WATCHWORD:
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Mark 4:13-20
Meditation:
Seeds
I love the story of William Beal, posted in a recent Our Daily Bread devotional by Kenneth Petersen. The short version is this — in 1879, Beal, a professor of botany, filled 20 jars with various seeds, then buried them deep in the soil. The professor was conducting a seed viability experiment that would span centuries. Every twenty years a bottle would be dug up and its seeds planted to see which would germinate. Many of the seeds in the first jar sprouted after 20 years. Same result in subsequent 20 year periods. In 2021, another of Beal’s bottles was dug up and many of those seeds sprouted having survived more than 142 years!
In the Mark scripture passage, you can detect a bit of frustration in what Jesus was teaching his disciples, saying “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? They were not understanding the deeper meaning of seed planting, a most important step those followers needed in order to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The Sermon on the Mount, which would later follow this exchange with the disciples, would be filled with teaching parables, and lessons they would be commanded to carry forth in their individual ministries, so they needed to understand.
I think we sometimes get frustrated when we try to share our faith with others–friends and loved ones alike. Maybe our human impatience gets in the way and we fail to understand that it’s not up to us which seeds will survive. Our job is simply to sow the gospel – tell others about Jesus.
I think about the power of friendship between JR Tolkien and CS Lewis that developed over the years. Lewis, an avowed agnostic, began to notice a special quality in his friend Tolkien, a follower of Jesus. Over time, Lewis became a strong Christian because of the non-verbal and verbal seeds planted in their relationship. While we don’t always know the shape or the content of the seeds we may be planting, never underestimate the truth in the statement — tell the world about your relationship with Christ and, when you must, use words.
The lesson that the disciples were learning, was that their role, and ours as well, is to plant the seed, the word of the Lord, in the good soil that’s available, and trust God to work with that. We never know that the Word we shared will take root, or when that may happen. We are to be encouraged that we are sowing the good news that might, even after many years, be received by someone who will accept it and produce a crop, touching lives beyond our understanding. To God be the glory.
Contemporary Praise Song: Word of God Speak
I’m finding myself at a loss for words.
And the funny thing is it’s okay.
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say.
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see Your majesty.
To be still and know
That You’re in this place.
Please let me stay and rest In Your holiness.
Word of God speak
I’m finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise.
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice.
Word of God speak.
Prayer Song:
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, Mould me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, Take control of me.
Spirit of the living God, Take control of me.
Break me, melt me, Mould me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, Take control of me.
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, Mould me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me. Amen.
