The Miracles and the Ministry of the Messiah in the Book of Mark
Week 5: ‘Sowing, Growing, and Knowing
Mark 4
Crossroads Community Church
Rev. Ricky A. Rohrig Sr., Founding Pastor
April 12, 2015
I would like to start with a short story:
A man from Minnesota traveled to Key West, Florida on business. His wife was going to fly down the next morning to join him for a few days of vacation. When the man arrived he discovered the hotel had several desktop computers in the lobby for guests to use to surf the net and send emails. He sat down and sent an email to his wife. The only problem was he got one letter wrong in the email address and instead of going to his wife; the email went instead to a pastor’s wife who had recently buried her dearly departed husband. When the widow read the email, her family heard her scream and faint. The email said:
To: My loving wife.
Subject: I’ve arrived.
You’re probably surprised to hear from me, but they have computers here now. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then!
P.S. It sure is hot down here!
God has a message for you today, and He knows your exact address. He knows where you are; where you’ve been, what you’re going through right now, and where you’re going. God brought you here for a purpose today. He wants to have a personal relationship with you. He brought you here to show you that this isn’t a religion that involves observing rituals and keeping rules and traditions. That it is about a personal relationship that is so transformational that it changes you from the inside out; when you encounter, experience, and embrace Jesus Christ for yourself!
Today I would like to minister from this thought: Sowing, Growing, and Knowing (repeat)
• Talk about preparation, get participation
• Preparing for planting:
Mark 4:2-9 KJV
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Reason for speaking in parables
Mark 4:10-13 KJV
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Let’s look at the word mystery in this passage of scripture, it comes from the Greek word mustērion moos-tay'-ree-on meaning:
• Something that was previously hidden, but now fully revealed. In the NT it always means any doctrine that has not, in former times, been made fully known to men.
o It is found 27 times in the NT
o Is not found once in the OT
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
• The key word in this passage is converted. Something miraculous happens at the point of conversion, we have a new walk, a new talk, the things we used to do, we do not desire them no more, the places we used to go we don’t have to frequent them no more, and sometimes the people we used to hang with, we have the opportunity to witness the new life we have found in Jesus Christ!
• Look what happens next in this scripture, your sins (plural) should be forgiven
o We have a new life in Christ
o Somebody here can attest to this: I’m not what I oughta be, but I’m better than I use to be, and I’m getting better every day!
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
• Jesus is saying if you get this one, you will have the ability to understand all the other ones, for in this specific one are the principles of the interpretation of all of them
So Jesus goes onto explain:
Mark 4:14-20 KJV
14 The sower soweth the word.
• Who is the sower?
• What does He sow?
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
• Here the reference is alluding to those that hear the word of God but refuse to obey it, or profit from it?
1. Anyone know anyone know somebody that like that today?
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
• Such sort of hearers of the word are signified by the stony ground, on which the seed were sown, who are constant hearers of the word, and have some understanding of it, and some sort of affection for it, and yet their hearts are not truly broken by it; they are not brought to a thorough sight and sense of sin, and of their need of Christ, and salvation by him; their stony hearts are not taken away, and hearts of flesh given them:
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
• The idea here is there is no strong foundation
1. Try building a house with a weak foundation and watch what happens, it might be okay for a little while but what happens when a storm comes?
2. Same thing for these kind of people they may be okay for a little while, but what happens when the “storms of life” come along?
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
• This illustration is people that hear the word and fail to produce fruit because the word is choked by three things:
1. The cares of the world or lust of the flesh (ask for example)
2. The deceitfulness of riches or the pride of life (ask for example)
3. The lusts of other things or pleasures and the lust of eyes (ask for example)
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
• This is what we all should strive for:
1. Hear it
2. Understand it
3. Obey it
4. Engage others in it
Notice the threefold requirement:
1. Hear the word
a. This means your heart, mind, body, and soul, must be in a place where you are free from distractions to listen and hear what God is saying to you
2. Receive it
a. Let the Holy Spirit penetrate your soul where the word of God consumes every single part of you and if you let it than
3. Bring fourth fruit
a. It needs to be in you to come out of you. If it is others will witness your changed life and want what you have, this is discipleship making
In this example Jesus is indicating three out of four people will not receive the kingdom.
• That’s not okay with me and I hope it is not okay with you today. We need to reach those far from God because he commands us to!
• The kingdom means God the king is here within our reach.
1. If you have experienced the good life of Christ why would you not want to share it with everyone you know?
The kingdom of God operates with energies we do not understand or control.
Mark 4:26-29
Mark 4:26-29 KJV
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
KINGDOM OF GOD The phrase kingdom of God (or kingdom of the Lord) primarily refers to God’s kingly power exercised over creation and people.
This parable can be summarized in four words:
1. sowing (v. 26),
2. sleeping (v. 27),
3. growing (v. 28),
4. reaping (v. 29).
• All we can do is sow the seed; God alone can give the increase (1 Cor. 3:6–7). We cannot make the seed grow; in fact, we do not fully understand how the seed grows. Our task is to sow the seed and be alert when the harvest is ready (John 4:35–38). While sleeping is sometimes a picture of sin (Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Thes. 5:1–11), here it simply reminds us that hard-working people need their rest (see Mark 6:31). If workers do not take care of themselves, they cannot do the work God has called them to do.
So in closing and before our time of decision let me ask you, challenge, and encourage you with the following:
1. What kind of seeds are you sowing?
a. The Bible says you reap what you sow
2. Is faith in Jesus Christ producing growth?
a. No growth, some growth, a lot of growth, or negative/backwards growth
3. Do you personally know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior
a. Do those you know, know that you know Him
b. Do those you know, know Him?
i. If they do not, have you devised a plan to let them know about Him?
These 3 areas I want you to give some serious consideration to this week:
Sowing, Growing, and Knowing
As we get ready to pray and come to our moment of decision I also want to ask you, is there something you are holding onto, have you completely and carefully handed your life over to and trusted God? Or can you say that you are holding something back and not giving you Him 100%? If that is you we ask you to come down today for a moment of surrender. If you are ready to completely ready to surrender to do the will of God, make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, and be led by the Holy Spirit we ask you to come down, if you are going through a situation in your life you need prayer for, if you are a candidate for baptism, if you would like to re-commit your life back to Christ, we ask you to come.
