Sunday: The Parable of the Sower
Daily Lesson for Sunday 21st of July 2024
Read Mark 4:1-9. What are the different soils like, and what happens to the seed that falls on them?
When reading the parables of Jesus in the Gospels, people often want to jump quickly to the interpretation. After all, is that not the point of these stories—to teach some spiritual truth for Christian life? Yes, but sometimes, other than in brief comments such as “The kingdom of God is like,” or “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” Jesus does not explain the parable.
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Consequently, it is good to slow down and simply analyze the story itself in order to catch the direction its various narrative characteristics point toward. Doing this with the parable of the sower yields a variety of ideas. The seed is the same in each case but falls on four different types of soil. The type of soil greatly influences the outcome for the seed. Instead of one continuous story, the parable is actually four individual stories told to completion in each setting. The length of time for completing the story lengthens with each successive story.
The seed that falls on the road is eaten immediately by the birds. “ ‘And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it’ ” (Mark 4:4, NKJV).
The seed that falls on the rocky ground takes a few days or weeks to reach its failed outcome, which included being scorched by the sun.
The seed that falls on the weedy soil takes longer still to reach its unproductive end, choked as it was by thorns.
The seed that falls on the good soil takes the longest of all, presumably an entire growing season, as is the normal pattern for a crop.
Three of the stories are about failure; only the last is about success, a good abundant crop. The length of the stories, the longer and longer period of time for each successive story, and the fact that only one story is about success, all point to the risk of failure but the abundant outcome of success.
The parable seems to point to the cost of discipleship and the risks involved, but it also highlights the abundant reward of following Jesus.
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What are some other spiritual lessons that we can learn from nature? |
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The slopes on the western side of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales is where they grow Canola, an oil-seed crop. It would have made a great backdrop for the story of the sower. I have driven from Cooranbong to the Warrumbungles (Don't you love those names?) when the Canola is in flower. The whole countryside is a patchwork of bright yellow Canola in flower and bright green wheat fields. The interesting thing about Canola is that its colour indicates the soil quality. Where the soil is rich and fertile Canola flowers with a deep golden yellow. You see the red soil underneath the plants shining where the nutrients are low. You see the odd patch of yellow where some of the seed has blown onto roadsides.
To add a modern twist to the story, farmers use satellite imaging and metrics to determine the fertility of their soils and can make adjustments so that even poor soils can give good crops.
Despite all of the modern technology, the growth and development of the plants is something that the farmer does not control. The farmer does what he can but must wait patiently for the results.
We may dig the soil and plant the seeds of the Gospel but we need to wait patiently for the Holy Spirit to do its work.
wow. what a great spin this puts on the parable- Im here in West New Britain, PNG, an oil palm plantation region that is a major employer and revenue earner for the country. One company executive here told me that profits and bumper years depend on having the rain at the right time, which only God controls-natures lessons for spiritual growth indeed.
Kenneth, I heard at the NNEC Campmeeting a month ago that 300,000 people were baptized in PNG after a 2 week series of meetings...! Did this really happen? If so this definitely is is a sign of the times we are living in. Would you kindly comment on this event.
I like Ashton’s comments. It is the Holy Spirit’s prerogative to win souls and not humans. We are the sowers of the seed. Allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.
Nature operates at its own pace, governed by conditions that are also subject to change. Humanity seeks to understand, predict, and control nature, but has been negatively impacted by the excessive exploitation of its resources. The concept of sustainability seems like a utopia. Thus, the world might be caught in a situation similar to a pregnant woman experiencing labor pains (I Thess 5:3).
