As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:4-8) 4 types of soil. I pray that God makes me like the 4th kind of soil.
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ (Mark 4:9-12) The outsiders are those outside the church. The church it's biblical sense, the body of Christ. Mark 4:13-20 gives the explanation of this parable.
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4:21-25) More in this in a minute.
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (Mark 4:26-34) These 2 parables describe growth.
Ok, let me reign it in. God plants seeds. Seeds need soil, light and water to grow. This chapter is very green thumbish (I don't think that's a word). I believe we can help with the gardening, but God grows people. The last story in this chapter is of Jesus calming the storm. I believe this story is about faith, "He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:30) I pray that our faith can be the water that waters the seed that God plants in us. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ (Mark 4:9-12) The outsiders are those outside the church. The church it's biblical sense, the body of Christ. Mark 4:13-20 gives the explanation of this parable.
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4:21-25) More in this in a minute.
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (Mark 4:26-34) These 2 parables describe growth.
Ok, let me reign it in. God plants seeds. Seeds need soil, light and water to grow. This chapter is very green thumbish (I don't think that's a word). I believe we can help with the gardening, but God grows people. The last story in this chapter is of Jesus calming the storm. I believe this story is about faith, "He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:30) I pray that our faith can be the water that waters the seed that God plants in us. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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