My mother used to have a lot of plants, and I used to enjoy watching her take care of them. I particularly liked planting seed and watching the complete process over weeks and months as the seed slowly grew out from the soil into a thriving plant. I remember that once for Christmas, my mother gave me a gift of a large package of many different types of seeds to grow. I was very excited and enthusiastic about it… but I encountered some unexpected difficulty in getting certain types of seed to grow, and as I researched some tips on improving my success I discovered that the soil was not right for certain types of the seed. For some seeds it was too hot or dry, and for others it was too cold or wet. Some seeds required cover soil, and others did not.
The Bible also speaks of soil and seeds, and how there is a certain type of spiritual soil that produces a wonderful harvest. If you have not been experiencing a very good spiritual yield in your life, then this study today will set you free.
Our scripture text today is going to be a rather famous parable told by Jesus, about the sower and the seed. This is a parable which almost everyone has heard, but very few understand, so let’s examine it in detail and see what God is saying. We will pick it up at Jesus’ explanation of the parable in Mark 4:14-25:
“The sower sows the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution rises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty times, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said to them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And he said to them, Take heed what you hear: with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you: and to you that hear shall more be given.
For he that has, to him shall be given: and he that has not, from him shall be taken even that which he has.”
We see right in verse 14, that the sower sows the word. This is the Word of God, (Jesus is speaking about Himself). The sower does not sow personal experience, the sower does not sow human knowledge, anecdotes, or feelings, but he sows the Word of God.
Then in verses 15 through 20, Jesus describes in detail each type of ground which the seed falls on. Let’s examine those verses now, starting with verse 15.
We see that the first ground is actually the wayside, which Jesus says does not even have any time to take root because Satan immediately steals it before it germinates. Now how does Satan steal? We examined this principle about a month ago in a study called How to Keep What God Gives, and I would also recommend that study to any one seeking in-depth answers on how to stop the enemy from stealing God’s blessings in your life. For the purposes of the study today, the short answer is that before Satan can steal anything, he must first get us to believe a lie. Now he can do this in a variety of ways, through any of our five senses, or by causing us to follow our heart, feelings or emotions. By getting us to believe false doctrines, and keeping us in confusion. Put simply, anything to keep us from the truth of God’s Word.
Next in verses 16 and 17, Jesus describes the events of the seed falling on stony ground. I used to be one of these grounds. This is someone who immediately receives the word and is happy… at first, but then Jesus goes on to say they have no root within themselves. They have all the outwards signs of life, but nothing of Jesus is going down underneath the soil, there is no inward change, Jesus is not the sustaining source in their life. So when trouble and pressure from the world comes, they fall away and end up crumbling under the attacks of the enemy.
Jesus then continues in verses 18 and 19, by expounding in the seed which falls onto the thorny ground. This is ground in which the seed is sown, but then Jesus lists three things which come and choke the seed so that it does not bear fruit and dies. These three things are: cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches and lusts for other things.
Now cares of this world could be for example, stress on the job, financial difficulties, health issues, etc. Anything of importance that competes for your attention or time on this earth.
Deceitfulness of riches is rather self-explanatory. When money stops being a servant and becomes a master, many bad results and consequences come about. 1St Timothy 6:10 points out that when people run after money, they “pierce themselves with many sorrows”, and we see a lot of that happening in the world today. To be clear Jesus is not saying it’s good to be poor either, what He wants is “faithfulness in financial matters”. In Luke 16:10-12, Jesus says that you can judge a person’s faithfulness by how they handle small matters, how they conduct themselves, and especially in the least of all things which is money.
The third item which Jesus lists a a thorn which chokes the Word in Mark 4:19, is the lusts of other things. These are worldly pleasures, desires, wants, things that run counter to the Bible and the leading of God. Sexual immorality, addictions, pleasure seekers, those who follow themselves rather than God. The lusts for other things which suffocate the Word of God. This can happen when we know the Word of God says one thing on a matter, but we choose the other way simply because we want to, or we think we deserve it, and so we strangle the Word for the sake of a lust that we have.
