Be Careful How You Listen: The Parable of the Soils
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· 64 viewsHow you respond to God's Word will determine whether or not you are a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
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Introduction:
Why does God’s Word affect people in different ways? Why is it on any given Sunday, you will have different responses to what is being heard and said?
Some people will be attentive. Some people will be tired (it’s too early in the morning). Some people will be confused (the preacher’s fault). Some people will be on their phones scrolling through social media. Other people will be in and out of the bathroom. Some people will be sleeping. Some people will dealing with a crying baby or a crying toddler (probably my son). Some people will be convicted. Some people will be bored. Some people will be moved and changed. Some people will show up at the closing prayer. Some people will not even show up at all. You have to stand up here and look at your faces to experience and know what I am talk about.
But not only on a Sunday, but even as we reflect on our own lives following Christ throughout the years?
Can you think about some people who were enthusiastic about Jesus, even shared with you the gospel of Jesus, served Jesus, who are no longer walking with Jesus?
I can give you a list of names of people I looked up to and people who were even influential in my own Christian life who are sadly no longer walking with the Lord. Sometimes I run into these people and it is so awkward because I’m now pastor of CFBC!
Why is it that people respond differently to God’s Word?
The parable of the sower or I like parable of the soils because the focus is really on the receptivity of the soils and not the sower or the seed. This parable answers that question for us. We will see how one responds to God’s Word will determine whether or not you are a true follower of Christ. That is why you and I need to:
Be Careful on How We Listen To the Word of God.
And we will look at four different responses, and only one response is how a Christian responds.
I. Parable Illustrated (vv. 1-9)
Same Sun melts the wax, hardens the clay.
II. Parable Explained (vv. 10-13)
III. Parable Applied (vv. 14-20)
Scripture:
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. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 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. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 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.’ ”
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. 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. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 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. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 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. 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.”
I. Parable Illustrated (vv. 1-9)
cross reference.
II. Parable Explained (vv. 10-13)
III. Parable Applied (vv. 14-20)
I. Parable Illustrated (vv. 1-9)
I. Parable Illustrated (vv. 1-9)
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. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:
Notice the setting. Jesus has to go on a small boat that functions as his pulpit because the crowds are increasing. He is in one sense forced to preach on the sea. It is not a large boat, but a small rowboat.
The crowds were on the land. And the beach or land would have functioned like an amphitheater which would allow the crowds to hear what Jesus was saying. Commentators tell us:
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
Exactly where Jesus taught cannot be said for sure, but a possible location is a natural amphitheater situated halfway between Capernaum and Tabgha to the south where the land slopes gently down to a lovely bay. Israeli scientists have verified that the “Bay of Parables” can transmit a human voice effortlessly to several thousand people on shore.
And again, notice the importance of Jesus’ teaching ministry. Jesus was a teacher. The crowds were listeners and the disciples were his students. But as we will see, the disciples were the devoted followers of Jesus while the crowds were only seeking Him to get something. Jesus was a master teacher and he was teaching them many things in parables.
What is a parable?
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The word “parable” means something that is placed alongside something else for the purpose of clarification
The term parabole (parable) comes from two Greek words—para, meaning alongside of, and ballo, meaning to place or lay. The idea is that of making a comparison by placing something alongside something else for the sake of illustration or explanation. MacArthur
Parable was a extended word picture from everyday life that illustrated a spiritual truth, especially about the kingdom.
In his book on Parables, John MacArthur defines parables as:
“A parable is an illustrative figure of speech made for comparison's sake—and specifically for the purpose of teaching a spiritual lesson” pg. xxvi
“A parable is an ingeniously simple word picture illuminating a profound spiritual lesson” xxvi
Parables are not allegories. In other words, we don’t read too much into it and try to spiritualize every single detail. The good Samaritan is Jesus. The robbers are Satan and demons. The Oil and Wine are faith and love.
Parables is an everyday truth that illustrates a spiritual lesson about the kingdom.
Why did Jesus teach in Parables?
You remember that Jesus was just accused of being associated with Satan by the religious leaders. And now Jesus begin teaching in parables because the pharisees deliberately reject the truth and the increasing crowds are coming to get something, not really listen to Him.
