MARK 4:1-20Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
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“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
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Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
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He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
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‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’”
‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’”
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Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Silly farmers. Wasteful strategy. But that’s the way farmers had planted grain for time immemorial. Tossing seeds to and fro – bad soil or good soil, trampled pathways or rocks and briars – not only wasted seed but minimized the harvest.
Today’s farmers are much smarter. They not only keep the seed to the good soil, they plop those babies into the ground in careful rows at a scientific distance from each other. We moderns have pulled from the earth a phenomenally greater harvest than those ancients could dream of!
Yesterday’s wasteful farming methods, however, are a better metaphor for how Jesus spreads the Good News. And how we should, too.
Don’t worry about whether or not someone is ready to respond to Good News about Jesus; if the opportunity arises, share it. Plant a seed. Don’t worry about whether a positive response will be lasting or not, keep planting seeds. Toss those babies into any ‘ol crack in the asphalt or rocky crevice. Don’t worry if most of the people you share the Good News with don’t embrace it, or half embrace it, or spit it back as a sarcastic joke – share on.
Jesus isn’t calling us to rudeness. If people aren’t ready for the offer of Good News, wait until an appropriate time, then offer it without concern about their response.
The Good News about Jesus may be nested in a simple comment, an answer to a question, casual conversation, a comforting or encouraging word, and a thousand other ordinary moments of interpersonal relationships.
Efficiency be damned. I need to incorporate God’s words of faith, hope, and love into more of my ordinary living and let them fall all over.
Heavenly Farmer, help me to farm like you do. Send your Spirit again today and enable me to develop open eyes and ears to new opportunities to share words of Good News wherever I go.
1 comment:
Growing up as a farmer I cringe at the waste represented in this parable. Every seed that does not produce a plant is money down the drain. Too much money lost and the whole farm is up for sale.
The problem with our view of the gospel is we think it is ours. We think we have paid for it and so it must produce healthy plants or our money, time, reputation is ruined. The gospel belongs to God. If God wants to throw his love around to those who do not receive it, why should we object?
God help me not to own the gospel as my own, but to understand it is your gospel. I am only the planter being pulled by the tractor of the Spirit. I want to sow wherever you set me down.
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