Mk 4:10-20
Why Jesus Used Parables
10 When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been granted to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables 12 so that they may look and look, yet not perceive; they m
ay listen and listen, yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back— and be forgiven.”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13 Then He said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When affliction or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble. 18 Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times ⌊what was sown⌋.”
I have enlisted the help of J.C. Ryle as found in the Crossway Classic commentary. Why have you asked for help here Mark? I'm glad you asked...I am deeply concerned that our churches are filled with people on their way to hell and they have no clue. Remember Matt 7:21-23, Jesus words here are chilling, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ⌊only⌋ the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 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? ’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers! ’ If you read on in this passage in Matthew the simple OUTWARD difference is one man heard the Word of God and obeyed, and acted on it...this is the one who built on the solid foundation...the other spends eternity in hell...that is the great crash! The LORD through HIS servant Paul commands us to [2 Co 13:5] Test yourselves ⌊to see⌋ if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test. Paul did not take his own salvation for granted, checkout 1 Co 9:27, he demonstrates a concern for his own salvation. "Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified."
We are commanded to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith, we are commended to discipline ourselves, our bodies and our spiritual lives...so that we may be dying to self and becoming like Christ. 1 Tim 4:7 "But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness." Another translation says to "discipline yourselves for the purpose of godliness."
Please read the extended quote and meet me at the end:)
1. The Path
First, we are taught that there are some hearers of the Gospel whose hearts are like the path in a field.
These are people who hear sermons [read their Bibles] but pay no attention to them. They go to a place of worship for form’s sake, or because it is fashionable, or to appear respectable before other people. But they take no interest whatever in the preaching. It seems to them a mere matter of words, names and unintelligible talk. It is neither money nor meat nor drink nor clothes nor company, and as they sit with the sound of it going on around them they are taken up with thinking of other things. It does not matter at all whether it is law or Gospel. It produces no more effect on them than water on a stone. And at the end they go away knowing no more than when they came in.
There are myriads of people who claim to be Christians but are in this state of soul. Sunday after Sunday they allow the devil to snatch away the good seed that is sown on the face of their hearts. Week after week they live on without faith, fear, knowledge or grace, feeling nothing, caring nothing, taking no more interest in [the things of Christ] than if Christ had never died on the cross at all. And in this state they often die and are buried, and are lost forever in hell.
2. The Rocky Places
Second, we are taught that there are some hearers of the Gospel whose hearts are like the rocky places in a field.
These are people on whom preaching [and bible reading] produces temporary impressions, but no deep, lasting and abiding effect. They take pleasure in hearing sermons in which the truth is faithfully displayed. They can speak with apparent joy and enthusiasm about the sweetness of the Gospel and the happiness which they experience in listening to it. They can be moved to tears by the appeals of preachers, and talk with apparent earnestness of their own inner conflicts, hopes, struggles, desires and fears. But unhappily there is no stability about their religion. “?Since they have no root, they last only a short time?” (verse ?17). There is no real work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Their impressions are like Jonah’s gourd which came up in a night and perished in a night. They fade as rapidly as they grow. “?When trouble or persecution comes because of the word,?” they fall away (verse ?17). Their goodness proves as “?the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears?” (?Hosea 6:4). Their religion has no more life in it than the cut flower. It has no root, and soon withers way.
There are many in every congregation which hears the Gospel, who are just in this state of soul. They are not careless and inattentive hearers, like many round them, and are therefore tempted to think well of their own condition. They feel a pleasure in the preaching to which they listen, and therefore flatter themselves they must have grace in their hearts. And yet they are thoroughly deceived. Old things have not yet passed away. There is no real work of conversion in their inner being. With all their feelings, affections, joys, hopes and desires, they are actually on the high road to destruction.
3. The Thorny Ground
Third, we are taught that there are some hearers of the Gospel whose hearts are like the thorny ground in a field.
These are peope who attend to the preaching of Christ’s truth and to a certain extent obey it. Their understanding assents to it. Their judgment approves of it. Their conscience is affected by it. Their affections are in favor of it. They acknowledge that it is all right, good and worth receiving. They even abstain from many things which the Gospel condemns, and adopt many habits which the Gospel requires. But here unhappily they stop short. Something appears to chain them fist, and they never get beyond a certain point in their religion. And the grand secret of their condition is the world. “?The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things?” prevent the word having its full effect on their souls (verse ?19). With everything apparently that is promising and favorable in their spiritual state, they stand still. They never come up to the full standard of New Testament Christianity. They bring no fruit to perfection.
To go so far and yet go no further—to see so much and yet not see all—to approve so much and yet not give Christ the heart, this is indeed most deplorable! And there is but one verdict that can be given about such people. Without a decided change they will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Christ wants our whole heart. “?Friendship with the world is hatred towards God?” (?James 4:4).
4. The Good Soil
Fourth, we are taught that there are some hearers of the Gospel whose hearts are like the good soil in a field.
These are the people who really receive Christ’s truth into the bottom of their hearts, believe it implicitly and obey it thoroughly. In these the fruits of that truth will be seen—uniform, plain and unmistakable results in heart and life. Sin will be truly hated, mourned over, resisted and renounced. Christ will be truly loved, trusted in, followed, loved and obeyed. Holiness will show itself in all their conversation, in humility, spiritual-mindedness, patience, meekness and love. There will be something that can be seen. The true work of the Holy Spirit cannot be hidden.
There will always be some persons in this state of soul wherever the Gospel is faithfully preached. Their numbers may very likely be few compared with the worldly people around them. Their experience and degree of spiritual attainment may differ widely, some producing thirty, some sixty and some a hundred times what was sown. But the crop of the seed falling into good ground will always be of the same kind. There will always be visible repentance, visible faith in Christ and visible holiness of life. Without these things, there is no saving religion.
And now let us ask ourselves, What are we? Under which class of hearers ought we to be ranked? With what kind of hearts do we hear the word? Never, never may we forget that there is only one infallible mark of being a right-hearted hearer! That mark is to bear fruit. To be without fruit is to be on the way to hell.
Ryle, J. C. (1993). Mark. The Crossway classic commentaries (47). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.
Let's train ourselves in godliness, test yourselves to see if you are in the faith, discipline yourselves lest you be disqualified, I am also saying this to me!
Father in heaven, be gracious to us according to your faithful love, according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion, wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin...against YOU and YOU alone have I sinned. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. God, create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Father, I long to have a heart that produces a crop for YOU! PLEASE, AS I SEEK TO FIX MY EYES ON JESUS, BEHOLDING IS BECOMING, transform my heart, create in me a clean heart, a heart that loves YOU, loves people, loves YOUR precious Word. Do this please for YOUR glory and for my joy in YOU. Restore to me the joy of YOUR salvation and grant me a willing spirit. Father in heaven open my lips and my mouth will declare YOUR praise. The SACRAFICE [REMEMBER LEVITICUS] pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, YOU will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
I love you Father...in Jesus name...Amen!
Let's go hard after HIM! I pray that you all will pass the test!