Parables were meant to reveal truth to those on the inside, while conceal truth to those on the outside as we will see later.
“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
Listen! Behold! In other words, pay attention! Consider what I say! The word listen is a command from the word akou where we get the word acoustics from.
Mark
The same idea is used in . Hearing/Listening was not some passive thing. Hearing meant obeying. So listening required careful thought that would affect how you lived.
The word listen and hear is used over 10x in the parable.
And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
There is a way to hear and not hear. And there is a way to hear and really hear. What do you mean Pastor Alex?
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
I just recently traveled to Baltimore by plane. And before the plane takes off, the stewardess gives safety instructions on how to put on your seat belt, how to use an oxygen mask, where the emergency exits are, how to inflate your life vests. And how many people do you think are actually hearing what she is saying? As you look around people are reading books, or on their ipads or phones, or they are beginning to sleep, or talk to their friends.
Although they are hearing what is being said, they are not really hearing what is being said.
And there is another type of hearing. It is the type of hearing when you are in a ER room and the doctor is telling you the medical procedures that need to be done to get you healthy again. Or it is the type of hearing where the information you receive can be life changing when you are waiting for test results to see whether or not you have a serious disease. That hearing is active and life-altering hearing.
The first type of hearing is passive and doesn’t affect anyone while the second type of hearing is active and life altering. Jesus is talking about hearing in the second sense.
How many of you hear the Word of God like a passive passenger in a plane? Or how many of you hear the Word of God like an active hospital patient hoping for good news?
A sower went out to sow! Everyone in the crowd would have understood Jesus’ teaching. It was a everyday illustration. It was an agricultural society. Commentators tell us:
“Fields in first-century Israel were long, narrow strips marked off and surrounded by footpaths, not fences or hedges. The sower used a broadcasting method, taking one handful of seed at a time out of a seed-bag at his side and flinging the seed over a wide swath.” MacArthur, 18
And the sower sows among the field and the seed falls among different soils.
The Hard Soil (v. 5)
And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
The path would have been where all the foot traffic was. And the birds came and devoured it.
I was at Newport beach with my kids for our family day and we were sitting outside. The kids loved it because the birds were there. The Pigeons there were waiting to eat every single crumb that fell off our table. They are bold. The kids love it because they come to close.
And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 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.
This seed never makes it to the soil either through foot traffic where everyone is walking or because the birds snatch it up as soon as the seed falls on the ground.
The Shallow Soil (vv. 5-6)
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. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
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.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 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.
It is not that this soil has a bunch of rocks. The seed on the rocky ground is the seed that never germinates because there is limestone bedrock underneath the visible soil. The rock is invisible to the visible eye. The soil seems fine, but if you look deeper, there is a bedrock that prevents the soil from ever maturing.
“A layer of limestone rockbed a foot beneath the surface would be hard to detect, but such a shallow layer of soil would not be deep enough or stay moist enough to sustain crops—especially in a dry climate.” 18 Macarthur
Mark
The Choked Soil (v. 7)
And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
Mark
Word Pictures in the New Testament Mark 4:7
Choked (συνεπνιξαν [sunepnixan]). Πνιγω [Pnigō] means to strangle, throttle.
The thorns grow along with the seed and end up hindering the growth of the good seed.
The Good Soil (v. 8)
And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
The good soil actually falls on good soil. And it produces a large return. This is the parable illustrated.
And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Jesus repeated this saying again to mean that there is a way to listen and not really listen. There is a way to hear, and be changed by what you hear. So listen up! Some of the people of the crowds would be perplexed by the sayings of Jesus and no longer follow Him.
Just give me my bread Jesus! Just give me my healing Jesus! Just give me my immediate need Jesus! Hurry up with the teaching and start doing stuff!
Christian—Do you pass by the teaching in a hurried state? You so focused on material needs that you neglect to hear? And you never mature?
Recommend: Before Your Open Your Bible and Expository Listening.
Listening is a skill.
Transition: We looked at the parable illustrated, and now Jesus explains the parable privately to his disciples...
