All three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) contain the parable of the sower, but only Mark has a statement that is pretty profound. That statement is “do you not understand this parable how then will you understand all the parables?” This statement is found in Mark 4:13. Jesus is telling us here that if we can’t understand this parable, we won’t be able to understand all the rest of them.
Why is that? Because as Jesus explains what the parable means, he shows there are four types of people in the world. Only the last one, “the good soil”, is in the class of being able to understand this parable, and that is people who have Jesus as their savior. Jesus even tells his disciples that it’s been given to them to understand.
Which class do you want to be in? “The path”, “the rocky ground”, “the thorns” or “the good soil” that yields 30, 60, or 100 fold. It’s your choice.
Only people that ask Jesus to be their savior are in the good soil. Because Jesus is the only way for salvation and going to heaven. Once you’re saved, the Holy Spirit will show you everything you need to know in the Bible to live for God.
(John 14:26 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
26. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.)
Mark 4:1-20 (ESV) (Please read the whole chapter)
The Parable of the Sower
1. Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3. “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5. 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. 6. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9. And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”10. And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12. so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
13. And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14. The sower sows the word. 15. 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. 16. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17. 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. 18. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19. 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. 20. 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.”
When something drastic happens in a nation or peoples lives, one of the first things they want to do, is to seek out God. They may go to church for awhile, but after a time, when they are comforted they may fall away.
It is easy to see this kind of a person in the parable of the sower. This kind of a person only seeks God to get their, “I’m OK fix” and then go about their life without God.
This can be seen through many scriptures in the Old Testament and the New Testament. All you have to do is read the Bible and you can find them everywhere. These people are not saved. They just want God when they’re in trouble, but not to live for Him.
Please ask Jesus to be your savior so that you may be the “good soil” and produce fruit for God, which is seeing other people saved, and doing good works while you are living for Him not for yourself.
MARANATHA