And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: (Mathew 13:4). As he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. (Mark 4:4). As he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. (Luke 8:5)

Self-Explanatory verses:

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understand it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he, which received seed by the way side. (Mathew 13:19). And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. (Mark 4:14). Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. (Luke 8:12)

Comparing the Reading portion and the self Explanatory verses we can observer that

a. When he sowed (Mathew 13:4). Holy Spirit sows the seed through out the world.

b. Some fell on the wayside (Mathew 13:4). Talks about the human heart that hardened by various means

c. Fowls came and devoured them (Mathew 13:4) Fowls resemble the work of Satan.

d. It was trodden down (Mathew 13:4). Reason for the seed not grown

In this small article we will try to consider the following subtopics

a.      Understanding seed

b.      Some fell of the way side

c.      Examples of a good heart versus wayside heart

d.      Nature of a wayside heart

e.      Fowls came and devoured them

f.        Why Fowls are compared to Satan

g.      It was trodden down.

In order to understand “sower” parable, we have to look towards a farmer who sows the seed in the field. We can view the field in two ways first one as a dry land. And another one is a land, which is already under cultivation. First one fits a lot to understand this parable. Second one is applicable to the church life. So while reading this parable keep in mind that sower went out to acres of dry land started plaguing and the whole land looks alike. He started sowing the seed.

                              Some fell on the way side

                              Some fell on the rocky place

                                Some fell on the thorny places

                              Some fell on the good land.

In this studies we are going to study about the "The wayside". When the sower sown the seed some fell on the wayside. After the sower sown the seed some of them started walking through the wayside. When we observe Luke 8:5 carefully it was said that "It was trodden down" (Luke 8:5). It means after the sower sown the seed. Some one walked in the field and the seed was trodden down under their feet. As some one or group of people frequently walked a path is formed. The seed, which was crushed down wont, grow. This is the situation of the seed "fell on the wayside”.

Understanding Seed: In our own life "Seed was sown". What is the seed? Seed is the message of the kingdom". The message comes to us in a power full way as "Repent!". First time this message is not came to the heathen, not to the gentiles, not to the wicked people. It came to HIS (own) people. John the Baptist introduced this message in the New Testament as "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mathew 3:2,Mark 1:15)).Then Jesus Christ time came He repeated the same message "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. " (Mathew 4:17). Twelve disciples went out and preached that men should repent (Mark 6:12). First message after Pentecost by Peter is " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. " (Acts 2:38). Today every one of us every believer needs to repent unto the kingdom. What it meant by repenting unto the kingdom.

First of all we will see what is the repenting unto the kingdom of God. It does not mean that believe on Jesus Christ or forgiveness of sins. It is not about the transforming from the hell to the heaven, because all these are the work of God. Still we need to repent. Repentance means To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

Does these things happened at the time we are saved. When we are saved by the grace of God. We are transformed from the hell to heaven. We became Gods children; the Holy Spirit seals us. Lot of things is happened. Does our attitude, mind, way of thinking; old traditions are placed in the graveyard at the time of Salvation?. No, for sure not all. They are still coming along with us. Some of our Old thinking, arguments still with us. We are trying to be righteous by our own merits. Putting all these things to death is called Repentance. No old thing should come along with us.

In order to understand this in practical way, God called Abraham (through Terah) out of Ur and then from Haraan. At Haraan God specifically told that "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, "(Genesis 12:1). What Abraham did was with faith he came out of Haraan but disobeyed God in his words. He took Lot along with him. In similar fashion we too believe in Jesus Christ as our Personal Saviour but we carry Lot of "Lots" with us. Abraham must tell to Lot,” Lot! .I love you so much but God whom I believe demanding me to go to the place where he leads by leaving my father's family. It means it includes you. Let me journey forward. I want to leave all of you’re here it self. Take your own way or stay here. Please leave me here… “ But this kind of repentance we wont see in the Life of Abraham.

