American Bible society is
sues nearly two million copies or poy
tons. and the British and Foreig-
Bible society more than Eve million
more than 400 languages Think ..
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