Sowing Seed in our Hearts (Mark 4:1-34)

Introduction

Planting grass seed and having to wait. Colds and having to wait them out. Sowing the word and having to wait, the kingdom is already here and not here either, and we have to wait.

Recap of Mark

The gospel of Mark is written by John Mark in a recapping of what he had learned from Peter. Mark’s gospel shows the fast paced day to day life of Jesus’s ministry from one place to the next as the word immediately is scattered throughout the gospel account. Mark above all is a gospel that shows what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Two weeks ago, we looked at the new family of God being redefined as those who do the will of God. In other words, those that are disciples of Jesus are those who do God’s will. Prior to that, we looked at those who held to external measures of the law vs those that inwardly held to God’s ways for the right purpose. Each of these events in Mark are drawing a clearer picture of who is in as followers and who is out as the unredeemed. Let us have ears to hear and learn more this morning in Mark 4 of what it means to follow Jesus. Follow along with me as I read from Mark 4:1-34.

Main Point

The kingdom of God is built through the faithful sowing of the word, but it is a slow work. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must be patient and faithful in this work.

Points

Point #1: The Parables

Point #2: The Sower

Point #3: The Lamp

Point #4: The Kingdom

Point #1: The Parables

Most Sundays, I have worked straight through the points as they go straight through the verses. This morning however, it is helpful if we start down in verse 10-12 and consider what parables are and the point for them. Leland Ryken summarizes parables as this, “The parables of Jesus are masterpieces of story-telling. We should first of all enjoy them in the same ways that we enjoy other stories. These simple stories are didactic in their purpose. Before they fully interest us or assume their true significance, we must usually attach a symbolic meaning to some of the details in the story, and we must always find one or more religious themes in them.”

In the parables, Jesus is telling stories to reveal what the kingdom of God is like in oral stories. For there in verses 11 and 12 he says: 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, so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”

This secret is revealed through these stories, in particular this morning stories about the sower sowing seed, about a lamp and where it is to be placed, seed sprouting up and growing, and the mustard seed which is the smallest of seeds. Jesus uses these word pictured stories to tell of the coming kingdom of God and how it will come about and grow.

And while Jesus hides this truth in parables, there are different responses to the parables as well. Those who understand the parables or press in to learn more show that they belong to Jesus. That they are his disciples. Others though, as they fail to hear and pay attention to the parables, they show the fruit of their heart as they either downright reject the word of God or in the end they turn and reject it. The parables allow those on the outside though to see but not perceive the kingdom of God. It allows them to hear, but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.

That last part is a hard and difficult thing for many to grasp. It is here that Jesus warns after Isaiah from Isaiah 6:8-10. There is a deep need for the people to open their hearts to receive the word. Failure to do so will cause them to be forever separated from God’s kingdom. And yet, there is still hope if they will pay close attention as Jesus reveals the hope of the kingdom of God is found and made clear in him. Even as these things are being taught and recorded in Mark’s gospel, it is to serve as a warning to the reader, to us to pay close attention to these words, unless we find ourselves on the outside looking in, having missed what the kingdom of God is truly like.

May the Lord give us softened hearts this morning, may he give us ears to hear, and the ability to grasp these truths as we walk our way through these parables.

Point #2: The Sower

As we jump back up to verse 1, Jesus is once more by a lake as he teaches these parables. This time, the crowds were so large, Jesus had to get into a boat to teach them. And he began teaching in parables. The first parable being that of the sower. He tells how the sower goes out and begins to sow. He shifts to describing where the seed was falling in verses 4-8. In verse 4, some of the seed fell on the path and was devoured by the birds. Other seed fell on the rocky ground, not giving it much chance to take good root, causing it to wither once the sun beat down on it. Then some seed fell along the thorns and was choked out by the thorns as it grew. And then some seed fell into the good soil and produced grain. Thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold worth.

Now, what in the world does all of this mean in the parable of the sower? Well we are helped in verses 13-20 as this parable is unfolded. We learn that the sower is not sowing seeds, but the word of God. But let us zoom in here for a moment on the sower as he sowed the word. Notice for one the focus of what he sows. He goes and takes the word. It is this very word of God that the author of Hebrews calls as sharper than a double-edged sword. It is this word that keeps a man’s way pure according to the Psalmist. It is this very word that breathes life into the dead bones in Ezekiel. It is this word that the sower goes out with. It is to be the word that is foundational in taking out in the work of the great commission in which we will be slowing down to look at starting tonight at 6:00 PM. It is this word though that is foundational in both evangelism and discipleship. It is this word that we are called to take out and declare to others around us.

