A pastor once preached on this passage: A mother of 12 came forward, concerned that her life has not produced any eternal fruit. She told the pastor, “I am not sure that with my responsibilities, I have time to do anything of value to God.”
The pastor tried to comfort the lady, prayed for her, and asked her how he could help her in her life produce fruit.
She responded with frustration, “I should be producing good fruit now. My life has enough manure in it to fertilize the seed.”
• Maybe that is where you are today, a life with more fertilizer than fruit.
• If so, I hope and pray that today’s sermon will be instructive and encouraging to you.
• It may be corrective, but not by my design. If the Spirit moves in that way, before we start, remember the joy of following the movement of the Holy Spirit of God.
• The passage today is written in two parts. For our understanding, we will approach it a little different.
• Vs. 1-3 begins with a description of the setting. 9-14 introduces the explanation.
Mar 4:1-3 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow. …
Mar 4:9-14 And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven." 13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word….
• Jesus is again on the beach of the Sea of Galilee and there is a crowd.
• The crowd is large enough that teaching becomes difficult.
• Jesus commissions a boat, probably one he has used before, to go out.
• When the wind was blowing off the water, sound carried over the water almost as well as an amphitheater.
• If you have ever been on a lake down wind from fishermen, you know you can hear every word they say.
Mar 4:11-12 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."
• Let me make some introductory comments about what is hard to understand in this passage.
• Sometimes these verses confuse us, and for some, have led to beliefs that don’t align with the whole of the message of scripture.
• Jesus was not saying that some people will not have a chance because they were not given understanding.
• Here, again, Jesus always honors the right of each person to choose whether they believe or not.
• God refuses to present to mankind a compelling argument that leaves no room for doubt.
• He refuses to violate mankind’s free will.
• He is saying, if you choose to understand, that option will be blessed with understanding.
• If you choose to reject the Word, you will be given that freedom, but must face the consequences.
• One of the consequences is, you just will not understand the deep things of God.
• I’m glad that if you choose to believe, understanding will be beautiful and rewarding.
• Before we begin looking at the different field conditions, please consider the condition of each life is determined by the choice of that life.
• 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
• As a matter of fact, God confronts every human being, on multiple occasions, with an opportunity for belief.
• Rom 1:17-19 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
• In the following thoughts of that passage, we see the importance of our choice, to believe or not believe.
• I use the word “confront” because it is indeed a confrontation.
• He confronts our “sphere lordship” which never works anyway.
• We want to be the lords of our little worlds, but lack the power, integrity, or knowledge to do so.
• We may stand on the stage and sing, “I did it my way,” but we all have to admit, “It didn’t work”.
• So God in mercy confronts us all with the reality that our lives are not working.
• In His mercy, He sent His Son to purchase for us a victorious life.
• It is victorious because it is based upon His lordship. He has the power, integrity, knowledge.
• But to accept this life, we have to surrender our lives to His lordship.
• That is the Word, or seed in this passage. Offered to all. Spread across the world.
I. Denying Truth. (4, 15)
Mar 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Mar 4:15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
• The ground is too hard for the seed to even take root.
• I have met some hard people in my ministry, who would not accept the Word.
• I have had some call me ignorant, stupid, and uneducated because of my reliance on faith.
• Those “hard soils” are easy to identify.
• There are other “hard soils” that are less evident to us.
• They fit into the Church, they run committees, teach classes, sing the loudest.
• They give better than many, sacrifice, serve.
• The problem for this hard soil is they depend upon the things that we observe.
• They fail to take the seed of life, trusting Christ as Savior.
• They are very religious, but have missed the seed of truth.
• I am not certain that there is a professed atheist or agnostic in our service today.
• I am afraid we may have more of the religious unbelievers.
• We have those who are depending on their history, lifestyle, and reputation for their assurance.
• That good history, excellent lifestyle, and stellar reputation can make very hard ground when it comes to the seed of faith.
• Where some are asked to turn from the life of immorality to trust in Christ alone, you may be asked to turn from a life of self-righteousness to trust in Christ alone.
• Salvation cannot coexist with a self-righteous dependence.
• But surrender is the way to truly winning.
• If you have rejected or ignored the call for salvation, our plea for you today, along with the Spirit’s call, is to accept the Word of truth.
• Your choice to accept the Word is all God requires to do His part, in giving you faith, understanding, and then assurance based upon Truth.
II. Defying Tenets. (5-6, 16-17)
Mar 4:5-6 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
Mar 4:16-17 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
• The sower throws some seed on shallow ground.
• The rocks lie just below the topsoil.
• These are those who receive the Word, but do not commit to grow in faith.
