Skip to content Understanding the Parable of the Sower: Mark 4 Jul 25 · 11 min ...more
Understanding the Parable of the Sower: Mark 4
July 25, 2025 · 11 min
Reflect on Jesus calming the storm and learn how to trust in God's guidance amidst life's tempests.
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Parables of the Kingdom 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining this morning. I'm on the road in Indianapolis, Alright. Today, we are in, Mark chapter 4. Primarily, it's a chapter0:22 related to parables about the kingdom of God. Key verse, but he said to them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? Now first up is the parable of0:34 the sower, which we read back in Matthew verse 3. Listen, behold, a sower went out to sow, and it happened as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on0:46 stony ground where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away.0:58 And some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seeds fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased, and produced some1:10 thirtyfold, some 60, and some a a hundred. And he said to them, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Now that almost sounds like a pun, but I don't think Jesus was using1:22 corn for his illustration. Then on the verse 10, but when he was alone, those around him with the 12 asked him about this parable. And he said to them, to you it has been given to1:34 know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things come in parables. So that seeing, they may see and not perceive. In hearing, they may hear and not understand, lest they1:45 should turn and their sins be forgiven them. Now we've seen this explanation of why the use of parables before. Frankly, it can be a bit difficult to understand. Jesus1:57 is not saying he does not want people to hear what he's saying. The parables, as you'll recall, came after the miracles were rejected by the people. It was rejected by those who did not2:09 want to hear the truth of God, and they did not wanna grasp it. Those who do not want to hear just think they're hearing a bunch of stories. But those who do want to hear, they2:21 understand and they perceive the truth that is within those parables. Now this is not unlike what we encountered in the old testament. You know, what you refuse to see, what you refuse to hear, eventually, you'll be2:32 unable to see and unable to hear. Next, Jesus explains what the parable means. Like the answers that used to be on the inside of a box top of a cereal, we go to verses 142:44 through 20 to see what it is that this parable is all about. So the wayside describes those who hear, but Satan, he immediately snatches that word2:56 from their hearts. The stoning ground, well, they received it, but when they face the opposition, that will come. That will come when you truly follow Jesus. They deserted and they took off. They lacked3:08 courage. Then there's the thorny ground. Those allowed those that allowed the temporal, things of this world to eclipse the eternal, and they were of no kingdom value.3:21 The good soil yielded eternal fruit, differing amounts, but fruitful nonetheless. Then in verses 21 through 34, Jesus gives 33:32 parables or illustrations that are related, that that are related to speaking to the nature of the growth of God's kingdom. It will and did start off small. But as3:44 the truth of God was proclaimed by those who heard it and understood it, it would and it did take root, and it grew gradually until like a a a a3:56 plant of the smallest of seeds, the mustard seed, it, it grew, and it became the greatest of herbs. It becomes the greatest of herbs when it's grown. Now I want to to4:08 focus this morning on the last part of this chapter beginning in verse 35. On the same day when evening had come, he said to them, let us cross over to the other side. Now when they had left the multitude, they took himFaith Over Fear 4:19 along in the boat as he was. And the other little boats were also with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But4:31 he was in the stern asleep on a pillow, and they awoke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and said to the sea, peace, be still. And the wind4:43 ceased and there was a great calm. But he said to them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they and they listen to this. And they4:55 feared exceedingly and said to 1 another, who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him? I wanna focus on these last 2 verses for just a moment as we wrap up our time together this morning.5:07 Awaken from his sleep, and I and I can relate to the the physical exhaustion after preaching and teaching all day. He's he explains this, why are you so fearful? So5:19 why do you think what do you what do you think it was that the disciples were fearful of? Now the the the US National Institute of Mental Health had a report that I ran across on fear and5:31 worry. This is what they found. 60 percent of the things that people feared never took place. 90 percent of things feared are insignificant. 88 percent of things feared5:43 in relation to health never happened. So why is fear so prominent in our world? Now the word fear in verse 40 is not the same Greek word5:55 used for fear in verse 41. So these are 2 different words. The Greek word in verse 40 is dylos. Now the word is found only 3 times only 3 times in the New Testament.6:07 Here in Matthew's account of this very same event and, listen to this, Revelation 21 8. And this is what Revelation 21 8 says, but the cowardly, dilos, unbelieving,6:19 abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Now this6:31 word, dylos, this is the word for cowardice. Jesus rebukes them for being cowardly in the face of the storm, the conditions that were around them. Now can you think for6:43 just a moment how this might apply to us today? What he is talking about here is not unlike the seed in the parable of the sower that was sown on the stony soil. It withers in the face of6:55 opposition. Jesus is saying here that there is no room. There's no room for cowards in the kingdom. Now I know that sounds harsh, but that's what Jesus is saying. Cowardess takes up residence7:07 where faith doesn't live. Paul tells the Corinthians to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong in first Corinthians 16 13. So why do you think Jesus7:19 confronted their cowardice? The emotional panic that accompanies fear actually shuts down the prefrontal cortex or the rational7:31 thinking part of our brains. In other words, when we're consumed by fear, we stop thinking. A populist that stops thinking for itself is a populist that is easily led, easily7:43 manipulated, and easily controlled. By the way, is that not what we saw during the coronavirus? He who has overcome his fears will7:55 truly be free, Aristotle said. Now look at the responses of the disciples, which by the way is the proper response. And they feared exceedingly, verse 15 41. The Greek word here is8:06 phobeo, which is interpreted as reverence in this context. Now we we won't fear the world around us when we properly revere God.8:18 We should be too fearful to be fearful. Matthew 10 28 says, and do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.8:31 During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikolai, Nikita Kukhachev Khrushchev, if I get it right, denounced many of the policies and atrocities of8:43 Joseph Stalin. And in the midst of a speech, a heckler shouted this, you were 1 of his colleagues. Why didn't you stop him? Khrushchev screamed, who said that? And there was deadly8:55 silence as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev broke the silence and said, now you know why. See, the fear of man will9:07 silence us. It will rob us of our courage and steal our voice. Fear will paralyze us at the very moment that we should act. We can only overcome our fear of the world and all that's9:18 in it by a reverence for the 1 who made it all. Faith and fear cannot embrace 1 another. They are incompatible, and we have to choose9:30 1 or the other. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you, father, for the encouragement we have here from Jesus. Lord, to be strong, to be courageous, not to be9:42 consumed with fear of the temporal things of this world. And so I pray, Lord, you would strengthen us, give us boldness and courage to face the environment in which we're in. That, Lord, we would do so with peace and joy9:54 as overcomers. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that leads us on this journey through your word. We pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for being with me this morning, and10:06 until next time, keep standing on the word.10:11 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you10:23 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Parables of the Kingdom4:12 Faith Over Fear94K followers
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