II. Parable Explained (vv. 10-13)
II. Parable Explained (vv. 10-13)
And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
Mark
Jesus would often retreat privately with his disciples. And the twelve asked him about the parables. The twelve were the insiders.
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,
The word secret is actually the word mystery. Mystery in the Biblical sense does not mean hidden knowledge only disclosed to the elites. Or some type of esoteric knowledge that only initiated knew of. It wasn’t some type of secret knowledge.
When the Bible speaks of mystery, is speaks of something that was once hidden but now fully disclosed. In other words, the OT was concealed in types, symbols, and prophecies foreshadowing something that was to come.
In this case, the kingdom of God. The rule of God over his people over his land. And the people where perplexed of when that reign would take place because the people were oppressed and the rule of God it seemed as if it was being trampled by the Gentiles.
But the King was in their very midst. What was foreshadowed in the OT was now revealed in the NT and specifically the person of Christ. He was the fulfillment of the types and symbols. And he would initiated God’s kingdom program and reign over the earth. But before that, He would have to redeem his people from their sin by dying on the cross for their sin as a sacrificial lamb and offering in place of his people. And by rising again from the dead, give new life and forgiveness for those who repent and believe in Him.
The mystery was now revealed in Jesus Christ. The King had come. The Future was breaking into the present with his healings and miracles! And the mystery is that He would have to die for man’s sins before being exalted.
He proclaimed the message of the kingdom.
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
But not all who heard him received Him. This is why Jesus quotes from .
so that
“ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
so that
“ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
In Isaiah’s time, Israel was willfully rebellious. They closed their eyes and ears to the warnings of the prophets. And God commissions Isaiah to preach to a disobedient people.
And all throughout Isaiah we see the Servant of Yahweh who would restore the fortunes of Israel. After God would judge and discipline his people, he would bring comfort and restoration through the Servant of Yahweh. Jesus was the servant of Yahweh.
But just like in Isaiah’s time, people in Jesus time would reject Him. And just like in our time, people still reject Christ.
God’s intention was to show mercy and forgive.
Turn and Forgive
And those who received the mysteries of the kingdom received it as a gift. If you understand Scriptures and believe in Jesus, it was not because you were smarter than others. God opened your mind and heart as a gift. You have received forgiveness as a gift. You see who Jesus is and how infinitely valuable. Your eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit.
Friend, if you believe in Jesus, who He truly is and understand what He came to do for you, you too can receive forgiveness and be part of His family if you repent and believe.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
To you has been given....We have been given the secret and knowledge of who Jesus is.
But those on the outside were perplexed with Jesus teaching. Some would no longer follow Him
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
But as we see, even those on the inside don’t truly get it. Jesus said if you don’t understand this foundational parable, how will you understand the other parables I tell you?
Jesus is not only so gracious in giving the secret of the kingdom, but he is so patient with us. He was patient with the disciples.
Pastor, people don’t get it. People will get it, but not get it fully. We must learn to be gracious and patient.
The puritans used to say, the “sun that melts the wax, hardens the clay.” There is no issue with the sun, but the sun will produce different effects on different objects.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The center of the sandwich in vv. 10–13 is the key to understanding the whole, that only in fellowship with Jesus do parables disclose the meaning of the kingdom of God.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The parable represents the historical inbreaking of God’s kingdom in Jesus, the sower of the gospel. The astounding harvest in v. 8 is an important clue that the growth is not owing to human activity but to God’s providential power. God is at work—hidden and unobserved—in Jesus and the gospel to produce a yield wholly disproportionate to human prospects and merit.
Transition: Jesus illustrated the parable, explained the parable privately to his disciples, and continues to explain how the parable is applied to different types of listeners...
III. Parable Applied (vv. 14-20)
III. Parable Applied (vv. 14-20)
It is interesting that the parable is not necessarily focused on the sower or the seed, but on the receptivity of the soils. And these four different soils represents for different types of hearers. And only one hearer is a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
The sower is anyone who disseminates God’s Word. Christ obviously is the ultimate sower:
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
A. The Unresponsive Heart/ The Hard Heart
The sower sows the word. 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.
The hard heart is the unresponsive heart. Just like Israel of old, so were the people in Jesus time and the people of our time. The hear what Jesus is saying, but it doesn’t penetrate because Satan uses lies and deception to blind their eyes.
