Parable of the Soil

Mark 4:1-20

Mark 4:1–20 NKJV

1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” 9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ” 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 by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Introduction

Jesus is now ministering to the largest crowd that has ever followed Him. In fact, the crowd is so large that Jesus gets into a boat and uses it as a pulpit to teach the people who have gathered on the seashore. However, He has also been rejected by the very nation He came to preach to – Israel. As a result, Jesus begins to teach the multitude almost exclusively in Parables.

This parable has been often called “the Parable of the Sower” but is probably more accurately described as "The Parable of the Soils."

It was told by Jesus to illustrate different reactions that people have to the Word of God.

I. What is a Parable? (Vs. 1-2)

Jesus taught many parables in the Synoptic Gospels. That is over 1/3 of all His recorded teaching. That being the case, it is important that we understand what a parable is.

A. The definition of a parable –

1. Common: “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”

2. Better: “A simple story used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson.”

a. The purpose of any parable was for Jesus to teach important truths about Himself, the Father & the Kingdom of God.

b. The word “parable” means “to cast alongside of.” In a parable truth is cast alongside life & life interprets the truth. In other words, a parable takes the common, everyday events of life & uses them to illustrate the deep things of God.

B. The purpose of a parable – vs. 10-12

1. To reveal or conceal truth, depending upon the hearers.

2. Jesus used parables to reveal truth to those who were open to what God was saying & to conceal truth from those who had closed their minds to what God was saying.

3. They were much like our two way mirrors of today, they concealed to one group while revealing to another.

4. So the key is “are you simply hearing, or are you listening?”

C. The interpretation of a parable –

1. Jesus rarely interprets His parables, but He does interpret this one.

a. Why this one & not others?

1) The disciples asked Him too – vs. 10.

2) According to Jesus (vs. 13) this is a foundational parable that is the key to understanding all of His other parables.

II. Who are the Key Players in this Parable? (Vs. 2-8)

What is the example from life that Jesus’ uses to teach this parable?

A. The Sower – Jesus (Matthew 13:37) or anyone who shares the gospel message.

1. Matt. 13:37 “He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.’”

2. A “sower” was a farmer planting his crop. He had no machinery so he used a leather bag strapped around his shoulder to carry his seed. He then liberally “tossed” the seed all around his field in hopes that some would take root & grow into a crop. He knew not all the seed would grow, but some would.

3. Anyone who shares the gospel is a “sower.” While not all will believe, we like the farmer, must have faith that some seed will take root!!

B. The Seed – the Word of God (the gospel).

1. The gospel is the good news that Jesus came into this world, died for sinners, rose again from the dead & offers salvation to everyone who will receive Him.

2. In this parable, some of the “seed” produces fruit & some does not. The problem does not lie in the “seed”. All the seed was good “seed”.

3. Each SEED held the potential to produce fruit. The problem was not the “seed”; the problem was the “soil”.

A SEED HAS ALL IT NEEDS FOR LIFE! EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR LIFE IS FOUND AN CONTAINED IN THAT SEED. INSIDE A ACORN IS A BIG TALL OAK TREE, INSIDE A KERNEL OF CORN IS A TALL STALK OF CORN WHICH WILL GROW AND PRODUCE MORE FRUIT! THIS PARABLE IS NOT ABOUT A SEED PROBLEM! THE SEED THE WORD OF GOD IS COMPLETE AND PERFECT, IT IS UNCHANGING, IT HAS ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR LIFE AS IT CONNECTS US TO THE SOURCE OF LIFE- JESUS CHRIST. CHRIST IS THE WORD, THE LIVING WORD!! IN HIM IS ALL THAT WE NEED FOR LIFE, FOR GROWTH, TO PRODUCE FRUIT!

4. The gospel has the power to save everyone, but is only effective for those who turn to Christ & believe on Him.

C. The soil – the hearts & minds of people.

1. Everyone who hears the Gospel hears it in a different way. Some revile it, some reject it & some receive it. It is the “soil” that is the primary emphasis of this parable.

2. This is why I call it “the Parable of the soils.”

III. How does Christ Interpret this Parable? (Vs. 13-20)

The variable in this parable is not the sower or the seed (they remain constant) but rather it is the soil that teaches us the lesson.

