The Sower Sows the Word
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 08/30/2020
Foundation Scriptures:
Mark 4:2-9; 14-20 AMPC
1. Give Attention to This!
a. God commands us—over 155 times—to hear (pay attention to) Him and His Word.
b. Jesus begins this parable in vs 3 with: “Give attention to this!” and ends in vs 9 with: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
c. Obviously, this is very important information that we all need for life.
d. Therefore, each of us should make sure to pay attention, listen carefully, and apply diligently.
e. The Seed is the Word of God.
f. The preacher is the sower of the Seed.
g. The heart of man is the soil—we, alone, are responsible for its condition.
h. The devil is the enemy—he will try to rob us of God’s Word any way he can.
i. He knows that the best time to destroy a tree is at its genesis—when it is young and small—and has not yet sent its roots solidly down into the earth.
j. The Seed is the same in each case—the differences in the soil produce the variety of results.
k. Unless our hearts are prepared to receive the Seed of the Word, we cannot grow in grace or knowledge.
l. God’s Word is living and powerful (Heb. 4:12) and gives you power and victory over the enemy.
m. When properly cultivated, it produces fruit in varying degrees: fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.
2. The Seed on the Path.
a. Mark 4:14-15 AMPC — The sower sows the Word. 15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.
b. These people hear the Word with hardhearted indifference, refusing to obey it or profit by it.
c. The devil has no trouble snatching the Word away from them and they walk away with nothing.
d. 2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV — In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
3. The Seed on Stony Ground.
a. Mark 4:16-17 AMPC — And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; 17 And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.
b. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm.
c. However, when the emotions wear off and they experience some outside pressure, they are offended.
d. They are ruled by their FEELINGS.
e. They have no depth of consecration, no root to endure, no stability to stand persecution, trial, or misunderstanding.
f. Because their character is shallow, when persecution arises on account of the Word, they blame God, stumble and fall, and are robbed of His blessings.
g. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake—great is their reward in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12).
4. The Seed on Thorny Ground.
a. Mark 4:18-19 AMPC — And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word; 19 Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
b. These people hear and receive the Word, but they are ruled by their SENSES.
c. Their fleshly nature and carnal desires still dominate their life.
d. Worry, covetousness, and lust are sins, they are the weeds and thorns that choke out the Word of God in your life.
e. The cares of the world or the lusts of the flesh (Lk. 21:34; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Jn. 2:15-17).
f. The deceitfulness of riches or the pride of life (1 Tim. 6:8-10,17; 1 Jn. 2:15-17).
g. The lusts of other things or pleasures and the lust of the eyes (Lk. 21:34; 1 Jn. 2:15-17).
h. 1 John 2:15-17 NKJV — Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
5. The Seed on Good Ground.
a. Mark 4:20 AMPC — And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit — some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.
b. The good ground represents the prepared heart that welcomes and nurtures the seed, and then produces good fruit.
c. They hear the Word—listening with attention and/or interest—receiving it personally, yielding to, and obeying it.
d. They are genuine disciples—holding fast to the Word and continuing to grow and flourish, despite persecutions, trials and temptations (John 15:16).
e. This is the only appropriate response to the Word of God and the only one that will produce any good fruit—whether it is 30, 60 or 100-fold.
f. Luke 8:15 (AMPC) says that those with good soil hold the word fast in a just, noble, virtuous and worthy heart and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.
6. How Do I Walk in God’s Best?
a. Keep your eyes on the Word of God and commit to personally receive and obey it (Matt. 7:24-27).
b. Hide the Word in your heart (Prov. 23:12; Col. 3:16).
c. Cast all your cares on the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7).
d. Learn to fully trust Him in every area of your life (Ps. 37:3-5; 1 Tim. 6:17-19).
e. Do not believe the devil’s lies—do not lose your focus and do not cave in under pressure.
f. Yield to the Spirit, not the flesh (Gal. 5:16; 6:8).