RESPONSES TO BIBLE PREACHING

Mark 4:3-20

Theme: The Servant at Seaside

Key verse: v.11

41 verses; 923 words

Grade level: 5.1

1. Preaching the Parables. vs.1-34

2. Stilling the Storm. vs.35-41

To properly understand the Bible we must look at

Interpretation

every person, the place, and their purpose.

Explanation

comparing Scripture with Scripture

Application

how it applied then and now.

Jesus is showing the different types of people that hear the Bible preached and their responses. It details what is going on with these people and why they have the particular results they have.

Jesus is the sower:

Matthew 13:37

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

The seed is the Word of God:

Luke 8:11

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

The soils represent the four different RESPONSES to Bible preaching:

I. Intellectual Response. vs.3-4, 15

3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

“Word” occurs 7 times in vs.1-20 (vs.14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)

This is a careless response.

Herod is an illustration of this.

Pilate is an illustration of this.

Proverbs 22:8

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

II. Emotional Response. vs.5-6, 16-17

5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not 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.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

This is a temporary response.

“Immediately”

What’s the knee jerk reaction? “they are offended”

The slogan of weak people.

The slogan of prayerless people.

The slogan of Bible hating people.

Simon the Sorcerer is this type of profession.

According to some Simon was the local medicine man.

According to others he practiced witchcraft.

Either way he’s like most that walk away from church with:

Hurt feelings.

Treated badly.

Fussed at and criticized.

Overlooked for positions.

Embarrassed.

III. Carnal Response. vs.7, 18-19

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit

The ESV, NRSV, NLT, NIV are so obsessed with their mistake of placing “wheat” where the KJV has “corn” they changed “fruit” to “grain” in v.7 to make an alibi for their lie.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

This is a worldly response.

The cares of this world choke the Bible out of your life.

Taking jobs that get you out of church.

Drama that can get you out of prayer.

Relatives that keep you from the ministry.

The deceitfulness of riches choke the Bible out of your life.

Get rich schemes get you out of fellowship.

Not tithing “because of bills” gets you out of fellowship.

Making bad financial choices gets you out of fellowship.

Demas is this type of Christian.

2 Timothy 4:10

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Demas never quit church.

When he departed to Thessalonica he went there to pastor the church the Epistles were written to.

He like most preacher boys never have any fruit where they are at but they take churches anyway with no real fruit to show.

IV. Fruitful Response. vs.8, 20

8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Two “hear the word” and two only.

Two have the ability to “yield” fruit. (see “yielded” in v.7 and “yield” in v.8)

This is a sincere Christian.

The Sower has been by after the plow had been through.

He plants the seed.

The disciples are manifest of this type of Christianity.

The twelve disciples bring forth 30 fold

Peter, James, and John bring forth 60 fold

JOHN, and only John, is right next to the Lord’s heart at all times, with a clear conscience, and goes clear through the trial to the cross itself. “Near to the heart of God!”

John 13:23–25

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

John 18:15–17

15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

John 19:25–27

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Conclusion:

Do you want to be fruitful?