The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-11-22

HE that hath ears to hear, let
him hear" cried Jesus as He taught
the parable of the sower. Thus He
reveals the heart of the lesson-that
1t is the hearing of the Word of
God, and the manner in which it is
heard that determines the destiny of
men.
One may hear and yet not hear at
all. Some who imagine themselves
deaf have perfect hearing, but are
50 preoccupied with their own
thoughts that they do not grasp what
they hear. To be in such a state as
far as spiritual things are concerned
is desperately serious. Jesus cries
to you, eff you have ears, hear the
Word Of God"
A parable is an earthly story re-
lating common things of life to il
lustrate and present heavenly truth
regarding the spiritual life. Para
bles are simple, but profound. A
parable does not need interpreta-
ton, but it does need application.
The parable Of the sower, or rather
OF the four kinds of soil, presents
the hearers Of Gods Word as being
like four different fields.
I. The Wayside wv. S and 12).
Through the fields of Palestine ran
well-beaten paths, so hard from
many footsteps that no seed could
find Judgment and grow. The hearts
Of men are like that, with the world
rolling its heavy wheels over the
roads of our thinking. Sin and world
ly pleasure add their bit, and the
din and clatter of unwholesome or
nonsensical radio programs cut their
paths across our lives.
Little wonder that so much of the
Word Of God which we do hear is
picked up by the devils own birds
and carried away. Let's break up
the hard ground of our LIES way.
side.
II. The Rocky Ground wv. and
13).
Here we have the shallow soil on
the rocky ledge, where seeds grow
as If in dollhouse, but wither when
the steady heat Of the summer sun
comes upon them.
Shallow hearers are those who re-
ceive the word with joy, are car
ried away with emotional enthusi-
asm, and seem to be most promis-
ing as followers of Christ until the
real temptations and trials of life
come, and then they are gone. They
are like the soldier who enjoys wear
ing the uniform and marching in the
parade past the reviewing stand
with bands playing and flags flying,
but who deserts his post when his
company goes into battle. Surely
none of us wants to be that kind of
a nearer of Gods Word.
Ill. The Thorny Ground wv. 7
and 14).
The soil was good, the seed found
its place to live and grow, but no
one kept down the weeds, and they,
as usual, got the best of the good
seed.
Note carefully in verse IA what
are the destructive thorns and weeds
in the spiritual garden. The very
things people in our day most seek
riches and pleasure-are the
things which choke spirituality.
Watch them and root them out.
Observe also that the "cares" of
this world are the weeds of the dew
il. How they do press upon us and
hinder our spiritual growth. A man
testified that while he had attended
church for 20 years he had never
heard a sermon because he was
always thinking about his business.
How about your
~. The Good Ground wv. and
15).
The harvest comes from the good
soil, and how it does rejoice the
husbandman as it brings forth even
up to a hundred fold.
The hearers of the Word who are
thus fruitful for God are "honest.
They listen to really receive help
and do something about what they
hear. They have good hearts"-a
field plowed, prepared and weeded,
ready to bring forth fruit. When
they hear the Word they "hold it
fast'-they are reverent, thought
full and obedient to the Word. Then
they have the patience" to grow
spiritually. 1t takes patient effort
and devotion to do that, be sure of
it (read Luke 81 10 in the r. W.
In conclusion, we ask, what then
shall we do-sow only in the good
ground?" No, let US ask God to
break up the beaten soil of the way
side with the plowshare of His Word
Let us deepen the shallow soil, fight
the weeds and thorns by His grace
until they give up. Then let us go
right on sowing the seed ''in season
and out of season" (read II Tim.
4:1-5).
In all such labors your heart will
sing with Joy because here and there
you will be privileged to minister
TO ian honest and a good heart
which will bring forth fruit a hun
dredfold" to the glory Of God and
for the encouragement of His faith
full seed-sower.
DO Not Guess
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