An Amazing Mission Series

Jesus Is Amazing

An Amazing Mission

Mark 4:1-9, 13-20

Introduction

Listen! The Lord Jesus Christ is on an Amazing Mission to save all of humanity. And I’ve already told you how he’s going to do it!

We’ve been talking about the truth that Jesus is Amazing! He is an amazing teacher and friend - and he is on an amazing mission. In our text today the reputation of Jesus continues to expand. Crowds gather and press in to hear him, to experience healing. Last week he was trapped in a house by the crowds. Today he is at a sea shore about to be pressed into the water, so he got into a boat and sat in it on the lake and taught the people from there.

So many people hearing the words and teachings of Jesus - experiencing healing from disease and demons - the crowds cannot get enough of Jesus. He is truly Amazing! But being under the sound of his words and being in the

presence of his work is not the same as receiving Him. How many people in today’s world know about Jesus but that knowledge has no affect at all on their hearts and lives? 17% of Americans now describe their religion as “nothing in particular” (Pew Forum) There are many blessings to growing up in the church - but there is a danger - letting it all become old news. When we no longer find Jesus Amazing, we need to wonder what happened to the Gospel that was planted in our hearts long ago? Listen!

What Jesus has to say from the boat relates to our reception of His word and His work. He begins his message with a parable. He begins that parable with one word. LISTEN!

The Lord Jesus Christ is on an Amazing Mission to save all of humanity and he reaches out to those who will LISTEN!

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER AND THE SEED

Some fell on the Pathway

Mark 4:1-4 Again he began to teach by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2 He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

Mark 4:15 “Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.

Is our heart hard like a beaten down footpath-the seed just lands on top of it?

Barclay: “There are some people into whose hearts Christian truth can find no entry. … they are indifferent. They think that it is irrelevant to life…”

The word “hear” occurs 19 times in this chapter. There is someone helping us not to hear: The evil one who does not want us to hear or follow God’s word. When we choose not to listen to God We Are:

-Hardening our hearts.

-Aiding the enemy who hates us.

-Keeping God from cultivating the Kingdom heart within.

Do I have a hard heart?

Some fell on rocky places

Mark 4:5-6 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly, since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

Mark 4:16-17 “When they hear the word immediately they receive it with joy. But they have no root; they are short-

lived. When distress or persecution comes becomes of the word, they immediately fall away.”

How many receive the word Joyfully, but never advance? A shallow faith will lead us away fromGod when difficulties come - and they will.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Some fell among thorns

Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit.

Mark 4:18-19 “…These are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Jesus said the thorns were the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things make the seed choked and unfruitful. Some all this a divided heart.