The Pilgrim Path---Mark's Gospel 4: 1-9 (5--11--20)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on the rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. and other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

THE SOWER

---Some seed fell on the path. Birds came and devoured it: The devil often will snatch-up the Word---just as quickly as it is sown among hearers. Certainly people exist who "show up" where the Word is "sown" ---as Bishop Ryle says, "they go to a place of worship, for form or fashion, or to appear respectable before men. But they take no interest whatever in the preaching. It seems to them a mere matter of words and names, and unintelligible talk...It matters nothing to them whether it is Law or Gospel. It produces no more effect on them than water on a stone. And at the end they go away, knowing no more than when they came."

---Some seed fell on rocky ground (not much soil). The seed sprang up for a time---it looked promising. But the sun burned it away---No root. Some people hear the Word---with apparent joy and excitement. Can even be moved to tears. As Bishop Ryle says, "Their religion has no more life in it than the cut flower."

---Some seed fell among thorns---the thorns simply grew---so as to choke out the seed. People obey portions of the Word---even indicate that the Word "is" true. Yet, as Bishop Ryle points out, "Something appears to chain them fast, and they never get beyond a certain point in their religion. And the grand secret of their condition is the world...With everything apparently that is promising and favorable in their spiritual state, they stand still."

---Some seed fell into good soil. Grain came: 30---60---100 fold! "If you've got ears to hear---hear this." Bishop Ryle: "Christ will be truly loved, trusted in, followed, and obeyed. Holiness will show itself in all their conversation, in humility, spiritual mindedness, patience, meekness, and charity. There will be something that can be seen. The true work of the Holy Ghost cannot be hid."

"Many men owe their religion, not to grace, but to the favor of the times; 'tis in fashion, they may profess it at a cheap rate, because none contradict it. Indeed, it shows that they are extremely bad when they may be as good without any loss to themselves, but it does not show they are good that they are only good in good times. Dead fish swim with the stream. They do not build upon the rock, but set up a shed leaning to another man's house, which costs nothing; carried with a multitude, are not able to go alone in a good way; if they be religious, it is for others' sakes. Then is integrity discovered, when persons dare be good in bad times, as Noah was said to be an upright man, because he was perfect in his generation." Thomas Manton

Holy Bible, book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine;

Mine to tell me whence I came;

Mine to teach me what I am.

Mine to chide me when I rove;

Mine to show a Savior's love;

Mine thou art to guide and guard;

Mine to punish or reward.

Mine to tell of joys to come,

And the rebel sinner's doom;

O thou Holy Book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine.

John Burton (1773-1822)

Grace and Peace in Jesus Our LORD, Pastor Jason