Parable of the Sower - Gospel of Mark 4:3 to 20
2nd Part.
Parable: Mark 4: 3,5,6
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Explanation of the parable on the part of Christ: Mark 4: 14,16,17
14The sower soweth the word. 16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they haveheard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
There are many enthusiastic people in religious themes, or at least they are for some time.
They attend for the first time a church and they find a pleasant atmosphere. They like thepreaching, the songs and they say: Ah! this it is my place to live! . AND get involved quickly in the Christian life . Then they suffer an apparent change, and they demonstrate an avid interest for the spiritual things.
Their growth is very quick, they want to participate in all activities possible in the church.
They astonish all with their new enthusiasm, able to pray, to sing and to work in a remarkable way. What many Christians find difficult to learn, this class of people seem to find everything easy. There isn’t anything that they cannot resolve with great intelligence and dexterity.
And the midst of their extraordinary and speedy spiritual development that the first inconvenience or the first annoyance occurs because of the Word. AND what happens?
They are scandalized and they desist.!
This parable illustrates for us those people that are "good Christians" provided they don't have to suffer any insult for the cause of Christ's testimony. Theyare those that believe being a Christian is a mere philosophy of life like any other belief, and they don't take
Jesus Christ’s words seriously:
Mt 10:38 And hethat taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
They have felt sympathy for the gospel, but they never felt the weight of their sins in their hearts. Everything was a religious positivism without thinking that the Biblical demand for salvation is that:
Jn 3:3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Their heart didn't take root in Christ, but rather it grew quickly in its self-sufficiencyand in its carnal intelligence. As quickly as they grew… equally as fast they are formed and they wither. And where are they today? Many maybe fartherfrom God than before, with their hardened life of sin and with an aversion to the spiritual things.
Dear reader:
Maybe this is your situation today? Remember when you consider your frustrated religious experience and you think that the failure was not due to anything external, you will be able to accuse all... but the reason for your unsuccessful experience is that you didn't have a genuine root in Christ.
To be Christian is not putting on a suit for special occasions, neither is the Church our social club.
To be Christian is to recognize first that we are unworthy before God, and to admit our insufficiencies and sins. It is to leave our "superficiality" and to ask Christ to truly make a profound change in our hearts.
The seedof the Word of God should fall into the depth of your heart so that it takes root, and doesn’t stay in the surface of your emotions and carnal thoughts.
When youallow God to make a true work of salvation in you, you’ll be able to say "I am a real Christian".
Those that have been born of God, fear nothing. Any adversity or test will not make you deny your faith, unshakeable, because you have your roots in Christ. The sun will come out and you won't wither, neither will the heat dry you because your heart takes vital food and nourishment from the depth of Christ.
That your life can be planted in God.!
Ps 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
by Alejandro D. Riff