• This is discouraging to a pastor.
• I know many who make a decision, public profession, but when things get tough, you can’t find them with a search warrant.
• They fall away. I have concerns here.
• I am afraid these have given mental consent to something other than true salvation.
• My concern is that their faith was not authentic. They find themselves in a worse condition.
• They have a date and baptism to fall back on, but no real faith.
• They are open to deception concerning their salvation and are lost.
• I want to make it clear, if you are saved at any time in your life, you are saved eternally.
• This passage does not teach a salvation that is lost during tough trials.
• It does talk about a mental consent to salvation, but no surrender to the Lordship of Christ.
• Without surrender to the Lordship of Christ, I am afraid that mental consent to public profession is not true salvation.
• If you are currently wondering about your salvation, no one can answer that question but God.
• It is not unhealthy for you to question your salvation.
• You will either receive assurance of it or will be convinced of your need for it. Both are good.
• But if you are easily shaken from your commitment, you are right to question your faith and surrender.
• Now, there are times when true believers stumble, we are not saying that.
• A stumbling Christian knows the sin, mistake and stumble and is drawn to make it right with God.
• A true believer cannot live continually in a sinful, rebellious or condition of apathy.
• Be sure of your salvation today. Settle the issue of your commitment and surrender.
• Ask God for the strength and depth that is unshakable.
• BTW, depth comes from growing in the Word, continually sanctifying your walk and loving and serving others.
• We are committed in our purpose to help you in your walk as a child of God, brother or sister of believers, students of the words and servants of the Church.
• If you are plugged into all of those, you will grow and have root for the trials in your future.
• Whereas the first two soils appear to me to represent those who are not saved, the last two represent those who are saved.
• They fall into two categories.
III. Dignifying Trivials. (7, 18-19)
Mar 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
Mar 4:18-19 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
• Other things. Larry Crabb calls some of them second things.
• The problem with these seeds thrown among thorn bushes is not that the seeds don’t take.
• It is that they don’t produce fruit, or yield grain.
• They are unfruitful. It is not saying they don’t do good works.
• Good works are not fruit.
• Mat 6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
• The problem is that these are not letting Christ live through them.
• Other things get in the way. Three things are mentioned.
• A. Cares of the World. Other issues become more important that God’s issues.
• This happens to all of us. This is where Christian Disciplines become important.
• Bible Study, devotional time, prayer and reflection are necessary to Christians.
• See, thorns grow up, sneak in, slowly, unperceivably.
• Christian Disciplines, practiced daily, will reveal the cares of this world that creep into our lives.
• B. The second item is deceitfulness of riches.
• It is so easy in this economic world to be motivated by the pocket book or bank account.
• It is so easy for the finances of life to take over our priorities.
• However, to do that creates an unfruitful life.
• How to prevent it is this: Continue to resolve that God owns all you have.
• You are just a steward for the Master, but the Master has all rights to how His stuff is handled.
• Yes, He requires us to be responsible, but responsible to follow His orders.
• This again is where the Christian disciplines are imperative.
• We must check in with the Master daily or we will miss His orders.
• C. The third area is just described as “other things”.
• It is not speaking of bad things, and is often speaking of good things that get in the way.
• Second things, as Crabb would say. It is important to keep the first thing first and second things in order.
• Are you saying that family can be bad? My church responsibilities can be bad? No.
• But putting these good things first can be bad for you.
• Ill. Data Communications, printer cables and connectors: Electronic color code = black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gray, white, gold, silver.
• If you get the first one wrong, the rest are wrong.
• Same is true in Christianity.
• Mat 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
• God is saying, keep first things first, and the rest will line up fine.
• You may know some who say they put first things first, but make poor human being when it comes to family, finances, and others.
• That is not putting first things first, but self first, using God as an excuse for being a sorry, irresponsible person.
• Don’t get the two confused.
• Some of us need today to put God first, our passion for Him, our love for Him, our possessions to Him.
• When we do, we become productive.
IV. Delighting in Trust. (8, 20)
Mar 4:8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
Mar 4:20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
• There is hope. There are those who receive the Word, keep their lives relatively clean and produce fruit that lasts for eternity.
• That invitation goes out to you.
• Question: How is your commitment to keeping Christ first?
• Question in answer: How is your fruit?
• There are three answers to that question: No fruit, some fruit, abundant fruit.
• Bro. Tim, how do I produce fruit?
• John 15:5 - I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
• If you are not saved today, what a beautiful time to get right with God. Come forward.
• If you need prayer, come and pray, someone will join you.
• If you need to seek forgiveness or patch up a relationship, start now.
