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Mark 4:14 - Obstacles to Growing In Christ and Sharing Him.

Mark 4:14 (NKJV) The sower sows the word. 

Mark 4:14 (CWR) The sower sowing on the 
hillside represents a man sharing the good news of 
salvation from the Scriptures.  

COMMENTARY PEARLS

What Are You Building On?
   Some people get excited about a lot of 
different things. Theyre into the latest fad or the 
newest this or that. But then they suddenly abandon 
it and move on to whatever is next. 
   The same thing can happen in a persons 
relationship with God. Sometimes people will say 
something along the lines of, I tried the whole 
Christianity thing, and it didnt work for me. No, 
actually they never built their life on Christ. They 
had an emotional experience. If it was a real 
conversion, they still would be walking with the Lord. 
   Jesus described people like this in the 
parable of the sower when He said, But he who 
received the seed on stony places, this is he who 
hears the word and immediately receives it with 
joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures 
only for a while. For when tribulation or 
persecution arises because of the word, immediately he 
stumbles (Matthew 13:20-21 NKJV). 
   As Christians, we are all persecuted in 
some way, shape, or form. In fact, its the 
mark of a true Christian. As 2 Timothy 3:12 
reminds us, Yes, and all who desire to live godly 
in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution 
(NKJV). 
   Christianity isnt like a product that 
works for some and not for others. Christianity, 
simplified, is a relationship with Christ himself. I 
think one of the reasons people fall away is 
because theyve built their faith on the wrong 
foundation. Theres only one foundation to build your 
faith on, and it is Christ and Christ alone. 
   Dont build your spiritual life on a 
church in and of itself. Dont build your 
spiritual life on another person or on a pastor or 
spiritual leader, because people will let you down. 
Instead, build your life on Christ. He will sustain 
you and be there for you. [Greg Laurie from 
Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] re 
Mat. 13:20-21 

Overcrowding
   In addition to rocks, there are a lot of 
weeds in Israel, and weeds hinder the growth of 
seeds. In the parable of the sower, Jesus talked 
about seeds that fell among thorns, and 
immediately the thorns choked them out. 
   Then Jesus said, Now he who received 
seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, 
and the cares of this world and the 
deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes 
unfruitful (Matthew 13:22 NKJV). 
   This describes someone who seems to be 
growing spiritually, but they gradually walk away 
because other things become more important. It 
isnt bad things necessarily, but its the 
worries of this life, the concerns of this life, 
that take priority. 
   Theres nothing wrong with being 
concerned about putting food on the table or a roof 
over your head. Theres nothing wrong with 
thinking about the needs and necessities of life. But 
Jesus was describing someone who allows those 
things to become more important than God. 
   They believe its good to read the 
Bible, to pray, and go to church. Its just that 
they dont do it. Its a choice theyre 
making. As someone has pointed out, The second 
best can often be the worst enemy of the 
best. 
   Jesus also said that the deceitfulness 
of riches choke the word. In 1 Timothy 6, we 
find an interesting verse about wealth: For 
the love of money is a root of all kinds of 
evil, for which some have strayed from the faith 
in their greediness, and pierced themselves 
through with many sorrows (verse 10 NKJV, 
emphasis added). You decide what money will be in 
your life. 
   A thorn, or a weed, is anything that 
crowds Jesus out of our lives. So dont make your 
life about those things. Make Christ your primary 
focus instead. [Greg Laurie from Harvest 
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] re Mat. 13:22 

COMMENTARY

The sower soweth the word - Luke says, 
the seed is the word of God (8:11). The real 
question is, Who is the sower? According to 
Matthew 13:37, the Son of man, Jesus, is the sower. 
It is obvious that right in this situation and 
as long as he was on earth, Jesus was a sower 
spreading Gods message, but it is also clear that 
the whole point of his teaching was to train his 
disciples to be sowers as well, in spreading Gods 
message to other men. In this parable it is the same 
sower and the same seed from start to finish. But 
it is what the sower does with the seed, and 
what happens to it as a result, that makes the 
story important. The whole point is to examine the 
various kinds of soil in which a person can plant. 
These different soils represent, of course, 
different types of human beings. In one sense, it 
might be more appropriate to call this the 
parable of the soils rather than the parable 
of the sower. Some people have called it 
the Parable of Parables because it describes 
how men will react to all of Jesus teachings. 
[Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary] 

The parable teaches that there would be four 
different responses to the Word: no response, 
emotional response, worldly response, and fruitful 
response. [Ryrie SB] 

   In the parable of the seeds, the four 
soils represent four different ways that people 
will respond to Jesus' message. Some are like the 
hard path, others are like rocky soil, and still 
others are like thorny ground. The best, of course, 
are those who receive the seed of Jesus' message 
in good soil.  
   Is your enthusiasm for Christ being 
discouraged by struggles? Be careful not to be like the 
seed on rocky soil that heard the message, 
received it with joy, but then wilted. Are you 
finding that the cares of this life are 
overshadowing your commitment to Christ? Be careful not to 
be like the seed on thorny ground with your joy 
in Christ being crowded out.  
   Pray that God will help you to be like 
the good soil so that the faith that's been 
planted in you can persevere, grow, and produce a 
harvest. That is, pray that you'll continue to grow 
in the knowledge of Jesus so that you can share 
his good news with others. [The One Year Bible 
for New Believers re Mark 4:16-20] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

   In West Africa people customarily sing as 
they work in the fields. They lift their voices 
as they plant in anticipation of the harvest. 
Perhaps this is how the farmer in the parable 
appeared as he walked through the field. As he tossed 
seed, it fell in various types of soil"some 
hard, some weedy, some shallow, and some good and 
fertile. Not once did Jesus describe the farmer as 
anxious; rather, he portrayed the sower as faithfully 
carrying out his job. 
   Sometimes we treat evangelism as a heavy 
burden. Instead of cheerfully scattering seed 
everywhere, we become soil testers, trying to determine 
whether or not the seed will flourish even before we 
plant. We hover over the tender shoots, trying to 
thwart weeds. When a seed doesn't produce the 
desired fruit, we may declare ourselves failures as 
farmers. But God has called us to plant the message 
of the gospel in whatever field he places us. 
It is the Lord of the harvest who nourishes the 
tiny seeds and causes them to grow. You may never 
see the bushels of souls that result from seeds 
you planted, but you can sing as you sow and 
anticipate a harvest of thirty, sixty, and even a 
hundredfold. 
   Dear God, I can scatter seeds in my job, 
my neighborhood, my family, and plant seeds of 
hope in people I encounter every day. Help me to 
sing as I plant and be confident that many of 
those seeds will take root in soil that will 
someday produce a harvest. [Praying Through The 
Bible By Fuller re Mark 4:14] 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE