Year 2 day 88

Year 2 Day 88

Pray (ACts)

Read - Mark 4:1-20

Message - Alan Burke

We thought about it on Monday, how the sower in this parable is Jesus. He sows, he sows his word on the path, those who have hard hearts and the birds came and ate it (15) and Jesus explains that as the word goes out not birds come and take it away but Satan. That’s what happens when the word is preached. But here we are told this is what Satan does to the word in some of those who hear. This is spiritual warfare, as Satan come in and steals the word. You only need to think to the pharisees, Satan was coming and stealing the word before anything happened. Then we have the seed that sprang up quickly, but it that was scorched and withered because it had no root, that is those that received the word with joy, it looks hopeful but then trouble and persecution come and it is gone (16-17).

Then there are those who the thorns and worries of this life (18-19) the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires of others things take their told one the word. Notice how these things are a more serious threat to the seed than Satan coming and snatching it away, these things are more serious than trouble and persecution when they come, they have stood in the midst of Satan’s attacks, they have faced trouble and persecution have stood firm until that is health, wealth and prosperity. Good things have become the biggest cares. 

Ultimately though there are only two times of soil in this parable, the good and the bad, and there is only one type of human heart and that is bad unless God transforms it, to a good heart, a heart that is receptive to his word. The word produces a crop, thirty, sixty or even a hundred times that what was sown (20). In the one who hears and is fruitful it is seen in their character, in the outworking of that salvation, in their works, it bears fruit for the kingdom. This happens by the work of the word in the lives of those who hear.

We do not know the heart of those who hear, our friends and family, those whom we work with or interact with, but this parable of the sower reminds us to sow, sow, sow, sow, sow, we don’t know what the soil is, we don’t know its reception, but sow, sow, sow the word. This parable teaches of the kingdom of God and the variety of ways people respond to his word, and it is God’s word is what people need to hear. It is God’s word is what gives people no excuse. It is God’s word that many reject and it is God’s word is what produces results. Let us be people who trust in the word to do the work. 

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q92 What is a sacrament?
A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. (Gen. 17:7,10, Exod. 12, 1 Cor. 11:23,26)
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