This morning, we continue our new series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get into the new series, let’s take a look at this scripture.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
I believe this is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
Yesterday I introduced you to what I call “The Mother of All Parables.” Let’s get back to it today. Jesus said:
(Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.
And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.
So what does this mean for you today? As we seek to glean a few golden nuggets from this parable for today, I want you to take a moment to picture God as the sower, His Word as the seed, and YOU as the soil. You get to decide which of the four types of soil you are going to be, but before we get started, you must picture yourself as the soil. Now that you see yourself and all the other people on the planet as the soil, see God as the sower who tirelessly attempts to sow into our lives, even though 3 out of the 4 soil types fail to produce a harvest. This teaching demonstrates the depth of God’s love through the parable of the sower.
1. The Sower’s Pursuit.
— God is the sower, you are the soil, and His Word is the seed. The soil can’t come looking for the sower. The sower comes looking for the soil.
— The sower in the parable ventured into four different types of soil, symbolizing God’s relentless pursuit of us.
— God didn’t just sow in the good soil; He sowed in all soil types. This shows His unbiased, unconditional love for everyone, regardless of their current state.
— This also shows that God is always pursuing you. He wants to see you prosper. He wants you to maximize the purpose and potential He placed IN you.
— Even when you don’t pursue God, He pursues you. He will never give up on you.
2. God’s Unwavering Love.
— Just like the sower, God’s love doesn’t waver based on our response.
— His love is consistent and not dependent on our acceptance or rejection.
— God knows that many will reject Him, but that doesn’t stop Him from showering His love and blessings.
3. God Never Gives Up On Us.
— God loves us enough to pursue us, constantly reaching out to us with His love, His Word, and His blessings.
— He is the constant factor in our lives, always present, always willing to bless us.
— He never withdraws His offer of love, regardless of our reactions or responses.
— We can reject Him a thousand times, and He will come back with pursuit #1001.
— We ought to be very thankful that God’s love is unconditional and His desire to bless us is tireless.
— Understanding this also helps us get delivered from performance-based religion.
4. Our Response Should Be To Open Our Heart to God’s Outpour.
— One type of soil received the Word but did not understand it. So satan came immediately and snatched it from their hearts before it could produce.
— One type of soil initially received God’s Word with gladness, but they did not allow it to go deep into their lives, so as soon as persecution came (because of the Word), they gave up.
— One type of soil received the Word, but they have so many other competing priorities going on in their lives, that their selfish pursuits choke out the Word.
— Lastly, the soil that produced fruit did not have to work hard to do anything. All it had to do was RECEIVE the Word and allow the Word to work! That’s how it is with God. You don’t have to make it happen; you just have to receive what God is saying and allow the Word to work in your life!
— Live your life with your heart OPEN to the Holy Spirit and to God’s Word. If you do, your life will produce fruit!
5. God Equips You To Produce Results!
— When the sower approaches the soil, He does not come empty-handed. The sower comes with the seed. The sower provides the seed that will cause the soil to produce a harvest.
— God loves you so much that He does not just pursue you. When He comes, He does not come empty-handed. God pursues you and then provides you with what you need to produce a harvest. He sows His Word in your heart. It is His Word that will bring forth change (in you) and fruit (from you).
— The soil does not have to make the seed produce. The seed already has the power to produce IN it. All the soil has to do is RECEIVE the seed. Likewise, you don’t have to make the Word of God produce. The power to produce is already in the Word. All you have to do is RECEIVE the Word when it is sown in your heart.
— God gives you everything you need to produce a life that will change this world. All you have to do is RECEIVE what He is giving you.
6. God Will Work With Whatever You Give Him.
— There are four different types of soil in this parable. This represents four different types of people and differing levels of maturity in each. But regardless of the type or maturity of the soil, the same sower provided the same seed to them all.
— If you receive a Word you do not understand, at that moment, you are like the soil along the path. Satan will come immediately and steal that Word. If you receive the Word with gladness but then quickly give up as soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, you are like rocky soil. If you receive the Word with gladness but then get consumed with the cares and affairs of this world, you are like thorny soil. If you receive the Word and allow it to produce in your life, then you are like good soil. But notice how the sower treated all the soils the same. See, God is going to work with you at whatever stage you are in life or even that day. You can be good soil today and thorny soil tomorrow if you lose your focus. Just remember, no matter how you feel, no matter your attitude, no matter your level of focus, God will always seek to sow His Word (His seed) in your heart, so He can produce a harvest through your life.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I am ready to produce fruit. I am ready for my life to produce the change in me and in my sphere of influence that You desire!
I declare by faith that I am good ground. I gladly receive the Word You sow in my heart.
I don’t get confused due to a lack of understanding. I don’t get stifled by persecution. I don’t get consumed with the cares or affairs of this world.
I keep my eyes fixed and focused on You. My life produces fruit, and my fruit remains. Not by my power, but only by Your amazing grace.
You have given me Your Spirit, You sow Your Word down in my heart, and You have bestowed Your grace on me. I have everything I need to become the man/woman You destined me to be and to leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased.
I die to me, and You live through me. This is how I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
