Disciplines of Fellowship: Busyness and Fellowship (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Busyness and Fellowship

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes andsnatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sownalong the path.  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the onewho hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,  yet he has noroot in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation orpersecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke theword, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this isthe one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruitand yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”