What type of ground are you? Parable of the sower. Mark 4 Pam 23rd October 2009
There were a lot of people on the lakeshore, so Jesus used the lake, as natural amplification system. But many of these people were there out of curiosity. They wanted to see and hear the celebrity. Some weren’t seeking God, but entertainment.
Some spectators saw God as their servant, who would hopefully grant their requests. Not someone to obey.
Have you seen the mugs you can buy that say, “Dogs have masters, cats have staff”? Generally that is true isn’t it. Dogs will obey. Cat’s sometimes choose to obey, and believe it is their right to be fed and cared for.
What puzzles me is that some peoples attitude to God is like that of a cat to its owner. They choose not to listen to him.
Or they choose to believe those who accept the words of the Bible as fact are the ones who have difficulty in hearing from God and not themselves.
A middle-aged man was irritated with his wife’s refusal to admit she had a hearing problem. He spoke to a friend who suggested that when he got home he should call to his wife from the front door, “What’s for dinner, darling?” Then if she didn’t answer, move a little closer and call again. If she still doesn’t answer move closer and call again. If still no answer he should whisper the question in her ear.
He thought this was a good idea. So that is what he did.
Having opened the front door he called, “What’s for dinner, darling?” No reply. So he moved closer to the kitchen and called again. Still no reply. When he got to the kitchen there she was busy cooking.
He tiptoed over to her and whispered in her ear, “What’s for dinner, darling?”
She turned around gave him a frustrated look in the eye and said, “For crying out loud. For the third time. We’re having pork chops.”
God hears us. People are the ones who sometimes have a hearing problem. We don’t always realise people are speaking to us, let alone God. We say we were miles away.
Then Jesus says, "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"
Those who chose to be spiritually deaf, were not willing and not part of Jesus’ close circle, would return home and forget his words. But the willing ones would either work out the meaning for themselves, or ask the meaning from his closer disciples later.
Jesus later explains the story, the parable to his close followers. His explanation continues from today’s reading.
The farmer he says is “the one who brings God's message to others”. At that time that would have been Jesus himself. But since he commissioned all believers to, “go and make disciples” that now includes all Christians. Mat 28.18
Jesus goes on to explain that the seeds scattered represents the words spoken.
The ground the seed falls on, represents the condition of the hearts of the people who hear the messages.
So what kind of ground are you? Will you grow a good crop?
I can understand why Jesus first explained the parable to only his friends. It’s not a good start to tell people, ‘using the American word for soil’, that their hearts are dirt!
In Jesus’ day seed was sown by scattering it by hand and then ploughing it into the ground. Jesus goes on to list the places the seed would fall using this method.
First is the footpath. No, not a tarmac or concrete footpath but probably really hard, compacted soil that is well trodden by man and animal. Any seed there would get crunched underfoot or eaten by the birds and animals. The ground is far too hard to plough.
The people represented by this path hear the words, of the message, but either don’t take them in or think they aren’t important and forget them almost immediately. Jesus say, “Satan comes at once and takes it away from them” verse 15. The birds represent Satan stealing the good news.
Jesus is implying that many people in the crowd that day, would not be able to remember what he had said, if he had asked them later. Which is quite a comfort to preachers because Jesus has a problem with people remembering his sermons. So it isn’t always the poor quality of the sermon that makes people forget.
Some people just chose, to either not concentrate on what Jesus was saying, or never gave his words a thought after leaving.
We all forget important things that we have been told, don’t we. Often because we have rushed off to do something else, without making notes or making some other effort to remember.
The next type of ground is shallow soil.
Shallow soil, full of rocks is a place where seed can germinate. It amazes me how much moss and weed grows these days between the gaps in concrete pavers. Fortunately the weeds usually have shallow roots and are easily pulled out. Food crops need better conditions.
A crop needs room in the soil for a decent root structure which will support and feed the plant. A soil that allows the plants roots to be protected from the sun and extremes of weather. A soil that is watered. A good soil containing nutrients.
A shallow soil will be able to sustain the small plant. In fact it will seem to be doing very well, but when the roots start to be exposed and the soil can’t provide enough nutrients, the plant will shrivel and die.
Jesus says this shallow, rocky soil represents people who at first delight in him. But then, “they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.” New Christians have to make room for God in their lives. Or there won’t be any spiritual growth.
Cancelling or re-arranging meetings with others may cause them to be ridiculed or laughed at. Or even made to feel guilty. Friends may say -
· We always go out together on Sunday morning.
· You are mean, saying you want to go to church.
· You should be helping me not wasting time reading that Bible.
· What about me!
Basically the shallow soil represents people who live their lives exactly the same as they did before becoming Christians. The only difference being they go to church.
The seedling faith has no root system to sustain it. No secure knowledge of God.
I have met people who have really loved Jesus for maybe even a year or two, and then family, work, friends or a number of other excuses are given as a reason why they can’t attend church any more. They haven’t got the time.
Sometimes, fortunately, these people do return to church. Perhaps a farmer has carefully removed the stones around there roots!
The seed that falls among thorns says Jesus is choked. Thorns “choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain”. Notice this seed may produce fully grown, but weak plants. The seed has been competing with the thorns and other weeds for water and nutrients in the soil.
