Greeting
Hello? Hello? Michael correctly observed that the mic was off. It would take a mic to know a mic. Thank you. I am a dad. Dad jokes are part of the thing with me now.
Anyway, my name is Conrad. I’m one of the pastors here. I’m grateful to be in front of you this morning. And you know, when I was going through Bible school, when we were taught about how to preach. The thing that they always say is, you have to be a storyteller if you’re going to be a preacher. You have to be able to tell stories because Jesus told stories and you need to be a good storyteller.
You know, my problem is that I’m always very sort of to the point. Like, why would you take 10 minutes to tell a story if you could tell it in one? Because people like details. I’m bad at them. So I’ve always struggled with that.
And I also thought today, we’re starting off Mark chapter 4, which is the parable chapter in Mark, and so why would I come up with my own story when we’re literally going to read one of Jesus’s. And today also is the 2nd Markan sandwich that we’re going to look at, which remember is like 2 buns that surround a middle piece of meat, right? So are we in? Are we gonna do this together? Let’s jump in and see how Jesus would have started a sermon. What his story would have been?
Scripture Reading: Mark 4:1–20 (NET)
And Mark, uh, chapter 4 starting in verse three.
Listen, 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. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered. Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing, some yielding 30 times as much, some 60, and some 100 times. And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen.”
I’m excited to dig into this today, but let’s pray first.
Opening Prayer
Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for these parables. I pray that as we examine this today. that you would help us to have soft hearts, to listen to what you want to say, to not take the easiest interpretation, but to dig deeper and look for something more, a deeper challenge. Which indeed is the point of parables. Uh, in the way that you present them here and the explanation that you give that Mark has recorded for us. So help us this morning to listen to what you have to say. Amen.
Introduction to the Structure
So obviously our passage this morning is longer because it starts in verse one and goes all the way to verse 20, but that is too much to read all at once in front of everybody because you sort of lose the context. So we’re going to break it down to 4 sections. Which, and because, you know, again, preaching class, everything has to start with the same letter. those are just the rules of preaching. So we have the preamble, the parable, the purpose, and the explanation. It’s a stretch, but it’s the best I could come up with.
So we’re going to look at those sections one at a time and see what we can come away with and see if we can learn something new.
Preamble: Mark 4:1–2
So here we are, Mark 4 verses one and two. And again, he, that’s Jesus, began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. And he taught them many things in parables.
And in teaching, he said to them, Colon, we’ll get to that bar later.
So Jesus teaches the crowd. Now you have to imagine, this is a massive monstrous horde of humanity that is pressing in on Jesus from every side because why? They want the miracle, right? They want something from Jesus. They’re coming to him saying, we want this.
And that’s not what Jesus is for. And how often are we guilty of this, right? We come to Jesus. Hey Jesus, I know you said you have this for me, but listen, I have this for you. I need you to take care of things one through five. Okay, so go ahead and do that for me and let me know when you’ve got that taken care of and I’ll give you my next assignment.
One uncomfortable laugh. The rest of you, I hope, are feeling convicted. I don’t know. Um, I don’t know, when I think about it, I think that I’m the crowd. That’s me. I’m pressing in on Jesus telling him what I need rather than listening to what he has for me.
But what does Jesus want to do? He wants to teach. He wants to impart truth because that’s the thing that will really change lives. And the word teach here is actually the Greek word, and I’m sorry for doing this, but I have to, Didasco. Which, of course, is where we get the word didactic from. And everyone said, oh, didactic. I use that all the time. I use that 3 times this morning.
Didactic basically means a moral teaching. Right? So when you read, if you hear some theologian talk about, you know, the parabolic method of Jesus, they’re not talking about math equations. They’re talking about moral teachings.
And the word parable itself, in fact, is a juxtaposition, is placing 2 things side by side to compare them, right? A, uh, a comparison that doesn’t use like or as is a, Metaphor. Similes used like our ads is a metaphor. So a parable is like a metaphor, but it’s deeper than that. It’s a challenge. It’s a challenge. You’re supposed to study these. Evaluate them and come away with a conclusion.
But I’ll get more into that in a minute. So we’re going to take a look at verses 3–9 again. Because Jesus says this is the key. This parable is the key to understanding all parables. So let’s really take a look at it and see what comes out of it. Okay?
The Parable: Mark 4:3–9
Listen, exclamation point. A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seed fell along the path and the birds came and devoured it. Good. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched because it did not have sufficient root, it withered. Okay? Other seed fell among the thorns and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. Okay. But other grain fell, other seed fell in good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing, some yielding 30, 60, and 100 times as much. And he said, whoever has ears to hear had better listen.
Note that Jesus starts and ends the parable with the word listen. Listen. This is an active word. You’re not simply hearing, you’re listening to what’s being, this is not passive. And this, in fact, is something that Jesus is going to highlight later, so we’ll stick it in our pocket because we’re going to come back to this listening thing.
Because the fact of the matter is that it’s not about ears. Whoever has ears to hear is actually about hearts. Whoever has a heart that is soft to receive what Jesus is telling us.
The Purpose: Mark 4:10–12
So what does it mean? Good question. Let’s look at the explanation that Jesus offers in verse 14.
