The Parable of the Sower -Responding to Spiritual Truth (Mark 4: 1-20)
When Jesus began his public ministry, he was initially greeted with overwhelming popularity. However, in a very short time opposition began to arise quickly reaching a point where there were even the beginnings of a plot to kill him. So, what went wrong. What caused some people to react so negatively against him? What was going on that there could be such dramatically different responses to the message of Christ.
The way people reacted to Jesus then, still happen to Christians today.
Sometimes you share what Jesus means to you, and what you believe he taught, and some people just outright reject what you say. But then there are others who seem to respond but then it doesn’t lead anywhere. It seems only a few end up faithful, how do you explain that? Why is it that people react so differently to the same message from the word of God? I think the answer to this question helps us understand some things about ourselves, as well as some of the people we have seen come and go in our churches over the years.
In the first part of this passage of scripture we are first told about a parable, a very well know parable, perhaps one of the most popular of the Parables that Jesus told, the parable of the sower.
In the second part of the passage we are told of a conversation Jesus has with his disciples and perhaps a few others, where he reveals something quite shocking.
Then in the third part of the passage he comes and explains the original parable that he told at the beginning of the passage.
So, let’s move together through this passage and see what Jesus is teaching us in the parable of the sower. The passage begins by him saying;
And again, He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
(Mark 4: 1-2)
It a clear enough picture, this crowd is so large, this multitude is so large that in order not to be crowded in and to be seen by everyone Jesus stands in a boat just off the shoreline and the people gather on the hillside creating a sort of natural amphitheatre. And it says he taught them, and he taught them in parables, and this is the first parable that he taught. “The Parable of the Sower”.
‘Behold! (Now this is just a way of Jesus saying, pay attention I have something important to say. Listen carefully he says, because if you don’t you just might miss what I am about to teach you). A sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
(Mark 4: 3-4)
In ancient Israel the fields had paths that ran down the middle of them.
People were allowed to walk down those paths, even though the field belonged to the farmer. Being a pathway, the soil there was always packed down hard. A sower would come along at the beginning of the season and walk down the path throwing seed everywhere as he walked. Naturally some would fall on the hard path, and this is what Jesus is illustrating here. The seed is sown and some of it falls on very hard ground, and then he says, the birds come along and pick it up.
So, this first seed does not even have a chance to germinate and grow at all. Then in verse 5&6 he talks about a second seed.
Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
(Mark 4: 5-6)
The stony ground needs to be explained, for it is different from the hard ground. If you look carefully at what is said, it says there is stony ground, where there is “no depth of earth”. So, this is the type of ground made mostly out of stones with a thin layer of soil on top of, or between the rocks. The sower as he is throwing throws out, some seed and instead of it landing on hard ground that the seed could not even penetrate, this seed is actually able to germinate and grow. But, he then explains because there is a very thin layer of soil and no depth, when the sun come up, it scorches the little growth there is and because there is no root it quickly withers away. So, that the second seed falling on stony ground.
The third seed is in the next verse.
And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
(Mark 4: 7)
Now notice, this seed falls on soil where there is a lot of weeds and thorns, and when the thorns grow up, they chock the first signs of growth. Please note that the seed thrown here also began to germinate, it grew, but it got chocked out. The point is that there was some initial growth, but it didn’t produce any fruit. Something started, there was some initial growth, but the weed chocked it, and it didn’t produce any fruit.
But there is a fourth type of ground.
But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” And he said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Mark 4: 8-10)
Ah, at last we finally got to some good soil, and it yielded a crop, and that crop yielded fruit, and some of the fruit was, thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred-fold. Please note, that even when it fell on good ground it didn’t always produce the same yield, it didn’t produce a hundred-fold every time. Then in verse 9 he finishes this parable by declaring, “Let he who has ears to hear, let him hear”. Obviously, the people listening had ears, and obviously they heard what he said.
So, what does he mean by this turn of phrase so familiar to us all. I believe what he is saying is simply, you need to think about what I just said.
How did he begin this series of statements he has just made? Listen, Behold, pay attention, and by that, I mean don’t just listen, but think about what I am saying. It seems to me that is almost the last things many Christians want to do these days is to think. They want to feel something, that’s OK emotion has its place. They want to get excited; they want to have an amazing experience. That can be OK it is good to be astonished or enthusiastic in the presence of God. I believe what Jesus is saying in this parable, is that you have got to listen to what God says and you have to think deeply about it. In other words, there are some truths that are not on the surface, that you have got to meditate on them. Let’s continue through the text and see how Jesus explains it to his disciples.
And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.’”
