Matthew 13:4. And when he sowed, some seeds feel by the way side,
He could not help that; he was not sent to pick the soil, that would be too much responsibility for him. If we had to preach only to certain characters, we should be taking up all our time in picking out those characters, and probably we should make many mistakes while trying to do it. Our business is to scatter the good seed broadcast. We are not to dibble in the Word, we are to throw it as far as we can, and to let it fall wherever God pleases. "Some seeds fell by the way side," - on ground trodden hard by the passers-by.
Matthew 13:4. And the fowls came and devoured them up:
Those fowls are always ready to devour the good seed. Wherever there is a congregation met to hear the Word, there are always plenty of devils ready to do their evil work. "The fowls came," they had not far to fly. The birds know a sower by the very look of him, so they hurry up, and come wherever the seed may be cast that they may devour it. O Lord, keep the fowls away; or, better still, break up the soil so that the seed may enter, and not lie upon the surface!
Matthew 13:4. And when he sowed, some seeds feel by the way side,
He could not help that; he was not sent to pick the soil, that would be too much responsibility for him. If we had to preach only to certain characters, we should be taking up all our time in picking out those characters, and probably we should make many mistakes while trying to do it. Our business is to scatter the good seed broadcast. We are not to dibble in the Word, we are to throw it as far as we can, and to let it fall wherever God pleases. "Some seeds fell by the way side," - on ground trodden hard by the passers-by.
Matthew 13:4. And the fowls came and devoured them up:
Those fowls are always ready to devour the good seed. Wherever there is a congregation met to hear the Word, there are always plenty of devils ready to do their evil work. "The fowls came," they had not far to fly. The birds know a sower by the very look of him, so they hurry up, and come wherever the seed may be cast that they may devour it. O Lord, keep the fowls away; or, better still, break up the soil so that the seed may enter, and not lie upon the surface!