Mark 4:1-20Holman Christian Standard Bible
(HCSB)
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again He began to teach by the sea, and a very large
crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while
the whole crowd was on the shore facing the sea. 2 He taught them many things in parables, and in His
teaching He said to them: 3 “Listen! Consider the sower
who went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, this occurred:
Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it
up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky
ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since
it didn’t have deep soil. 6 When the sun came up, it
was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it,
and it didn’t produce a crop. 8 Still others fell on good
ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was
sown.” 9 Then He said, “Anyone
who has ears to hear should listen!”
Why Jesus Used Parables
10 When He was alone with the Twelve, those
who were around Him asked Him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of
God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in
parables 12 so that
they may look and look,
yet not perceive;
they may listen and listen,
yet not understand;
otherwise, they might turn back—
and be forgiven.”[a][b]
yet not perceive;
they may listen and listen,
yet not understand;
otherwise, they might turn back—
and be forgiven.”[a][b]
The Parable of the Sower
Explained
13 Then He said to them: “Don’t you
understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the
parables? 14 The sower sows the
word. 15 These[c] are the ones along
the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately
Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.[d] 16 And these are[e] the ones sown on
rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with
joy. 17 But they have no root in
themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes
because of the word, they immediately stumble. 18 Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the
word, 19 but the worries of
this age, the seduction[f] of wealth, and
the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes
unfruitful. 20 But the ones sown on good
ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop:30, 60,
and 100 times what was sown.”
Questions:
1.
Why do you think Jesus taught by the sea?
A. Jesus wanted the attention
on Him, He didn’t want any distractions, plus He didn’t want the crowd to mob
Him.
2.
Why did Jesus say, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”
A. People can hear, but they
might not be listening. We need to
listen to what Jesus has to say about His Kingdom. Listen and apply these things to our life.
3.
Why did Jesus teach in parables?
A. He doesn’t just give
commands on how to act. He lets us
listen to what He has to say about certain situations and we have to interpret
what He is saying. We must listen and
learn. The disciples get a first hand
view of the Lord, while we must listen.
4.
How come the crops multiplied by 30, 60, 100?
A. Because that is what happens
when you are saved. It is a miracle crop.
5.
What soil are you on?
A. ????
