The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) - A Sermon by R.C. Sproul 

This sermon was preached by R.C. Sproul at Saint Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Fla. Hear more from his series in the gospel of Mark: ru-vid.com/group/PL30acyfm60fWpFiMnbLmGb8WD5YXXOAxX

I have always believed the sower represents any evangelist who shares the Gospel, the seed is the Gospel. We, as evangelists are given the job to see the seed of the Gospel. Regardless, the point of the parable is about the soil. Pastor Sproul was an incredible man of God. We are so blessed to be able to still hear his teachings. God Bless you all.

Thank you!

That was amazing to hear. God bless each and everyone of you.

The true meaning of the parable of the sower is this: when anyone hears the message regarding the Kingdom and does not understand it - the evil one (the selfhood) snatches away what was sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground - this is he who hears the message and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself - but endures for a while - and when tribulation or persecutions come on account of the message - immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns - this is he who hears the message - but the cares of the world and the delight in riches - choke the message and it bears no fruit. As for what was sown on good soil - this is he who hears and receives the message and understands it; he indeed bears fruit - and yields - in one case a hundredfold - in another - sixty - and another thirty fold.

Does anyone examine the fruit of this harvest? What is the fruit? Eternal life, the joy of your salvation, and faithful duties to the glory of God? A good name to pass on to your children, community, or nation? Something else? All of the above?

Another excellent sermon from Dr RC Sproul!

Thank you, Ligonier Ministries for posting this sermon on youtube. Many didnt have to opportunity to learn directly from Mr RC Sproul and this posting some what compensate that. Keep up the good work for the extension of His kingdom. Believer-in-Christ from Malaysia

Good explanations for a well-known passage. One thought....as a clarification, Mark does NOT use hupakouō (ὑπακούω) here. He uses the base form akouō (ακούω). The intensified form of akouō ("to hear" - ἀκούω) is hupakouō (ὑπακούω) which is from hupo (ὑπό) [NOT huper ὑπέρ] and means "under hearing" or "placing my hearing under" the authority of the one telling me what to do. The intensified prefix is NOT "hyper" or "huper" (ὑπέρ) and there is no occurance of "hyper hearing" in the Bible (or elsewhere that I have found). We see the intensified form (hupakouō - ὑπακούω) in Mark 4:41 - "...even the wind and the sea obey ("hupakouei" - ὑπακούει) Him!" indicating that even the wind and the sea (inanimate objects) arrannged their hearing UNDER the authority of Jesus. For an example of "hyper" (ὑπέρ) being used with a different word, see Romans 5:20 (ὑπερπερισσεύω = grace SUPER abounded). Again, here, Mark used the base form in a present tense imperative so the meaning of the command would be..... "Y'ALL BE ONGOINGLY HEARING/LISTENING!"

Amen

God uses us as Christians to be sowers. We sow the word by preaching/teaching it. Those hearing the word are the soils. Jesus said in Luke's account "take heed therefore how ye hear". How you hear determines which soil type you are. Oh, and by the way, One corn kernel would typically grow a stalk with maybe three ears of corn with each ear having over two hundred corn kernels on it. So an increase of a hundredfold would be quite normal. Take heed therefore how ye hear.

one thing i wanna say here is that sower never choose to whome he sow his seeds. as jesus ministered both the gentile and the jews

We have to ENDURE...

I am confused, Brother Sproul mentioned God as the Sower but then says the Sower is an Evangelist. It can't be both. Who knows the seed will grow is God and who causes it to grow is God but who scatters the seed is the believer obedient to sow.

3:31-35 is missing

Why would Satan worry about snatching the seed away if the non-elect won’t be saved anyway? That makes no sense!

It takes one seed to grow one plant that produces hundreds more seeds that grow hundreds more plants exponentially You shall know them by their fruits

Oh wow! Just to push your predestination theory, you said it’s all up to the Holy Spirit. But how does the Spirit works if one doesn’t hear the message? How would they hear if it wasn’t preached to them? How can it be preached to them if someone isn’t sent? To attack evangelism, you used the story of people who didn’t believe, but that’s just simply the result of what the Bible says, “For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬ But where is the grace of God in all of this? The grace that saves all men long before they know they are saved? We receive the grace unconditionally yet we put conditions on how other receive it? What gives us the right to become polices of God’s family?

When you’re saying how someone can prepare the soil for the sower, you gave no direction. You tell us the Holy Spirit has to come into us to make the seed grow roots. You also said it’s the sowers job to prep the soil… so it’s a pastors duty?? You had some good things in there, but it’s missing sound instruction to follow that will help people prep their soil for the word.

Almost no one here produce good fruit. Almost no one here has roots. The thorns and the weeds have choked out the good in your life. You are nice to your church friends while stepping over the wounded. Most of you don't read your Bible Some of you study it. Few of you know it. Those that do read it isogete because they must support the doctrines they were taught