"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." (Mark 4:2-9, NIV)

“Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables." (Mark 4:10, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what is Jesus capable of?
Jesus is capable of sharing analogies using real life examples as parables.
Jesus is capable of being approached to ask questions.

I asked myself what kinds of places did the seed fall?

I asked myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘Along the Path’?

The birds came and ate it up!

I asked myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘On Rocky places’?

I asked myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘Among the Thorns’?

I asked myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘On Good soil’?

Now I decided to focus on verses 13-20 to find out why things happened this way!

“Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (Mark 4:13-20, NIV)

Interpretations/Implications:
I learned the path I choose will determine my walk with the Lord. In every path, the seed refers to the Word that is sown. The Sower is God who represents the farmer. The question is how the Word of God will be handled.

There are four ways the Word of God can be handled but only one of them is the right way that will produce a crop --- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown. That is amazing to know that the Word of God will produce a crop in us when we handle it properly in our lives.

I ask you now dear friend where are you at your W.A.L.K with the Lord?
Dear friend, your walk with God is dependent on what you do with the Word of God that is sown in your life. I have learned four things that can happen to us in the 21st century but lasting happiness only comes from one of those four things!

To desire that one thing, it helps for us to know about the pitfalls the other three can cause so I want to share them with you using the University of Pittsburgh campus as a context but it does not have to be limited to the University of Pittsburgh campus.

Soil 1: Along the Path
Many people hear the Word of God. Right here on Pitt Campus, we have classes called ‘Bible as Literature I & II’ that are offered. No one can say those students have not had exposure to Scripture. Each one of them has had exposure to Scripture. Many in the world have had exposure to Scripture. Yet, not all of them are saved or come to the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior.

I asked myself why?
Jesus Himself gives the reason which is evident by v. 15

“Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” (Mark 4:15)

Why do you think that happens?
Many people believe there are many paths to God and do not take the ‘Words written in the Bible’ seriously. Those who do not take the Bible as the Word of God seriously have already hardened their hearts to the Truth and lose the Word from their hearts as Satan takes it away. The reason that happens is because of our view of Scripture too!

There are 3 views of Scripture but only one view of Scripture is right.

Decades ago, I was blessed to learn those views through the Summer Institute of Christian Training that was done by Pastor Hugo, Pastor Bucknell, Peter Chen, etc.

The Bible is the Word of God! (Evangelical view of Scripture)
The Bible contains the Word of God! (Wrong view of Scripture)
The Bible becomes the Word of God! (Wrong view of Scripture)

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Soil 2: On Rocky places
Friend, do you receive the Word with joy?
Maybe you are very excited to hear the Word of God in your Quiet Times, church or wherever it is being proclaimed with utter joy!

What do we do with the Word of God in times of temptation or testing?
Many people do receive the Word of God with joy when they hear it. It is joyful for them to have the Word. They believe they can hold on to the Word with all their heart.

Yet, how many people do we know that have been raised in a Christian home fall away from the faith or those that have come to college fall away from the faith?

Why?

Jesus gives the reason in  Mark 4:16-17:
“Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” (Mark 4:16-17, NIV)

Let me tell you if there was a place of persecution for your faith, it would mostly be on the college setting with our professors, with peer pressure, etc or at home with family members.

Why do you think that happens?
Many students who come to college shun their faith as they cannot handle trials and tribulations and the testing of their own faith in classes such as philosophy, biology, geology, astronomy, anthropology, etc.

The problem is not with the classes themselves for many followers of Christ are philosophers, biologists, geologists, astronomers (not astrologists), anthropologists, etc for we need God’s people in every field of academia to make a difference.

The problem here is that those who listen just to the professors’ remarks and what textbooks say take it at face value. If they would take the same approach to the Word of God, they will see the difference. However, they never allow God’s Word to take root in their lives. Many just take what professors’ feed them. Not everything they say is the truth. If we disagree with our Prof’s we need to challenge their thinking courteously. I have always done that as I have sought the Lord.  The professor’s start to respect that.

Through my college years, in my philosophy, psychology, poetry, general writing, law classes, etc I wrote about Jesus and even talked about Jesus and the Word of God.  In my legal studies classes, I have loved talking to the professors about Jesus in front of the whole class. In my internship in legal studies, I have focused on the Ultimate Law Giver! The key is taking the Word of God and allowing the Word to make the difference in our lives through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Look for a Bible study to go too! If you are in the Pittsburgh area, I am part of a small group which is part of Oakland International Fellowship, where we study God's Word together, pray together, share together our burdens, joys, etc and have a  time of community together. :). We would love to have you there! Let me know!  On Fridays, we are studying the Gospel of Mark with Pastor Jesse and Elder Calvin On Sundays, we are studying the Book of James with Pastor Jesse, Elder Calvin, etc before sermons on the Book of Esther.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them to practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV)

Soil 3: Among the Thorns
You are a follower of Christ and do not allow Satan to take the Word from your heart or let testing to let you fall away, yet do you feel stagnant in your Christian walk?