In the Parable of the Sower, seeds planted are hunted by nature and the elements. Those same elements, however, are also responsible for fruition and good harvest. This shows that timing (season of planting) and preparation of soil are important before planting. Perhaps the parable also shows the carelessness and ease with which the Gospel is spread and the responsibility that lies with the farmer to till the soil before planting, the same as was commissioned by God to Adam, when God said that by the sweat of thy brows thou shalt labor. Sin has made it harder for us to yield crops from spreading the Gospel, just like it has become increasing harder to farm. Soil is losing strength through erosion, acid rains, slash and burn, scraping of humus from top soil etc. This is indicative of the challenges the Gospel faces as we progres in the end times. Though the Earth is withering, and projections reveal reduction of farming produce, preparation of soil (tilling) still is key to good harvest. After all sowing is a distinctive function in farming, but not the only function of farming. Maybe Jesus was also pointing out to us that we need to sow, though conditions are grim, but wherever and whenever we have a chance, we should prepare the soil before sowing, afterall that is what yields good harvest.
By preparing or tilling , is it reading the gospel ?
I think you are probably right because one cannot prepare or till the soil of a chance encounter of someone on the street. The individual sower must be prepared to share the good news of a soon coming savior. (It seems...!)
I interpreted the succes of the last seed as the time it sometime takes to educate a non believer with bible truths. The Holy Spirit has to convince that person, and than he accepts (the growing process starts than). The reward is worth the wait.
I think Jesus is saying for us to spread the gospel, like seeds, but we do not know which one will fall in a good soil and will produce fruit. Our work is to seed and the Spirit is responsible for the growing. Many times we make wrong judgments about what is a good soil to spread the seeds of the gospel.
We all know that the different soils represent each individuals heart. None of us can tell the condition of another’s heart. Our job is to so the seed. As Dennis said it’s the Holy Spirits role to cause the seed germination.
To me both the simplicity and profundity of Jesus’ parables show forth the supernatural wisdom of God.
It seems to me that the the kingdom of God and its content is illustrated in clear lines by examples from nature. On the other hand Jesus said: "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all (these) things are done in parables. 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." (Mark 4:11-12 KJV)
As we know, Jesus drove out demons; but the Pharisees said, he was performing this by the prince of the devils (Mark 3:22). Then how were they going to understand the parables of the kingdom of God?
Accordidng to their preconceived ideas, they expeced the Messiah to drive out the romans, to establish Jerusalem as capital of the world for national rulership. Nothing in the parables of Jesus contained the least hint to such expected event. These preconceived expectations made them and the people blind and dumb to the parables of the kingdom of God Jesus was teaching.
Are there any preconceived notions we may have hindering us to see and hear the gospel for spiritual guidance? The Holy Spirit will open minds, hearts and eyes to understand the parables, as they teach the true nature of the kingdom of God and its relationship to our life. (cf Revelation 3:18)
winfried Stolpmann
The parable of the sower reminds me of the garden we planted when we moved to the Battle Creek area of Michigan. The plot we selected for the garden had each type of soil imaginable. There were thorns, rocks, hard packed dry spots, and weeds galore. It seemed to be the least promising place to plant a garden but it was the place best situated on our property and we were determined to make it work. However it required much work to make it work. We first began by removing the visible large rocks, then the thorny wild plants and finally used a rototiller to till under the weeds which we then raked out of the tilled soil. It was much easier than individually pulling the weeds as the weeds were everywhere. After finally clearing the soil we had our garden plot ready to plant. Before we did that however we wanted to know the quality of and the needs of the
soil, so we took soil samples from four spots and sent them in for soil analysis. Because it would take 10 - 14 days to receive the results we decided to plant first and amend the soil later, after we received the soil analysis report. This was Michigan, we couldn't wait to plant until everything was perfect or we would have a very short growing season.
When Jesus told the parable of the sower he was speaking to an agrarian community. Agriculture was how they lived. There were no super markets full of processed food. It was all plant based, whole food which came from the soil. Jesus was a master of communication, for he often took a known physical subject to teach a lesson about spiritual realities.