When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
The static is just, it’s nice. It just adds a little sort of snowy backdrop. It’s like a nice mountain experience. Anyway, Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right?
You guys can try unplugging the blue cable into that little box and plugging it back in. Who knows? Anything could happen. Um, Well, black’s better than snow. So anyway, it’s an open secret, okay?
Jesus is basically saying, listen, understand, and know. Remember that listen we put in our pocket before, but we’re popping it back out now. Listen, understand and know what has just happened.
We’re just gonna, we’re just gonna wait. For those of you online, welcome to our pre-roll. There we go.
What was I saying? Something about an open secret. Yes, the parables are an open secret, right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. That’s why I tried to emulate here very poorly with our backdrop. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people. All right.
The Explanation: Mark 4:13–20
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
Conclusion: The Markan Sandwich and Application
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of it when you’re on the inside, understanding what it has to offer.
So Jesus is saying, this is an open secret. It’s there for people who want to see it. Remember, I keep talking about how evidence is only evidence if you want it to be. This is the same thing.
Jesus is tired of people surrounding him looking for what they want instead of asking him what he has to offer. So he starts talking in parables to people.
So, the sower sows the word. We’re back to this thing. We are going to look at the explanation again. with a new lens here of Jesus making this open secret. So we’re pulling out of our pocket. Who is the sower?
Now, as the rock might say, it doesn’t matter who the sower is. It doesn’t matter. That’s not important. It’s not the point who the sower is. Because when we take this parable and we make it about just salvation, we make it too easy. We make it too easy because it’s nice. It’s simple. It’s surface level, and we can move on with our day feeling like we’ve done a good job.
But Jesus calls us to think. to understand and to know. So what is to know, what is the truth inside this parable?
Jesus explanation again, these are the ones on the path where the word was sown. Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. Okay, so if we’re taking an evangelist approach, and this is sharing the gospel, then these people don’t receive the word. Right? There’s no salvation there because Satan comes and takes it away. That is a sad panda. We have a sad panda.
Okay, Jesus continues. There are ones sown on the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
Well, the obvious solution is, I guess, that for whatever reason, the seed didn’t stick. It didn’t grow, so I guess that these people probably aren’t Christians either more sad pandas. We were really giving it to the pandas today.
Jesus continues. Verse 18. Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are the ones who hear the word, but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
So I guess those people let life get in the way. Right? And life snatched away the growth of the gospel in their lives. Too bad, panda, so sad.
And Jesus wraps up in verse 20 with this. But these are the ones sown on good soil. They hear the word and receive it and bear much fruit 130 times as much, 160 and one 100 times.
Now this is where a lot of preachers like to camp and I understand why. Right? As a preacher. You can get out there and say, hey, you have the truth. You have the word of God. Take it out there, like the rice at the wedding. Chuck it anywhere you can. throw it at people. It might stick. You might change a life. Right? Because the effort that we’re expending is going to be given back to us in results. That’s what Jesus says, right?
You got to think about this. Jesus says some 30, some 60, some 100 times. will get the growth that’s sewn into them. Now, you got to remember, if you’re a farmer, a 15 fold crop is an absolute bumper crop. Like that is big time. That is success. 30, 60, 100? I mean, you’re talking about unbelievable yields. The yield is so much greater than anything that is spoiled, that your effort is not wasted. In fact, your effort is multiplied over and over again.
Is that all true? Of course it is. Is that good? Yes, is that something we should do? Yes, should we stop there? No.
But we’d like to, because it preaches, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it preach? Get out there and share the word. God will multiply your efforts. It’s easy and it’s tasty. And it goes, it lets you go home sort of happy and fat and sassy.
But there’s only one problem here. We skipped right over the middle of the mark and sandwich. We just ate a bun. The bun has some carbs in it. There’s some nutritious value there. But we missed the meat. We didn’t eat the steak. Right? You had the potatoes. They were delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had the peas and the carrots and the asparagus. It was delicious. But you didn’t eat the steak. You had a delightful glass of red sparkling cranberry juice. But you didn’t eat the steak.
So we need to go back and look at the meat of this mark and sandwich, and I think it’s going to really unlock something for us today that maybe we hadn’t considered before.
So after he tells the parable Jesus, Mark records this, excuse me. When he, that’s Jesus, was alone. Those around him with the 12, asked him about the parables. So that’s not just the apostles, the 12 that we know. There’s other followers of Jesus, other disciples who were with them.
He that’s Jesus said to them, the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables so that although they look, they may not look and see. Although they hear, they may hear, but not understand, although, and they may not, may not repent and be forgiven.
So he, again, that’s Jesus said to them, don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you be able to understand any parable?
So Jesus is saying that these parables, basically create an open secret. Right? Jesus bookends this passage with saying, listen, right? And then at the end he says, do you not understand this parable? If you don’t, you will not understand any of them.
And the word understand is different. The 1st time it means understand, comprehend. The 2nd time it means no. Well, no.
You might think of parables like a stained glass window. Right? If you’re looking at a stained glass window from the outside, it’s sort of murky and color. You understand what it’s trying to do, but it’s not very impressive. But if you go inside the building. where that window is and look at it. If you go inside and watch the sun streaming through a stained glass window, it is almost transcendent. It’s beautiful. You get the fullness of