The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-02-09
Sunday, Feb. ~.
Mark 10, 1920.

Al Wv, sO SA JS w my
John 1878.
Attended by the twelve Apos-
ties whom he had just chosen
Jesus made his second preaching
tour Of Galilee returning to the
, city of Capernaum. 1t was on
great day of teaching that he de-
livered his sermon on 1.-THE Par
ables by the Sea-" the first Of
which was the Parable of the
Sewer or as implied in our les
son topic, the Parable of the
Four Kinds of Hearers.
THE TEACHER
The parable was method of
instruction which Jesus now
adopted in the presence of foe
and friend for the purpose of
concealing truth from the one
and conveying it to the other.
Thus closely are penalty and
privilege associated. A parable
is not a proverb with its flashing
metaphor, nor a fable with its
! fictitious elements, nor an allie
CORY with it's elaborateness and
variety of application, but rath-
er smile limited to the convey
ance of religious truth. The par
ables of Jesus were original. Nor
did he adopt them in his ministry
until the autumn of the year %
when his enemies declared him
| in league with Beelzebub. Still
his crowds were growing larger.
Since the house that day was too
small he sought more commodi-
Gus quarters. 1t may have been
but a few rods to the seashore.
Thither Jesus repaired with the
crowds following him. So great
were the throngs that Jesus, at
tended by some or all of the dis,
ciples, entered into a boat and
pushed off a little way. On the
Prov we imagine he seated him.
self. The multitudes lined the
shore and awaited his instruc-
tons.
THE STORY
The Parable of the Sewer spoken
from the boat to the crowds on
f! the shore, was a beautiful pic
ture of familiar scene-a sower
scattering seed broadcast in his
field. Some of the seed fell on
the hard-trodden path and the
waiting birds swooped down and
ate it. Some fell on rocky ground
where in the thin film of earth
it terminated quickly but could
not stand the heat of the sum-
mer sun. Some fell among bram-
bles which choked it to spindling
stalks and empty heads. And
some fell in prepared soil of
varying fertility with the expec-
tation of commensurate yield.
Had not every hearer seen all
this time and again?
THE INTERPRETATION
The Parable of the Sewer Ex-
planned to the disciples on re-
quest when they were alone en-
abled Jesus to make model for
the Interpretation OF his parallels.
The seed is the word of God. The
sower is any one who designedly
and diligently scatters the good
seed among men. The four kinds
of ground show wildly the four
ways in which men receive and
treat the gospel.
First, the hardened nearer does
not take it in and Satan at once
takes it away.
Second, The superficial nearer
gives it glad but momentary con-
sideration, for the first hot sun
or fierce wind destroys his in
terest.
Third, the preoccupied nearer
assents to its truth, but it is COM
pletely choked by his cares and
cravings for worldly things.
Fourth, the prepared nearer
receives it into the soil of his
heart, deep plowed and fertile
where according to capacity it
reproduces 80, go and even a
hundredfold.
HEAR AND HEED THE
WORD OF GOD
First, The Word Is From God.
Wesus." 1t was he who said, Il
am the truth" 1t was of him
that John wrote, SIN the begin
ming was the Word" To know
God we must know "the truth as
it is in Jesus"
Second. The Word Is for Man.
"Great multitudes. The gospel
is the good news. 1t is the best
news that ever reached human
ears. 1t has come to us in its
fullness and power. Our primal
duty is to pass it on to others
until the knowledge of Jehovah
covers the earth as the waters
cover the sea.
Third, The Word Is Through
Christ. "He spake to them" The
Great Teacher uttered the great
est truths in all the world. But
more must be done than simply
to put the truth in reach of the
people. They must be taught
And teaching is a long, slow
process. Happy are they who
learn from the Great Teacher.
Fourth, The Word Is Divineiy
Explained. "Many things in par
ables." The stories told by Jesus
are Incompatible. To the seeing
eye they illuminate the truth he
wished to convey. Illustrations
must illustrate or they fail in
their purpose.
Fifth, The Word is Widely
Broadcast. "a sower went forth
to sow-the word of the king
DOM" The high privilege of
sowing gospel seed belongs not
only to Jesus, the Apostles, and
the martyrs of the past and to
the ministers of today, but also
to US of the rank and file. Sow