Rocks and Thorns
Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Rocks and Thorns ------------------- Date: 11/18/2002
Keywords:
"parable" "rock" "seed" "soil" "sower" "thorn"
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Passage: Mark 4:14-20*
14. The sower sows the word.
15. These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them."
16 "In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;
17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
18 And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,
19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
Questions
1. Which soil-type described above is most like you?
2. In verse 19, what three problems can choke out truth and result in an empty (unfruitful) life?
3. Where would you put pornography in this listing?
Practical help
This is a continuation of two previous lessons on the parable of the sower, the seed and the soils. To review the parable start here.
Jesus doesn’t come right out and tell us what the soil is, but I think it’s the heart. Seeds of truth are sown and when they don’t enter the heart, they disappear. This speaks to the urgency that we must all listen carefully. (He who has ears, should hear). But there is more to the story. It’s not enough just to accept something to be true. If the heart is rocky or underdeveloped, it’s hard for truth to stick. When problems come up, these people weaken and turn away. And if there are external thorns that distract the individual, then the truth of God’s word is choked. This means you can read and read and read and nothing will hit you. That’s because your mind continues to drift to worries, material wants and possibly pornographic objects you have fed on recently.
But there is hope. Soil can be cultivated. Thorns and rocks can be removed. You are not a victim stuck with your addictions the rest of your life. Jesus will be your gardener if you ask him and follow his directions.
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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright
The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by
permission."
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