The Parables of Jesus (Part 2)

Introduction

Today we are continuing our study in the book of Mark, looking at Jesus as the Suffering Servant. Today we are going to look at one of my favorite parables of Jesus! It is the Parable of the Sower. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Mark 4 and we’ll begin reading with verse 1.

Mark 4:1–2 NIV84

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:

Setting the Scene

Before we look at the actual parable, let’s set the scene. Jesus is back out “by the lake” which is the Sea of Galilee. And there is a big crowd gathered—so big in fact that Jesus ends up sitting in a boat just a little ways off shore.

We are also told that Jesus is going to teach “them many things by parables.” You might remember that last week we said that the word “parable” is a transliteration from the Greek word “parabolē” which means “comparison.” We shared that most often a parable is a short discourse that conveys spiritual truth by making a vivid comparison.

And I told you that a good working definition of a parable is “an earthly story that conveys a heavenly meaning.” In Jesus’ day the use of parables was a common rabbinic device; a device with which Jesus was particularly skilled at using.

The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:3–9 NIV84

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Players:

A. The farmer—he is the person that is sowing the seed.

B. Next you have the actual seed that is sown.

C. Now you have four different soils:

The Path—hard compacted soil.

Rocky Places—shallow soil.

The Thorns—soil filled with thorns.

Good Soil—soil that is prepared to receive the seed.

The Results:

The Seed on the Path—the birds come and gobble up the seed.

The Seed among the Rocks—springs up quickly, because the soil is shallow. But it is also scorched and withers because it has no root.

The Seed among the Thorns—both the seed and the thorns grow, but the thorns choke out the good seed!

The Seed among the Good Soil—it grows and produces a crop: some 30, 60, or even 100 times.

Jesus’ Call

Mark 4:9 NIV84

Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Anyone who can hear (and understand) this parable should listen to it and heed it.

Why Use Parables?

When Jesus is alone with his disciples and those faithful followers, He explains why He teaches in Parables. Honestly, some people today still don’t understand why Jesus used parables—and they don’t understand even after they read His explanation. Look at verse 10.

Mark 4:10–12 NIV84

When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

Jesus tells His followers that He is revealing the secret of the kingdom of God and this group of followers has been given the ability to understand the secret!

But those outside—those who refuse to accept Jesus’ message—they have not been given the the ability to understand.

Then Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10. They will see, but never perceive. They will hear, but never understand. Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.

The Greek word translated secret is the word “mystērion” meaning mystery, or hidden things.

Some people react negatively, because of the last phrase—“otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” Doesn’t God want people to turn and be forgive? Of course the answer is “Yes.” But we need to understand that some people continually reject God’s redemptive message. So instead of seeing Jesus as the giver of life, they see Him as a threat! Many see Jesus as a threat to their way of life. Many see Jesus as a threat to their enjoyment. Many see Jesus as a threat to their “freedom!”

The truth is Jesus is a threat to many people’s lifestyle. He is often a threat to their worldly enjoyment. And He is a threat to their perceived freedom. But Jesus gives LIFE! Remember, the words of Jesus in John?

John 10:10 NIV84

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

But many will miss the full, abundant life that is offered by Jesus, and instead they will become a slave to sin, to self, and to Satan! Many in Jesus’ day could only see Him as a threat. And many people today continue to see Jesus as a threat!

Jesus is amazed that His followers didn’t understand the parables. Look at verse 13.

Mark 4:13 NIV84

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?

The Parable’s Meaning

Now, one of the things I love about this parable, is that Jesus actually explains the meaning to us. We don’t have to guess. Look at verse 14.

Mark 4:14–15 NIV84

The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

The Path People

The people who make up the “path” often hear the word—but it doesn’t get inside them. That is because as soon as they hear the word of God, Satan comes and snatches away what was planted in them.

Mark 4:16–17 NIV84

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

The Rocky People

These people receive the word with great joy! But they remain shallow. They don’t keep growing! Then when trouble comes, or when persecution because of God’s Word, these people end up quickly falling away.

They fall away because they have not root, no depth. One of the big problems with the Church in America is that they don’t help people count the cost of following Jesus. So when problems come the faith of these shallow Christians withers away.

Mark 4:18–19 NIV84

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

The Thorny People

These people hear the word, some of them even get excited about following Christ. They are excited for a while, but then something happens. They fall prey to three things:

The worries of this life. This is a huge distraction for many. Money worries, job worries, family worries—all kinds of worries!

The deceitfulness of wealth—the biggest deceitful thought here is that wealth will solve all your problems. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24? Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

The desire for other things—so many people believe the next new thing will make them happy. The new house, new vehicle, newest cell phone, the latest gaming system—we live in world of stuff! And we live in a world that uses “stuff” or “things” to make us happy.

The truth is we can all get so busy with the worries of this world, or busy chasing after wealth, or the latest and greatest thing that we stop living for or trusting in the Lord.

The Good People

Mark 4:20 NIV84

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

These are the people in whom the seed of God’s Word has taken hold and they in turn begin sharing that Word with everyone they meet—and the produce a crop some 30 times, some 60 times, and some 100 times what was planted in them.

SO WHAT

So how do you and I apply this parable to our lives? Well, honestly, we need to begin asking ourselves, “What kind of soil are we?” If I’m honest, there have been times when the soil of my life has been like the path. Even though I study the Word of God, I hear the Word of God, I read the Word of God, Satan comes and snatches it away from me.

There have been times in my life when the Word of God does not have much of a root in my life. So when I am attacked, ridiculed, or persecuted in some way—the Word of God quickly withers in my life.

And to be completely honest, there have been times in my life when the worries of this world, the deceitfulness of wealth, and my insatiable desire for things drowns out the Word of God! When this happens, God’s Word bears no fruit in my life.

Thankfully, there are times when the Word of God goes deep into my life, and it begins to bear a crop. A huge crop—30, 60, and even 100 fold!

So today, right now what kind of soil is your life? Are you a Path like soil? Or are you Rocky soil? Are you like the Thorny soil? My prayer is that each of us will be like the Good soil! That each of us will follow Paul’s admonition in Colossians 3:16.

Colossians 3:16 NIV84

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

My prayer is that each of us will produce a crop for Jesus. Some of our crops will be small than others—but the key is that we produce a crop for Jesus!