A parable is a short fictitious story in which "divine truth is presented by comparison with material things" (Bible dictionary, "Parables") Jesus taught his divine principles in relation to things that were common to the people. Those who are prepared spiritually understood His messages spiritually. Those who were not spiritual, only seemed to see the common everyday things he talked about.
In the parable of the sower I learned that the Sower is Jesus Christ, the seed is His gospel and the soil represents the condition of our hearts!
We invite each of you to read the parable in Matthew 13: 3-8 look at your own life and determine what kind of soil you have now for the gospel to take root? What kind of soil do you wish to have? What can we do to prepare our hearts to have good fertile soil?
The condition of our hearts determines how we receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our actions tell Heavenly Father how deep our roots have grown.
One of our precious students made the analogy that...The Lord did not plant the seed on the wayside, he did not plant it in rocky soil, the seed was available to all. The good soil allowed the seed to grow roots deep into the ground so that it could thrive in all kinds of weather (adversity). She then went on to say how she could see the seed growing into a tree, perhaps an apple tree which would then produce many apples (good fruit) and each apple would have many seeds...
That is what I see as we gain a testimony/ or share our testimony with others. A large tree of faith in Jesus Christ and the gospel that He taught.
There were also the parables of the wheat and the tares, the mustard seed, the leaven, the treasure hidden in a field, the pearl of great price, the gospel net, the treasure new and old.
What do each of these parables teach us about the value of membership in "the kingdom of heaven" or "the Lord's church?" I think it taught me that the Church is a blessing that will allow us to be caught up to meet the Lord when He comes...if we choose to live His teachings! Sooooo does that mean anything to us today? Do the choices we make really matter? What if I don't want to go to church today? What if I don't want to live the commandments? I think our actions reveal our heart.
In the D&C 101: it says...
65 Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;
66 While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.
That sort of makes me wanna be "wheat" not "tares"! How about you?
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