Slices
Prepare
Pray that as Scripture Union workers go into schools with Bible stories, or run gospel-focused events, the children and young people who listen will hear much more than just the words. Pray the same for yourself, as you listen for God to speak to you.
Bible passage
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
‘“they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
13 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.’
Explore
As we share the good news of Jesus with our friends, families and communities, disappointingly there’s no guarantee that people will ‘get it’ and respond positively. What different responses have you seen when you’ve tried to tell others about the gospel?
Jesus explains people’s different responses (vs 15–20). Some don’t understand at all, others start well, but then the worries and troubles of life ‘choke the word’ (v 19). The way his own family and the religious leaders have reacted to him and his work can have been no surprise to Jesus (3:21,22).
For the rest of our readings in Mark’s Gospel, in our ‘Respond’ times, we’ll try to be ‘good soil’. We’ll hear what God says to us and immediately seek to let it make a difference to our lives with Jesus. After being on today’s campaign with him to change the world, what difference will God’s Word make in your life?
Respond
In the light of today's reading, ask yourself, what reason do I know have:
- to believe Jesus more wholeheartedly?
- to love and trust him more deeply?
- to live his way more faithfully?
Turn your reflections into prayer and praise.
Deeper Bible study
‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’1
We may find it strange that the disciples could not really understand the parable of the sower and asked Jesus about it (vs 10,13). The manner in which Jesus explained the parable by citing from Isaiah 6:9 and 10 is even more puzzling. It seems as if he pronounced judgement on those not responding to his message. According to Isaiah 6, after Uzziah died, Isaiah was sent by the Lord to preach to people who would not believe, resulting in their being exiled to a foreign land. In the light of this, these verses from Isaiah are cited elsewhere as language of judgement on people whose hearts were hardened and who deliberately rejected the message from God.2 It reminds us that seeing the miracles and hearing the gospel are not enough. It must lead to repentance and understanding.
In Mark, the quotation from Isaiah 6 could not have come at a more appropriate time. It is found immediately after a series of conflicts in which Jesus was rejected by the religious authorities and his own family. Was Jesus drawing a parallel between these people and those with hardened hearts during the times of Isaiah? If so, judgement had been levied on those who still refused to hear the good news, especially the religious authorities. At the same time, could it be that Jesus is also warning us today, challenging us to listen to and understand the message of the kingdom? Will we listen, understand and respond appropriately to God, or will we allow our hearts to be hardened by refusing to listen to and obey God’s Word?
‘O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day.’3
1 Heb 3:7,8 2 See John 12:40; Acts 28:26,27 3 Richard of Chichester, 1197–1253
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 1,2; Galatians 4
Pray for Scripture Union
This week’s prayers all relate to this article.
Give thanks for all the volunteer leaders who have worked so hard preparing for SU holidays and missions this summer. Ask God to help them accept the cancellation of our summer events with patience and fortitude.
