"Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." -Mark 4:1-9 NIV
The Parable of the Sower reveals a lot about how people can respond to the gospel. On a recent visit to Sacramento City College, a group of us from the Sacramento Metro Church of Christ went around the campus while the students prepare for the upcoming school year. For those who were interested, we discussed this very passage. One gentleman was a bit quiet, but another individual was curious about what our group is all about. Once I talked to that person, she seemed eager to know more about this passage.
The seeds of the gospel were planted and will continue to be planted at City College. However, there will always be four different reactions: path (distractions), rock (hindrance), Thorns (slow growth), and soil (deep roots). Who knows how those two individuals responded that day, but I can tell you that they will react in one of those four. The last of the four however indicates the real response that Jesus is looking for for those who claim to follow Him.
So, if you read the above passage of Scripture, which seed are you? Do you wish to be the fourth seed that flourishes?
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