Sowing the Word

You see, as the sower, we are called to go out with the word and scatter it all around. It is not our job or responsibility to figure out the soils of people’s hearts. It is our job to be obedient in scattering the word all around us as we go. Allowing God’s word to go forth and be scattered around us, into the hearts of our family members, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, the grocery store clerk, the nurse or doctor in the midst of our check-up or health concern. We scatter it as we sit in the coffee shop or restaurant that we love to go to. We scatter the word at our children’s or grandchildren’s little league games as they start back up. It is the word that we are called to scatter in all of these places as we go.

We scatter the word as we boldly confess our faith in Christ. We scatter it as we run to the gospel in the midst of conversations of daily life as the word brings answers in the midst of trials and suffering. We scatter the word in the midst of simply asking others if we can pray for them. Some of the sweetest gospel opportunities I had were in casual conversations with friends or co-workers regarding life. Sharing the word with people is mostly about looking for a way to tie it into the conversation.

Here are a few personal examples. I once knocked a salt shaker over while cleaning my tables at work, and a co-worker said I should throw it over my shoulder. I asked why, and then was told it was for good luck. I responded, I guess it is a good thing I don’t believe in luck, and then he opened the door by asking what I meant by that, I ran to the word of God in the gospel then.

Another opportunity I had was with a lady who was a little older than me, she grew up with a Catholic background, had same sex attractions, and she knew I was a Christian. She and I had numerous conversations as we both normally worked the Friday lunch shift. In each of these conversations, I was able to point to the word of God in giving answers, as she continued to struggle with what it meant to follow Christ.

The last example that I will share is a random opportunity a roommate and I got one night as we were at the table both doing homework. We had a knock on the door and open and answer, someone had gotten lost and their phone battery had died. While he was trying to charge his phone, my roommate began asking questions about him and began asking what he did and what he believed. Well, opportunity came and we again ran to the gospel, sharing God’s word.

You see these are the opportunities the LORD puts before us, it is our job to scatter his word in these situations. We aren’t called to examine the soil, asking is the person ready to receive the word or not? No, we are to scatter the word as we go along the way. In so doing, we are faithful as sowers of the word. It is one thing for us to sit and say the word is true and powerful, it is another for us to act upon that truth by sowing hearts with it, entrusting the word to powerfully work within the hearts of others.

The soils

Now, let’s shift gears and look at the different soils the word falls into. We have the word that falls onto the path, the word that falls into rocky soil, the word that falls among thorns, and finally the word that falls into good soil. Let’s look at each of these soils and how the word interacts in the midst of this kind of soil.

Along the path

The first seed falls along the path. We see in verse 15 that the word falls on these, and immediately that this word is snatched away by Satan himself. The seed that falls along the path takes no root, it doesn’t even penetrate the heart of the one who heard the word. For this is what is meant by saying that Satan comes and takes it away.

As the word is taken and scattered along the way, it will come to those who do not receive the word at all. On this point, Charles Spurgeon says, “The sower could not help that. It was not his fault but the fault of the hard path and of the birds. So when the word of God is denied entrance into people’s hearts, the witness will not be blamed by his or her Master; the fault lies between the hard heart that will not let the seed enter in and Satan who came and took it away.”

Seed that falls along the way and that is lost will happen. There will be those who resist the gospel and whose hearts remain hardened to it. These are those who will openly reject the gospel outright, showing no interest. For some, this is temporary and their hearts later soften, such as Paul. For others, their heart remains hardened, like Pharaohs, like the scribes and Pharisees. Regardless, those who reject the word should not stop us from scattering the word along the way. For our job is not to win them to Christ. Our job is to be faithful in scattering the seed of the word, entrusting the power of the word to work.

On Rocky Ground

Next, there is the seed that falls on the rocky ground there in verses 5-6 and 16-17. The seed that falls here receives it with joy, but the word takes no real root in the heart of the one who receives it. And as tribulation or persecution arises, they fall away. This proves that the word never took hold of them. For we know from 1 John 2:19 it says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” Those who fall away prove to never have the word take hold in their heart. They prove to have never been in Christ. For those who are in Christ do not fall away, for Christ holds them fast to him.

Those who receive the word with joy are those that are eager to place their faith in the gospel until things get difficult and hard because of that gospel. These are those that the moment they are not the majority will begin to fall away. These are those that when mocking, suffering, persecution come, they fall away. These are the ones who do not endure in their faith until the end, because they come to faith expecting the road to be pretty easy.

