The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
Mark 4:1-32the main text read aloud covering the parables of the sower, the lamp, the growing seed, and the mustard seed
1 Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
2 He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,
3 “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,
4 and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.
6 When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”
9 He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
11 He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,
12 that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”
13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
14 The farmer sows the word.
15 The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
16 These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.
17 They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.
18 Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,
19 and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
21 He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?
22 For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.
23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear.
25 For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
26 He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.
28 For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31 It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,
32 yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
Gannon cited it directly when connecting the lamp parable to Jesus declaring himself the light of the world
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Carl taught from Mark 4:1-32, walking through four parables Jesus told about seeds, a lamp, growing grain, and a mustard seed. The evening was a conversation-style gathering at First Baptist Jackson, with people sharing what stood out to them after the reading. The discussion kept coming back to one question: what does it look like to actually live out what these parables describe?
What was said
Carl opened by noting that he usually reads the parable of the sower and asks himself what kind of soil he is. This time something different caught his attention. What struck him was the farmer himself, throwing seed onto the footpath, the rocky ground, the thorns, and the good soil alike, without sorting out which ground deserved it first. Jesus did the same thing, Carl said, whether he was at a dinner party with disreputable sinners or talking to religious people who were sure they already had it figured out. He scattered the seed anyway.
That observation shaped the rest of the evening. If Jesus sowed with that kind of abandon, Carl argued, the personal application is to do the same, to scatter the word with anyone and everyone rather than pre-selecting the soil that looks promising.
The parable of the lamp reinforced the same point. Jesus framed it as a simple question: would you light a lamp and put it under a basket? Carl connected it to John 8:12, where Jesus says more directly that he is the light of the world and that those who follow him will not walk in darkness. The lamp belongs on the stand, visible to everyone.
The parable of the growing seed shifted the weight of responsibility. Carl quoted a commentator who said the growth of plants cannot be forced, and all the farmer can do is leave everything to God while continuing his daily routine. The seed is out there. God does what only God can do to grow it. That, Carl said, is reason to wait patiently rather than anxiously.
The mustard seed closed the sequence. The smallest of seeds becomes the largest of garden plants, with birds nesting in its branches. Carl read it as a picture of God's kingdom starting small and reaching to all nations, still growing.
Running through all four parables was the line Carl kept returning to: pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding will be given. He said that took on new meaning for him in this study, that real listening is not passive, and that Jesus begins and ends the first parable with the same word: listen.
The congregation added to what Carl had laid out. One person said he had never put himself in the farmer's shoes before, only ever asked what soil type he was, and that thinking of himself as a sower changed how he heard the parable. Someone else pointed out that we do not know the state of anyone's heart, so it is not our job to judge the soil before we throw the seed. Another member noted that the disciples themselves needed Jesus to explain the parables privately, and that faith and understanding are gifts God gives, not something ears alone can produce. Carl closed by saying that the disciples' confusion early in Mark, and their growth later, is itself a picture of the process these parables describe.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages
in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
Gannon pointed out that Jesus scattered seed on every kind of soil, not just the soil that looked promising. When you think about the people in your own life, where do you tend to hold back from sharing your faith, and what makes you hesitant there?
One person in the group said he had always read the parable asking 'what soil type am I?' but had never put himself in the farmer's shoes. How does thinking of yourself as a sower, rather than just a receiver, change the way you approach conversations about faith?
Check. Alright. Greetings, everybody. Greetings. Glad to see you on a Monday night.
And can we give Felix and Guadalupe a big hand for all their hard work? What a treat. We so appreciate you, and thank you so much for making a delicious meal on a Monday night. We're in the Gospel of Mark right now. Keep that in mind conversation style for some gospel conversation encouragement at the end.
Before we get there, how about we worship and song together? If you're eating, continue to eat. But if you'd like to stand, let's sing God rest you merry gentlemen. Alright. God rest.
Thank you so much for your comfort and your joy. I was just thinking as we were singing this song, my peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. I don't give as the world gives. Don't let your hearts be troubled.
Don't be afraid. Lord, that we would feel that comfort, from you this evening. We we know we go through rough patches. We get that. We have troubles and and trials and tribulations.
