Mark 4 is all about the sig-nificance of the seed, the soil, and the sowers. The seed is the gospel. The soil is the hearts of men. The sowers are God’s gospel workers. Jesus was in the middle of preparing his dis-ciples to be His sowers. To-day every child of God is to be bearing and scattering gospel seed.
Here is how I see Mark 4.
1-20 Sower and the Seed
21-25 Search After the Seed
26-29 Secret of the Seed
30-34 Size of the Seed
35-41 Storm for the Sowers
Mark 4 is almost all about parables. Parables are more than earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. They are pictures or mirrors by which we see truth. The stated explanations and context of the parables be-come windows through which we can see God’s truth.
The parables of Jesus demand our attention. (This is the point of the lamp under the bushel.) But even more, parables demand our thinking and response. Oh, let’s not forget that parables are also used to hide truth from those who will NOT think or consider or respond.
In the late 1700’s on into the 1800’s there were revivals. A phrase was used by gospel workers then. When someone would ask about how many responded to the gospel, the preachers would say this: “Such and such a number expressed their hope in Christ.” What were they saying? They were saying that only time would tell whether or not those responding were actually born again.
The gospel workers said this based on the truth of Mark 4:1-20. There are four soil types listed. Only the last soil, the good soil, produced fruit. Going all the way back to Genesis 1 and 2 we learn this fact. When God creates life it bears fruit. I submit, though some godly teachers dis-agree, that only the good soil is a picture of true, born again people.
Let me walk through just some key highlights of Mark 4. I see the entirety of Mark 4 as a unit. All the parts fit together.