Why?

Jesus gives the reasons in Mark 4:18-19:
“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19)

Many students allow the pleasures, comfort zones, and the need for fun, fame, and fortune to crowd out Jesus from their life. This however does not mean that followers of Christ cannot have any fun, become famous, or try to amass a fortune. There is nothing wrong with fun, fame, and fortune when they come in God’s timing and  not through sinful means.

The problem is even though people on this soil may come to Jesus now and then with a Quiet Time here and there, it is not consistent though. Their time with the Lord through study of His Word, prayer, and church life is not consistent. Hence, they never become mature as Christians but feel like their faith has become stagnant.

Soil 4: Good soil
What is different about those on good soil?

I like the way Luke 8:15, describes those on good soil:
“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” (Luke 8:15, NIV)

We see 5 important points here:

This results in an abundant Harvest.

The Parable of the Sower, chronologically the first of Christ's parables, is a prophecy about the acceptance of the good tidings of the Gospel by mankind.

In it is narrated how men accept the Word of God in different ways, and how this Word acts differently on men, depending on the state of their soul.

So, I ask you now friend what kind of soil are you on?

What is the condition of your heart?

How seriously do you take the Word of God?

Are you Along the Path?
If you have been on the path and feel the Word is taken away from you, it does not have to be that way. Satan’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. But, Jesus’ purpose is to give you life in all its fullness. (John 10) If you have never had God’s solid Word in your heart, you don’t have to wait. You can start in the Word from now on. Spend time in the Word of God daily!

Are you on Rock?
If you have been the one who has received the Word with joy at one time, but now you are so confused and hurt because of all the testing you have been facing, it does not have to be that way. Many of the classes you take can test your faith, confuse you and make you doubt.  But God offers you a solution.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:6-10, NIV)

You do not have to be confused and hurt. Jesus never promised we would escape from testing, trials and tribulations but He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

He has promised, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20, NIV)

The Book of James, chapter 1 is very helpful to study and apply. You can be rooted in the Word by being committed to the Word of God, no matter what is happening. God will not forsake you. Please do not forsake your daily Quiet Times with the Lord. If you have trouble with your Quiet Times, I have free booklets that will help you with your Quiet Times. It is not enough to have your Quiet Times but you have to put it into practice.

"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do." (James 1:22-25, NIV)

Are you Among the Thorns?
If you have been the one who has allowed life’s worries, pleasures, and riches to come in the way to become thorns crowding out your relationship with the Lord, I say again it does not have to be that way. You can mature in your Christian faith. I know being in college, career, etc we can be prone to life’s worries, etc but the Lord Jesus offers you hope.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important  than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)

You can become a mature Christian. Take the help the Lord provides. I say once again, join a small group Bible study this FALL of 2021, have your Quiet Times daily with the Lord through His Word and prayer, and most of all be involved in fellowship with other believers. Don’t be a lone ranger Christian.

Are you on Good Soil?
If you are the one who feels like they are on good soil. Take heed lest you fall back into the other soils. Satan is crafty and will try all means to get you on his side.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:7-8a, NIV)

Remember, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NIV)

Each of you knows where you are at in your walk with God. You could have already known even before I shared with you what I have learned.

No matter where you are at, if you are not on the good soil, you can be on the good soil. It does not have to be one day. It can be right now. Now is the time of Salvation.

”Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:26-27, NIV)

Jesus loves each of you so much and wants you to be victorious.

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:19-20, NIV)

The theme of the Parable of the Sower is to let us know the soil we are on determines our own spiritual growth and our victorious living as a follower of Christ!

The purpose of the Parable of the Sower is to understand the importance of looking at the state of our own heart to see what place we are allowing God’s Word to have in our daily lives.

This happens as we take God’s Word seriously and cultivate it daily in our hearts by becoming a doer of the Word.

“Walk Among Lord’s Kingdom!”(W.A.L.K)”/ “Where are you at your W.A.L.K with the Lord?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much how much you have taught me from your Word. Lord, you know what kind of soil we have been on. You want us to be on the good soil. Even now Lord, I feel I am not always on the good soil. There are so many times I revert back to the other soils and feel the pain and also cause others pain because I have not consistently sought you but gone my own way. I am so sorry Jesus. I know Lord that I cannot live the victorious Christian life on my own but need your guidance and wisdom. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit and guide me through your Word as I seek you in prayer. Provide the right fellowship for me at church and away from church. Thank you Jesus! I am so sorry for my sins and acknowledge that you went to the cross to pay the ransom for my sin to set me free. Thank you so much for bearing my burden. Please cleanse me with your cleansing blood and I will be clean again! Wash me and I will be whiter than snow! Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart as I accept you into my heart! Thank you for making my heart your home and living in me. I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus that you have heard my prayer and answered me! Thank you that I belong to you and you will help me live a victorious life in you. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!