(Mark 4:11-12)
This is really important, and I suspect that some of you here today have never heard before what I am about to say. Jesus says, pay attention because I am going to speak in parables, because that way people have freewill to listen and either get it or not get it. That’s what the text says, by using parables he says, some will receive it, and some will not. That’s what the text clearly says, Jesus by his own words told parables in order to reveal deep truths to some, and to conceal them from others. This is one of the most stunning truths you will find if you study theology. It is commonly agreed among the majority of theologians both conservative and liberal, that one of the reasons Jesus told parables was to conceal truths. Primarily to reveal truths of course, but also to conceal them from those who did not have a teachable spirit, or who were deliberately choosing to live a life of rebellion in active opposition him.
Some people simply do not have ears to hear, or eyes to see. But the reality is, Jesus uses parables to both reveal the truth, but also to conceal it from people who choose not to hear. By teaching in parables, Jesus he forces you to engage with his word at a deeper level by thinking about what it might mean. To engage with it in a way that is far deeper than just black and white, but to seek out the inner truths hidden deep within. When I first came across this perspective. I must confess I was shocked. Jesus told parables to reveal the truth, I knew that, but thinking he also told parables to conceal truths. That was amazing to me!
And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
(Mark 4: 13)
That’s a pretty significant statement, Jesus is saying, you’ve got to understand this parable, or else you won’t be able to understand the other things I am going to teach you. Jesus says, if you’ve not made up you mind about how to respond to this core truth you cannot respond to my other teachings. This parable is explaining responses too, and levels of Christian maturity.
In the final part of this passage where Jesus himself explains the parable, better than I ever could. This is where it gets a little easier because he tells us clearly.
The sower sows the word. (Clear enough) And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
(Mark 4: 14-15)
That little phrase at the end of verse 15 is very important because it tell us the word is sown in people hearts. The ground is a metaphor for the heart., a metaphor for the disposition of the hearer. Let’s call the first group, the hard hearted, like the ground the seed falls on. They are unbelievers, people who when they hear the Word, Satan immediately come and snatches it away for them. There are some who hear the word of God and it bounces off their hard interior, and the word doesn’t even germinate, and they do not believe. Have you ever met anyone like that, you will do all the time, if you are talking to people about the Lord? Paul said, in Corinthians.
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the gods of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
(2 Cor 4: 3-4)
Satan snatches the word away from these people, right out of their hard hearts and he is able to do this because he has blinded them with the things of this world, so much that they cannot see the truth any longer. That’s the first group, the hard hearted. So how does Jesus explain the second group.
These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
(Mark 4: 16-17)
Now if you look closely at verse 16 it says when this group hear the word, and they received it. I feel that these people are saved, for we are told they receive the word with joy, the problem is they can’t handle things when trouble or persecution came by. When persecution and tribulation come along, they stumble and fall. So, the first group are the hard hearted. This second group, these people are the faint hearted. They are shallow rooted and faint hearted. Remember the text said there was a thin layer of soil mixed in or on top of the stony ground. So, the word doesn’t have a chance to penetrate because there isn’t a deep enough level of faith for it to penetrate into. So, these faint hearted are people rooted in shallow soil. A shallow faith means it doesn’t take much to come along in the way of hardship for them to stumble?
Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, (First thing to take it away) the deceitfulness of riches, (second thing that can take away the fruit that God promises) and the desires for other things(third that can rob them of what they should receive) choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
(Mark 4: 18-19)
So, we have had the hard hearted, the faint hearted and this third group I am calling the entangled hearted.
There are so many different things pressing in on in the lives of this group that the word gets crowded out. Cares off this world – worry – first thing that robs us. Deceitfulness of riches – materialism – second thing that kills the fruit of the spirit. And desire for other things - false teaching – third thing that robs us of God’s blessing. The phrase other things, means other ideas, so false teaching entangles the word and because of this they cannot grow to spiritual maturity. These people spend their whole time thinking about the “cares of this world”, so much so that they don’t spend any time thinking about the seed of the Word that has been planted in them. As well as telling this group worry all the time, he tells us they are focused on, “the deceitfulness of riches”. There are those who are deceived into thinking, if they could just be rich, they would be happy. If I were rich, that would solve my problems. If I could just have a little more money, then I would be happy. Jesus’ word tells us if you think that way then you are also deceived. One of the major deceptions of wealth in this day and age is that it will bring you satisfaction.
Some parents think that their value as a parent is measured by what they are able to give their kids materially. Let me tell you, if you think that, you are deceived. The value you have as a parent is by what you give them emotionally and spiritually.
As well as worry and materialism, there is also the desire for “other things”, that can choke the fruit of the word of God. The desire for other things he says in verse 19, means not just material things. The desire for more power, more influence, more control. The pursuit of more can sterilise our response to the word.