Christians are hypocrites. They are bigots. Science has disproven God. All religions are the same. God loves all people and accepts us just as we are. God won’t judge anyone. Christianity has oppressed and abused people, I just worship God privately.
“There are many who hear God’s Word, but through doubts, negligence, or a thousand other means produced by Satan do not let God’s Word become active in their lives” Homer Kent 54
These who are people who hear the Word and reject it. These are people who don’t care what is being said. It might be some of you in this room this morning.
How can God not allow two people of the same-sex not love one another? Why are Christians so against women’s reproductive
B. The Superficial/Shallow/Emotional Heart
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 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.
There can be an emotional response to Jesus that blooms in the morning and easily fades as the day progresses. These are the fickle hearers. These are the shallow hearers. The superficial ones.
They look like Christians because they get enthusiastic about Jesus, but as soon as difficulty and trials come, they run away from God.
Pastor, I want to be baptized in obedience to Jesus or I want to join the church. You know what, I talked to my parents about it, and I can’t pastor because they would are mad at me.
Or man, how can I apply to this Ph D program when no one in the program believes in supernatural miracles.
Or you may be asked to do something unethical at your workplace, and it could cost you your job because of Biblical convictions.
Or your friends say you are really taking this Jesus thing too seriously! You need to tone it down!
Anyone who holds to that bigoted view of traditional marriage or that oppressive view of women where they are not in control of their reproductive choices will have any business or be expelled from a job.
When external pressures come and persecutions come, they fall away. Emotion alone cannot sustain hardship and difficulty. because Following Jesus is not easy!
Following Jesus is not easy!
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (4:13–20)
σκανδαλίζω, which will occur prominently in 9:42–47, is often translated as ‘cause to sin’, but is in fact used more generally for anything which ‘catches people out’ or ‘trips’ them so as to render their discipleship ineffective. Here the focus is not on sin but on apostasy under pressure.
Excitement for Jesus does not mean faith in Jesus
You can be emotionally stirred by Jesus. You can be excited for Jesus. But when difficulties come, do you still hold fast to Jesus?
Christian—Choose to remain steadfast under trial and persevere. Trust God in difficulty. Run to God in difficulty, not run away or fall way from it.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Acts
C. The Divided/Distracted Heart
And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 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.
I think this is the most dangerous of all because it is so settle. No one knows from the outside that it is happening, but within the heart the heart is being choked by worldliness. The word never takes effect because the things of the world choke out the Word.
Worldliness is just loving the things of the world more than God.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Four
The cares of this world. “Cares” is merimna (μεριμνα), which is derived from a root which means “to be drawn in different directions,” thus, “to be distracted.” The word means “care,” in the sense of “anxiety.” The word is closely akin to a Greek word for “worry.”
Word Pictures in the New Testament Mark 4:7
Choked (συνεπνιξαν [sunepnixan]). Πνιγω [Pnigō] means to strangle, throttle.
Worries and Desires for the World
Cares of the World
It is the simple pleasures of the world, which are not sinful in themselves. I can’t go to church on Sunday because Game 2 of Golden State vs. Raptors is this Sunday. I got to prepare for the people coming over. And you know what, Father’s Day, and the only time to shop is on the weekends with the sales. Dad loves going out to the Lake for the Weekend. Can’t make midweek fellowships because my favorite television show is at 7 at netflix. Or for others, it is I work five or six days a week, and I have to get up at 6am. Sunday’s are the only days I can really sleep in and get the yard work done and do chores. Sundays is the only day I can catch up with homework.
Life is more of a priority than Jesus. Bills are more important than Bible reading. Recreation is more important than church. Physical exercise is more important than spiritual exercise.
It is not necessarily the direct assaults of denying Christ that kills a soul, it is the netflixs of the world, the disnelyands, it is the playstation, it is new girlfriend or boyfriend, it is the need to keep the business running, the next paper or the next exam to study for, just living for the immediate and the present. All the stuff of life that keeps us from the God of life. All the gifts of God that keeps us from seeing the Giver.
Pilgrim’s Progess called the city Vanity Fair.
