Do You Have Ears to Hear?
Listen very carefully! You’re driving a bus with 32 passengers that is leaving on a trip from Ohio to Maine. At the first stop 11 people get off, 9 people get on. At the next stop 2 men get off and 7 women get on. At the third stop, 12 blondes get on and 4 children get off. At the final stop, 5 people get on when 3 people get off. Question: What color are the bus driver’s eyes? Don’t look back for the answer! Think! Were you listening?
Jesus put a high value on listening (Mk 4:3,9,12,15,18,20). As He continued to preach, teach, touch and heal, the crowds grew exponentially. Jesus was not interested in gathering crowds, He was intent on helping the crowds experience the Kingdom…for eternity! So, He told a parable designed to evaluate the real status of a person’s heart. How would you rate yourself as a listener? What qualities characterize a good listener?
What is a Parable?
1) From the Greek word parabole, which literally means "to place alongside," comparing one thing to another. In the Gospels, they are specifically used to compare some aspect of common, everyday life with some reality about the KINGDOM of GOD.
2) Designed to be provocative and surprising. To stimulate thinking and cause the hearer to CONTEMPLATE what they are hearing.
3) A parable is THE MESSAGE. It is not used to illustrate the point; it is the point. Communicating insights about God, His KINGDOM, and the RESPONSE of those who hear.
The Parable of the Soils Mark 4:1-20
(Matt. 13:1-23; Luke 8:4-15) Observations:
The Four Hearts (Soils)
Heart #1: (4:4,15) HARD / Unresponsive
(Num. 13:1-2, 27-33; 2 Cor. 4:4; Mk. 3:5, Acts17:32-34)
What are satan’s tactics for keeping the word from taking root in you? Where are you treating God’s word casually/flippantly?
Heart #2 (4:5-6, 16-17) shallow / impulsive
(Mk. 11:9-10, 15:11-14) What about the gospel was attractive to you? Difficult to accept? What does it look like to ‘count the cost’ in your response to the full gospel? (Matt.7:13-14; Luke 14:25-33)
Heart #3: (4:7, 18-19) crowded / distracted
(Mk 10:20-22) Where have you experienced this week your desire for the world choking out your affection for, and obedience to, Christ (James 4:4; 1John 2:15; 1Tim 6:9-11; Luke 9:57-62)? How do we remove the weeds/distractions (Col.3:1-2; Rom.13:14; Heb.12:1-2)?
Heart #4: (4:8-20) fruitful / responsive
(Psalm 1:1-3; John 15:1-8, 16; Gal 5:22, 1Thess2:13) What is the Father’s expectation when His truth is sown in your heart?