In the teaching of the parable of the sower I relate it to not just different types of individuals that hear the gospel though that is the primary application. I relate it to different areas in the "garden of my heart". Where are the dry, hard packed areas, the stony, the thorny, the weed infested soil of my heart? These can and will choke out the word of God from taking root and bringing forth an abundant harvest of the fruit of the Spirit. Because we all have blind spots we need the Holy Spirit to anoint our eyes to see the areas of our "garden" that need amending. Not only that though, the Holy Spirit helps us to amend our soil. We are not left to ourselves to improve ourselves. Just as faith without works is dead, so is works without faith. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work with us in the soil of our hearts, our "gardens", He brings forth the transformation and the bountiful harvest of righteousness. The righteousness we need is Christ's righteousness by faith, not our own. Not a dead abstract theory of faith but a living faith which works by love, grace, and appreciation for the work that Jesus and the Holy Spirit have, are, and will continue to do in the garden of our lives when we allow them to do it.
Each day I need to ask the Lord to uproot the weeds, the thistles, and remove the stoney heart, break up the hardened spots, and water me with the showers of the latter rain. Each day is a mew opportunity to see the Master Gardener working with and through us in the garden of our lives. This is what I/we need and should pray for. Weeds are easy to grow it takes no effort, it is our default mode apart from Jesus. With Jesus and the Holy Spirit working together with us, with our permission in the gardens of our lives, we will produce a "garden" that would rival anything in any magazine or botanical garden.
It reminds me of that hymn, "In the Garden ", of what I need to start my day. Then I can say,"Jesus take the hoe!"
He’s describing the mission field in this parable. The sower’s job was to scatter the seed (which represents God’s word) regardless of the type of soil. The Holy Spirit does the rest.
As a child, I grew up on a farm, but move to the big city of New York. I missed being able to go out to the garden a pull up some fresh vegetables. I missed seeing various farmers planting the seeds for different crops. What I missed the most,is when it rained, the air was filled with the different fragrant (smells) from all of the crops. The point I am making, is now I am adult, even now, when I attempt to plant something, if I do not water it, and give it a little sunshine, it will/has died. We can only tell others about the word of God and pray that the Holy spirit will water their hearts. I see too, that this is going to be a very interesting lessons and I pray that we all learn a valuable lesson.
We teach while the Holy Spirit guides ,the problem comes when we want to do what the Holy Spirit is supposed to do.This good soil that yields success is one that is guided by the power of the Holy Spirit.Lets not abandon out part of teaching and at the same time asking for the guidance of The Holy Spirit especially when handling new believers.Good night to you all.From Kisumu _Kenya.
I think it to be helpful to understand the parable by looking back to the time before we accepted the Grace of God unto Salvation. We were among those hearing the ‘Word of God’ for the first time. If the seed is the ‘Word of God’, what type of soil did it find when we first heard the call to follow Him?
The soil of our heart and mind had not been fully ‘prepared’ yet; it could not yet yield a harvest. It had to become first a soil which was ‘willing and ready to receive’! How was it possible that the heart and mind were able to receive the seed - the ‘Word of God’? It was by Grace!
John 6:42-45 - "They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ’I have come down from heaven?’" “Stop crumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [prepares the heart and mind], and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me - - ...”
So, if the condition of the soil represents our heart and mind's readyness to receive the seed, what does this mean for us now when we are being asked to accept His ‘tilling and preparing’ us for our heavenly Father to produce a rich harvest within and through us?
Yes, it is a contrite heart and a willing spirit which provide the fertile ground for the Holy Spirit to work within the believer as he/she is readied for harvest - Micah 6:8; Eph.2:6-8.
Pavel Goia has inspired me to pray for spiritual and physical blessings that we can see. Deuteronomy 28:11
For whatever reason I have always focused on the ground part(heart) and not the sowers role. This lesson has now opened up my mind to see that I fit both aspects, to share the gospel but also to make sure that I am growing in my Christian walk and bearing the fruits of righteousness
I have heard this parable many times. One day well into my adulthood I was reading it and like a flash of lightning I realized something. At different times in my life I was each of the soil types. I realized that this parable doesn't just tell of different people but also of the journey of believers. Look at the soil types and see if you can see yourself in each one.
