The Questions Jesus Asked Part 18

This week in our Questions Jesus Asked series we are looking at a question Jesus asks in Mark Chapter 4:13, “Don’t you understand this parable?” about the parable of the sower. Let’s start with the parable and then the explanation.

Mark 4:1-9 (NIV)
1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

What’s going on is that God is sowing the Kingdom in Jesus. The Kingdom is here. Not fully here, but his rule and reign is back, and He’s busy setting things right which we have seen over the last few weeks in this series. Let’s read on as Jesus goes on to explain the parable to his disciples:

Mark 4:13-20 (NIV)
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop–thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

In verse 20 we see that some people hear this good news about the Kingdom of God, grab hold of it, press in and their lives become fruitful. They start to have full and abundant lives. To become fruitful, this is the connection that you have to begin to make. The Kingdom of God is here and it’s making a difference.

That’s my hope for you. That you have a full and abundant life as you realize what it means to be a part of His story. What a blessing it is to be on this adventure that He invited you into and that He partners with you as the royal priesthood to make a difference on the planet until He returns!

This weekend at Keys Vineyard church we will be digging into how this parable ties in to some fascinating things that Isaiah prophesied so be sure to attend in-person or watch online.

Steve Lawes is a church encourager and the lead pastor of Keys Vineyard Church.