Chapter 7: From The Ground Up
Have you ever wished Jesus spent more time explaining Himself? When reading the Bible, have you ever come across a passage that left you confused, wishing Jesus had paused to elaborate? If so, take comfort in knowing that His disciples often felt the same way. Though Jesus spoke profound truths, His followers frequently struggled to grasp His intended meaning. Thankfully, the Bible contains a powerful moment where Jesus intentionally pauses to explain His teaching.
Despite being the shortest of the four Gospels, Mark is packed with incredible moments from the Messiah’s ministry. In Mark chapter four, Jesus, surrounded by a large crowd, shares a story that holds the key to understanding—and explaining—God’s precious Word. To bring clarity, we will examine Mark 4:1-20 in two parts: the illustration and the explanation.
Illustration: “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. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, 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, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:1-9 ESV).
Explanation: “And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 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, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. 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. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 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. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 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. 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.” (Mark 4:10-20 ESV).
Throughout history, humanity has sought the key to spiritual transformation. What is the secret to genuine, lasting growth in our walk with God? Jesus answers this question through the Parable of the Sower, revealing that authentic growth happens from the ground up.
This seemingly simple story holds profound implications for our understanding of God’s Word, our response to it, and ultimately, the state of our hearts and ability to communicate with others. In Mark 4:13, Jesus emphasizes the foundational nature of this parable: "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?"
To comprehend any of Jesus' teachings, we must grasp the truth found in this passage. The Parable of the Sower reveals three critical components of spiritual growth:
1) The Sower: God is the ultimate creator and sustainer of life, and He will forever be the "Sower". Jesus Himself is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Col. 2:9). Without surrendering to God, we have no hope of growing in Him.
2) The Seed: This is the Word of God (Jesus Himself revealed in the Bible) given by the Sower. God's Word will remain steadfast forever (Isaiah 40:8). It is the only source of absolute truth, and it holds the answers to the questions of our world.
3) The Soil: The human heart—the mind, will, and emotions—determines how the Seed (God’s Word) takes root. Unlike the Sower and the Seed, which remain constant, the soil is the only malleable variable in the equation. It is the one factor we possess the power to cultivate and improve.
Jesus describes four types of soil, representing four metaphorical heart conditions. Each condition teaches us something vital about how we receive and respond to God’s Word. Understanding this concept allows us to cultivate a heart that can truly grow in Christ and, in turn, effectively explain The Way of the Wordsmith.
The Divided Heart
Illustration: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it." (Mark 4:3-4 ESV).
Explanation: “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." (Mark 4:15 ESV).
How Do You Restore A Divided Heart?
Surrender: This portion of the parable describes Satan removing God's Word from the heart of the hearer. This is only possible in a person that has not fully surrendered their life to Jesus. In order to begin growing in your relationship with Him, you must first place your faith in His life, death, and resurrection. Satan has no dominion in a heart that is surrendered to Jesus (Rom. 6:14)!
Meditation: Up until the moment we surrender our lives to Jesus, the focus of our heart will be the things of this world. Rather than simply listening to God's Word occasionally, we should be intentional to develop a consistent rhythm of studying and memorizing Scripture.
Guardrails: Satan is a thief (John 10:10), and thieves want to break into spaces where there is something valuable to steal. As you store God's Word in your heart, the enemy will whisper lies to you. Guardrails—such as accountability partners and personal standards for what you watch and listen to—can help you maintain your focus on the truth!
The Shallow Heart
Illustration: "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. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away." (Mark 4:5-6 ESV).
Explanation: "And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 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." (Mark 4:16-17 ESV).
How Do You Deepen A Shallow Heart?
Slow Down: The first indicator Jesus gives of someone with a shallow heart is that they "immediately receive it [the Word] with joy" (Mark 4:16). The key here is to understand the difference between hearing and listening. If all we do is hear God's Word without taking the time to listen and consider its true meaning, our heart will remain shallow. We must slow down and take time to consider the implications of what He is saying to us!
Look Closer: As we slow down to consider God's Words, it provides space for us to truly study what He is saying. In order to deepen our understanding, it helps to ask these questions of the text:
1. Who is the author, and who are they writing to?
2. What was the culture like when the words were written?
3. What do these words reveal about God's character and the "big picture" story of Scripture?
4. What do these words reveal about my character?
5. How can I put these words into action?
Endure Difficulty: When we are facing difficult situations (Mark 4:17), the easiest response is to sacrifice truth for comfort. However, when we choose to trust that God is faithful no matter the situation, our understanding of His Word will deepen.
The Distracted Heart
Illustration: "Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain." (Mark 4:7 ESV).
Explanation: "And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 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." (Mark 4:18-19 ESV).
What Distracts Us From God's Word?
The Cares Of The World: Once we place our faith in Jesus, we become citizens of God's kingdom (John 18:36). However, even though Heaven is now our eternal home, God has placed us on earth for a brief period of time so that we can encourage others to enter His kingdom. While we are here, it can be easy to allow the cares of this broken world (sickness, division, pain, etc.) to distract us from our calling. Our hope is in the fact that this is only our temporary home (2 Cor. 5:1)!
The Deceitfulness Of Riches: There is nothing wrong with having nice things. The problem arises when nice things have us. If we are not careful, we will begin to place our trust in riches (money and possessions) rather than the finished work of Jesus Christ. "Things" are temporary, but God's Word is eternal!
The Desire For Other Things: The enemy wants us to believe that there is always something else we need in order to be complete and happy. It is essential for us to remember that "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). When we recognize that Jesus is all we need, we will be able to focus on His Word!
The Surrendered Heart
Illustration: "And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:8 ESV).
Explanation: "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." (Mark 4:20 ESV).
What Are The Signs Of A Surrendered Heart?
Familiarity With God’s Word: The first sign Jesus gives of "good soil" (a surrendered heart) is "hearing the word" (Mark 4:20). It is impossible to grow without reading the Bible! In Matthew 7, Jesus describes the Word as the solid foundation on which we build our life. As we continually read Scripture in community and in private, we are familiarizing ourself with the truth!
Faith In God’s Word: Not only does a surrendered heart hear the Word, but a surrendered heart "accepts it" (Mark 4:20). In order to grow as Christians, we must first decide that God's Word really is perfect. Until we make this decision, we will treat Scripture as a suggestion rather than a command, and we will constantly question God's faithfulness. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). If we question the reliability of God's Word, we are questioning God Himself!
Fruit From God's Word: In Galatians 5:22-23, the Apostle Paul describes the "fruit" that comes from a surrendered heart: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. If this list does not describe your life, it may be an indication that your heart is not fully surrendered to God.
Conclusion
The Parable of the Sower in Mark chapter four serves as a foundational teaching for understanding how we receive and respond to God’s Word. Through Jesus’ explanation, we see that the condition of our heart determines if His truth is able to take root and flourish. True spiritual growth requires surrender, intentional study, and perseverance through trials. As we cultivate a heart that is open and receptive to God’s Word, we will bear lasting fruit that reflects His presence in our lives. May we strive to be the “good soil,” allowing the Wordsmith to transform us and, in turn, impact the world around us.
