(Read: Mark 4:1-20)
Introduction: In the 4th chapter of Mark we see Jesus
employing the parable to illustrate His message. In the first part of the chapter, he
tells the parable of the soil and seed,-- often designated the "Parable
of the Sower" A sower goes forth to sow seed, which represents the word
of God, and the soil which represents the heart and the various reactions of man to the
word. A word picture is painted of a man going to sow. As he went, the seed fell into four
different types of soil. The different soils represents the differ heart conditions of
men, the seed is the word of God, and the fruit is the results produced by the seed in
their lives.
1. There is the wayside type of soil, that has been trodden to the point that it cannot be penetrated by the word of God. So when it falls on that type of heart, the person does not understand because of preconditioning, and it just lies there till the evil one comes and takes it away, so they cannot believe. Of course faith come from hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).
2 The stony ground, is that soil which has just enough top soil so the seed will germinate, sprout, and come up, but it has no depth, and when the heat comes the plant wilts, dries up. This is the heart that at first is glad to hear the word and quickly accepts it, but then difficulties arise, as will always be the case, then they are easily frustrated and gives up and stops serving the Lord. How many people do we know like that? There are many that fit into this category, sad to say.
3. The soil that receives seed among thorns is pictured as where the seed is sown into deep soil, but the problem is that the vegetation other than the plant from the seed out grows the plant and chokes it out. This describes the person who gladly responds to the call of the word, but allows other things in their life to cause them not to grow, develop, or continue to mature and produce fruit, i.e. continue to serve the Lord faithfully in the world, without allowing the things of the world to overcome their lives!
4. The good ground is the person who receives the word, keeps it, meditating on it, and allows it to move them to follow God's instructions and in difficult times remains steadfast, serving the Lord faithfully. This is the person that each of us wish to be. If we understand the picture painted by Jesus, we will see that this represents all the different kinds of people's responses to the word of God. It shows that there are three different kinds of failures: one never starts to serve, some start but give up under difficulties, while the third starts and yield to the invitations of various worldly things, and fails to produce fruit. All these types are failures. Yet, there is the ONE who starts and stays the course until the end, each producing fruit according to their ability!
Questions:
1. Where was Jesus when He "began again to teach"?
2. What method of teachings did He use to teach "them many things"?
3. Give your definition of a parable.
4.What did He tell them to "behold" -- look, see --give the picture He paints in
words (Vs. 3)?
5. Who "devoured" that which fell "by the way side" (Vs. 4, 15?
6. Who is described by that which fell on "stony ground" (vs. 5-6, 16-17)?
7. What are the results of that which "fell "among thorns" (vs. 7, 18-19)?
8. Who are the person described by the "good ground" and what is the basic
difference between the others?
9. What is the sown and that in which it is sown?
10. Does this parable teach that 3/4 of humanity will be lost?
