_WASTED SEED_ ‘Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.’ Mark 4:3 The precious seed which fell to the right hand and to the left was wasted, because it fell on ground unprepared to receive... [ Continue Reading ]
_LACKING DEPTH_ ‘And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth.’ Mark 4:5 I. THE BEAUTIFUL EXTERIOR.—How many are there in the world of the class represented in the text! There is much about them, like the earth, which... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE THORNS OF PROSPERITY_ ‘And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.’ Mark 4:7 Here we have an illustration of what may be the distressing effect of worldly prosperity upon the spiritual life. I. ‘NO TIME.’—One of the chief dangers of a state o... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOOD SOIL YIELDS GOOD FRUIT_ ‘And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit.’ Mark 4:8 Here the seed falls in deep, well-prepared soil, and at harvest ‘the valleys stand thick with corn.’ When gathered in it is found to yield thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold, and the farmer rejoices. Who... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PEW_ ‘And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear.… For he that hath, to him shall he given: and he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath.’ Mark 4:24 Not without purpose was this warning given. I. PERILS IN HEARING.—These are many. (_a_) _ L... [ Continue Reading ]
_NATURAL LAW IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD_ ‘And (Jesus) said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; … when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’ Mark 4:26 The central thought of this parable is that God’s own Di... [ Continue Reading ]
_MARKS OF THE CHURCH_ ‘Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God?… It is like a grain of mustard seed.’ Mark 4:30 What are the characteristics of the Church which would possess the future? What are the conditions under which alone the mustard seed, which has grown so high already, shall fill th... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALONE WITH CHRIST_ ‘And when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples.’ Mark 4:34 There is nothing like the direct teaching of Christ. It makes everything so very plain, so individual, so precious. And the ordinance of the pulpit will be to very little good if it do not send you... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST IN THE TEMPEST_ ‘And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.… What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’ Mark 4:35 Let us see what lessons concerning Christ and His Church may be gathered from this incident... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE SECRET OF A QUIET MIND_ ‘And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.’ Mark 4:39 No words can exaggerate the value and importance of a calm mind. It is the basis of almost everything which is good. Well-ordered r... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TWO FEARS_ ‘And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’ Mark 4:40 A striking picture of two very different kinds of fear. The dissipa... [ Continue Reading ]