But, God, you do give a peace that passes understanding, and we can have joy, a recognition of your grace, Lord, that we would experience that. In Jesus' name, amen. Message gun.
And he
shall reign Isn't that isn't that great though? The the chorus of that the chorus of that song, that God shall reign forevermore, that he is a wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, and the Prince of Peace. God, we recognize you as these, and we give you praise. Amen. To and in study of your word.
You say the closer that we pay attention, the closer that we listen, the more understanding that we will be given. Lord, we ask for that understanding with open and humble hearts. In Jesus' name, amen. Mind if I just point point at you? Here we go.
Gospel according to Mark tonight. We're in chapter four verses one through 32. I love the study of this one this week. It just hit me different, and I am so excited to share it. This is where Jesus tells the parables of the farmer scattering the seed, the lamp, the growing seed, and the mustard seed.
But before we read it, I'd like to share just a short clip from the Bible project about how to read these parables. I found it to be a a helpful, and I hope it will be for you too. Unfortunately, we cannot share the the clip online. So if you're watching online, stay with us. We'll be back in just a few minutes.
To be discovered.
I like that. And I I find it helpful to know that, like, through these parables, there's a lot been said there, but through parables, Jesus can make very, very big claims that revealed truths about God's kingdom to those who are listening and open minded to it, while at the same time, it was concealing that message from those who are not, which is why this is one of my biggest takeaways from from tonight, that Jesus added, pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you'll be given, And you'll receive even more understanding. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not, here's a warning.
To those who are not, even what little understanding they have will be taken from them. And that took on new meaning to me in studying these these parables. At that con at the conversations time, I'd I'd love to hear your thoughts too and what stood out to you in these parables. So let's take a look at them, starting with the parable of the farmer scattering seed. I'll read it, and Blake will track along with, and you can see the the word here on the screen.
But it says this. Once again, Jesus began by teaching on the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got in a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. So they're listening.
He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables such as this one. Verse three begins with listen. And I like this word. I like this. Listen, which means hear God's voice, which prompts him to birth faith within.
So as we are listening and hearing God's voice, really listening, that prompts God to birth faith within. That's good. That's really good. So a farmer went out to plant some seed. And as he scattered it across his field, some fell on the footpath and the birds came and ate it.
Another seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. And the seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow, but the plant soon withered under the hot sun. And since it didn't have deep roots, it died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants, so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even 100 times as much as had been planted.
Then he said, anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. He begins and ends with, listen. Hear God's voice, which prompts him to birth faith within. Verse 10. Later, when Jesus was alone with the 12 disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
And he replied, you're permitted to understand the secret of the kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders so the scriptures might be fulfilled. When they see what I do, they'll learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.
And then Jesus said to them, if you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others. Here's the explanation. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message, and immediately they receive it with joy.
But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly, the message is crowded out by the worries of life and the lure of wealth and the desire for other things so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word, and they produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a 100 times as much has been planted. There's that parable.
Next, the parable of the lamp, verse 21. Then Jesus asked them, would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or a bed? Of course not. A lamp is placed on a stand where its light shines. For everything that's hidden will eventually be brought into the open.
Every secret will be brought into the light. And here's my favorite part of the the chapter here. Anyone with hears to hear should listen and understand. He added pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding will be given, and you'll receive even more.
To those who listen, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. Next, the parable of the growing seed. This is starting in verse 26. Jesus also said, the kingdom of God is like a farmer, scatters the seed on the ground Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and it grows.
But he doesn't understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First, the leaf blade pushes through, the heads of the wheat are formed, and finally, the grain ripens. As soon as the grain is ready, the farmer farmer comes to harvest it with a sickle for the harvest time has come. Then one more parable here, verse 30, the parable of the mustard seed.
Actually, two more. Jesus said, how can I describe the kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It's like a mustard seed planted in the ground, The smallest of seeds, but it becomes the largest of our all garden plants. And it grows long branches, and the birds come and nest in its shade.
Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry, he never taught without using parables. But afterwards, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. So I'm gonna stop there for now. There was just that one more parable.
