Mark 4:26-29 gives us four helpful insights:
I. WE ARE TO FAITHFULLY SOW THE SEED ON ALL KINDS OF SOIL:
In the parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-8, 14-20), Christ told of the person who threw the seed (the Gospel) on various types of soil (men’s hearts): hard, shallow, weed-infested, and “good.”
The sower’s job was not to inspect the condition of the soil, but to faithfully “scatter seed on the ground… ” (Mark 4:26b)
II. WE ARE TO STEP BACK AND ALLOW THE GOSPEL TO DO ITS WORK:
The inner-working of the Gospel upon a person’s heart is mysterious, God-directed, and beyond our control or efforts:
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain… ” (Mark 4:27)
III.WE ARE TO OBSERVE THE SOIL:
It important for us to understand that before reaping the harvest, an orderly and timely growth process must first transpire:
“First the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” (Mark 4:28)
IV. WE ARE TO REAP THE HARVEST:
Because of our inclination toward procrastination, we could easily miss the opportune time to reap the harvest: “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months and then comes the harvest‘?… I tell you… the fields are ripe for harvest. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (John 4:35; Mark 4:29)
I am intrigued with the fact that when Christ spoke of the partnership between sower and reaper He only offered a reward to the reaper: “One sows and another reaps… The reaper draws… wages… ” (John 4:37, 36)
Perhaps He knew that reapers were in scarce supply and needed the added incentive!
At any rate, let’s get out there and sow the seed, step back, observe, and… harvest!
StopAndPrayTV 