Fruitful Faith
Jan 24-25
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Intro
Tell a story.
This is the most basic example of a parable that Jesus taught. We conclude that He was teaching his men how to teach.
The whole world loves a story. The torah is set up teaching it's lessons by form of a story. Each of the patriarch life is a lesson in story form. Following the narrative yields many lessons, by what was done right but also more by what was not so right!
In vivid color life size detail the astute reader sees and learns. As Jesus so often said let those that have the eyes to see . A few months ago I detailed the stages of development as pertains to the memory of the scriptures. Using the same progression as the steps to get to know a person:
- Surprise,
- Recognition,
- Short term memory,
- Long term memory,
- Automatic
The significance of these items is simply to outline that: to have heard the verse one time is not to really know the verse.
This is important because in our busy world one can easily overlook the debt of knowledge that we each have in the scriptures. In out see it once video generation to have seen a movie once is to not need to see it again. The same rule does not translate to the scriptures. Because the scriptures are alive, they read differently each time that we reread, if they are read in Faith! The actual scriptures do not change but rather the place in life the reader is never the same. Is is said that each time the person passes a spot on the way to work, the spot is never the same.
the newspaper in the rack has a different front page, the bottle cap has been blown by the passing wind, the aluminum can has been smashed by a passing vehicle... And so on. Point is: much in our world changes with out conscious recognition day to day and even minute to minute. Over time the changes are remarkable. For this reason daily reading of the scripture is very important, not to get new information but more to get a new perspective of ourselves and where we are today.
I intend to show that the progression of the ground in Yeshua's parable is also a progression in the depth of commitment one gives to the scripture.
| Surprise | Roadside**Hard Ground | First time to read |
| Recognition | Roadside**stony Ground Receives Word, No root | I've seen that verse |
| Short term memory | Receives Word, Withers in heat Springs up quickly but withers from offence | I seem to remember reading that verse before |
| Long term memory | Because of cares chokes as easily | I definitely remember that verse |
| Automatic | Bear much fruit | I had a dream about that verse |
The reason that this set of thoughts is so important is because the society of this generation has the least knowledge of the scripture in many centuries. We however do have a greater knowledge than any other in world history about everything else. This paradox leaves us thinking that we know the things of God as well. This simply is not the case. Here in lies the danger for our people. We are a short stumble away from needing the scripture to save our lives. Sadly by that time it will be too late as the scripture sticks in pliable minds. It sinks into tense minds like injecting a medicine into a two by four.
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Mark 4:1-34
1 ¶ And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
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.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower slows the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
21 ¶ And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how.
28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spoke he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spoke he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35 ¶ And the same day, when the even was come, he says unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, cares thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Emphasis Mark(4:3-9, 14-20)
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
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.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Yeshua explains his parable illustration for one of the few times in the gospel.
14 The sower sows the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Heb4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Yeshua is amazed by little. The lack of faith of the Men of Galilee shocked Yeshua as he could do no mighty works there.
Yeshua seems to think that understanding this parable provided the key to all of the other parables.
- The Devil is immediately present. A definite stumbling block for those who deny the presence of the devil today.
- Yeshua prioritizes the types of challenges that a believer faces.
- The closer that the trial gets to the heart; the greater the effect becomes in the person's life.
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