It is the worries and pleasure of this world that keep us from beholding Christ.
I watch netflix. I had a girlfriend who is my wife. I have to work. I have to pay bills. I have to exercise. This is ok and nomral. But when all these other things begin to crowd your soul and it begins to be more of a priority than Christ, worldliness has secretly crept in and is slowing killing the Word so that you never really bear fruit. The character of Christ is not formed in you because you are constantly running to be something in this life.
Parable of the Wedding Banquet.
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
Luke
Translation: I just bought a house and I need to inspect it and remodel. Don’t have time to go to church. I just bought some new equipment for my business and the only free time I have is on weekends to try out. I just got married and we need time to for ourselves, so we are going to travel for a year and backpack throughout Europe.
Nothing wrong with buying a house. Nothing wrong with buying equipment. Nothing wrong with traveling.
[16] But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. [17] And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ [18] But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ [19] And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ [20] And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ [21] So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ [22] And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ [23] And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. [24] For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (ESV)
But when your only focus is the things of the the world and not things of the next, worldliness is creeping in and you begin to look like the world and really make not difference for Jesus in this life because you are being choked by just stuff and life.
Deceitfulness of Riches
But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
“No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.
Rich Young Man is Biblical Illustration of it.
He was so close to Jesus, but couldn’t give up his possessions to follow Jesus.
Christian—Be on guard against worldliness. Be careful that the good things of this world do not become the gods of your heart. It is so settle. It does not appear that anything is wrong. But what is happening on the inside is that God’s Word is being choked by the simple cares of this world and the desires for riches.
Be Content—Learn to be content with what you have.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Be Generous—Learn to kill the greed of your heart by giving to gospel work. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
Be Grounded in the Church—Be committed to the local church to reorient your mind. All of us fall into the trap and thats why we are here. To remind us we are not just living for now, but for eternity
The choked seed is the almost Christian. You don’t want to be a almost Christian because an almost Christian is not a Christian.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark The Parable of the Sower (3–9)
There has thus been a progression in the three failed seeds, which is probably intended to be noticed in drawing out the symbolism: the first never started, the second started but died, the third survived but could not produce grain. But in the end none is of any value to the farmer, since he is looking for grain, not mere survival.
Pray
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (4:13–20)
σκανδαλίζω, which will occur prominently in 9:42–47, is often translated as ‘cause to sin’, but is in fact used more generally for anything which ‘catches people out’ or ‘trips’ them so as to render their discipleship ineffective. Here the focus is not on sin but on apostasy under pressure.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark The Parable of the Sower (3–9)
There has thus been a progression in the three failed seeds, which is probably intended to be noticed in drawing out the symbolism: the first never started, the second started but died, the third survived but could not produce grain. But in the end none is of any value to the farmer, since he is looking for grain, not mere survival.
D. The Receptive/Responsive/Obedient Heart
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.”
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (4:13–20)
σκανδαλίζω, which will occur prominently in 9:42–47, is often translated as ‘cause to sin’, but is in fact used more generally for anything which ‘catches people out’ or ‘trips’ them so as to render their discipleship ineffective. Here the focus is not on sin but on apostasy under pressure.
The good soil represents the responsive heart. The good soil is the fruit bearing soil. The good soil is the saved Christian.
It is a dangerous thing to be exposed to divine truth and not do anything about it.
And what makes it good soil is its receptivity of the seed. They hear the word, think about it, understand it, and accept it, or obey it, and they bear fruit.
It is a dangerous thing to be exposed to divine truth and not do anything about it.
I took 2 years in Spanish in college. I would have cds I would listen to. I would have books to read. When I was in class, the professor only spoke in Spanish. I was actually beginning to understand songs and television.
“Soils differ in ther receptivity to the sown seed. The sower is the same, the seed is the same, but the quality of the soil is different.” Jerry Vines.
But after I graduated college, I no longer remembered it. Why? If you don’t use it, you what lose it.
If you were to ask me to speak to someone in spanish, I would butcher it.
