Good Soil
Mark 4:20
[20] But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Let’s catch up from where we left off for Palm Sunday and Easter. Remember we’ve been in the Gospel of Mark. One of our 4 Gospels and remember religion is good advice, but gospel means good news. So truth, not opinion.
In Mark 1 we learned about calling and life changing faith. (Follow me)
In Mark 2 we learned about rest or religion (sabbath) & healing (from sin, not just sickness)
In Mark 3 we learned about knowing and then really knowing, we also learned about unbelief.
So Jesus is mostly out in the country preaching and healing and casting out demons and huge crowds are following and his disciples are learning and the religious leaders are slowly growing uneasy with him and starting to think he’s a problem. Remember, a lot of action in Mark.
Here we are in Mark 4 with a very familiar parable for you.
Mark 4:1-20
The Parable of the Sower
[1] Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. [2] And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: [3] “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. [5] Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. [6] And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. [7] Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. [8] And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” [9] And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
[10] And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. [11] And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, [12] so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
[13] And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? [14] The sower sows the word. [15] And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. [16] And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. [17] And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. [18] And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, [19] but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. [20] But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
So what’s going on?
Another huge crowd following Jesus. Do they want to obey, or do they want food, or do they want healing or do they just want to see a circus?
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- The parable
- Earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus teaches in this way many times. It’s not unheard of among Jewish Rabbis
- He uses agriculture (familiar topic to them at the time) to illustrate
- The parable
- Purposes of parables
Mark 4:10-12
[10] And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. [11] And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, [12] so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
So that sounds weird preacher. Doesn’t God want everyone to come to Him?
2 Peter 3:9
[9] The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
What’s going on?
The Message says this
10 When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. 11 He told them, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom-you know how it works. But to those who can’t see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward receptive insight. 12 These are people-Whose eyes are open but don’t see a thing, Whose ears are open but don’t understand a word, Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven.”
I don’t want us bogged down. Here’s one more brief explanation of why it sounds like this. It’s not contradictory.
Since Isa. 6:9–10 describes the hard-heartedness of Israel, its citation here emphasizes the fact that Jesus speaks the parables to outsiders as a form of prophetic warning. Jesus warns of the serious consequences for all, both Gentiles and Jews, who do not open their hearts to him. And yet, there is still room for repentance (see note on Mark 4:33).
1 Corinthians 1:18
[18] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Jesus quotes Isaiah here in Mark 4. The heard hearted and hard headed don’t want to hear the truth, so Jesus obliges. Remember seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened.
Let’s keep moving.
- Explanation of the parable
Sower, the (seed) word, Satan, hearers
4 types of people here
[15] And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
Not saved – Heart is too hard
[16] And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. [17] And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
Not saved – Started off good (message sounded good), didn’t take
[18] And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, [19] but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Saved? Not saved? – This disciple allows the other concerns of life to crowd out his commitment to Jesus. He permits the competing concerns of life to take precedence over his spiritual development (cf. 19:16-22). The present life rather than the life to come, and present treasure rather than future treasure, capture his affections
[20] But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Saved – Know Jesus deeply
———
So I asked the kids, what is important, right?
I’m asking you the same right now. I believe the word here is asking you the same.
If you hear the Gospel and reject today, you’re letting Satan steal it from you. I don’t know your reason. I’m not picking on you. Many times I hear things like.
“Well the church hurt me a long time ago”
“Someone in the church hurt me a long time ago”
“Someone I knew said they were a Christian and they were one of the worst people I’ve ever been around” Maybe it was a friend or coworker or family member?
I’m not arguing that with you. I believe you if you tell me that. I have no reason to think otherwise, but let me tell you. Jesus didn’t tell that church or person or family member to be that way. Scripture says the opposite. People are flawed and churches are filled with imperfect people. And some with mean spirited people.
Can I tell you everyone is not like that?
Can I tell you that you might have to step out into faith to find that out?
Can I tell you that Jesus will deal with those people in his own way in his own time?
Don’t let that stop you. Satan uses that to stop you.
That’s a major point here in this passage. Let me point to another.
The world and your flesh draws you. Even if you’re saved, it continues to pull at you.
You see the last two people in the parable? Which one should we be? Obviously the one who bears much fruit right?
What keeps the other person away?
It says desires for other things.
You know what I think the difference is and it’s come up repeatedly for me in studies and conversations lately.
Do you really know God? I mean do you really know Jesus?
I think this says you can have saving faith, but you aren’t close to Jesus like you should be. I’m not saying that you don’t believe He’s the Son of God or all of that. I’m saying you have a wrong idea of what the relationship can be like.
You might think well…that’s for missionaries and preachers and those religious zealots (nuts).
Let me ask you this. Where’s your peace. If you’re Jeff Meadows right now. Where’s your peace? The world? Your stuff? Your job? Because that’s all pulling you in the wrong direction.
If you don’t know Jesus today you better come find Him. You could go to bed and wake up on a helicopter…or not at all.
If you kinda know Him. You better come get closer.
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Saviour loves me so
He will hold me fast
Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Saviour loves me so
He will hold me fast
For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
‘Til our faith is turned to sight
When He comes at last!
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Saviour loves me so
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Saviour loves me so
He will hold me fast
——-
Baptism
Emma Grace Walker