Mark 4 - The Parable of the Sower and the Soils

When I first started working on this sermon I called it the Parable of the Sower. But after reading one commentator on it I changed the name to the Parable of the Soils. Then I did some more reading and decided I had it right the first time. So I went back to the Parable of the Sower. Finally, I just went with both. That way I could cover all my bases. So we have here in Mark 4 the Parable of the Sower and the Soils.

Before we start into it, though, let's evaluate where we are in Mark's Gospel. So far we have been introduced to Jesus by Mark, by John the Baptist, by the voice of the Father, and even by unclean spirits. We have seen that he is no ordinary teacher, that he speaks with authority. He has the audacity to disagree with and even rebuke the religious authorities of his day. He refuses to submit to religious teachings that are derived from tradition and extrapolation rather than from the word of God itself. He makes claims at authority that no mere human would make. He heals, draws huge crowds, and rebukes demons. So far, what we've seen is extraordinary.

But the reaction has been diverse. Some hear his voice and drop everything to follow him. Others crowd around him hoping to get something from him or see something extraordinary. Still others reject him and begin forming a formidable opposition. In fact, the opposition is growing.

If Jesus was and did all these things, then how do we explain the opposition? And if Jesus has come to usher in the kingdom, where is it? And how do we explain the reaction he is getting in light of this coming kingdom? What kind of kingdom is he bringing?

And just as we're beginning to ask these questions, Mark gives us an answer. He pauses his narrative to give us some insight into his teaching. This insight is going to help answer our questions. It also serves the purpose of expanding on another theme that has been emerging as we read--that of insiders and outsiders.

The last words of chapter three are a challenge. Are we on the inside of the house with Jesus, sitting at his feet, listening, believing, committed to be his disciples? Or are we on the outside with misconceptions, wondering if we like this Jesus of Mark or not? Right here Mark gives us a set of parables.

That is what this sermon covers--the first of these parables and the explanation of it that Jesus gives. You will find the audio at the link below. Take a few minutes to click and listen.



Click here: Mark 4:1-9, 13-20 The Parable of the Sower and the Soils



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