Lent - Day 11
One of the Parables
Continuing with our Lenten study by reading through passages from the Book of Mark, today we will change it up by not starting off with the passage.
The reason for this is that the passage already tries to explain itself and one only needs to put aside quality time to read through it.
Time
I pray that you will do so and that you will continue with us in this 40 day journey as we read the Book of Mark, praying, fasting and abstaining from temporal things at least on this few days.
Here is the passage for today:
The Parable of the Sower
"Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, so that,
‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn
and be forgiven.’”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The farmer sows the word. Some are like the seeds 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.
Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.” Mark 4:1-20
Revelation
If you have read through it and reached this far (and still reading this), then congratulations, the "mystery" of the Kingdom of God has also been revealed to you.
Now, everything just depends on the current condition of your heart.
Did the word (the seeds), or the message you just read fall on the pathway? Did it land on rocky or stony ground? Is your heart and mind full of thorns or the worries of life? Or did the seed fall on good soil? If it did, it just needs watering and it will grow.
Your response from here on in, will determine the condition you are in.
Let those who has ears to hear, let them hear. Shalom.
The Parable (or the story) of the Sower is "the" parable. Once you get it, then you are able to understand all the other parables. Jesus spoke in parables to hide the truth from those who claim to be able to see it.
Once the truth is revealed to you, then you can 'see".
Continuing with our Lenten study by reading through passages from the Book of Mark, today we will change it up by not starting off with the passage.
The reason for this is that the passage already tries to explain itself and one only needs to put aside quality time to read through it.
Time
I pray that you will do so and that you will continue with us in this 40 day journey as we read the Book of Mark, praying, fasting and abstaining from temporal things at least on this few days.
Here is the passage for today:
The Parable of the Sower
"Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, so that,
‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn
and be forgiven.’”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The farmer sows the word. Some are like the seeds 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.
Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.” Mark 4:1-20
Revelation
If you have read through it and reached this far (and still reading this), then congratulations, the "mystery" of the Kingdom of God has also been revealed to you.
Now, everything just depends on the current condition of your heart.
Did the word (the seeds), or the message you just read fall on the pathway? Did it land on rocky or stony ground? Is your heart and mind full of thorns or the worries of life? Or did the seed fall on good soil? If it did, it just needs watering and it will grow.
Your response from here on in, will determine the condition you are in.
Let those who has ears to hear, let them hear. Shalom.
The Parable (or the story) of the Sower is "the" parable. Once you get it, then you are able to understand all the other parables. Jesus spoke in parables to hide the truth from those who claim to be able to see it.
Once the truth is revealed to you, then you can 'see".
Comments
Post a Comment