The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20)

Here, Jesus is saying to us, 'There is a way that leads to fruitfulness' - and he's also saying, "There's a way that will not lead to fruitfulness.'

Jesus speaks about the sower, the seed and the soils/He's speaking about God's Word. He's inviting us to think about our response to God's Word: What is my response to God's Word? This is the question Jesus calls us to ask ourselves honestly.

There are four types of soil

 - "some seed fell along the path" (4)

 - "other seed fell on rocky ground" (5)

 - "other seed fell among thorns" (7)

 - "other seed fell into good soil" (8).

There are three poor soils.By speaking of these poor soils, Jesus is saying to us, 'Make sure that, in your heart, there is good soil in which the Word of God can take root, grow and bear fruit.'

Jesus does not only give us the parable. He also gives us the explanation of the parable. He tells us what the parable means. The parable is like four mirrors. Do you see yourself in these mirrors?

 * He speaks about the seed that is sown "along the path." Jesus says,"Satan immediately comes and takes away the Word which is sown" (5).

Here, we have people who hear the Word of God, and it's like water off a duck's back. Their minds are so full of other things. It's very easy for Satan yo come in and take God's Word out of their minds. Satan distracts them. People like this are surface people. There is no depth in them. They don't really listen  very attentively to God's Word. They don't take God's Word very seriously.

Here is the first mirror. Do you see yourself in this mirror? It's not a good picture, but it can be changed!

 * Jesus goes on to speak about the seed that is "sown upon rocky ground."

Here, we have what seems, at first, to be a more encouraging response to God's Word - "they hear the Word" and "immediately receive it with joy" (16). This is not a case of the Word of God going in one ear and out the other ear. There seems to be something that is quite promising - an enthusiastic response. Sadly, however, it didn't last long. When the going gets tough, the "joy" disappears. 

Do you see yourself in this mirror? You start off well, but, later on, you lose interest. At first, this picture looks better and brighter than the first picture. when the brightness disappears, can it be brought back again? Yes! This is what Jesus is saying to us. He's saying to us, 'You don't have to be like the poor soil.'

Jesus is calling us to pray for a change of heart. We are to pray for a real change, a change of heart which leads to a change of life.

 * The third mirror into which we are invited to look is the mirror of the seed that was "sown among thorns" (18).

Here, we have the problem caused by weeds. At first, we hardly notice that there are a few weeds here and there. If we're not careful, the situation can get totally out of control. The weeds are left to grow. The weeds grow and grow and grow. Before long, there is nothing but weeds. Everywhere you look, you see weeds.

Can the situation be turned around? Yes - but it will require radical action!

This isn't about gardening. It's about life. It's not about a mass of weeds being turned into a beautiful garden. It's about a self-centred life being turned into a Christ-centred life. It's about a life that's in a mes being turned into a life that's full of blessing.

Do you see yourself in this mirror? Are "the cares of this world and the delight in riches and the desire for other things" choking the Word of God in your life? Has your life become unfruitful? - not a blessing, only a mess.

There is a way out of a selfish life and into a Christlike life.

You must recognize that there is a real problem. You must do something about it.If you refuse to recognize the problem, the situation will get worse and worse. The weeds will take over. Your life will be controlled by sin and Satan.

Life doesn't need to be like this. Life can be made new when you receive the Saviour and his salvation.

 * Three of the soils, described by Jesus in his parable of the sower, are given to us as a warning: Make sure that you're not like this! Jesus tells us, 'Things can go from bad to worse - if we let them!' In this parable, there is more than a warning. There is also a promise. Jesus' parable doesn't end with the three poor soils. There is another mirror into which we can look. Here, we can catch a glimpse of a better future. Jesus points us to the way out of our mess, the way into his blessing. It's the way of the good soil - the way of hearing the word, accepting it and bearing fruit (20). Hearing the Word is only the beginning. We must be doers of the Word as well as hearers of the Word.

In his letter, James speaks to us about hearing God's Word and doing God's Word. He tells us that those who hear the Word without becoming doers of the Word are "like a man who sees himself in a mirror and goes away and forgets what he has seen in the mirror" (James 1:22-24).

We've looked into the mirrors, provided for us by Jesus in his parable of the sower. We've seen ourselves in the light of God's holy Word. We've heard Jesus' call to holiness. He calls us to live a holy life. He calls us to be new men and women. He calls us to follow him. 

What will our response be? - This is the question which our Lord Jesus Christ puts to us in his parable of the sower.