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October 15th

The bible reading today is in Mark 4,5.

When I began to read this part of Jesus’ story, a couple of things dawned on me.

First, Jesus was always on mission. For instance...a walk on the seashore became an opportunity to bear testimony to the good news of God. Did he ever have solitude?...being alone with his thoughts?...relaxing and not on stage at the insistent request of others?

Sure, Jesus rested, Jesus retreated, Jesus stole away to be by himself and recharge for the mission on which the Father sent him. But, more times than not, even those hours were interrupted with new mission demands.

Yes, Jesus was always on mission...always alert to one more opportunity to share the gospel.

The Second thing that dawned on me in this part of Jesus’ story, is how creative Jesus was in and on his mission. For instance, one day he was beside the sea of Galilee again, just a short walk from his house in Capernaum.

More and more people began to drop what they were doing and get close to the rabbi so that they could hear what he was saying.

And what did Jesus do? This time he didn't lead the crowd to a nearby mountainside. He chose another pulpit...a fisherman’s boat just cast off from shore.

There he would take advantage of the good acoustics and the beautiful, and peaceful backdrop of the sea.

Now, how creative was that?! And from there, Jesus taught the crowd onshore.

“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:3-9‬ ‭

The twelve asked Jesus about the parable...about this everyday story and its spiritual meaning.

Jesus said it was intended to be a mystery, a riddle, a puzzle, something you would not understand unless God revealed it. And since he was about to reveal it, Jesus was, one more time, claiming to be God!

Most teachers and preachers use everyday stories to illustrate the truths of their message. But Jesus didn't start with a truth stated.

He started with a “doorway” to the truth. Jesus’ listeners stood at the doorway and heard him. If they were not interested, they stayed on the outside. But if they were interested, they could walk through the doorway...through Jesus, who said that he was the “doorway”...and from there into the truth behind the parable.

Jesus taught the people about a sower of seed and called him God...and called the seed that he sowed the word of God. This is what God does. He uses all kinds of farmers, all kinds of teachers and preachers, and witnesses to sow his perfect seeds of life.

That means that He could use me and you to sow the life-giving seed of his word... the word of his gospel. That’s Exciting!

Then Jesus taught about the “soils of mankind’s heart”. The hearts of some of Jesus’ hearers are like the roadway that runs beside the field being planted...very hard...not accepting the word of the gospel.

Some of Jesus’ hearers have hearts like the Stoney ground that is yet to be cultivated. The seed begins to sprout through the thin topsoil, but there is not enough root in the stones to endure the heat...the shadow of the plant soon fades away.

Then some of the hearers of Jesus’ words have hearts like thorny ground...ground filled with weeds that choke out the seed sown.

Some hearts are so filled with the interests and cares of this world, that like thorny weeds, they choke the life out of the newly sprouting seed.

Those three soils...those three hearts will never sprout into fruit-bearing spiritual lives.

But...There is the good soil. The fertile hearts that receive the words of the gospel and bear much spiritual fruit. Church rolls are filled with the 30 fold believers...they shine but not brilliantly...church pews are filled with 60 fold converts who crave the good menu of the preaching and teaching...and church ministry and mission are filled with 100 fold converts who take the initiative to serve their church in whatever way is needed.

May God produce 100 fold in his churches today.