The Secret of the Kingdom Part 3
The Stoney Heart Hearer
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
I.The Secret of the Kingdom
A. The Sower and the Seed
1. (Matt. 13:3-23 NIV) Parable of the sower and the seed.
a. Key to the parable of the sower:
~We are the sowers.
~The Word of God is the incorruptible seed.
-(hear it, read it, meditate on it, speak it)
~The four different types of ground (pathway, stony ground, among thorns, and good ground) are four conditions of the heart that affect how the seed grows.
~Only one ground was able to produce and sustain a harvest – good ground.
~Common denominator – all heard the word.
~Every believer fits into one of these 4 progressive categories.
2. Pathway hearer didn’t understand the Word so Satan was able to immediately steal it.
B. The Stoney Heart Hearer
1. (Matt. 13:5-6, 20-21 NIV) Word not rooted because of shallow soil.
(Mark 4:5-6, 16-17 AMP) No real root in themselves
a. The “Stoney heart” hearer receives the Word with joy, yet does not have root in himself (doesn’t know who he/she is in Christ) because the word doesn’t get rooted in them. So when affliction, trouble, or persecution arises on account of the Word they are offended and fall away.
b. We get rooted and grounded in Christ through time spent daily in prayer, Word, and worship.
~(John 15:3-11 TPT)
~(Ps. 1:1-3)
c. Chinese Bamboo Tree – is the fastest growing plant on Earth; it has been measured surging skyward as fast as 48 inches in a 24hour period, and can reach maximal growth rate exceeding 39 in. per hour for short periods of time. Many prehistoric bamboos exceeded heights of 250ft. Unlike other trees, all bamboo has the potential to grow to full height and girth in a single growing season of 3-4 months. Trees can grow as much 90 ft. in 6 wks. The bamboo tree shows no signs of growth above ground until the 5th year.
d. Ephesians 1-3 is an explanation of who we are in Christ, our inheritance in Christ, our authority in Christ
~(Eph. 1:3-14 NKJV) in Him, in Christ
~(Eph. 1:17-23 AMPC) Paul’s prayer
~(Eph. 2:1-3 NKJV) we were dead spiritually
~(Eph. 2:4-7, 10 AMPC) we are now alive spiritually with the same life as Christ.
~(1 John 4:17) as He is so are we in this world.
[Pastor Lee Stokes]