I'm gonna stop there for now. Let's let's pray first. And I would like to share a few thoughts, and then I'd like to to hear yours. I'd like to hear yours too. So, Lord, may these parables show us more.
Maybe we opening may we be open and listen, open heart, open mind, open ears to hear what the kingdom of God is really about. And may we hear and understand and how we can apply it. In Jesus' name, amen. So, again, here here they are. Sorry.
This isn't working. The farmer's gathering the seed, the lamp, growing seed, and the mustard seed. So a few thoughts I wanna share. First, the farmer scattering seed or sowing the seed, throwing it out there, the seed being the word, the message that Jesus was giving. Usually, I tend to focus on how we receive it.
And this time around in this study, struck me is that we receive it. That's what really struck me, that Jesus is sharing this good news of the kingdom with anyone who would hear, anybody. Throwing that seed with abandon. The footpath, the rocks, the thorns, the good soil, they all got seeds. It didn't matter.
And Jesus sowed them anyway. He threw those seeds out there anyway, and that's what's been speaking to me so much in Mark, like the dinner party at Matthew's house with the disreputable sinner throwing seeds. The super religious who thought they knew God and his message but really didn't, he's still throwing them seeds. He was scattering them to everyone who would listen. It grew in some places and and not others.
That's the cost of sowing. Some listened, some didn't. But Jesus still threw those seeds anyway, and that's what hit me. To me, the personal application is there to do the same. Sow that seed, anyone and everyone, because that's what Jesus did.
So I'm gonna go with that for a takeaway there. Changing metaphors here, the parable of the lamp, that speaks to that too. To put the lamp on the stand where it will shine, not to hide it away so that everybody can see it while it's on the stand. So John eight twelve, here's another verse. Jesus says more directly, I'm the light of that world.
I'm the light of this world. If you follow me, you don't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life. So he's scattering the seed. He's shining his light. And the closer here's another verse.
The closer his audience listens, the more understanding will be given. So the message is out there, but but we play a part in that. We play a part in that to listen to him. The parable of the growing seed, that's another powerful illustration of the kingdom too. Begins with this tiny seed and ends with a harvest.
And I like what this commentator said here, the growth of plants cannot be forced. All the farmer can do is leave everything to God while continuing his daily routine, waiting patiently until the grain is ready to be harvested. The seed's been sowed by God's agent. It's out there. And now listeners can only wait for God to do what God is sure to do.
I really I I like that. And I believe that's true. Sometimes we worry. Throw throwing out the seed. God oh, well, it's gotta grow.
Well, sure. We can we can play a per part to nurture, but God has to do what God can only do, to grow that seed. And then we end with the parable of the mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants, growing long branches, birds nest in the shade. God's kingdom has small beginnings, but it's reaching to all nations, and it continues to. Another powerful illustration of the kingdom.
And I I just wanna end with a few takeaways that that spoke to me, and I I would love to hear yours as well. But number one, here here's one, to pay close attention to listen. That struck me. As much as we can understand listen. We are life learners of God's word.
K? Lord, help us that we would see it afresh and anew and learn something different every time we hear these parables. To listen to God's voice with humility and an open mind, which prompts him to birth faith within us. Number two, to sow that seed. That was another takeaway for me.
Anyone and everyone with abandon. That is what Jesus did. He scattered those seed and seeds in in all places. He he threw it with abandon. And then number three, to wait patiently.
To wait patiently for God to do what God is sure to do until that harvest time has come, until he returns. And I find comfort in that parable that night and day, while the farmer is asleep or he's awake, the seed sprouts and grows. God is doing the work. So those are a few takeaways, and I'd like to pray and give it just a moment here to to allow these to kinda come to mind, if you would. Fact, let me just pause just for a second.
I'll pray. Lord, we thank you for these parables that we have just listened to tonight. And may they challenge and and encourage us, and and may we recall them throughout the week to chew on them, to meditate on them, to soak in them as much as we can understand. God, we understand we're finite beings. We don't understand everything all the time.
