We come to the Saviour's teaching regarding the soil in the parable of the Sower.

1. There were 4 kinds of soil. Verses 4-8. Not every heart is the same!

2. The majority of people do not benefit from the gospel. 3 out of 4 came to nothing! No fruit but there were different reasons why that was so.

A. The work of the devil. Verses 4, 15.
How active he is! Wonderful fact that the birds are very quick to spot seed being sown. The devil would rob us of the Seed of Life and so rob us of Heaven!

B. The shallowness of soil. Verses 16-17. There is a superficial hearing of the Word. No deep consideration of what God is saying. Shallow soil may produce some growth above ground but no root beneath the ground!! So it fails when it faces any difficulty or opposition.