The Sower and the soils part 2

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 The Sower and the soils part 2

With the background information out of the way in part 1, it’s time to turn to the parable itself. In Mark’s gospel, the parable is followed immediately by Jesus’ quotation of Isaiah, and then the explanation.


Only in Mark does Jesus rebuke the disciples for their lack of understanding (Mark 4:13). He tells them that understanding this parable is the key to understanding parables. So, how are we to understand this parable?


Fortunately, Jesus goes on to explain it. The seed is the word. The Sower is Jesus, and eventually his followers. The different types of soil are different types of people who hear the gospel message.


People represented by the path are those who have no interest in God or spiritual matters. When someone starts talking about sin, heaven, hell, Jesus, or any related topic, they shut off their brain or change the subjject. These people have been blinded by the spirit of the age and see no need for such things. The only thing we can do for these people when we encounter them is to pray that God will prepare their hearts and minds to hear the message the next time it’s presented.


The seed that falls on shallow, rocky soil and the seed that falls among thorns seem to be related. James talks a lot about trials and temptations. Trials, James tells us, test our faith and help us to mature. As Warren Wiersbe has stated, faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted. Trials prove to us that the object of our faith - God - is trustworthy. But for some people, when a trial comes, they get discouraged and lose heart. Only genuine faith can withstand trials. People who only had an emotional reaction to the Gospel won’t withstand the hard times that inevitably come in every life. That’s shallow soil with rocks just below the surface preventing deep root formation.


For some people, desire turns a trial into temptation and yielding to that temptation leads to sin, which rises up and chokes out the seedling faith trying to sprout. How we respond to trials will determine whether they test us or tempt us. James 1:14-15 says we are tempted when our desires lure us and we yield to them. This yielding to our desire gives birth to sin, which chokes the life out of us.

But when the Gospel finds a heart that is ready to hear, faith sprouts. And where true faith sprouts, it blossoms and matures and produces fruit in its season.

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