The Word and The Responses: 4:1-20

Order of Service

Welcome and Prayer

Hymn 141

Hymn 489

Sermon

Hymn 447

Closing Prayer

Announcements

Introduction

As we have studied the book of Mark, you have likely noticed that there are various responses to Jesus. We see the Demons respond with fear, the crowds respond with amazement, the paralytic and his friends respond with faith, the disciples respond by following Him, and the religious authorities respond with hostility. Jesus, in our text, begins a series of parables that describe the Kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower, Jesus helps His disciples and us to see the various responses to Him, and what response He desires. As I have in weeks past, I will retell the story, explaining it along the way, and then apply the story your lives.

Retelling the Story

When we begin the story, we come across a Considerable Crowd: 1-2

Jesus has ministered by the sea before in the gospel of Mark. However, we begin a section spanning from here to the the middle of chapter 8 where Jesus ministers around the Sea of Galilee. Jesus will travel by boat back and forth across the sea, all the while doing ministry and teaching His disciples.

Jesus, we are told, began teaching. An exceptionally large crowd gathered around Him. They had heard how he taught with authority, cast out demons, confronted religious leaders, associated with and forgave sinners, and healed various ailments. The teacher amazed them. This crowd was so large that He got in a boat to teach them. Jesus used the natural amplification of the sea to be heard.

Jesus taught them in many parables, some of which we will see in the coming weeks. A parable is like a political cartoon. It requires interpretation; even when the interpretation is correct, the interpreter may or may not like or agree with the message. Jesus will explain parables in more depth later, but for now understand that they are stories that mean more than they at first appear.

Next, we are told what the considerable crowd heard, namely a Puzzling Parable: 3-9

Jesus demands His audience to LISTEN! Indeed, listening or hearing are a major point of this story.

Jesus’ parable contains one character, the sower. The sower, given his title, sows seed. The seed lands upon four different types of soil.

Some seed falls along the side of the road. It doesn’t grow. Instead birds come and devour it.

Another seed falls on rocky soil, with little room to take deep root. It springs up quickly. However, when the sun comes up, it is scorched, withers, and dies because it has no root.

Another seed falls among thorns. These thorns grow up and choke the seed, so it never matures or yields fruit.

Lastly, other seeds fall into good soil, unlike the three proceeding soils that’s seed was either, ate, withered, or chocked, the seeds in the good soil come up, grow, and produce crop. Some seeds that land on the good soil yield more crop than others, ranging from thirtyfold to sixtyfold to a hundredfold.

Jesus ends the parable with a command to listen. Those able to hear, having ears, should listen.

Following the considerable crowd and puzzling parable, we witness an Enlightened Explanation: 10-12

Suddenly, after the parable, the scene shifts. Jesus is no longer among the large crowd. He is with those around him and the twelve. Those around him are likely a larger group of followers beyond the disciples. They like the disciples are with Jesus. This group and the twelve ask Jesus about the parables.

Jesus answers their question by stating that that the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to those who are with Him, those who respond to Him in faith. However, the secret has not been given to those outside. In other words, the parables serve two functions to reveal and to conceal, to enlighten and to darken, and to soften and to harden. Those who come to Jesus receive revelation, those who reject Jesus receive confusion.

The purpose of parables, according to Jesus, is found within Isaiah 6:9-10. The original context of these verses is immediately after Isaiah beholds the glory of God, is comforted, commissioned to be God’s messenger, and accepts the call. God in Isaiah 6:9-10 tells the prophet the kind of response he will get from God’s people. The faithful prophet would minister to a faithless people who would only be further hardened by his ministry. Eventually they would come under judgement.

Isaiah proclaimed the reign of God in Israel and called them to return to Him. Similarly, Jesus, as the bringer of God’s Kingdom, called the people to repent and enter in through Him. Yet, some by God’s design would only be hardened by His parables concerning the Kingdom of God. To summarize, it is because of their hardness of hearts that Jesus communicates in parables lest they turn from their sins and be forgiven.

So you have seen the considerable crowd, heard the puzzling parable, and witnessed an enlightened explanation. Now Jesus ends the story with a Illuminating Interpretation: 13-20

Jesus asks two rhetorical questions: “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” Yes, even insiders sometimes don’t understand Jesus. However, they have done the right thing in asking Him. Understanding this parable will help in understanding the rest. Following the questions, the Lord explains the parable.

The sower sows the Word. That is the message which Jesus had been preaching, namely the good news of the Kingdom of God. It is the Word that calls for the response of repentance and belief.

The soils are types of people that respond to the Word differently.

The road way soil are the folks who hear the Word, but pay no attention to it. They are hardened to the message. Thus, they are easy pickings for Satan. This sounds a lot like the Scribes and Pharisees. It also sounds like some who sit in the pews week after week. They hear the word, but either yawn at it or are hostile to it.

The rocky soil are the folks who hear the Word and at first respond with joy. The effects of the Word on them are temporary. They don’t last. They give the appearance of true religion, but lack its inward and lasting power. They hear the blessings of the Word, but don’t account for the cost. This is those who claim to follow Christ when all is well, but jump ship at the first sign of difficulty or hardship. This sounds like the crowds who follow Jesus. They want the blessings, but not the sufferings. Indeed, it may sound like some of you.

The thorny soil are the folks who hear the Word, but care more for worldly, temporary, and lessor things.

They worry about the things the current culture worries about.

They desire abundance now and love money and possessions. It is difficult for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, so it is difficult for the lover of money to enter God’s Kingdom through Christ.

They crave more and more. They are never content with what they have or where they are.

These are distracted by the lessor things to the point that they miss the greatest thing, namely the mystery of the Kingdom, who is Christ.