A. The path – hard hearts (vs. 15) OR THE WAYSIDE

1. The “way side” refers to the narrow footpaths that ran beside & through the fields.

2. These were the roads of the day & the soil on them had become as hard as concrete from the feet of the travelers and animals that had walked upon them. When the seed fell on the footpath, it could not penetrate the soil & it remained there in the open, only to be devoured by the fowls of the air.

“The farmers’ fields in ancient Palestine were long, narrow, often serpentine strips divided by little paths which became beaten as hard as pavement by this feet, hooves, and wheels of those who used them. The seeds merely bounced on these paths or were swept back and forth by the wind” (Hughes 1:105)

3. In Matt. 13:19 we are told that this speaks of the person who hears the Gospel, but who doesn’t “understand it”. That is, they cannot make the connection between the claims of the Gospel & their own life. They cannot see how the Gospel could possibly hold any value for them or their life.

Some people are like the wayside soil and have so hardened their heart that it will not allow the Word of God to take root

4. They are hard hearted & the seed of the Gospel cannot penetrate the soil of their hearts & minds. THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US THAT THEIR MINDS HAVE BEEN BLINDED BY THE ENEMY LEST THE BELIEVE!

B. Rocky places – shallow hearts (vs. 16-17)

1. These stony places are common in Palestine. Often there will be an outcropping of limestone rock covered by a thin layer of topsoil. This soil looks like it is ready to be sown. This ground looks good & productive & seed cast here will germinate & quickly spring up into a promising plant. But, because there is no depth of soil, as soon as the sun beats down on the tender plant, it withers and dies without producing any fruit.

2. This kind of soil speaks of those that makes an emotional response to the presentation of the Gospel. This is seen in the words “receive it with gladness”.

3. Perhaps this person heard the Gospel and said, “That is just what I need! I might as well give Jesus a try.” Perhaps they heard a shallow presentation of the Gospel that presents the benefits of salvation but does not share the costs. This person knows nothing about repentance, dying to self, & turning away from the old life.

4. Whatever happened, they made a profession, they are excited, they are active, & they are accepted as the real deal. But because they have no depth to their profession, they fall away when the persecutions & tribulations associated with knowing Jesus arise.

5. This happened in John 6. Jesus taught about “eating his flesh & drinking his blood” & many of his followers couldn’t handle it.

6. John 6:66 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

7. While this is heart-breaking to many of us – it happens even today.

C. Among the thorns – divided hearts (vs. 18-19)

1. This soil looks like it is ready to be sown, but underneath the surface are the living roots & seeds of thorns & weeds. The soil has been tilled and the thorns have been cut down, but their roots are alive & well, just under the surface. When the seed falls here, it springs to life quickly & gives every indication that a good harvest will follow. When the seed springs to life, so do the thorns & weeds that were already there & they soon choke out the tender plant. The young tender plant withers & dies without producing any fruit at all.

2. This is a picture of a person who tries to have the benefit of the Gospel while still clinging to the old life of sin. They try to “have their cake & eat it too!” WITH TRUE CONVERSION COMES A TRUE CHANGE AND A CHANGING PERCEPTION, ACCEPTANCE, UNDERSTANDING AND DEALING WITH SIN!

3. However, the seed of the Gospel cannot survive to produce fruit in a heart filled with other things.

4. Jesus said it was the cares of the world, the quest for earthly riches, and the lust for the things of this world that spelled disaster for this kind of soil.

5. Matt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

D. Good soil – receptive hearts (Vs. 20 – “accept it”)

1. This was ground that had been worked & prepared. It had been plowed & tilled & it was ready to receive the seed when it came. The seed germinated within the heart of the soil & the plant began to grow. When the plant reached maturity, it began to produce fruit that brought honor & gain to the farmer.

2. This is a picture of the heart that has been plowed deeply by the Word of God, & tilled by the convicting work of the Holy SPIRIT. A FERTILE HEART DESIRES JESUS CHRIST, IT DESIRES THE WORD AND FOR IT TO FLOURISH AND GROW IN IT!

3. The only difference was “they accepted it.”

Conclusion

1. The real question today is, “What kind of soil are you?”

2. No-one can tell but you, so we must take a look into our own hearts.

3. Ps. 139:23-24 “23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”