Why do we think as the tide turns around us, from Christianity being the norm to against the norm, that there seems to be a mass exodus from the church? It is not because the word has failed to work. It is not that we have a different generation at hand. The reason so many are flocking away from the church is that so many were nominal Christians in which while Christianity was the norm of society, they held to it. However, now that it is not, they are falling away because they don’t see the necessity of the faith, especially when things become more difficult.

The path of discipleship is never one that is promised to be easy. The path of discipleship is a path in which we are called to take up a cross and follow Jesus. And yet, this path of discipleship is glorious as our eyes are set on the King of glory in all his beauty as he has won the kingdom for us by granting us to join him in paradise and to be co heirs with him. This path while not easy, is worth enduring to stand with the Son in all his glory and worship the Father forever and ever.

Seed among thorns

Next, there is the seed that is sown among the thorns. This is the word that is heard, received at first. But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches begin to choke it out, proving unfruitful in the end.

These are those that start off like that seed of the word that falls along the rocky soil. They seem to receive the word at first. But then the distractions and lure of the world and deception that riches and desires for other things begin to choke this word out. These are those who abandon faith for money, fame, power. These are those who fear man more than God in wanting the world’s approval more than God’s. These are those who fall prey to even that of cults that lead them astray. And what started out hopeful is choked out by these desires and deceptions as they hear scripture twisted and turned and manipulated. These are those who turn to other idols instead of worshipping the LORD God alone.

When sports, riches, power, desire, or anything else drives us more than a love for God, this becomes an idol. And in seeking and chasing after these idols, the word begins to be choked out in our lives. For we begin to find our rest, comfort, and contentment in these idols rather than the Lord our God. Brothers and sisters, let us beware of these idols, let them be put to death in us. Or they will soon choke the word from our own hearts.

Seed in good soil

The final seed of the word to fall is that which falls into good soil, and the one who hears the word accepts it and bears fruit. Here different measures of fruit bearing are given in the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold. The point here though while different measures of faith are had, there is faith that is evident in them, as they have accepted the word of God as true. They have believed it, they have believed in Christ as their only hope in life and death. This is the good soil that the word comes and falls in and has its full effect.

For every hard heart that fails to receive the word, for every heart that is rocky soil, for every heart that is choked out by the lusts and pleasures of the world, there is a heart that receives the word of the gospel and is transformed. Therefore, let us not grow weary of sowing the word in the midst of seeing it rejected. Let us not grow weary of those that have fallen away and see our efforts to further spread the word to be in vain. Let us remember, our goal, our duty is to be faithful. And we are faithful not in how many receive the word, but in sowing the word along the way as we go through our daily lives.

And just like sowing seed, we must be patient in this work. It is not going to happen over night. As I shared in the introduction this morning about recently sowing grass seed. It’s been 5 days since we sowed the seed, but nothing yet. I must wait patiently to see that grass appear. And so must we be patient as we continue sowing the seed of the word around us.

Point #3: The lamp

We come now to the 2nd parable this morning, the parable of the lamp found in verses 21-25. The question is asked here regarding where we put a lamp. Verse 21 says, “And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not a stand?” This is intended to be a rhetorical type question. A question that feels silly to answer, because the answer is so obvious. Of course we don’t put a lamp under a bed or a basket. Of course Jesus, the lamp goes on a stand to be seen. And the following words of Jesus show this, “For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus has come to not keep things secret regarding the Father’s kingdom, but to reveal them. And yet, even as the parable of the sower goes, only some will hear and see the truth of the kingdom clearly. Those who have ears to hear will understand that Jesus is revealing the kingdom of God in these parables. This is why Jesus says there in verse 24 pay attention to what you hear. He then adds that with the level we pay attention is the level that it will be measured out to us. In other words, if we fail to pay attention to the teachings of Jesus, we will fail to hear the truth of the kingdom of God. Jesus is the one who has come to reveal the kingdom to us, but we are measured by the soil of our hearts in how we respond to the message.

Friend, if you sit here this morning and hear the truth of the gospel, but fail to respond, this is the measure in which you will be measured. You will fail to hear the good news of the gospel in Jesus and remain an outsider, one guilty of your sin. Likewise will those who hear and respond to the gospel, but in the end who fall away either by the cares of the world choking the word out or by persecution and tribulation causing them to fall away. You too remain apart from God, separated from your sin. And yet, Jesus has come here to reveal to you the good news of the kingdom that it is he who is bringing the kingdom of God about. That it is he who reveals the mystery of salvation in that salvation comes through him. Jesus is the friend of sinners who has come to invite you to hear that salvation comes through him. Will you turn from your sin and believe in Jesus today? Pay attention, hear this glorious good news and believe it! Don’t walk out of here rejecting Jesus once more.

