Parable notes

Mark 4:1-20

Farming was common in Christ's time and He knew this as He told this parable. He used things that people understood to teach about spiritual things. He also loved to use parables. A parable is taking complex ideas and breaking down so they might be understood. Christ as the sower and us the people of Christ as the seeds. So why so many seeds thrown everywhere, even where it will not flower? Why not just the ground where it will be received best? Scripture has a two-fold purpose: first, that it will strengthen those who are in Christ..it will make their faith even stronger. Or secondly, it will strengthen those who are outside of the faith and will determine who they truly are. Are we those who claim to be Christian but then reshape the faith so as to not offend anyone? They forget that the Gospel is offensive to the world all on its own. They refuse to see God as anything but a smiling and loving God. Then there are those "Christians" who, when presented with a chance to share the Gospel, back off and shy away from being a true Christian. And also the Christians who are so wrapped up with riches and material goods and popularity that they will readily give up their Christian faith for any of it. How can you fully commit to God when you are committed to a life of debt and a slave to the world. And then there is the "good soil"...the one that produced thirty, sixty, even a hundred times more than what it was originally. This is a true believer of Christ. These are the actions of a firm believer of the faith. We do not conform on those issues that others mock us for or get offended over. We are obsessed over God and not the riches of this world.