Mar 4:1-9 KJV And he
began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a
great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea;
and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. (2) And
he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his
doctrine, (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.
(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. (7) And some fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
(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. (9) And he said unto them, He
that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
This parable mentions four types of reactions to the Word of God being presented to a person's heart.
And several varying events occurred that revolve around this parable, and actually ACT OUT this parable for us.
To ensure we recognize which events and people fit the four different descriptions of people's reactions to the Word, let us list those reactions. 1) The wayside category involves birds of the air who swoop down and steal the seed. Mar 4:15 KJV 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. 2) Stony ground without much earth, springs up immediately because it had little earth, and scorched by the sun to wither away. Mar 4:16-17 KJV 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. Be careful for souls who receive something immediately with gladness, for their lack of root and depth cause them to not count the cost and think things through.
Mar 4:18-19 KJV 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. 4) And of course good ground that produced 30 times, 60 times and 100 times more crop than the single seed planted. Mar 4:20 KJV 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. The first reaction seems to be found in Mark 3 where two groups of people reacted the worst when it came to Jesus' ministry. Mar 3:19-21 KJV And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house. (20) And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. (21) And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. FRIENDS here in Greek refer to NEAR ones or those CLOSE BESIDE Jesus.
They thought he was acting completely unnecessarily in dealing with people so much that He could not get time to eat a meal. If a Christian fasts or neglects the things of the flesh for the sake of God, they are immediately considered fanatics or extremists, but let the same person satisfy the flesh and go without what the soul needs and what the spirit requires, and pursue greedy gain, then they are normal and sensible! These people did not get one bit of the Word of God in their hearts from His ministry, for them to react like that.
When you read of these FRIENDS as actually being his family members, then the following passage in verse 31 seems to make a lot more sense and come alive even more. Mar 3:31-35 KJV There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. (32) And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. (33) And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? (34) And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! (35) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. If these kinfolk were the ones mentioned in verse 21, then you could see why Jesus would prefer to call his family members the people who sat about Him receiving His word and wanting to hear what he had to teach. And another group pf people seem to fit this category too. Mar 3:22 KJV And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. Mar 3:30 KJV Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. For people to say that all Jesus did was of the devil was not only results of the word never getting germinated into their hearts, but they never even considered the issue logically in common sense, because Jesus said satan cannot cast out satan.
Closed minded people are simply people who do not let the word get into their hearts.
The next sequence of events and reactions that reflect the second sort of soil that had stones and was shallow, causing the soul to easily be offended is as follows: Mar 4:36-41 KJV And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. (37) And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. (38) And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? (39) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (40) And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (41) And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? The disciples obviously did not have wayside hearts that never allow the seed to germinate and allow it to be stolen by devils. They had faith.
(40) And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? No faith?
Mar 4:11 KJV And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: So what happened?
Church, when the word germinates and sinks its roots down deep into the soil, because there are no rocks there, then storms are not going to wither up the plant.
The third type of people are thorny souls who care too much for the world and life and riches or worldly careers.
We read of the demoniac full of thousands of devils, who was delivered by Jesus. Mar 5:2-5 KJV And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, (3) Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: (4) Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. (5) And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. Mar 5:12-17 KJV And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. (13) And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. (14) And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. (15) And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. (16) And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. (17) And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. These people saw what happened.
I know a woman with so little regard for God's Word that without truly seeking help when she thought no one could live up to it, she cast it all away and concerned herself with a career in which she now makes more than $100,000 a year.
Mark 4 (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. It is basically when things are in the heart that are more important than the things of God and pleasing Him, that one is thorny ground.
1Co 3:12-15 KJV Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. GO FOR THE GOLD! But the demoniac, himself, seems to be the GOOD GROUND.
Mar 5:18-20 KJV And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. (19) Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. (20) And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. He caused people to MARVEL about Jesus.
And another event occurred which shows another example of good ground. Mar 5:25-34 KJV And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, (26) And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, (27) When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. (28) For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. (29) And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. (30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? (31) And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? (32) And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. (33) But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. (34) And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. She was HEALED!
She caught Jesus' attention.
And there is yet even more an example of a good heart. Mar 5:35-43 KJV While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? (36) As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. (37) And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. (38) And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. (39) And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. (40) And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. (41) And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. (42) And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. (43) And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. RESURRECTION!
Nothing is greater than resurrection!
Rom 6:11 KJV Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:13 KJV Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Col 2:12 KJV Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. IF I am not producing in my life some fruit for God, like causing others to marvel about Jesus, or seeing actual healings or even resurrections in salvation or even from physical death, which does still occur with some ministries, then I am one of the first three types of earth in Jesus' parable.
1Co 7:30-31 KJV And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; (31) And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. If you are facing things that offend you, then change and allow those things to no longer offend you.
Psa 119:165 KJV Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. If we get offended, our heart lacks the word of God.
Not only shall nothing offend such people, but cares of the world are not in a soul's HEART to choke the word. When it comes to riches, cares of the world and anything else, they should never get into our hearts where we LOVE them.
We see the former demoniac producing fruit that caused many to marvel.
Great, greater and greatest. After all, Jesus did list three sorts of production from good soil: Mar 4:20 KJV 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. 30 times more, 60 times more and one hundred times more! Luk 8:18 KJV Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. |