The chance of fruit
We are all called for different purposes in God’s kingdom, some to preach, some to teach, some to play music, some to take care of the house of God, some to take care of God’s people, prayer warriors, and the list goes on. But, each and everyone of us is called as a sower, to sow the seed of the gospel. The words of the gospel have to power to touch man’s soul like no other words, as the proverbs says that they are like sweet honey to the soul (Pro16:24). If planted in the correct condition of the ground the gospel words; the seed, will do what it is sent to do and it will not come back void (Is55:10-11). They heal the body and the soul, it is what God’s word; the gospel, does (prv4:20-22). Sowing seeds it is not difficult, as a farmer uses rakes and sharp objects to turn the ground and shovels to cover the seed once it is plant, we too have our tools.
Mark 4:3-8
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, 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 did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Jesus tapped into this more effective way to reach more people with the gospel by getting into this boat and allowing people, as many as wanted to come to hear the message in the beach. While at the synagogues Jesus could only reach as many as the place could hold limited by the confines of the place. In this sermon Jesus outlines four conditions of the heart by which the seed would land on; the way side, the stony, thorny and the good ground. And, each one of these lands condition determines the effectiveness of the seed when it lands upon it, and Jesus explain these conditions later on in this chapter (Mk4:15-20). For example, the seed that landed on the way side the birds of the air came down and ate it, meaning that Satan comes and takes the word away, because they are not in the way only in the wayside(15). Those whose heart is like stony land are those that hear the word and receive it with gladness, but because they do not have any root in them it grows and dies when they are pressured (16). When a seed is rooted it cleaves to something like a rock, and so when we are rooted in Christ is when the seed will give fruit(Co2:6-7).
The land which have thorns are those that because of the love of riches and pleasures when the seed is sown, it is choked and caused to be unfruitfull19). Now, the good land is those that hear the word and receive it and bare fruit one hundred percent.
Proverbs 16:24
24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Proverbs 4:20-22
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Mark 4:15-20
15 And these are they by the way side, 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 And 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 And 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 an hundred.
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.