The Parable of the Sower

I wrote a devotional for my small group and wanted to share it here. Enjoy!

Text
Mark 4: 3-9, 14-20 (parable also recorded in other gospels)

Key Passage
Verses 18-19
And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Discussion
Mark 4 describes an instance that is not uncommon in the Gospels – Jesus speaking to the multitudes in parables. He teaches them, He in His boat, and they on the land, about the varying responses to the Word of God. It is a familiar parable – a sower sows seed (the Word). Some falls by the road and is eaten by birds. Other seed falls on shallow soil and does not take root. There is yet seed that takes root but is choked by thorns and remains unfruitful. And finally, there is the seed that falls on the good soil, yielding a bountiful crop.

In Christ’s exposition of the parable to the disciples, He explains more fully the meaning behind each these “environments” on which seed is sown. I want to focus in on the third “environment”, where the seed takes root, but is choked by thorns and does not bear fruit.

Christ explains that these “are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Now, I believe that the people Christ speaks of here are Christians, those who have truly received the word of God in faith and can be called His. But, there are three things in this passage that cause these Believers to not bear fruit – the worries of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things.

Scripture is clear that we are not to worry as the world does, for our Heavenly Father knows what things we need (Matt 6:31-33). He tells Mary that she is worried about many things when only one thing is needed (Luke 10:38-42). Paul commands us not to be anxious about anything, but to make our requests known to God in prayer (Phil 4:6). But here Jesus is explicit – if you concern yourself with the things of this world, His Word will be rendered powerless in your life, and you will not bear fruit.

Scripture also paints a vivid picture of the deceitfulness of riches and how money tends to cause people to forget about God altogether. It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom (Matt 19:23). And there is something about money that it tends to master those who have it (Luke 16:13).

The last of the three things, “desires for other things”, is I think the most interesting and also the most frightening. These other things are not necessarily immoral, but they are those little things that drag us away from God’s Word into the realm of the mundane and meaningless. It is not just sin that can encumber us as we run the race (Hebrews 12:1). It could be TV, movies, sports, the social scene, exercise – anything that can distract from the power that is wrought by the Word.

It is the will of God that we bear much fruit for His name. May we strive to be people that yield fruit abundantly.