Just as an aside, here’s another small thing which has big consequences: the tongue. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21 that the tongue holds the power of life and death. Also in James chapter 3, the scripture tells us that the tongue can defile the whole body, and it is filled with deadly poison and set on fire with sensual lust. One of the first things the Holy Spirit will change in our lives, is our words, because they can either raise us into life or destroy us. And if someone professes to be Christian, but still curses and uses foul language regularly, something’s not right. The Bible also says in 1st Corinthians 15:33 that bad company corrupts good character, and this could be actual physical companionship, or through the media. If you are constantly taking in defilement, how can you expect to bear good fruit to God? The thorns and weeds need to be uprooted.
Now look at verse 20. Finally we are at the good ground. Jesus says these are those which hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit. You see, all of them heard the word, and some even received it, but only the good ground brings forth fruit. We also see that some bring forth 30, some 60 and some 100-fold yield.
The level at which a good ground brings forth fruit is entirely dependent on them, as we are about to read. There are some people who believe Jesus for salvation of their spirit from hell to heaven, but they don’t believe Him for healing, others believe Him for one area of their life, but not another area. They fail to reach the full 100-fold yield that Jesus offers. This comes from a failure to hear, or a failure to receive and bring forth fruit of a particular seed of Scripture. Let’s continue on in our reading and we will see this more clearly from our text.
Verses 21, 22 and 23 contain both a promise and a warning. For the good grounds, it is a wonderful promise and for the bad grounds it is a word of warning. There is nothing hidden before God, all the bad grounds will be exposed, and the good grounds will also be manifested and honored.
Lastly, in verses 24 and 25 Jesus gives us the secret of the 30, 60 and 100-fold yield. Jesus says take heed, pay attention! With whatever measure you use that is what you will receive, and whoever hears will receive more.
He then goes on to say that whoever has, more will be given, and whoever does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
Did you catch the secret? Most people read verse 25 out of context, but here as we read it in its proper context we can see what Jesus was actually referring to, the principle of the seed and the ground. Those who have the seed, who receive it and bear fruit to God, they shall increase and be given even more, but to those who do not have the seed, those who are bad grounds, even what they did have will be taken away. Much like how the fig tree which did not bear fruit was cursed and died in Mark 11:12.
Now in that very same chapter of Mark 11, let’s read verses 23 and 24, and examine a powerful truth which Jesus wants us to learn:
“For truly I say to you, That whoever shall say to this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said shall come to pass; he shall have whatever he said.
Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”
There are several very important and interesting things to notice in these verses. First in Verse 23, take note that verse 23 has nothing to do with prayer, but everything to do with our speaking. Speaking our part, is mentioned three times in just this one verse! This is important because it does no good to ask God for something, and then go about speaking doubt and death in your daily life.
Next look at verse 24. This verse is talking about prayer, and notice what it says: when you pray believe that you receive and you shall have. You may have been taught against this principle your whole life, but these are the words of Jesus, my friends.
You see, many of us reverse the whole thing and we say “When I pray, let me check… the pain is still there! I guess God didn’t answer my prayer!”
That’s not faith, that’s feelings, that’s senses.
We want to have the answer, before we believe, but that’s backwards to what Jesus said. He said believe that you receive, and you will have. God did not say feel that you receive; no, He said believe. The devil wants to bring you into the realm of feelings and emotions, to steal and choke the seed of faith information that is being sown onto your ground. But as long as you stay in the realm of faith, he is defeated.
So in closing today, let’s see a practical example of this from Isaiah 33:20-24:
“Look on Zion, the city of our solemnities: your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
But there the glorious LORD will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Your tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”
It all starts with looking to Zion, not Mt. Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given, but Zion Where the glory of the LORD dwells (Hebrews 12:18-22). Verse 21 tells us that as we stay focused on His glory. We will find provision and safety.
Verse 22, continues on and tells us why: because the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver and our king. He will save us. Is He those things to you today? Is He your judge? Is He your lawgiver? Is He your King? Then He will save you!
Verse 23 makes it clear that even when things seem to not be going well, even when strength seems to fail and even when the lame seem to plunder the strong, we are to remain steadfast in the truth of God.
Verse 24 concludes, no inhabitant of Zion will ever say “I am sick”. Why? A very interesting reason: because the people that dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity. You see in God’s eyes, it is all one work. Forgiveness and healing go hand in hand in God’s view (Matthew 9:5-6).
So I encourage you today, be good ground for the Word of God. Receive the truth and grow in it. That you may bear full 100-fold fruit to God and receive all of the blessings in Christ Jesus.