Jesus shares how each person is like a type of soil. Some are hard hearted. Some are very open as long as everything goes the way they want. Some are distracted by worries and wealth. Some are fruitful – transformed by God and helping others transform.
Jesus also talks about the type of faith that is like a lamp on its stand, the growing seed, and the mustard seed. Even still, the disciples had more fear than faith when facing a storm.
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This episode was filmed in India where those who follow Jesus are sharing about the One True God to people who believe in many gods much like the Christians in Rome that Mark was writing.
Video:
Mark 4 Notes:
Jesus shared several parables in Mark 4. These short fictional stories conveyed spiritual principles that were not as obvious to those with a calloused heart but more clear to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Jesus would teach using parables in public and then explain them to the disciples in private.
Jesus shares how each person is like a type of soil. Some are hard hearted. Some are very open as long as everything goes the way they want. Some are distracted by “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things [which makes them] unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19 NIV)
But some are “like seed sown on good soil. [They] hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”” – Mark 4:20 NIV
Inspired by this parable I created an assessment to help you determine which type of soil you tend to be, and I wrote a book on how to become Fruitful. Go to Ericbryant.org for the free assessment and book overview.
To be fruitful means we live out the purpose God has for us! We are transformed by God demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit and used by God to bring transformation to others – “a harvest” of new followers of Jesus!
Jesus also talks about the type of faith that is like a lamp on its stand, the growing seed, and the mustard seed.
After all these messages on faith, the disciples ended up in a boat during a storm. They are freaking out even as Jesus sleeps, waking him up asking: “Don’t you even care if we drown?!” Jesus calms the storm and says: ““He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”” (Mark 4:40 NIV)
And it ends with: “They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”” (Mark 4:41 NIV)
Are you more often terrified or filled with faith?
Which type of soil best describes your spiritual journey?
In what ways does God want to grow your faith?
