“And He began again to teach by the seaside. And there was gathered unto Him a great multitude, so that He entered into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 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 seed fell by the wayside; 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 it yielded fruit that sprang up and increased and brought forth: some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundredfold.” 9 And He said unto them, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” —Mark 4:1-9
I.
:
Mark 4:1-2 – “And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables…”
A.
Soil. (v-4)
B.
Soil. (v5-6)
C.
Soil. (v7)
D.
Soil. (v8)
II.
:
Mark 4:13-20 – “And He said unto them, “Know you not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the Word. 15 And these are they by the wayside, where the Word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 but they 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. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the Word, 19 but 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. 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 a hundred.”
III.
:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” —Gal. 5:22-23
1.
(John 15:7, Ps. 1)
2.
(II Tim. 2:15)
3.
(Psalm 51:10, I Jn 1:9)
4.
(John 15:4-5)
Take-home questions for Small Group and Family Devotions.
Why do you think some people are receptive to the Gospel while others seem indifferent or hostile?
How does the condition of your heart affect how you receive God’s Word?
What are some practical ways to “dig deeper” in your spiritual life?
What does it mean to “abide in Jesus,” and how can you cultivate that relationship daily?
Which type of soil best represents your heart today, and what specific steps can you take this week to improve the condition of your soil?