There is hope for each soil type. No one is beyond hope. They may not be ready to hear the message at one point in their lives but then trials come and they are more receptive. God may need to sow them multiple times because He is always working to change the soil.
I agree with you. It's shows our Christian journey in various stages. Only with the help of God can we be able to be the fertile ground.
We cant reap what we didnt sow
The seeds had no choice of land on which to fall, likewise not all people chose to be in false denominations,so let's help be in true churhes
The question is , are we the one that on good ground when received the gospel in the first time? Are we already producing fruits which if fruits of Spirit. Have we produced soul ?
Unless we have fruits we can’t sow the seed !
Quite profound...! The farmer in olden times always saved and did not sell or consume some of the fruit/produce because from it he would obtain the seed for next years harvest. I learned this from reading Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder to our children. Hence if you produce no fruit through the Spirit you have no seed to sow....!
As missionary in the gospel Fields, it is our commission to scatter the seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ in whatever fields of life we encounter. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to water and Nurture the crops in the field to yield.
Good morning,
Sorry for my reaction so late on this lesson.
Can someone please explain to me Mark 4:11,12.
Also Is it possible that seeds which was planted in good ground after a long period start giving bad fruits? How do we explain faithful and productive Christians turning bad after a long while?
Thank you
Check out the discussion under Tuesday, Ingrid. The issue is the focus there.
Depends on what seed you plant...
The parable of the wheat and the tares (Matt 13:24-30)lets us know that there are different types of seeds and early on it may not be clear the type of plant but the crop will not lie.
Also expectations may be different depending on what type of fruit you are looking for...(Galatians 5:22) and where the power to grow fruit comes from(John 15:5).
I hope this helps.
I realized that I may need to expound a little more on my last comment. In the parable of the Sower the seed is the word (Mark 4:14) but we find in John 1:14-18 that the word was made flesh or came as Jesus. In Genesis 3:15 we find a prophetic statement about a "seed" that would bruise the serpents head foretelling of how Jesus would crush Satan's head at the cross. All this to say that the "seed" or "word" is Jesus. If you place your foundation / trust on Jesus He will lead you through every stage of growth from a seedling to mature plant to producing fruit because He is the seed you have planted in the soil of your heart. The focus is on the Seed / Jesus not the fruit. This is because the seed makes all the difference.
The sower still continues to sow seeds today. I want to believe that our Christian life is dynamic and not static and we could be any of the soils at any point in time. However, the aim is to ask God to help prepare our stony,thorny hearts to become a fertile ground for His word.
Thanks so much.I enjoyed the lesson study discussion so much,as my very 1st time of following such.with this Ican contribute immencely in the Sabbath school lesson.
I always understood this part of the parable as describing what one does as he or she receives God's Word. The different soils, and even the part where no soil is involved at all, but the seed is merely cast aside,reflect the character of the person who receives the word. Those who give only cursory attention to God's word, "surface readers or skimmers," are not actually interested. It is wasted, and birds, if you will, eat it. Rocky soils describes the person who receives the Word, but who does no in-depth study. God's word is not taken to heart, and as rocky soil has little dirt, there is little for the roots to take hold. When stressed, the plant withers and dies. Likewise, the reader has no root for the word within him (her) self. There is no indepth study for the word to take hold, and put to the test, the person loses interest. Others who receive God's word get so caught up in worldly matters, God's word takes a back seat in their lives. The world becomes more important to them than the word of God,thus they have little faith. Finally,those who love God will feast on His Word. Their heart and faith are good soil for God's word to take root, for that person to grow and bear fruit. The four individual situations reflect the four character types of the person's who receive God's Word.
So the whole idea of this parable is to reveal the reality of preaching the gospel. As we preach the 3 Angels message everyone will hear the truth but they will accept it differently. Everyone will hear but few will be saved..."many are called but few are chosen." Coming back to the context of the summary, yes there are struggles we face as we preach the gospel sometimes the gospel is struggled by the thorns of the devil. Its suppressed but at the end of it all it will triumph.