RHM Bible Studies

Hi, Family. I hope it is a Sonshining day where you are! I envision myself on a sunny lakeshore this morning and I can hear the lapping of the water as it meets land. There's a large crowd gathered at the water's edge to listen to Jesus. He is speaking while sitting in a boat because the crowd is so large. Wow! Talk about a creative pulpit! That Jesus was sure a good thinker! No wonder so many people have crowded at the shore to hear Him. They, like myself, want to get as close to the water (Him) as possible. I normally wear a hat outdoors to protect my face from the sun, but today my hat is off to Jesus as I want the full affect of the Son (Jesus) shining on my face. From the boat, Jesus is teaching by parables or comparisons. Jesus often spoke this way comparing spiritual Truth with things of nature or common-life experiences. Jesus begins His teaching with "Listen!" So I'm listening. He says there was a farmer sowing seeds and some fell along the path and were eaten up by birds. Some seeds fell on rocky ground where the soil was thin; they sprang up quickly, but because of little soil, they were withered by the sun because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked the plants so they did not bear grain. Still others fell on good soil. They came up and produced a crop, multiplying 30, 60 or even 100 times. Jesus then said "He who has ears, let him hear." There were many in the crowd that were hostile and opposed to Jesus and because of them, He spoke in parables to secretly reveal His Truth to those whose hearts were with Him, in particular His twelve disciples to whom He wanted to reveal the secret of His Father's Kingdom. Later when they were alone with Jesus, the disciples said something like "so what did that mean exactly, boss?" I can imagine myself doing the same thing. "Jesus, would you run that by me one more time? Ok, this time I'm really listening. Yikes! In fact, I'm saying a prayer right now that I really get it! I hope you don't think I'm dense." Jesus then explained that some seeds are like people who hear the Word of Truth and immediately Satan comes and takes it away from them. Other people receive the Word of Truth, get all excited about it, but then when trouble or persecution comes along, they wither up because they have no root (no faith in Jesus). Then there's those who hear the Word of Truth, but the worries of life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for things of the world choke it out of their heart and they are unfruitful in life. The last type of people are those who hear the Word of Truth, accept it and produce a crop - they use the Word of Truth to make a difference in the world for the Kingdom of God. "Ok, Jesus. I'm a "wanna be" meaning I wanna be like the last type of people who hear what you say to me moment by moment, accept it as Truth and put it into practice. So, a sowing I will go, a sowing I will go, hi-ho for the Lord I know, a sowing I will go!" ~Sheila~ Mk 4:1-20

Labels: Faith, Kingdom, Practice, Produce, Seeds, Sowing, Truth, Unfruitful