First Step - day 17

Today’s Bible Reading

Mark 4:3-8,13-20

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty or even a hundred times.”

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the Word.

15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the Word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the Word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the Word, accept it and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

Applying God’s Word in My Life:

1. In this parable, what do the seed and the soil represent?

2. How many kinds of soils are there? (vv.14-20). For each type of soil, explain why the seed could or could not take root and grow.

3. What kind of soil are you? What might you have to do to be the “good soil” for the seed to grow?

Today’s Key Verse: Mark 4:20

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the Word, accept it and produce a crop— thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.

Gardening

Tips

Ipicked up a gardening book the other day and got some good advice: “Take care of the soil, and don’t worry about the plants. If the soil is good, the seed will take root and grow.”

In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, Jesus spoke of the importance of “good ground” (or good soil). He defined good soil as referring to those who “hear” God’s Word, “accept it” and “produce a crop” (v.20). If we are receptive, God’s Word will

take root, grow and produce fruit (a life that pleases Him).

In gardening, life is in the seed. Under the right conditions, it will grow until it reaches maturity and produces fruit. Similarly, if the seed of the Word is planted in the good soil of a receptive person, it will grow until the character of Jesus is seen.

For Christians, the power of the spiritual life comes from the Holy Spirit. As we open ourselves to the Word with an eagerness to obey it, the Spirit causes us to grow and start looking more like Jesus (Galatians 5:22-23).

We can’t make ourselves grow, any more than we can force growth from the seeds in a garden. But we can keep ourselves receptive and obedient to God’s Word. Then we will produce the fruit of righteousness (being right with God).

What kind of soil are you? —David Roper

Lord, I would be soil in which You can plant Your Word with its promise of fruit; I want to be open to You every day, So what You have planted takes root. —Hess

A person open to God is soil in which the seed of His Word can grow.