Whoever Has Ears to Hear, Let Them Hear

Main Point: The same seed produces different results depending on the soil.

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. He taught them many things by parables, and in His teaching said: —Mark 4:1-2

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop—some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” —Mark 4:3-8

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” —Mark 4:9

When He was alone, the Twelve and the others around Him asked Him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside, everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise, they might turn and be forgiven!’” —Mark 4:10-12

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?” —Mark 4:13

The farmer sows the word. 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. —Mark 4:14-15

Four Kinds of Soil

1. The Path – A Hard Heart

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 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. —Mark 4:16-17

2 . Rocky Places – A Temporary Change

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 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. —Mark 4:18-19

3. Thorny Ground – A Busy Life

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” —Mark 4:20

4. Good Soil – An Intentional Multiplier\

Takeaway: When the Word is received with the right heart, it leads to fruitfulness.

Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus chose to teach in parables, particularly in this passage?
Have you ever experienced a time when your faith was like the rocky soil—full of excitement at first but lacking deep roots? What caused that season, and what did you learn from it?
2. If someone feels stuck in one of the unfruitful soil conditions, how can they move toward becoming good soil? What encouragement would you give them?
3. Mark 4:20 says that good soil produces a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or a hundred times. What does spiritual fruitfulness look like in your life?
Table Discussion Question: What does the different soil represent in our lives today? Can you relate to any of them personally?