The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:1–20 CSB

1 Again he began to teach by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2 He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them, 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly, since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.” 9 Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.” 10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables 12 so that they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven.” 13 Then he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away. 18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

Over the course of Jesus ministry he often chose parables as a method of teaching. He used illustrations from everyday life. In this way he didn’t divorce truth of God’s word from everyday living. Instead he connected it.

Trans: So why did Jesus use parables?

The Purpose of Parables

Mark 4:10–12 CSB

10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables 12 so that they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven.”

At first this may seem like a shocking answer. Did Jesus want to prevent people from repentance? Of course not, Parables were meant to reveal information. It is important to note that parables were designed to reveal truth not conceal it.

The parable in itself was not to blame for the lack of understanding by its listeners, but rather the condition of its listeners heart.

This parable not only illustrates this point by its comparison of people to soil but also proves itself to be true by the fact many including the religious people were unable to understand it.

Trans: Since Jesus has explained the parable to his disciples and the meaning is clear. The question we ask today is not what does it mean? But rather, who am I in this story? It must be remembered that Jesus was speaking to an audience that represented in every way the parable he was about to tell. Yet

Four Types of Soil.

1. The Path or Road Mark 4:4

Mark 4:4 CSB

4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

The Interpretation: Mark 4:14-15

Mark 4:14–15 CSB

14 The sower sows the word. 15 Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.

These are the people that show little to no interest in the gospel message. They don’t see how the gospel brings any value to their life. These are the people that flat out reject the message of Christ.

In Jesus day, It seemed that the more religious a person was the less likely they were to accept the message of Christ. There hearts hardened like dirt that had been packed down by years of traffic.

It is interesting that both the religious and the worst of sinners hearts look the same. Hard as stone.

How does a person’s heart become so corrupt that it will not allow the person to truly hear and understand the message of Christ? Like this soil illustrates so well, by pushing down the Holy Spirit’s working in there life. They have rejected His call for so long they have trained themselves to not even hear His voice. They are hardened. They do not misunderstand this parables meaning because it is difficult. The misunderstand because they can not hear God’s voice in it by there own doing.

Trans: However the next group of people are no as easy to identify as the first, yet they are in just as much spiritual blindness.

2. Rocky Ground Mark 4:5-6

Mark 4:5–6 CSB

5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly, since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

Due to the nature of ancient farming it was nearly impossible to remove all of the large rocks in the field. It was easy to see the ones that were brought up to the surface by plowing those would have been removed, but the ones just below the surface would have gone unnoticed until the results of the shallow soil were evident by the life of the plant. The sun would come up and the root system would not be healthy enough for the plant to sustain the heat.

The Interpretation: Mark 4:16-17

Mark 4:16–17 CSB

16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.

Jesus shows us that he is referring to those who fall away due to persecution. This type of person looks and acts like a true believer. Yet in reality they value the temporal more than the eternal. It isn’t that they don’t believe the message. They receive it with Joy because who doesn’t like the message of forgiveness and love. He/She wants the forgiveness and the promise of heaven, but not at the expense of their own life. In this way, they have never allowed the gospel to really take root. They only wanted the immediate benefit of forgiveness without the sacrifice that comes with it.

Those who have truly allowed the gospel to take root in their heart will not only have the outward appearance of it , but will stand in the time of testing.

Jesus said, this very thing repeated through out the gospels.

Matthew 16:25 CSB

25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.

Matthew 10:33 CSB

33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

Jesus is assuring us that a true believer will not turn back due to persecution. In the times of great testing we are promised this:

Matthew 10:18–19 CSB

18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour,

Those who have truly allowed the gospel to take root will be given what they need in the time of trial.

Trans: This next group of people much like the last have an initial appearance of growth.

3. Uncultivated Mark 4:7

Mark 4:7 CSB

7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit.

The Interpretation: Mark 4:18-19

Mark 4:18–19 CSB

18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

It seems that the gospel was sown and in some way the hearer does not out right reject the message but he care more about the temporal than he does the eternal. He just can’t bring himself to sacrifice his will or his desires now for the sake of Christ. The cares of this world choke out any real desire to allow the gospel to grow in his/her life.

I think that we are seeing this very thing take place in our churches all over the world. The thorns or cares of this world have caused many people to abandon the gathering all together. The research shows this to be true. Many professing believers outside and act of of the Holy Spirit will may never return to church. In this way, nominal Christianity is being exposed for what it probably has been all along, many false conversion. I prayed a prayer, I’m good with God and now I will do as I please.

In case, you think I am being to harsh. Let me remind you of the purpose of anyone sowing seed. Isn’t the purpose of planting to bear fruit? If a plant doesn’t bare fruit.

Matthew 3:10 CSB

10 The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

A.W. Tozer - “It is my opinion that tens of thousands, if not millions of people have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ and they have not been saved.”

Dr. James Kennedy - The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest fear of contradiction, I base it on empirical evidence of 24 years of examining thousands of people.

Didn’t Jesus say the very same thing:

Matthew 7:22 CSB

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’

Matthew 7:23 CSB

23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

There have been many false conversions over the years because we have preached the good news of Christ without repentance. The gospel is free. You can choose to freely accept it or reject it but if you accept it it will grow up to bear fruit.

Which Brings us to the next type of person.

4. Good Ground Mark 4:8

Mark 4:8 CSB

8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”

The Interpretation: Mark 4:20

Mark 4:20 CSB

20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

What does Jesus seem to indicate by this passage of scripture? It is important that we take the blinders of what we thing we know and ask what has Jesus shown to be the result of a true conversion? Fruit.

If all you can give as evidence of your salvation is a religious experience, a prayer that was repeated, etc. and yet you have no fruit in your life, do you look like the good soil? See Jesus was showing us the difference between those who are in Christ and those who are as he put it “outside”.

So then what is the good news in this passage of scripture?

Have you ever planted a garden or been the benefactor of someone else’s fresh produce? It’s an awesome experience to watch plants produce fruit. There is something about bearing fruit that is one of life’s simple pleasures and joys.

Galatians 5:22–23 CSB

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

Isn’t it amazing when you see Christ and his gospel bearing fruit in your life. When we are grow to the point of a maturing plant and the fruit begins to ripen on the vine. We harvest and use that fruit. Then we take the the seeds that are produced from the fruit and we plant them again and again.

There is nothing like getting to be a part of this process. If your a believer that is living for the Lord, bearing fruit, and planting seeds, aren’t you glad you are. Are you not glad that you get to be a part of the harvest? It’s hard work, but like anyone who is into gardening knows when the harvest comes there is nothing better. The joy may not be immediate but when we remember why we do what we do.

Hebrews 12:2 CSB

2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You see the good news is that there is good soil out there. As we spread the seed of the gospel together, not every seed that we cast will take root and bear fruit but some will and the harvest will be worth it.

Conclusion:

So where are you today? What Kind of soil are you?