This morning we are going to continue our study of the soils found in the parable of the Sower.  

I would ask you to turn to Mark 4:1-20

Let’s pray

As a way of reminding ourselves where we left off, last week we discussed the seed that fell on the path.

In context, the seed is the Word of God, the gospel message, and the path was representative of the Jewish Nation who had a calloused heart.

A Heart so calloused that even though the living seed, the living word was dropped into their presence, they could not receive it.

Partly that was by design.  We see that repeated here in Mark  - in verses 10-12.  (Read)

Jesus was giving them a gospel message in the form of a parable, but he was not explaining it to anyone besides to whom the secrets of the kingdom of God were given.  In this case, His disciples.

In our day, because we have the entire written Word of God, we have the ability to understand the truth of the gospel message through the Holy Spirit and by the preaching of his Word.

Yet there are many in the world who hear the gospel message from the pulpit, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised again to eternal life, and yet have chosen to not allow it to penetrate into their hearts.

They are choosing to reject the message mainly because of their calloused, self centered, hearts.

Much to our own pain, many of these souls are our loved ones.  We talk to them as often as we can but they do not take the seed.

We Love them as Christ loves them, we are obedient to share the truth, and often that obedience reflects tough love.  Where we give them up to consequences - for the hope that they will finally hear.

This is the seed that was thrown along the path, that is the feeding ground for Satan,  He comes along and takes away all the seed he can leaving the soul to perish in his sinful condition.

According to our text, there is another seed that is sown, and this time it is thrown into the rocks.

Verse 5 and 6 and the interpretation in 16 and 17

This week we looking at the rocky soil.

How many of you are planning on gardening this year?

Gardeners - would you say that Spring time is a good time to plant?

• Cool enough
• Rain showers
• Days are getting longer, more sun
• Barely any hardship to the young plants - the hot summer sun is still a ways a way - by the time the hot sun comes the plant should survive.

But am I the only one who thought the farmer was not very bright?

• Why sow on rocky ground?
• As a kid my parents had a garden - I pulled a lot of rocks.

I am not really sure the farmer knew it was rocky soil. explain

• We are given a divine look into the soil
• But as we sow we don’t know what soil type we are sowing into.
• We don’t know they are rocky soil till they fall away.
• However, how many gardeners threw seed in the ground and then walked away, never looked at the garden again until day 60 where you knew there had to be fruit? Anyone?  

The guys at the jail story

• Receive the word of God with joy but fall away.
• They leave optimistic that they will never return to jail… but they do.
• Especially for men of addictions
• Why? Because they are not pulling stones out of their lives.

Here in our text we see the word trouble or tribulation - I do not believe you can truly understand the text until you go to the Greek and understand what the definition of this word actually is:

•  In the greek language the word is “thlipsis.”  
• John MacArthur writes that "Thlipsis (tribulations) has the underlying meaning of being under pressure and was used of squeezing olives in a press in order to extract the oil and of squeezing grapes to extract the juice… In Scripture the word thlipsis is perhaps most often used of outward difficulties, but it is also used of emotional stress." (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press)
• Best understood from our text, we see the seed both in the ground and confined due to rocks, so it may be best understood that Christ is talking about the idea of a narrow place that "hems someone in";
• Specifically - internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined (restricted, "without options").
• It carries the challenge of coping with the internal pressure of a tribulation, especially when feeling there is "no way of escape" like being ("hemmed in").
• When we look at this word combined with persecution in verse 17, we see the contrast.  Persecution comes like the sun and adds pressure to the plant to find water, but because of the hemming in due to the emotional rocks in one’s life, the roots are not deep enough to sustain life in Christ.

Why is this word important to understand in our text?

• We would normally assume from the text that this is only external pressure, there is that element, but it is not only outward.
• Christ is saying that there is something restraining growth from the inside out.
• In addiction recovery we talk at length about the house cleaning choice. (Explain)
• Failure to do this results in a falling away when persecution comes.
• They need to get rid of Bitterness; unforgiveness; anger; etc.
• Then they need to grow in Christ - maintain that momentum.  

But the Jews and early christians had a difficult time with this, they had a little different kind of problem in their life compared tous.

• Turn with me to Galatians 3:1-11
• They were free from the Law and yet they were not getting rid of it.  Instead they were holding on to it.  Gal 4:8-11
• In doing so they are unraveling the very fabric of Justification.  If Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves, than why would we return to works?

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand the struggles of the Jews, the reason why is because we did not live in their time period.

• One verse kind of sums it up their problem 2 Chronicles 7:14
• HISTORY-They were in captivity and out again
• They had prophets telling them to repent all the time
• They would return to God and repent of their sins, and he would restore them
• What this did is swing the pendulum to far to one side.
• They became obsessed with Holy living that they made rules to add to the Law.
• They believed that they would be prosperous as a nation again if they kept the whole law perfectly.
• This was their rock, the rocks that keep them from rooting in something better - which is faith in Christ’s teaching alone.
• They always wanted to add to it believing that it couldn’t be enough.

But in our day, our history is different but… can look the same

• The stone we pull in and don’t throw out is pride; self sufficiency; complacency; bitterness; entitlement; low self worth…
• Therefore as long as stones like these remain in our hearts we cannot drill very deep in our relationship with God.

Biodome in Arizona (sustain life in a bubble for space exploration)

• They had a problem with trees falling to the ground when they reached a certain height.
• They learned that they needed wind.  Wind caused the root system to drive deeper into the soil to sustain its height.

If a superficial Christian is not throwing rocks out of his life, when the persecution comes, or the wind comes what happens to the life? He falls away.

BIG IDEA - What internal rocks are in your life keeping you from growing deep roots in God?

Church I do not want to see anyone here fall away when hard trials come.  And they will come…  You have to make room for roots.  You have to clean house.