The good soil are those folks who hear, understand, and receive the Word. These will yield crops of various amounts, but all who receive the Word will yield crop.

This parable’s illuminating interpretation ends with a comfort for those who sow the Word. Some seeds will fall upon the good soil and grow. It also is a comfort for those who receive the Word. They will bear the fruit of faithful discipleship.

Applying the Story

Jesus is clear in our story that there are many responses to Him, however there is only one correct one. What is the right response to Jesus, who is the mystery of the Kingdom? The answer to this question is faith. That is the right response. Receive the Gospel of God, concerning Christ with faith. So here is the point I want you to leave you with Vista Baptist Church: Respond to Jesus with faith. Yes, this is a point that we continually come back too. It is that fundamental and foundational. You must respond to Jesus with faith. Faith is the receiving of the person and work of Christ. It is resting in and relying on Him in all things, but particularly for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. It is only by faith in Christ that we are saved initially, endure continually, and enter heaven eternally.

We, also, should notice that those who receive the Word, that is receive Christ, bear fruit. In the remainder of our time, I will provide you with four fruits that flow from this faith. They will be in the form of charges or exhortations and each one will start by restating the big idea.

First, respond to Jesus with faith and sow indiscriminately

The sower of the story is firstly and fore mostly Jesus, but as we saw earlier in Mark, will see later, and will see throughout the New Testament, Jesus calls and sends those who receive Him to do likewise. Jesus sows to all sorts of people: the religious leaders, the crowds, and the disciples. His apostles preached to the Jews and gentiles, poor and rich, good and bad, and weak and powerful. Wherever Christians go or live, it is expected that they would be ambassadors for their King. So, my charge to you is sow indiscriminately. Know that some will receive and be transformed by the Word. Others will ignore or hate the Word. Some will appear to receive, but in time their reception will prove false. If you have received the Word of Christ, the gospel, then share it with those in your home, work place, and community. Know dear Christian, your preaching of the Word will never be in vain. Some seed you sow will fall upon fertile soil. If you receive Christ, you will bear fruit. Some of you will bear more than others, but all of you will bear fruit.

Second, respond to Jesus with faith and explain carefully

This applies especially to teachers. However, in a sense most of us eventually become a teacher of some sort. Case and point would be parents. You may not hold an office in the church, but you are responsible for the spiritual formation and discipleship of your children. As you will find out quickly, they will have questions. Like Jesus explain things carefully and patiently. If you teach Sunday School, mentor another believer, or serve in a church office be prepared to explain, explain, explain. As a pastor, this definitely applies to me, I must have the patient and shepherd’s heart of the Lord for His people. I must come alongside and to the best of my ability explain the mysteries of the Word.

Third, respond to Jesus with faith and endure patiently

One of the bad soils was that which fell upon the rocky soil. This type of person receives the Word with joy, but when suffering comes they abandon the Word they only outwardly recieved. Suffering is a part of this fallen existence. It is a necessary component of the Christian life. God uses our sufferings to conform us to the image of Christ, the suffering servant. God uses our suffering to prepare for us an eternal weight of glory. Suffering is temporary and preparatory for the Christian, but it isn’t easy. Unlike those who are rocky soil, receive the Word understanding that it comes with temporary sufferings. Understand the call of discipleship is a call to suffer and die to self. Believer if you are presently suffering, then look to Christ and don’t take your heart’s and mind’s gaze off of Him. He will get you through it. Peace, glory, and salvation will come.

Fourth, respond to Jesus with faith and rest contently

Two other bad soils failed to rest in Christ. The seed along the way ignores the Word. Those who receive the Word initially should delight hear it continually. If you are apathetic toward the Word, then you are in a dangerous spot. Cry out God and pray for His help and salvation. The seed among the thorns cares more for temporary ease, wealth, and possessions than eternal life. Money is a tool and it is a necessity, however, it is not a good god. The love of money can be both overt or subtle and it affects both the rich and poor. Therefore, be on guard. Look to Christ for your joy and hope in Him in life and death. Honor him with what you have and rest in Him with what you don’t have.

Conclusion

You should be aware that during Jesus’ earthly ministry he provoked various responses. Some were amazed. Some were terrified. Some were enraged. Some believed. Some followed. In the story you witnessed a considerable crowd, puzzling parable, enlightened explanation, and illuminating interpretation. In summary, you learned that Jesus preached this parable to reveal to His own and conceal to those who don’t belong to Him. There are a variety of responses to the Word, but only one response yields fruit, which is true discipleship. That response is faith.

I have pleaded with you all to respond to Jesus with faith. I have encouraged those of you who have exercised faith to sow indiscriminately, explain carefully, endure patiently, and rest contently.

To you unbeliever, I ask, which soil are you? Are you the hardened soil that refuses to hear the gospel? Are you the self-centered soil that desires the easy life? Are you the vain soil that longs more for temporary pleasure than eternal joy? Are you the soil that welcomes the gospel and is transformed by it?

Unbelieving sinner, I pray you are the final soil. I plead with you to believe the gospel. That is the arrival and restoration of God’s reign among men through the person and work of Jesus Christ. To become a part of God’s Kingdom, you must trust in Jesus. He is God the Son who became man. In His birth, life of suffering, death, and burial he paid for the penalty of sin. In His perfect life, He secured eternal life. If you want forgiveness of sin and eternal life, then you must believe in Christ. So, what will it be? What soil are you?

Vista Baptist Church, continue to cleave to Christ by faith. He will transform you. He will protect you. He will share His eternal inheritance with you. Temporary comfort and worldly riches, pail in comparison to the eternal weight of glory that you enjoy in part now, but will enjoy in full later.

To all, respond to Jesus with faith. Let’s pray.