BECOMING A GOOD SOIL
Mark 4:3–9 (ESV)
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 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.
Mark 4:7–9 (ESV)
7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
SOUL GATES
PICTURE HERE
Mark 4:13–14 (ESV)
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.
1. ALONG THE PATH
Mark 4:15 (ESV)
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.
2. ROCKY GROUND
Mark 4:16 (ESV)
16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy.
Mark 4:17 (ESV)
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.
Galatians 1:6 (ESV) I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…
Galatians 5:7 (ESV) You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…
Mark 4:16–17 (MSG)
“And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
Mark 6:47–48 (ESV)
47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,
Mark 6:49–50 (ESV)
49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,
50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Mark 6:51–52 (ESV)
51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,
52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Mark 8:15–16 (ESV)
15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.
Mark 8:17–18 (ESV)
17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
Mark 8:19–21 (ESV)
19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”
21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
3. AMONG THE THORNS
Mark 4:18 (ESV)
18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word,
Luke 8:18 (ESV) Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
Mark 4:19 (ESV)
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.
Luke 8:14 (ESV)
And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
1. The cares of the world or the lusts of the flesh (Lk. 8:14; 21:34; Gal. 5:19–21; 1Jn. 2:15–17).
2. The deceitfulness of riches or the pride of life (Mk. 4:19; Mt. 13:22; Lk. 8:14;
1Tim. 6:8–10, 17; 1Jn. 2:15–17).
3. The lusts of other things or pleasures
and the lust of the eyes
(Mk. 4:19; Lk. 8:14; 21:34; 1Jn. 2:15–17).
Luke 21:34 (ESV)
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 6:8–9 (ESV)
8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
4. GOOD SOIL
Mark 4:20 (ESV)
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.”
Isaiah 55:11 (ESV)
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Numbers 21:9 (ESV) So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Psalm 107:20 (ESV) He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
Matthew 8:8 (ESV) But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Luke 8:15 (ESV) As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Mark 4:20 (ESV)
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.”
