Mark 4 sums up how people may deal with God’s Word. Jesus explained those ways using the “Parable of the Sower.”
The farmer in this teaching parable was Jesus. Matthew 13:37 identifies the “sower” of seeds to be the Saviour.
“He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;” Mat. 13:37
In the parable, the sower went into a field and disbursed seed. The seed represents the Word of God.
Jesus summarized (Mark 4:3-8) what folks do with God’s truths. Later, in Mark 4:14-20, the Son of God explained what the parable meant.
The four choices one can make in obeying God’s commandments and truths are:
- “And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:” Mark 4:4
Some hear God’s Word, perhaps accidentally. Before applying His Truths to one’s life, or before they are mulled over, Satan robs those thoughts out of one’s mind. Perhaps it is another’s snide remark Satan uses that invalidates obeying a verse that is heard. Maybe it is a school teacher who has told his students not to believe anything in that “old antiquated” book. However the hearer is distracted, one may do nothing with what he has heard.
“The sower soweth the word. 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.” Mark 4:14-15 - “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.” Mark 4:5-6
Others hear God’s will and way, and for a short time, heed it. However, because they are not following it for the right reasons or have not heard the whole truth, they abandon obedience when problems and hard times inflict them. Perhaps they were not saved or were just following what a denomination taught. They had no “root” and drifted away from doing what the Bible commanded.
“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.” Mark 4:16-17 - “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.” Mark 4:7
Many are devastated because, although they have heard what the Lord requires of them, they get their priorities wrong. They focus on the temporary things of this world and forget their eternal future. The shiny trinkets this world offers deceive and rob them of what they could have.
“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.” Mark 4:18-19 - “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.” Mark 4:8
Praise the Lord, many hear God’s Truths and do what It commands. They live to please the Lord, remove sin from their lives, and have a very fruitful spiritual life because of their obedience.
“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.” Mark 4:20
Many are without excuse. They have heard some of God’s Truths but, for whatever reason, have not obeyed or made it a priority in their lives. However, it does not have to be that way. God has preserved His Truths for a reason. We are not only to hear them; we are to heed them.
What have you done with the Word of God? Have you obeyed it for a while, ignored it, forgotten it, or joyfully done what you could to follow it?
