In light of the “Parable of the Sower” (as some call it) in Mark 4:13-20, I’d like to go a little further in this chapter. In fact, the NASB includes the next several verses in the same section as the preceding parable. Let’s consider whether or not these verses are actually part of the same topic – the same fundamental message as that well-known parable.
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
Mark 4:21-25 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.4.21-25.NIV
While I don’t think that followers of Jesus are necessarily represented directly by the sower in the previous parable (hopefully, we’re more like the good ground that multiplied the crop), we are called to spread God’s word. As a result, we must shine God’s light and be generous in sharing the good news about the Kingdom of God that we have received. Having the light of God within us, but hiding it so that no one else can see it, sounds to me like the soil full of thorns, where seeds grew but produced no fruit.
If we want to be the good soil from the previous parable, then we are expected to produce fruit: not that we are responsible for the response of those with whom we share the good news, but we should still share God’s word with others, through both our words and our actions. If we are stingy with anything that God has given us, whether His word or other blessings, why should we expect Him to invest more in us if we have already shown that we would only squander it?
So, in perhaps the most direct example from this parable, let’s strive to be “good soil”. Let’s take the word that we have received from God, live it out, and produce fruit. That will likely include passing along the good news to others, so that we can enjoy being in the family of God with more people who also discover the joy that it brings. (By the way, don’t take the blame for any lack of receptiveness to God’s word in another person’s heart. Sometimes the word of God will fall on rocky or thorn-ridden soil, or worse. Share the word when God calls you to, anyway.)
And, where we can, let’s help others be good soil, too. When we learn of someone choosing to follow Jesus, whether through hearing about their decision or seeing them baptized, let’s help them establish some good “roots”. Spiritual disciplines like Bible study, prayer, and getting support from other Christians can help, but not all new Christians know about these things, or maybe they know about them but don’t know how to live them out. Or, they might simply need someone to join them in their efforts, or perhaps they just need an invitation to join your group to get more help from others in the body of Christ.
Similarly, if we know someone whose passion for closeness to God is under attack or is being choked out, let’s invest in them and help them overcome the draining effect of those “weeds” in their lives.
I also think that we can also help “cultivate” hearts and minds by preparing people to hear the good news. When we live more like Jesus taught and modeled for us, we increase their chances of seeing the truth about Him. On the other hand, when we behave unlike Jesus, it’s kind of like walking on someone’s flowerbed: trampling the receptiveness of lost people’s hearts and making them more resistant to the very cure for their sins.
So, as you think about the people you’ll likely encounter over the next few days, I invite you to consider whether your goal in walking with Jesus and being a part of the Kingdom of God is focused only on yourself, or whether it is focused on producing results. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the fruit that we produce should include the “Fruit of the Spirit”, not a light hidden underneath a bowl.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for September 21, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Mark, by Allen Black. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 