The small plant’s roots are all tangled up with that of the weeds. Had the weeds been removed when the plant was small there may have been a chance for the seed to produce a good crop. Now little if any grain will form. There may be no flowers, no fruit, no seed.
Similarly, some Christians may produce no fruit because like this soil composed of seed and weeds, they have many competing activities in their lives, which leave God out. It is possible to meet with God in and through your career, hobbies, and duties, but it is also very possible to ignore him, completely, apart from Sunday and other Christians gatherings.
There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, and taking responsibilities seriously, but they can provide an excuse to neglect worship, prayer, and the reading of spiritual books, including the Bible.
It is Bible Sunday today. A day to remember that you can listen to the word of God everyday by listening to the Bible on CD, or reading it on a PC or by text, or even in a book- the Bible. . . .
We can be owned by our hobbies, our activities, even our possessions. We may say – I want to improve my relationship with Jesus, but not today, I am too busy, too tired. May be tomorrow. It’s not that I don’t want to. I will when life is less busy.
The soil with thorns growing, as well as a crop, is also like the life of a Christian who refuses to give up activities that they know displease God.
How much weed and thorn can you have in a field, and still produce a reasonable crop? People may live with a nagging doubt, that they are allowing to many thorns to stay in their lives.
Jesus finished his explanation of the parable saying -
But the good soil represents those who hear and accept God's message and produce a huge harvest--thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted." (Mark 4:20 NLT)
This is good soil, this is fertile soil, but note a crop of 100 times of that which has been planted, is not a miraculous crop. The soil has provided water, nutrients, protection from sun. The natural, normal result is many flowers, fruit and then seeds. It is not unusual or miraculous. You don’t have to be a super Christian. It is in everyone’s capabilities to achieve this crop.
Jesus is saying only people who are like good soil will hear the good news, and feed the seed, to produce fruit. No matter how good the preacher is, or the book they are reading, if they aren’t good soil, they won’t become mature Christians.
Although those gardeners amongst us, will know better than me that the best soil has been dug over frequently, removing stones, weeded, fed with compost, and treated if too alkaline or acid, or whatever. So the gardener does have a job of preparation to do each year.
Jesus had no delusions about what people are like. He isn’t surprised that some people relate to God like cats relate to their owners. He says they are blind and deaf and won’t understand. He means blinded from the truth by their own ideas and prejudices. Deaf because they are not willing to change their ways.
We can be like the man who believed it was his wife that was deaf. We can assume we are good soil because we understand the parable, and we know about and believe in Jesus and we go to church. This can also describe the spiritual life of someone who is shallow soil.
We have an advantage over soil which can’t weed itself, break up the hard clay or remove the stones. We can prepare ourselves by choosing to give some things up to make room for God. We can remove those stones, those sins, and pull out weeds, those spiritually unproductive activities. We can study God’s word, with help from others, and act on it.
Whatever type of soil your heart is, that is not how it has to remain.
Are you worried about family or friends who are not good soil? Remember, the farmer will be back again to sow. Help them to be good soil.
What type of ground do you see yourself as in this parable?
I read in Christianity Magazine an article recently entitled “When I’m found in the desert place”. It made me wonder if there might be someone here who feels as if they are a desert. God has stopped planting.
If you once felt very close to God, but now he feels miles away. If you force yourself to read the Bible and notes and still God feels far away. If you pray but feel as if you are talking to a blank wall. If listening to sermons just makes you feel like giving up. Don’t! But do read the article, and don’t be afraid to tell that blank wall how you feel.
If you believe you know someone else going through this desert experience, then give them a copy.
As far as the rest of us are concerned, consider what you are doing to prepare yourself, your soil for listening to God. Have you tilled the ground? Removed the rocks? Removed the weeds? Are you ready to produce a bumper crop?
Are you willing to accept Jesus’ request and be “the one who brings God's message to others”? To do the job of a farmer yourself. To be the one who scatters good seed in this world, and waits patiently watching it grow.
You don’t have to be a preacher or evangelist to plant God’s seed in people’s hearts. Just as farmers come in all shapes and sizes.
You can be old in years, young in years, mature in your faith or a bold, exuberant, new believer.
My daughter this week was considering schools for her four year old. How much of God’s word will be allowed into each school. I remembered what happened after Clara made a commitment at Spring Harvest, listening to Steve Chalke. She was in year 8. Second year of secondary school to people my age. There wasn’t a Christian union at her School. To form a new club two teachers and fifth formers were needed as leaders.
Teenagers are not diplomatic. They know they are right, and if you disagree you are wrong. Very black and white. Still I think she must have prayed for boldness, and received supernatural boldness.
Within a couple of weeks she had challenged and got the agreement of two teachers, and a couple of fifth formers to lead a Christian Union. Shortly after the seedling CU started. It was still going strong when she left the school.
There would have been other teenagers listening to Steve Chalke that week at Spring Harvest whose hearts were not good ground at that time. Clara’s heart was. She then went on to sew challenging words into Christians at school. Challenged them to remove some of the weeds in their lives, and study God’s word in the time it provided.
We are not asked to be super Christians, just to love Him more than anything else.
Be good soil, and a prayerful bold famer.
Amen