Seed Away

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Mark 4:3-8 NLT

So the farmer goes out to plant seed. Jesus makes no distinction about the kinds of seed. It's all the same seed. It's all good seed. The only difference is where it is sown. It is absolutely guaranteed to produce fruit in the right soil... but it has to be planted.

Read on from our text for today...
Mark 4:13-20 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

You can have enough seed to plant the entire Earth, but if you don't actually plant the seed, what good does it do? Is it still seed? Yes! Does it have within it all that is necessary to produce fruit? Yes! Will it all bring forth fruit? Not unless it’s put into fertile ground.

It’s not just about the seed. Are our hearts prepared to receive it?

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to prepare our hearts to be fertile soil that will hear and receive Your Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as has been planted. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen