Curtis's Blog

Mark’s writings tend to be to the point.  The book itself is the shortest among the gospels.  And while not one of the twelve disciples himself, Mark offers some valuable insight into the life of Christ including this little gem of a passage, recorded only in the gospel of Mark.

After the parable of the sower and the telling of its meaning to his disciples, Jesus goes on to further explain what the kingdom of God is like.

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”   (Mark 4:26-29)

As we learned earlier in the chapter, the seed is the Word of God.  When it’s spread on the path, rocks, or among thorns it produces no fruit.  But when it is spread on the good soil it produces a crop that can be a hundred times what was sown.  The passage teaches how the word will be received.  Verses 26-29, however, teaches the power of word, and consequently the importance we have to sow it.

The symbolism between sowing and reaping is used repeatedly in the Bible.  The idea of planting a seed and producing a crop is an elementary truth.  In other words, you don’t have to be a farmer to understand it.  Even a small seed can lead to a large crop (The parable of the mustard seed is only a few verses away).   The key, though, is that it needs planted!

There is power in the word of God, power to start small and grow into a large harvest.  When we share God’s word we are planting a seed.  That seed has the power to sprout and grow entirely on its own.  Sure, it’s a good idea to make sure the seed doesn’t get snatched up by the birds, or to make sure the seed is properly rooted, or that it doesn’t have to grow up among thorns.  But, ultimately, when it comes to actually growing the seed does it on its own.

The same is true with the word.  We are called to make disciples, and we’re to do that by sharing God’s word… by sowing.  We sow the seed, and God’s word will do the rest.