One of my favourite bible commentators (William Barclay) on addressing this issue says,
“It is easy to fill life with such a multiplicity of interests to the point that there is no time left for Christ”[i].
People have so many things crowded into the lives that it chokes out any time for the Word or Spirit of God. But there is a fourth group here, let’s hear about them, verse 20
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
(Mark 4: 20)
At last, this verse tells us what the good soil does. They heard the Word. They accepted the Word, and it brought forth fruit. At the start of this passage Jesus began by saying, listen, behold. It all begins by listening and hearing, but also means you have got to accept it also. There are times when the truth will hurt, and there are times when the mind will try and shut out the truth because it will be painful or might even involve you changing the way you live your life. However, to shut the mind to the truth is not only dangerous but tragic. James told us in his letter, “don’t be just a hearer of the word, but a…. doer also”. As Christian we are ultimately not called to just speculate about the Word, but to act upon the Word.
The ultimate point of becoming a Christian is to become spiritually mature. That’s our goal, reproducing Christ likeness, spiritual maturity.
Let me just clarify, spiritual maturity is not about intelligence, or education or the ability to analyse. Neither is spiritual maturity in anyway about the length of time you have been a believer.
Finally, and most importantly it is not about any position you might have obtained in the church. It’s not about being a deacon, or an Elder, a Curate or a Bishop, and it’s not about being called a Pastor either.
Spiritual maturity is about hearing the Word, and doing it, so you then produce fruit, maybe up toa hundred-fold.
Alright, let try and sum all of this up, and then if you will allow me, I would like to make a final suggestion. The response to the seed of the word is determined by the heart of the hearer. That’s, my strapline to everything that is being taught this morning. The response to the seed of the word is determined by the heart of the hearer. Some people have a hard heart, and they don’t get it at all. Some have a faint heart, and because of the shallowness of their lives the Word in them never sees maturity. Some have an entangled heart, and the Word gets mixed up in all kinds of things, and it gets chocked and bears no fruit.
It’s only the good heart that makes it to spiritual maturity.
The hard hearted are spiritually blind. The faint hearted are the believers who did not let the word penetrate their souls. The entangled hearted, are those who let the things of the world or the lies of the enemy fill their heart, instead of the things are God, and they fall away and bear no fruit, but, the good hearted are the believers who have a heart for the Lord, and because they have a good heart they want to know, and they want to grow. Because of that, they let the word penetrate their soul.
It easy to spot that’s what is going on here. The hard hearted had the birds snatch the seed of the lives before it even takes root in their heart. The shallow heated had their seed of the word stolen by the desires of the flesh. Or when pressure or persecution comes, they cannot handle it, so they don’t bear fruit. The entangled hearted people represent those tempted by the things of the World, that smother out and prevented both fruitfulness and spiritual maturity.
The main point is that your response to the word is determined by the posture of heart you have. The problem is not the seed, the same seed landed on all types of soil. The problem is not the sower, for that is God himself. You know what…. It’s not even the preacher fault, no matter how bad a preacher I am, it’s not my fault if you don’t respond the Word of God. The fault is in posture of heart of the hearer. Every time you are exposed to the Word of God, God expects you to change. He expects you to respond to his word and to change. He expects you to respond to his word and go do something about it. One final application and then I’m done.
A man went to a doctor, and said I think my wife is hard of hearing is there a way I can test to see if this is so. He was told to go home and stand at the door and shout, what’s for dinner. If there is no reply step inside in the other room and again shout what’s for dinner. If there is still no reply then sneak up behind and loudly ask, what’s for dinner.
So, he did this. Nothing, No reply again, and nothing. The third time he was standing right behind her, and he said firmly, what’s for dinner, he wife turned around a shouted, FOR THE THIRD TIME PORK CHOPS.
So often we have the problem, and we imagine that it is others who have it. The point is, you need to take this personally. You should take this personally. You also need to take this seriously and you need to do something about this and live it out.
Frankly, in the past I have often been puzzled why some people who seem to come to know the Lord, don’t progress or maybe even fall away. I thought why don’t they just love the Lord, and love the Word and grow in faith? That was real puzzle to me. But now I can see some don’t receive the message because they are faint hearted. Sometimes it is because they have a entangled heart. Sometimes they don’t even hear it because they have a hard heart. But you have to think about these words of Jesus and take them personally and seriously.
God wants you to be changed today. The problem for many of us is that we don’t want to change. We would rather do anything than change. If you are not being changed when you come into this place every week, the problem is not with the message, it with the posture of heart of the hearer.
[i] William Barclay – Daily Study Bible Mark 4: 1-20