Sowing is Hearing
In Mark 4:10-20 we hear Jesus say:
10But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the [d]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12so that
‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
13And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, [e]accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Jesus says if we won’t understand this parable, we won’t understand the kingdom of God even though it is a mystery He has revealed. Hearing the Word of God is intentionally planting Jesus as the Incorruptible Seed in your heart. Notice the focus centered on hearing the Word in this passage. Jesus describes 4 kinds of grounds or belief systems of the heart and how they are planted.
The first type of heart belief He describes is that of ignorance (the wayside). When they hear the Word describes a lack of value and importance and they let Satan steal the value of the Word of God immediately being planted in order to take root. Being ignorant and distracted to the value Jesus brings steals the Word from even being heard and thus planted in the heart.
The second type of heart belief is that of law (stony ground). They hear the Word but the roots are in themselves and their self righteousness causes offense at the Word of God at the cost of being able to lay down roots. At first it looks good, but the stony and rigid ground of the law doesn’t show up until it is challenged and the unseen lack of foundation makes it wither and fail. The Law and Grace can look the same on the outside. Grace and Power comes from within (Inside Out), Law and force are applied from without. (Outside In)
The third type of heart belief is carnality (among thorns). The distractions and desires to function in this worlds systems choke the nourishment needed to be fruitful even though they have heard the Word. This belief system chooses its own way as idolatry elevating this worlds system above God’s Word. The competing trust in the heart makes this belief system unable to produce. You could call it double minded and unstable.
The fourth type of heart belief is success (good ground). Even having success albeit small, moderate, or living every dream possible and experiencing the kingdom of God to the fullest with God, keep hearing the Word of God. Don’t let your success in receiving by faith and walking in the grace He has given for your life become a formula without relationship. Success is defined by relationship with Jesus as the living Word of God, not merely copying principles. Keep Hearing the Word of God as successful as you may be.
Sowing is Hearing!
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