And Christian, let us continue to hear the words of Jesus and hang onto them. For it is by this too we will be measured. As we read in verse 25, “For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Let us pay close attention to the words of Jesus as we sit under his teachings as we sit under the preached word each week, in the Bible Studies we are a part of, in our own individual quiet times, as well as in family worship. Let us pay attention to the beloved Son who has come to reveal the mystery of salvation, the story of redemption in which Christ has come to rescue us from sin and death!

Point #4: The Kingdom

And that brings us to our final point this morning, the Kingdom. In verses 26-34 we see two parables, but both regarding the kingdom of God and its growth. We see the first example of the kingdom of God is being described as the growth of seeds and the second, is a mustard seed is being used. Starting with the seed growing there in verses 26-29, we see that the Kingdom here is slow growing, and that it comes in parts. Verse 28 shows how the seed grows to a blade, then an ear, then the full grain. And this is also true of God’s kingdom. It comes in stages. For in Jesus being on the earth, prior to his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus was bringing about the kingdom of God as he was revealing it, the blade you might say. Then, following his death and resurrection, Jesus has brought about the kingdom of God in being seated on the throne with the earth as his footstool. Jesus has the victory and brought victory to all who have placed their faith in him. This would be the ear you could say. And then, when Christ returns, when the full grain in the ear appears, the fullness of the Kingdom comes. And at this time, when the grain is ripe and ready to be gathered, Jesus will come and judge between those who are his and those who have failed to receive God’s word in him. There will be a separation on that day. The harvest will be gathered and the rest will be cast into the fire of judgement and hell.

Likewise, as the kingdom of God comes in part, it starts small. This is what is being communicated in the mustard seed. When the kingdom of God is sown, it is the smallest of seeds, yet as it grows, it becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches for nests and provision from the scorching sun.

The kingdom of God grows slowly. It doesn’t come overnight, but gradually. And because the kingdom of God is told that it will come slowly, why often are we so impatient in the process Christian? We must rest assured that God will be faithful to his promises in the growth of the Kingdom. This is both true for us in our individual discipleship, as well as the kingdom at large.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not grow impatient if our individual discipleship is slow growing. If you are not where you want to be in your faith, take heart Christian! Our discipleship is not measured as we would measure things. Our faithfulness in our individual discipleship is measured by us clinging to the promises we have in Jesus, nothing else. The Lord sanctifies those that belong to him, that is makes them more like Jesus. But this is often slow, it is messy. For the Lord works in us, exposing sins we were not aware of. He breaks us of hate in our heart which we did not know was there. All of this though is signs that the kingdom is growing in our hearts, as the word continues to work in us.

Here is what my ministry mentor in the NAMB cohort, Brian Croft said this past week, “Just because the word of God is powerful doesn’t mean it acts quickly. Jesus beautifully reminds us in the parable of the sower in Mark 4 how the kingdom is built through the slow and faithful sowing of the word. Pastors, be patient. Faithfully sow.” In other words, this is a good reminder and application for me as pastor. God’s work indeed is powerful, but it is a reminder to be patient myself as that word works.

Likewise, we must take heart that the kingdom of God in whole is advancing. New embassies of the king are daily being planted across the globe, where God’s rule is being advanced by the church as the word is taken and sown. God’s kingdom will continue to advance until the time of the harvest, and then it will be gathered in. Where all those who belong to the kingdom in Jesus will be before our heavenly Father for all eternity. And we know from Matthew 16 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church as it carries out her mission of making disciples. Christian, may we rest assured of this, it is coming, it's going to happen. Let us hope in this truth.

Conclusion

Jesus spoke in these parables to the crowds and would privately explain them to his own disciples. In these parables, Jesus revealed with oral stories what the kingdom of God was going to look like. And while he always used parables in his teachings, we know that Jesus had very clear discourses of teaching as we have already seen in Mark and will continue to see. And we can know this from the parables, the kingdom of God advances as the word is taken and scattered abroad. And as the word is scattered, it will have different effects based on the soil of people’s hearts. Some will reject it, but others will come to faith as the word takes hold of their heart.

Therefore, let us continue to proclaim Jesus and advance the kingdom of God little by little. And as we do so, let us rest that God is at work in the midst of it all. For just like I need to be patient and wait for that grass seed to come up, so do we as we sow the seed of God’s word. Likewise, let us pay close attention to our own hearts in guarding them along the way. Ensuring they are properly nurtured and cared for, trimming the thorns, removing the rocks so the word is not choked out.

Let’s pray.