Because of this reason there is a famine in the land of Egypt. There is a lie regarding his wife. There were plagues. There is a plenty amount of money in his life. Until Lord dealt through these he doesn’t left Lot from his presence.

In another example we see Naomi, when she lost all his sons, husband she started from Moab to her hometown. Her daughter in laws started following her. "And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grants you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept."(Ruth 1:8,9). This is called Repentance. After a brief conversation Orpah kissed her mother in law (Ruth 1:14) and left. Where as Ruth said "In treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. " (Ruth 1:16,17) Observe carefully When Naomi saw Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her, and then she left speaking unto her (Ruth 1:18). This is called Repentance unto kingdom.

Fixing our mind under the complete authority and submitting to the kingship of Lord Jesus Christ is the repentance unto the Kingdom of God. This is the message for today and to the ages until the day of first resurrection.

Some fell of the way side The message “Repent unto the kingdom of God” is striking today to our minds. What is response we have?. Is this seed fallen on the way side of our heart. Then our hearts needs to be set right before the God. Many of us who listen to the message of the kingdom and they know what they have to do? But we wont do. Bible says “they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful” (Romans 1:21). Are there any way side issues in our life? Please let us ask God. God merciful on me. Lord! I want to glorify you, as you want, not as my wish and my desire. Soften my heart Lord so that I am fruitful Lord.  Lord I want to do some thing for you. But I am not. I Understand that I cant do any thing my self to please you Lord. I am surrending my selves unto you soften me and use me for your Glory. Let my life be Glory to you Lord”- Amen

Let us sing the song along with Judson W. Van de Venter

                              I surrender all, All to Thee,

                              I surrender all, My blessed Savior,

                              I surrender all

Let the lord help us to sing this song when we go on the roads, when we are in shopping malls, when we are in kitchen, when we are in living room so that his name is glorified. Is it possible to answer YES by you?

Examples of a good heart versus a wayside heart:  Matthew was a tax collector. He had a great responsibility. Surely, if he were to quit his job, he would have to give his employer a month’s notice. There would be no way he could quit his job and just leave everything.

    And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, follow me. Today, if Jesus would see you at your job working, and he said, "Follow me," what would you do? Would you say, "I will Jesus, but please wait for I need to give a notice to my employer. I need to say goodbye to my relatives. I need to go home and get some clothes and my checkbook, so I have some money."

    What did Matthew do? And he arose, and followed HIM-Mt 9:9. Without hesitation, he got up and immediately followed Jesus. A born-again Christian that will not follow Jesus is not fit for service in the kingdom of God. We are called to serve God.

    Now, a certain man made a great supper, and bade many...and they all with consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, i have bought a piece of ground, and i "must" needs go and see it: i pray thee have me excused. And another said, i have bought 5 token of oxen, and i go to prove them: i pray thee have me excused. And another said, i have married a wife, and therefore i cannot come. Then the master of the house became angry...i say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper-Lk 14:16,18-21,24.

    What is the difference between Matthew and the other three? One has a good and honest heart. The others did not. The others had a wayside heart. The others put more importance on the things of the world. And what did Jesus say of those that put anything before following Him? What did Jesus say to those that put land, other things, or even a wife before Him? He said, none of those men who were bidden should taste of my supper. When God calls a person to come and follow Him, the only correct answer is yes, right now, without conditions. Then step forward in faith, trusting that Jesus will take care of all the problems.

    In the good heart, many hindrances occur. Many side streets come into the picture to cause confusion. Yet those with the good heart run the race that is set before them with patience and finish the race. They win. At the end of the race, they may have some bruises, some scratches, some dents, but they win. They inherit eternal life and should hear the words, well-done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, i will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord-Mt 25:23.

