Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-12 1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.

1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-122He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-125Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-127Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-12 9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.

9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-1211He 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 12so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

11He 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 12so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

Mark 4:1-12Mark 4:1-12

and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

Weed It And WeepMark 4:1-25

Larry Cline – Hardin Valley Church of Christ – 9/28/2014

12 times Jesus talks about hearing

Mark 4:13-2513And He said to them,

Do you not understand this parable? How will you

understand all the parables? 14"The sower sows the word.

15These are the ones who are beside the road where the word

is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and

takes away the word which has been sown in them.

16In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on

the rocky [places], who,

when they hear the word immediately receive it with joy

17and they have no [firm] root in themselves, but are [only]

temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

18And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns;

these are the ones who have heard the word, 19but the worries

of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other

things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

20And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil;

and they hear the word and accept it

and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 21And He was saying to them, "A lamp is not brought to

be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not [brought] to

be put on the lampstand? 22For nothing is hidden, except to be

revealed; nor has [anything] been secret, but that it would come to

light. 23If anyone

has ears to hear, let him hear.”24And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to.

By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more

will be given you besides. 25For whoever has, to him [more] shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall

be taken away from him.”

Jesus changes His teaching style in chapter

4 33With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34and He

did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining

everything privately to His own disciples.

(Mark 4:33 & 34)

What are parables?

What are parables?

Why parables (stories)?

1. They attract interest

2. They awaken the mind

3. To avoid controversy

4. To ascertain sincerity

Mark 4:11 And He was saying to them,

"To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of

God, but those who are outside get everything in

parables.” What is “the mystery (secret)

of the Kingdom”?

What was it?

That the reign of God was coming through Jesus of Nazareth.

The parables & Kingdom are going to be obscure to people who’s minds are biased about Jesus.

Understanding God’s will is not a matter of the intellect, it has nothing to do with your

GPA or IQ. It has to do with your will."If anyone is willing to do His

will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God

or [whether] I speak from Myself.” (John 7:17)

So that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE,

AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND,

OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.

(Mark 4:12)

You see the crowds did not judge the parables; the parables judged the

crowds.

Why is coming to church so dangerous?

One of the most dangerous things you could ever do is continue week after

week to expose yourself to the word of God not accompanied by a genuine

surrender to Jesus.

Have you checked your hearing lately?

Jesus mentions four kinds of hearts that hear Him:

1.The hardened heart

2.The shallow heart

3.The crowded heart

4.The fertile heart

“Oh no sir, you know it by

memory,but you surely don’t

know it by heart.”

When the word is in the heart there is a harvest. How do we make sure that harvest comes

in our lives? Read the word. Heed the call. See the field.

Weed your heart.