Luke 8:1-15
When I picture the public ministry of Jesus, I tend to envision one man (Jesus) walking around with 12 men (apostles). But the biblical record provides a different scenario. In fact, many others attached themselves to the itinerant ministry of Jesus, including some women with deep pocketbooks!
And it was to this group and a large gathered crowd that Jesus spoke the important parable of the sower. Of all the parables Jesus taught, this one seemed to have a priority in his teaching ministry. The parable reveals the importance of a heart cultivated to receive the truth of God's Word.