Nature of Wayside:

a.      When we observe carefully the wayside area is not useful. Mosltly it is a dry land or it produces natural wades or little bit of grass. In our lives we see many people are like this they wont be useful for any one. They will produce a little grass or wades from their lives that is not useful for God and the people around. Even they produce little grass it is due to their natural growth, which is self-righteousness, or it is fruit of the flesh, which doesn’t please God and His people.

b.      Wayside is a hard place. It was not ploughed. In similar way many peoples heart is very hard. We need to plough by the power of Holy Spirit with Word of God and seek the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ.

c.      Wayside is the place where people walk to and fro freely. Satan has the Habit of roaming here and there. “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” ( Job 1:7) . He walks there to devour the seed (Luke 8:5) . And some seed are crushed under his feet (Luke 8:5)

d.      Wayside is the place where there is no fence. It was not protected. Any thing can come in and go out. Wayside people will allow all kind of Doctrines created inside the Christianity circle with out testing with the pure word of God believing all the things done “in the name of Jesus” are true. They will be devoured by the satan.

Fowls came and devoured them:  People hear the word of God but as soon as they go out into this world they will forget about the word of God and starts their own way of living.

In the Israelites life, God brought them out of Egypt but as soon as their leader Moses was not with them for few days they turned away from God, they corrupted them selves (Exodus 32:7,8; Deuteronomy 9:12; 9:16) They soon forgat the works of the Lord and they didn’t waited for the counsel of God But lusted against exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted the God in the desert ( Psalm 106:13,14). History repeats again and again. In our lives too when we hear the word of God we enjoys a lot and we are sure that it is Gods word. As soon as we turned out we forget the word of God. We start reasoning; we start to use our own theology. Some people give importance to the

-         Some people give importance to Theology

-         Some people give importance to Speaking in tongues

-         Some people give importance to good life

-         Some people give importance to material blessings “in the name of Jesus”

Every thing is waste if it doesn’t help us to “repent unto the kingdom of God”. Satan uses all kind of deceitfulness. We need to meditate upon the word of God day and night (Psalm 1:3). This will ensure us that we may not sin before the righteous God (Psalm 119).

Why Fowls are compared to Satan:

a.      Fowls are compared to Satan because fowls such as kite are very quick and they snatch the chicks and takes them away in no time

b.      Some fowls roam in the upper parts of the air. They have advantage over other birds to have an Ariel view of the birds who reside at lower parts

c.      Important note is where ever seed was sown fowls will gather in large number to snatch away the seed.

Fowls are very quick, when they see seeds on the wayside. They will come and take away seed in no time. This is deceitfulness. Satan was deceptive. He deceives many people. He removes the word of God from our hearts as soon as possible he can. As it is written, Satan, which deceiveth the whole world-Rev 12:9. By using many distractions and other devices. If you obey the Bible, Satan will try to cause you to believe certain passages do not mean exactly what they say. If you do believe God’s Word, he will try to choke the Word that is in you, by using the lusts of this world, the cares of this life, the pleasures of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and many other devices. Satan is a master at mixing the truth with deception in your mind and causing confusion. Beware lest any man [may be your self] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8).

Why the devil has such a power to catch the word out of the hearts of this sort of hearers:

a.      Because their hearts are hard. seed doesn’t went inside. They never had taken interest to mollify the heart. The seed tried to get inside. But it is not. And it was trodden upon and Satan came and taken it away.

b.      God is just and has a fearful judgment. He leaves them unto their own hearts lust, they being so in love with evil world, esteem earthly rides honor and pleasures of sins above Jesus Christ.

Application: In this article we learned about “way side”. We should be fair enough to correct our selves. If we correct our selves we will be transformed. This transformation will bring glory to God and benefit lot of people around us. Let us take some decisions as follows

a.      Read word of God very diligently. Ask God to sow the word of God directly into your heart.

b.      We will be attentive to word of God, which was sown all around the word through Gods messengers in our local assemblies, radio, books, TV e.t.c

c.      Ask God to give pleasure in word of God. Other wise Satan may catch the seed at the time of listening through sleep, different thoughts e.t.c

d.      Ask God to touch your heart so that your hearts receive the word of God and hid inside so that Satan may not take it away.

e.      Repeat the same reading portion until you by – heart the portion. Bible encourages repetition of Gods message.