“The sower is, of course, Christ and anyone else who puts forth God’s Word, whether in preaching or in personal exchange. The soil represents the varying condition of human hearts on which the seed is tossed.” Hughes 104
It is true of the Word of God. If you hear it and it doesn’t affect you and change you, then you become hardened to the truth. You become inoculated from divine truth.
“Those who receive truth and act upon it recieve more. Those who reject truth will ultimately lose the bit they have.” Hughes 104
The difference between those inside and outside is how one hears the Word.
A true follower hears God’s Word, receives God’s Word, obey God’s Word, perseveres in God’s Word, and is satisfied in God’s Word.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
John 15:
for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The term parabole (parable) comes from two Greek words—para, meaning alongside of, and ballo, meaning to place or lay. The idea is that of making a comparison by placing something alongside something else for the sake of illustration or explanation. MacArthur
1. Christian, do not be discouraged in your evangelism.
Hear is used at least 10x
“All believers are called to be witnesses to the gospel of Christ (cf. ). They are not to tamper with the seed, nor can they cultivate the soil. Rather, they are to faithfully cast the gospel message. As they do, they can expect the responses they receive to fall into one of these categories. Some will reject outright, due to hard-heartedness. Others will demonstrate a superficial interest, only to fall away when hardship comes. Still others will profess a love for Christ while simultaneously nurturing a deadly affection for the world. Finally, there will be some who genuinely receive the gospel. They will humbly turn from their sins and wholeheartedly embrace the Lord Jesus as their Savior of King. The genuineness of their profession will be demonstrated by the abundant fruit of their transformed lives, as they walk in obedience and faith.” 206 MacArthur
“The task of the evangelist is simply this: to disseminate the seed through the faithful proclamation of the gospel. Having fulfilled that responsibility, believers can rest in the sovereignty of God, knowing that His Word will bear fruit in the hearts and lives of those who He has called.” pg. 207
You are a sower not a salesman. You are a farmer, not a manipulator. Our task is to be faithful to share the gospel. We are not in control of what soil the gospel lands on.
2. Success Belongs to God
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark The Parable of the Sower (3–9)
There has thus been a progression in the three failed seeds, which is probably intended to be noticed in drawing out the symbolism: the first never started, the second started but died, the third survived but could not produce grain. But in the end none is of any value to the farmer, since he is looking for grain, not mere survival.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (4:13–20)
σκανδαλίζω, which will occur prominently in 9:42–47, is often translated as ‘cause to sin’, but is in fact used more generally for anything which ‘catches people out’ or ‘trips’ them so as to render their discipleship ineffective. Here the focus is not on sin but on apostasy under pressure.
As we are faithful in sowing the Word, let us trust that success belongs to God alone.
Receptivity will lead to productivity.
Faithful discipleship with bee fruitful discipleship.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The center of the sandwich in vv. 10–13 is the key to understanding the whole, that only in fellowship with Jesus do parables disclose the meaning of the kingdom of God.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
Exactly where Jesus taught cannot be said for sure, but a possible location is a natural amphitheater situated halfway between Capernaum and Tabgha to the south where the land slopes gently down to a lovely bay. Israeli scientists have verified that the “Bay of Parables” can transmit a human voice effortlessly to several thousand people on shore.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The word “parable” means something that is placed alongside something else for the purpose of clarification
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The parable of the sower begins and ends with the summons to “hear” (NIV, “listen!”; vv. 3, 9), which occurs fully ten times in Mark 4. “Listen!” (v. 3) is in the imperative mood, which underscores its urgency and importance. Similar to Israel’s foundational confession, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut 6:4), hearing is the only possible way of understanding Jesus’ parables (so Rom 10:17). Hearing, or better heeding, requires engagement and receptivity to what is said.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The parable represents the historical inbreaking of God’s kingdom in Jesus, the sower of the gospel. The astounding harvest in v. 8 is an important clue that the growth is not owing to human activity but to God’s providential power. God is at work—hidden and unobserved—in Jesus and the gospel to produce a yield wholly disproportionate to human prospects and merit.