But if we are paying close attention, you do promise that you will give more understanding. I pray for that understanding as we listen with humility and an open mind. God, would you give us courage to sow that seed in word and deed and also to wait patiently for you to do what only you can do to grow that seed in us and in others. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Alright. Here they here they are again. The farmer scattering seed, the lamp, the growing seed, and the mustard seed. I'll open it up to you. Would anybody like to to share a thought, a verse, a word of encouragement from these parables?
And I'm sure of this. If you mention a verse, Blake could pull it up here on the screen too so that we can all look on it. But would anybody have a word from these parables? Something that stood out.
Yeah. So I appreciate what you right at the beginning of your kind of feedback on it after you read the passages, Carl, I really appreciate your your reflection because I never really thought about it that way. I've heard I've heard these parables, especially the one about the soil types quite a bit. And I always kinda like, oh, what soil type am I? What soil be the good soil.
Be the good soil. Yep. Yep. Me too.
Me too.
And I was like, but I never and I you know, I you know, the farmer is probably, you know, a metaphor for God, but I also never really put myself in that farmer situation. And I never thought of me as the sower of the seeds. And I think that's a interesting way to think about it. And I like how you said this with abandon abandonment and just he threw the the seeds everywhere.
Mhmm.
Everywhere. And I think that as a church as big seed church, not First Baptist, as a big seed church and and myself, I think, you know, I can be selective as to where I'm throwing those seeds. I think that's just that's just our nature. We get fearful. We get suspicious.
We get judgmental. We get you know, we start thinking about, you know, oh, well, that soil over there, that's not gonna accept. Or this there's too many thorns over there or there's too many ravens over there, and we just throw it to soils that we think would do would would that we think would be well that would do do well. But it's just a good reminder that we should be throwing seeds everywhere. Wherever we go, sow those seeds with whomever we're interacting with and going to and being with and coming across because I think we can be selective as to where we're trying to plant those seeds.
And we're trying and we're kinda called to plant seeds wherever we go. And that's then that goes right into the the lamp. Mhmm. And I think sometimes, you know, sometimes you're just, like, avoiding these situations or or these places or people because you're like, for whatever reason, you're like, oh, I don't, you know, I don't wanna shine my light there, you know, but we all have this light to shine, which is Jesus. But why would we hide why would we hide that when we when we have the lamp, when when we have Jesus?
So
it was just good reminders, and I never really thought about these parables in that way. Not so much. And it's a good reminder to be like, what soil type am I? Am I listening? Am I absorbing?
But it's also a good reminder to be like, okay. Now we also are called to be sowers of seed, to be not only disciples, but also disciple makers. And, yeah, it's just a good reminder and cool way to new way to think about it. I never thought about that one. So thank you.
Thank you for sharing that. And I I think that's the beauty of these parables is that, you know, as as we study them, something new can come every time. Yeah. Jim, have you got a thought?
Yeah. I I somewhere, I don't know if it was, like, on a bot radio or someplace, but they kind of described it all states of the heart. Each soil was a state of the heart. Mhmm. You got a hardened heart that's pretty much unreceptive.
Then you've got kind of that unbelieving sort of thinner belief in things, you know, like the thin soil. I'm not sure what the thorns were in terms of the heart. I don't I don't recall, but it was kind of like maybe more of a confused heart in a way. But when it lands on the softened heart, the proper soil, it really takes hold. And anyone trying to sow it out there is gonna run into all those personalities, all those types of people.
This is the kind of people, not soil. This is the heart and matter of the people out there. So the yeah. Like, you you're bringing it one way, and I've heard some of that, which is great to, like, it around like this Mhmm. Because because that's what we're supposed to do.
To examine it.
Dig through it. Right. Yep. Excellent. Thanks.
And yeah. Go ahead. Please share.
Well, I going off of that and just kind of thinking about what I was saying, I think it's important to know, like it's Jim. Right? Jim? Nice to meet you. We don't know the heart.
And so, you know I mean, yeah, like, literally in life, can be like, that's not good soil because there's thorns there, but we don't know the soil of someone's heart. We don't know the state. And so we just our job is to just plant the seed and do our part. And then, like, the other parable says, while we're going about our business, oh my gosh. There's a the growing seed or the mustard seed I forget which one it was.
