Success in Witnessing is simply sharing Christ 

in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to God

           Video ―  Introduction to Lesson 4 

Before examining Jesus’ parable in Mark 4, check out this challenging videos with Ray Comfort.

            Video – Ray Comfort Created Dozens of False Converts (produced by Way of the Master)

Ray Comfort on the Sower and Soils Ray makes three important points:

• He Created Dozens of False Converts 
• We are called to be Sowers.
• We are called to be Faithful, not Fruitful – God does that.

Mark 4, commonly referred to as the Sower and the Soils, is in Mark, Luke & Matthew. It is one of only four parables that are in all three Synoptic Gospels. I call this "The Parable of Sower and the Seed" or “The parable of the ‘Neglected’ Sower.” 

Follow along on your screen as we read and talk about The Parable of the Sower. Follow along as the Scripture is read and I will also have some comments as we go. Here, as elsewhere in the manual, the words of Scripture are in italics and, additionally, those of Jesus are also in red font.

            Video – Mark 4 

Continue to think about the Sower and the soils as you read the rest of Lesson 4. And remember, you are a Seed-Sower for Jesus! 

At the end of the reading for Lesson 4, notice that there is a video on the purpose and power of Gospel tracts. Please view this video before you go on to lesson 5.

Read Mark 4:1-20 again. Then answer these questions to yourself.

• Doesn’t everyone have ears?
• Does everyone hear?
• Why do they hear?
• What are the results of the first 3 soils?
• How do we know if they hear?  

Main Points About the Parable 

Question: What actions did the Sower in the parable take?

Notice:  He did only 2 things: What were those two things?  (Answer is at the end of this lesson*)

Question: What were the Sower’s qualifications?

Think about what his qualifications might have been (be creative, it is OK to speculate) . . . We are not told if he was a skilled farmer, a qualified soil inspector, a man of great speech, a gifted man, a talented man, an unskilled laborer.

Question - Why were we not told more about the Sower?

Perhaps we were not told more about the Sower in order to make the point about qualifications.

Meaning of The Parable of the Soil 

Jesus: “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:15-17)

Jesus: “Listen then to what the parable of the Sower means.” 

What happens when anyone hears the message about the Kingdom of God, the Gospel?

Some seed fell . . . 

• On the Path – The Word is quickly devoured, but the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in the listener’s head.
• On Rocky Ground – The Word is received with joy, but it does not take root and withers when tribulation or persecution arises
• Among Thorns – The Word is received, but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other worldly things choke the Word, and it proves unfruitful.
• On Good Soil – The Hearer receives Word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown.

Question: Is this a problem of hearing or of a heart and mind that have not been prepared?

Jesus told another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.” (Matthew 13:24) We plant the Seed and God gives the increase!

“He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.” (Matthew 13:31)

Question: Why did Jesus tell these parables?

My opinion is that Jesus told these parables so that the Sower would not be discouraged. The Sower’s job is to be faithful and simply to sow the seeds, let them fall where they may. Results will happen because of what God does. Don't be discouraged. Not everyone will respond the way we would hope. Remember, God desires that all shall come to saving knowledge: He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that all will be saved. It says that everyone will have an opportunity to respond to the Gospel. There will be no excuses.

Takeaways:

• Don't try to figure out how to change a soil.
• Don't be a Soil Inspector.
• Be Obedient. Be Faithful. . . . Pray, Go, and Sow!

Answers to the question above, “What actions did the Sower in the parable take?”

He only did TWO things:

1. HE WENT FORTH!
2. HE SOWED SEEDS!

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Lying Satan and your fleshly old sinful nature, who lives in fear, are saying:

“Oh, this isn’t the right time” . . .  “Oh, I don't think they want to hear this” . . .  

“Oh, I think they are not capable” . . .   “Oh, I think they're not interested” . . . 

“Oh, I know their background” … “Yada yada yada.”

This is what a soil inspector says. These are Satan’s lies, resulting in excuses to disobey God!

Additional Remarks about the Parable of the Sower

• A great quote to remember: “The worst Gospel spoken is better than silence.”
• I do not believe God intended that the Gospel be spoken or shared only by professional preachers and evangelists. 
• I believe it would be impossible to get the Good News out to the world relying only on those giftedI believe the Parable of the Sower applies to every Christian
• You have a sphere of influence; you have contacts with people that maybe no other Christian does.
• Maybe God is working in their lives, preparing them, tilling the soil, so they are open to the Gospel.”

A KEY POINT: The only way to know if it's good soil is to speak or give a tract to them!  How do you know whether their heart is ready? 

Remember – “Don't become a soil inspector.”  

Share the Gospel and see what God is doing. Do you remember the principle behind the saying, “From the horse’s mouth”?  It’s the only way to know.  Let them tell you. 

Yes, there are two levels of hearing.

1. They may hear audibly or read, but they don't receive or understand. 
2. They hear or read, and it is truly clear to them. They finally understand and they receive the Gospel, they are good soil.

As a Seed-Sower of the Gospel, I’ve got good news: you are an ambassador for Christ, and now a missionary.

            Video – Gospel Tracts explained