GROWINGTHROUGH IT

LESSONS FROM THE SOWER

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

"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.

MARK 4:1-9

Some fell on 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.

And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

MARK 4:1-9

A “parable” is a story or an illustration placed alongside a truth with the intention of explaining the one by the other.

This parable illustrates how the culture in which we live and the conditions in our environment are hostile toward our faith

The sower sows the word.

And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.

MARK 4:14-20

Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

MARK 4:14-20

Act 14:22

…strengthening the souls of the disciples, (Paul) exhorted them to continue in the faith, and (said), "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Ephesians 6:12

We wrestle…against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

MARK 4:15“… these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

(The “waysides” were paths along the edges of the fields along which people would walk.The soil on these paths would become trampled down & compacted making it hard for anything to grow.)

MARK 4:15“… these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

THE FIRST CHALLENGE IS OUR OWN HEARTS

Romans 10:9-10

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,

Matthew 22:37-38

Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Matthew 15:8

“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”

There must be an ownership of Christ in the heart. The reality of Him being Lord must affix to our will, become a

part of our character and be demonstrated by our integrity!

Matthew 10:32-33

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

MARK 4:15…Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts

(He will surround you with people you love, people you trust, people you look up to, and will use them to challenge and discourage your faith.)

MARK 4:16-17These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.

THE SECOND CHALLENGE IS PERSECUTION

John 15:20

Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.

Jesus said there would be some whose commitment to Christ would

not survive persecution because their faith was too shallow!

We must deepen our soil!

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GROWINGTHROUGH IT

LESSONS FROM THE SOWER