TOPIC: THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
1. STORY
John had a good business and a happy family life. Due to work pressures, he began to drink which
eventually caused him to separate from his family and lose his business. While walking down the street, he picked up a bent and
rusty nail which immediately reminded him of himself. He was rusty and bent out of shape. He took it home, hammered it to make it
straight, and used sandpaper to remove the rust; it looked like a new nail. He then thought that his life could
straightened out just like the nail. He
decided to try. Today John is reunited
to his family and is back in business. To
this day, John keeps the restored nail in his wallet. We need Jesus to avoid being a bent nail.
2. GOSPEL, MATTHEW 13:1-19
A) A FARMER WENT OUT SOWING SEED
In this beautiful parable, a farmer went out sowing seed. Jesus went to preach the gospel, the word of God, which is like a seed. Jesus helps us by giving us his teachings.
B) SOME FELL ON GOOD SOIL
i) Some seed fell on a footpath, some on rocky ground, and some among
thorns. None of the seed grew.
ii) Some seed fell on good soil and grew abundantly. Just as some soil rejected the seed and some
soil accepted the seed, so do some people reject and some people accept the
teachings of Jesus.
3. APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) JESUS CONTINUES TO SOW THE SEED
Jesus continues to sow the seed, to preach the gospel, and to help us. He does this each time we attend Mass and hear the homily, when we read the bible, and when we listen to the Pope or our Bishop. Jesus is teaching us; he is sowing the seed. We need the word of God to be his disciples.
B) SOME REJECT AND SOME ACCEPT THE WORD OF JESUS
i) Some people, due to a busy life, laziness, or see no value in
the teaching of Jesus, reject him.
ii) Some people accept the word of Jesus. They accept Jesus by their head, heart, and hands. They accept him by their heart when they follow his teachings. They accept him by their hands when they carry out his commands. In doing so, we change from being like a bent nail to a new nail, a follower of Jesus.
4. CONCLUSION
Just as a bent nail help john to change his life, the word of Jesus
helps us to change our lives. Some
reject and some accept his help. We
heard the word of Jesus and carry it out by our head, our heart, and our hands.
We need the word of Jesus to be his
faithful followers, his disciples.
