A short thought on the Parable of the Sower and the Seed (Mark 4:1-20). A parable whose principle I think is still vital even for those of us well down the road on their walk with Jesus.

Jesus said that if His disciples didn’t understand this parable, how then could they understand others (4:13). Saying, in effect, that this parable was a 101 parable and that if they couldn’t get it, then the 201 and 301 classes could be out of reach. In a sense, it was an underhand pitch, meant to be a gimme in the economy of “heavenly stories with an earthly meaning.” That if they weren’t picking up what was being laid down here, how were they going to keep up with His more complex word pictures?

But I’ve always felt Jesus was saying something else, as well, because Jesus was always ready to explain the meaning of His stories for those who had ears to hear (4:9). I think Jesus led with this parable because this story was the key to getting all the other stories. Specifically, that understanding the importance of the soil is paramount to realizing a harvest from the seed. And that we’re always preparing the soil.

“The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” ~ Jesus

(Mark 4:14-20 ESV)

Taken away . . . falls away . . . wastes away . . . bears fruit. Those are the options. Those are the four things which can result when the sower sows the word.

Those with ears to hear are aware of the scenarios which affect sown seed, and it comes down to how prepared and how tended to the soil is. Is it unprepared, hardened ground, suitable for walking on but not for working in? Then Satan takes the word away. A sweep here, a gust of wind there, and it’s gone — never got past the ear drum or the eyeball.

Then, there’s shallow soil. Ready enough to receive the seed, but not ready enough to really believe the seed. Enough soil to show signs of life but not enough to sustain it. So, when persecution arises on account of the word — and it’s gonna arise, count on it! — they fall away. No footing, no fruit.

And then there’s those who have done some real work in preparing soil with enough depth to sustain real growth, but they are careless with the weeding. The allow the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things to enter in. And the stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it (4:19 MSG). FOMO results in NO MORE growth and the word proves unfruitful.

But then, there’s the good soil. The prepared soil. Soil watered from the heart with living water — the untethered, unhindered, abundant, free flowing Spirit of God (John 7:38-39). Soil broken up through contrition and repentance — the sort of ground where the Lord’s presence is found (Isa. 57:15). Soil weeded regularly through confession; the fertilizer of fresh forgiveness applied daily with mercies which are new every morning (1Jn. 1:9, Lam. 3:22-23). Good soil ready to receive the word — even when it’s a hard word, or a word that seems to be forcing them out of the ecclesiastical box they lived in for so long. Soft ground, rich ground, ground still ready to embrace the seed because it is the Sower’s seed. And they bear fruit.

Even for us seasoned saints, those who have done a lap or two in our pilgrim journey, we still need to be mindful that bearing fruit isn’t necessarily our default as long as the devil, the flesh, and the world are in play. That for us too, the seed can be taken away, or fall away, or waste away if the ground’s not good.

Yeah, we need to always be preparing the soil.

Amen?

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.