Chapter 13
Verses 1-9 Read the Bible verses
A sower is a person who throws seed. He does not make a hole in the dirt and put seeds in it. He has a big bag of seed. He takes a handful and as he walks over the ground (field) he throws the seed in a wide half circle on the ground.
Some of the seed falls on the footpath which is hard and packed down because of people walking on it. The seeds lay on top of the ground. The birds would come along and eat the seeds. The seeds were gone and nothing would grow.
Some of the seed fell on soil (dirt) that was very thin because there were many stones and rocks. The plants grew at first, but because the soil was thin the roots could not go down deep. When the sun got hot the plants died.
Some of the seed fell onto good deep soil (dirt). The plants grew strong and the roots went down deep. The plants grew to be big enough to have wheat seeds to eat. Some of the seeds grew 30 times as much as was planted, some grew 60 times more, and some grew 100 times more.
Chapter 13 verses 10-17 Read the Bible verses
Jesus explained that those who are open to what Jesus teaches, will keep learning more and more.
Those who do not want to believe, will lose what they did know. Sin grows in a person’s life. Then the word of God gets pushed out. Unbelief grows until what you once knew is completely out of mind.
Jesus said what the Old Testament prophet said. People who will not hear and accept God’s word will get to the place where they cannot hear God speaking to them any more. And what they once knew will be gone.
Chapter 13 verses 18-23 Read the Bible verses
Jesus explains the story about the sower.
The soil (dirt) is like 3 kinds of people.
Some people’s hearts and minds are hard like a footpath. They hear God’s word, but nothing sinks in. Satan comes (like the birds) and takes the word of God away. The people forget what they heard.
Then there are people who hear God’s word and accept it. They begin to follow God, but then they have problems and troubles (like the rocks and stones). Times get hard. They get discouraged. They are tempted with sin. They give up following Jesus and go their own way. Being a Christian is not very deep and they give up the faith.
Then there are people who hear God’s word, accept it and follow Jesus. They keep following Jesus, no matter what problems or troubles they have. If they sin, they come back to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. They are like good dirt—they keep growing. They are the ones who have spiritual fruit in their lives. They help others come to Jesus. They teach others.
Chapter 13 verses 24-30 Read the Bible verses
Jesus told another story.
A farmer planted good seed. In the night someone came and planted weed seeds in the field. As the plants grew the weed plants looked much like the wheat plants. It was hard to tell which were the weeds.
When the plants are fully grown, then you can tell the difference because of the big wheat seeds.
Chapter 13 verses 31-32 Read the Bible verses
Jesus told the story about the mustard seed. A mustard seed is about as big as this (.). It can grow into a tree so that birds can sit in it.
Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven may begin very small with one or two believers, but it will grow into many believers.
Chapter 13 verse 33 Read the Bible verse
Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven was like yeast. Yeast is what you put into bread to make it puff up. A little yeast will go through much dough. Jesus meant that his teachings will go through all the world to every nation.
Chapter 13 verses 34-35 Read the Bible verses
Jesus did what the Old Testament prophets said he would do.
Chapter 13 verses 36-43 Read the Bible verses
Jesus explained the story of the wheat and tares.
The meaning of the story was that there will be people who are true Christians and people who pretend to be Christians.
Jesus said not to try to judge people now. Let God judge. In the end of time, God will know who are the true Christians and who are not. He will judge the people.
Those who are true believers will go to heaven. Those who were not true believers but were pretenders will go to the place of fire.
Chapter 13 verses 45-46 Read the Bible verses
Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is like a beautiful pearl. When the man saw this wonderful pearl, he sold everything he had to get enough money to buy the pearl.
The salvation Jesus gives is so wonderful and important, that is worth giving up everything to get this salvation.