Probably Jesus’ most famous or most often quoted parable,
… is the parable of the Sower who sowed the Word of God.
And in explaining the parable to His disciples, Jesus said this …

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: (sows the Word)
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not
understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what
was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
But he who received the seed on stony places,
this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.
For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word,
immediately he stumbles.
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the
word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke
the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (or has no fruit)
But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the
word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:
some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
--- Matt 13:18-23

In explaining the parable, Jesus said
… the seed is the Word of God,
and that according to how the seed is received,
… is how it will impact and change our lives!

Jesus said that the issue is not the (seed) Word,
but that it is all about the hearers,
… about the heart, and what it receives!

Therefore take heed how you hear.
For whoever has, to him more will be given;
and whoever does not have,
even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
--- Luke 8:18

Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.
With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you;
and to you who hear, more will be given.
For whoever has, to him more will be given;
but whoever does not have,
even what he has will be taken away from him."
--- Mark 4:24-25

Now, as clear as the parable may have seemed at first glance …

What does the sowing of seed have to do with,
… how you hear or how you receive?
What does this hearing have to do with receiving more?
… or with losing even what we seem to have?

What was Jesus warning us about?

You are responsible for what you hear?
You must take note of what you hear?
You must discern what you hear?
You must accept what you hear?

For how you hear is what determines,
… where you are and what you have!

Before we can consider what or how we hear,
… we should first look at what it means to hear,
And, we should look at why and what we need to pay attention to.

The apostle John wrote this to us in Revelation of Jesus Christ,

Blessed is he who reads
and those who hear the words of this prophecy,
and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
--- Rev. 1:3

John wrote that it is clearly important not just to hear,
… but that we hear for a reason,
to take heed, or keep what we have heard!

So what does heed, hear and keep mean?

To take heed – take note of, give attention to, discern.
To hear – attend to or consider what you receive.
To keep – to apply or use.

In the parable of the Sower, Jesus spoke about four ways of hearing,

The wayside - those who are not really interested!
The stony ground - those who are critical or prejudice!
The thorny ground - those who are easily influenced!
The good ground - those who take responsibility!

Although there are four types of hearers mentioned in the parable,
… taking heed of how you hear, is NOT about the Word sown,
… it is also not about discerning the Word you hear,
as the seed or the Word sown, remained the same in all four examples!

But it is about your attitude, about discerning yourself!

My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
--- Prov 4:20-23

What importance are you giving to what you hear?
… are you considering who is talking to you?
… are you taking notice of or considering what you hear?
… are you making it part of your life?
How are you hearing,
… why or how are you listening?

The first category of hearer - the wayside
… is simply just all about Self! - Self centred!

Preoccupied with self and not really interested or wanting to learn!

The second category of hearer - the stony ground
… is also predominantly about Self! – Self importance!

What you hear does not line up with what you think!

The third category - the thorny ground,
… is probably the most dangerous and the most deceptive,
as there is a third element that is influencing the ground!
Jesus called it the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches!
In other words,

The influence of the things around us on our lives,
… how we perceive them and how we deal with them.

Too often we are distracted, or even waylaid,
… concerned with what satan can or wants to do in our lives!
we tend to be more aware of satan and his wiles,
… his lies, his deceit and his threats!

Instead of being more aware of God and His power,
… of what God can and wants to do in our lives!

For this reason Jesus specifically said to us,

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world..
--- John 16:33

Do not let satan steal your seed, and so steal your harvest!
- Focus on what Jesus has already done!

The fourth category - the good ground
… are those who receive the seed and protect it,
… who nurture it in their hearts,
and who allow it to grow in their lives!

For this to become real in your life …

You must accept the Word so it can impact your life!
You must give attention to the Word and what it can mean in your life!
You must give attention to the Word and what it can do in your life!

Valuable seed!

The question therefore is,
What value are you putting on that seed, the Word?

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
who, when he had found one pearl of great price,
went and sold all that he had and bought it.
--- Matt 13:45-46

How valuable is the Word to you and in you?
Are you receiving the Word,
… and allowing it to influence your life?

It is not just about the words you hear,
… for the world is full of words, impressions, thoughts!
But, are you taking note of what you hear, and
… are you discerning what is coming your way?

For the word of God is living and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
and of joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
--- Heb 4:12

Are you allowing that seed to take root and grow in your life?
Are you allowing the Word to discern what you hear and how you respond?

Seed is sown for one reason, and one reason alone,
… to produce a harvest!
And the seed that is sown, the Logos Word of God is powerful,
… able to grow in our lives,
… and become the harvest God intended for it to become!

What exactly is this seed?

The Seed is life!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not comprehend it.
--- John 1:1-5

Jesus is the Word through whom all was made that was made!
He is life and the light of man (sown in our lives).
And Jesus, Who is the Word of God,
whilst teaching on being fruitful in life, said …

I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
--- John 15:5

Jesus said …

It is all about a personal relationship!
A relationship with The Word,
… in which The Word becomes alive in us,
A relationship with The Word,
… through which The Word can produce a harvest in us!

Receiving the Seed of life!

How does the seed or the Word become alive in us?
What is the substance of the seed sown in our lives?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
--- Heb. 11:1

Faith is the substance!
In other words, faith is the result of the seed sown in our lives!
And as the scriptures tell us,

So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the (rhema)word of God.
---Rom. 10:17

Telling us that, for the seed (the logos Word) to become alive in us,
… we need to take a step of faith on the (logos) Word,
A step of faith into the manifestation of the (logos) Word,
… the step of faith that comes by hearing the Word Himself,
by hearing the Rhema Word of God!

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
--- John 15:7

And it is through this faith step that the harvest comes into our lives,
… the harvest of the (logos) promises
… through the (rhema) word received by us!
Seed that you receive as you make Him Lord of your hearing and doing,
… that personal relationship that is the foundation to a real life!

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
--- Ps 37:3-6