3. Trust in the Power of the Gospel
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
Insiders are those for whom the fellowship and will of Jesus take precedence over everything else (so 3:14–15, 34–35). They “hear, believe, and bear fruit” (4:20), which is Mark’s definition of faith. They can hear only by being with Jesus, and to them the mystery is revealed.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The paramount purpose in the interpretation of vv. 14–20 is the stress on hearing. Discipleship hangs on this term, for everything depends on receptivity. Disciples—insiders—are those who have received the mystery of the kingdom (v. 11) and who hear what Jesus says.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The parable of the sower is like the cloud that separated the fleeing Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians, bringing “darkness to the one side and light to the other” (Exod 14:20). That which was blindness to Egypt was revelation to Israel. The same event was either a vehicle of light or of darkness, depending on one’s stance with God.
The Gospel will work when it falls on good soil. It is a powerful seed. It is a life-giving seed. And it will produce fruit on those who He has called.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:
4. The Necessity of Persevering in the Word
Mark: An Introduction and Commentary i. The Parable of the Sower, and the Reason for the Use of Parables (4:1–25)
The whole of the Christian life is one of continual and progressive response to fresh spiritual revelation. This illustrates how appropriate it is that the parable of the sower should stand as the introduction to a long teaching passage, itself largely consisting of parables.
It is such a priviledge to be given the mystery of the kingdom and hear God’s Word.
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Four
The cares of this world. “Cares” is merimna (μεριμνα), which is derived from a root which means “to be drawn in different directions,” thus, “to be distracted.” The word means “care,” in the sense of “anxiety.” The word is closely akin to a Greek word for “worry.”
Word Pictures in the New Testament Mark 4:7
Choked (συνεπνιξαν [sunepnixan]). Πνιγω [Pnigō] means to strangle, throttle.
Hear/Listen is important.
Lies that the evil ones sows. Christians are hypocrites. Christians oppress people. Christians are outdated.
Dividied Heart
Riches and Worries
Receptive Heart
Abides in God’s Word. Understands. Perserveres.
Only Holy Spirit can illumine us and make us receive God’s Word.
The greatest teacher of all even experienced rejection.
The New Bible Commentary 4:1–34 Parables of the Kingdom of God
Isaiah was describing a hard-hearted people who had turned their back on God and stubbornly refused to listen to him. This is what many of Jesus’ hearers are like, even today.
A Fruitless life is a unconverted life. A fruitful life is a converted life.
Illustrated Spanish
Like at Newport beach where there was a bunch of pigeons trying to eat the crumbs.
“A layer of limestone rockbed a foot beneath the surface would be hard to detect, but such a shallow layer of soil would not be deep enough or stay moist enough to sustain crops—especially in a dry climate.” 18 Macarthur
Fertile Soil. Prepared Soil.
“So a hundredfold signified extraodinary blessing from God” MacArthur
Hundredfold is a huge return
No problem with the sower of seed.
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
“For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
“Perseverance with fruit is the necessary sign of genuine, saving trust in Christ. This is one of the key lessons of the whole parable: the mark of authentic faith is endurance.” pg. 36
“Perseverance with fruit is the necessary sign of genuine, saving trust in Christ. This is one of the key lessons of the whole parable: the mark of authentic faith is endurance.” pg. 36
“A parable is an illustrative figure of speech made for comparson’s sake—and specifically for the purpose of teaching a spiritual lesson” pg. xxvi
“A parable is an ingeniously simple word picture illuminating a profound spiritual lesson” xxvi
Keep this book close to your heart. Hide this book in your heart. Live with this book. Love this book. Turn to this book. Die with this book close to your heart.
We know that the prepared soil is only prepared by God himself. God the Spirit has to prepare and cultivate a right frame of mind to understand these things. He has to remove the distractions, he has to remove the thorns, he has to do it so that we can truly receive the life-giving Word. Ask the Spirit to open your eyes to behold the beauty and glory of Christ?
Conclusion:
Which hearer are you?
Hard Heart? You just don’t care.
Superficial Heart? Excited for a moment, but fall away when difficulty comes?
Divided Heart? You want Jesus, but he is not that important to you because other things are a priority or because your real god is the pursuit of wealth?
Receptive Heart that peserveres?
And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
May the Lord grant us truly ears to hear, and hear so that we may know Him and bear good fruit and prove to be His disciples.
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.