There's a lot of seeds. It plants and it grows. And how do we know? Who who are we to say this won't work or you know? But our job is to plant the seeds because we don't know the heart.
We don't know the soil or state of that heart. So that's
a Yep.
Something that's kinda important to know, I think.
Isn't it amazing? And Jesus did know the heart, and he's still throwing that seed.
Yeah. Yeah.
To those who they really were not listening somewhere. And to others like the dinner party at Matthew's house with the disreputable sinners. There was no assumptions made there. He invited them in and threw that seed. It's really good.
Yeah. Any others? Any other thoughts from the the parables?
After hearing the parables, Jesus would have to explain them to him. Mhmm. Yep. And you would think of anyone that was listening or would be listening would be his disciples. Mhmm.
But they were going, what are
you getting?
I don't get it exactly. And so, In Ephesians eight and nine, it talks about faith and and salvation is a gift. A gift of God and only God can give that gift to us. We can't we can't. We can have the best ears in the world.
But if God isn't putting that in our heart, we'll never get it. And so, just another reminder to me that that our salvation is is truly a gift. Our faith is a gift. We can earn it. We can't be a good enough listener.
Mhmm. That it's that it's a gift of God. Mhmm. Yep. Amen.
And isn't it interesting too? We can find ourselves in different types of soil at different times in our life. Sometimes we're the one that gets choked out. We can be these but I didn't wanna get hung up on on that because that that can happen. But this time I saw he's sowing that seed.
He's the sower. If we're open, if we have a soft and receptive heart, we will receive that seed, and God will do the work to grow it. Any others?
Many of us find ourselves thrown into the briar patch where just the trials and tribulations of life of wellness. But we do have the advantage that we can move and find the good soil whether it be a congregation or change of friends that will nourish us and and be make us productive as God sees us productive.
Yeah. That that's a very good point. Gary?
And and I'll go and I'll go again. Once once Christ comes and lives in us, his desire is to conform us to the image of his son.
Mhmm.
And he's called us to bear fruit. Now, when we scatter, that's God's prompting in us to bear fruit. And so to me, that's a a different journey in our we don't scatter when we're not his. Mhmm. And so coming to be his, coming to faith, and salvation, and then as we grow into the image of Christ, now we're used by God to to scatter the seeds and and and to allow God to do his work through in and through us.
Yep. It's a process, isn't it? It is. And you see that in the disciples because this is early on in Jesus' ministry, and they're hearing it go, I don't get it. But later, look what happens.
It's a process. Any others? Blake, do you wanna add?
I thought it was funny. What Gannon said is, like, what type of soil am I? That's what I did. I think this is the first baby parable I read. And the first one, I remember we're super worried because, you know, we first decided, alright, I'm gonna roll with Jesus.
And and it, you know, it's it's exciting and it's and it's overwhelming. And then, you know, I worried, am I that that shallow soil? Like, it sprouts fast, but is it gonna last? So I could just relate to that. But one thing that I do like is that second parable about living the the lamp.
I often say just a short little quip about, yeah, We're living in the light. Like, yeah. It's alright. Like, if someone says, I'm sorry about that or I shouldn't have said that, like or if as if, like, there's a secret or something like that. It's like, no.
We're living in the light, and it furthermore, it's like living in the light of Jesus to where later on in that parable it talks about all those secrets are gonna come out and be shown anyways. It's like if you live in a way that you're living in the light within the grace and love of Jesus, then you have nothing to hide and nothing to really worry about. It's it's sort of a my yoke is easy sort of thing. So I often use a little quip from that that second parable about the light. Just, man, we're we're living in it.
We're living in the light, which is a pretty sweet place to be.
I I really appreciate the the ability to just talk through them. Talk through these parables, and hear what the Lord is saying. Should we end in a song? Let's do it. Lord, we thank you so much for this study through the book of Mark that is pointing us and showing us how you are king, how you became king.
And Lord, may we be paying attention, listening closely as much as we can understand, and that you would add to that understanding. In Jesus' name, pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you'll be given, and you'll receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. Amen.
