THE SEED-NOW HEAR THIS

Mark Chapter Four

Now hear this! This is a term that is well known to all Navy and former Navy personnel. NOW HEAR THIS! This is what Jesus says in the fourth chapter of Mark as He begins His sermon of parables. Now hear this! He said, "HEARKEN"— LISTEN — PAY ATTENTION! "Behold the sower went forth to sow." Sometimes a sower goes out, but does not do much sowing. The job of the sower is to sow. The job of the sower is not to analyze the soil, his job is to sow. Behold the sower went forth to sow. Sometimes we analyze the soil and figure that nothing will grow except in the suburbs.

On the God Is Just A Prayer Away broadcast we are sowing the seed. It is basically a seed sowing ministry. The seed falls on all types of ground. BEHOLD THE SOWER WENT FORTH TO SOW.

THE WAYSIDE

As the sower sowed the seed some of it fell on the wayside. The ground was hard—it did not sink in—the birds came and devoured the seed. Jesus later explained this part of the parable when He told the Apostles that this is the seed that is sown on the hard ground. People do not understand it. The evil one comes. He is the old bird. He is the big buzzard. Actually the birds are in the plural. This no doubt indicates the many ways that the devil has of snatching away that which is sown in the heart.

Sometimes he snatches away that which is sown by telling people that all the Christians are hypocrites. Sometimes he snat­ches away that which is sown in the heart by telling people that sin is not all that bad and besides there is no such place as hell. Other times he may do a little snatching away of the seed by tell­ing them that the Bible is not the inspired Word of God. Many and varied are the ways that the big buzzard uses to snatch away that

which is sown in the heart. There are some seeds that he likes to snatch away better than others. Oh, how he likes to snatch away Acts 2:38 when it is sown in the heart of someone who has been told that you don't have to be immersed for the remission of sins. How he likes to snatch away Acts 20:7 where it tells how the ear­ly Church observed the Lord's Supper every Lord's Day. He is always snatching away the seed. Behold the sower went forth to sow. NOW HEAR THIS. PAY ATTENTION— LISTEN UP.

THE ROCKY GROUND

Another place where the seed was sown was on the rocky ground. It did not have much earth and grew up fast. When the sun was risen because they had no root in themselves it withered away. Jesus explained this action by saying this represented the people who were glad to hear the Word, but because of persecu­tion and tribulation they stumble. They have no root in them­selves.

Many appear to be in this category. The only roots they have are in their parents. When they grow up and leave the parents, their roots are gone. Many depend on the preacher for their roots. He leaves and they leave. He goes on vacation, they go on vacation. They love the preacher—he gets their devotion, the Lord gets ZILCH! They had no roots in themselves. To many, the only root they have is in the local congregation. When they leave the area they soon fall away. Their root was the home community. Many are all right as long as they are in the services, but when they leave the meeting of the saints, because they-have no roots they act like the world. If we could lock them up in the Church house all the time, they would do all right. They have no root in themselves.

Sometimes they do well like a hot-house plant. As long as there is a great deal of enthusiasm they do fine. Keep them enter­tained. Surprise them, tickle their ears with quartet music, that keeps their toes tapping to a good beat—make the Church a spiritual entertainment center and all is well. But take away some of these things and let the cold wind or the hot air of persecution come and straightway they will fall away. These are

the seeds that are sown on the rocky ground. Jesus said, "LISTEN TO THAT!" NOW HEAR THIS. PAY ATTENTION. The Lord continues with yet another kind of ground where the gospel seed is sown.

THE THORNY GROUND

Behold the sower went forth to sow and some of the seed fell among the thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it out. When Jesus explained this soil He said that it represented the people who heard the Word but the care of the world and the deceit­fulness of riches, the lust of other things, choked the Word and it became unfruitful. Of all the different soils that I have sown upon, I believe this is the one that gives the most trouble. People don't seem to regard the work of the Lord as an absolute necessity. It is an elective in life. They can take it or leave it.

A woman one time made a statement to me that was typical. Not many would actually come out and say it like she did, but they do it just the same. I had asked her about her part in the choir. We were having a special program to feature this musical group. She told me that she would not be able to participate. Was she sick? Was she moving out of town? Was she going to be away on a vacation? None of these things would be the reason she gave. She had the gall to tell me that she was involved in umteen things and she rattled them off. I could see that she was indeed a busy woman. Then she said something has to go. There is not time for everything. She did not seem to mind telling me that the thing that had to go was the work she was doing in the Church. I have to give up something and the Church must go.

It is easy to see how a person could say this. Her spiritual life had been choked, strangled, throttled. Behold the sower went forth to sow. Jesus said, "NOW HEAR THIS." LISTEN UP. PAY ATTENTION!

THE GOOD GROUND

Some seed fell on the good ground and yielded fruit some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold.

It must be good to sow on soil that is all good. A sower that

could manage this would be very successful and very happy. Sometimes the sower is careful where he sows. He wants to get a good reputation as a sower. He will sow only where he is guaranteed a good return. The seed needs to be sown on all types of souls. We are not to analyze the soil, just sow the seed.

I have sown the seed on all kinds of soil. On this radio ground you no doubt will find all four kinds. Many are like the wayside—their radio doesn't have time to cool off after the boardcast and the buzzard has snatched away the seed sown in the heart. Once in awhile a seed falls on the good ground and br­ings forth fruit. Regardless we need to keep on sowing the seed. Behold the sower went forth to sow. I have sown the seed in con­gregations that loved to hear strong doctrine and I have sown the seed where they had very seldom heard any doctrine. They seem­ed to know very little about it. It is our job to sow the seed wherever the opportunity presents itself. Behold the sower went forth to sow. Jesus said, "NOW HEAR THIS." LISTEN UP. PAY ATTENTION!"

THE LAMP

"NOW HEAR THIS," Jesus continues. He says, "The lamp is brought to be put on the stand not under the bed." Obviously the light fixtures are not put under the bed, but in a more appro­priate place. The light must shine. That is why we preach the gospel on the radio. We have made the transmitters of these powerful radio stations gigantic lampstands where we can put the light of the gospel and let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

We must not keep the gospel a secret. Everyone ought to hear it. Everyone ought to hear the terms of pardon layed down by Peter on the Day of Pentecost. Many like to keep a low profile on what the Word of God has to say on this all important subject. There are no doubt people in your neighborhood who don't have the foggiest idea about the New Testament Church. The reason for this is that we who are members of it are doing a good job of keeping it a secret. Remember Jesus said, "NOW HEAR THIS." LISTEN UP. PAY ATTENTION!