Living in the 21st century, you and I don’t usually speak in parables to each other. But in the 1st century, I sense it was a bit more common to hear people speak in parables. Jesus spoke parables. Some counted he spoke about 50 parables in the Bible. But I think the number is closer to 30. It is possible to me he spoke even more than that, but they were not recorded in the Bible. Do you like parables? I do, although while some are easy to understand, others are not. The first parable that Jesus ever spoke in the Bible is perhaps also the most well-known among all his parables. The Parable of the Sower is found in every Synoptic gospel. Some give it another name, and call it the Parable of the Soils. I prefer this title because the main character in the parable is the soil.
The more significant question is what is the Parable of the Sower teaching us to do? What is the application of the parable? To be very technical, there is no application, per se, in the parable. After Jesus finishes explaining the parable to his newly-appointed disciples, we do not hear him say, “Therefore, do this” or “Therefore, do that.” Jesus does not give any instruction. There must be nothing for us to do in here.
Not so fast. In the chapter before the Parable of the Sower in Mark 3, we see Jesus appointed his twelve disciples. Later, the disciples told Jesus that his mother and brothers were looking for him. He looked at them, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers.” They were his mother and brothers because they were doing the will of God. They were going to preach in the villages and cities. But before he sent them out, he felt it was necessary to let them know in advance about the four different soils. In other words, there were people with different conditions of the heart. Some would receive their message with gladness. Others would not. All to say that even though Jesus gave no specific application, it was implied. The disciples were expected to go, and preach. In the same way, God expects you and me to go, and preach. As Billy said last Sunday, without the scattering of seed, there can be no harvest.
We are called to be faithful scattering seeds in Federal Way and Tacoma, and beyond, and let God do his work. Come this Sunday. Billy will teach us how to put the Parable of the Sower together, and prioritize our lives to go, and preach.
Your Friend
Alvin