Jesus Gets Real

The parable of the landing of the seeds.

Have you ever thought of Jesus as realistic? Maybe that’s a strange or unexpected thought. But the passage before us today might be read as a teaching from Jesus in which he names the reality of God’s goodness — or at least, the reality of how it is received.

Sometimes we might believe that if we do everything just right, everything will go exactly well. But Jesus says no such thing here. In fact, much of the farmer’s effort doesn’t lead to a good harvest.

Some people won’t like you.
Some will befriend you only for a moment.
Some will leave when something more beneficial comes along.
Some will abandon you at the first sign of difficulty.

But…some will stick with you — in the goodness of God’s grace and in the work of God’s mission.

Mark 4:1-20

Jesus began to teach beside the lake again. Such a large crowd gathered that he climbed into a boat there on the lake. He sat in the boat while the whole crowd was nearby on the shore. He said many things to them in parables. While teaching them, he said, “Listen to this! A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path; and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. When the sun came up, it scorched the plants; and they dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked the seeds, and they produced nothing. Other seed fell into good soil and bore fruit. Upon growing and increasing, the seed produced in one case a yield of thirty to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of one hundred to one.” He said, “Whoever has ears to listen should pay attention!”

When they were alone, the people around Jesus, along with the Twelve, asked him about the parables. He said to them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables. This is so that they can look and see but have no insight, and they can hear but not understand. Otherwise, they might turn their lives around and be forgiven.

“Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The farmer scatters the word. This is the meaning of the seed that fell on the path: When the word is scattered and people hear it, right away Satan comes and steals the word that was planted in them. Here’s the meaning of the seed that fell on rocky ground: When people hear the word, they immediately receive it joyfully. Because they have no roots, they last for only a little while. When they experience distress or abuse because of the word, they immediately fall away. Others are like the seed scattered among the thorny plants. These are the ones who have heard the word; but the worries of this life, the false appeal of wealth, and the desire for more things break in and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. The seed scattered on good soil are those who hear the word and embrace it. They bear fruit, in one case a yield of thirty to one, in another case sixty to one, and in another case one hundred to one.”

Psalm 119:9-16

How can young people keep their paths pure?
By guarding them according to what you’ve said.
I have sought you with all my heart.
Don’t let me stray from any of your commandments!
I keep your word close, in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you.
You, Lord, are to be blessed! Teach me your statutes.
I will declare out loud all the rules you have spoken.
I rejoice in the content of your laws as if I were rejoicing over great wealth.
I will think about your precepts and examine all your paths.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget what you have said.

Prayer

God,

You know how fragile our hearts can be — how easy it is to get discouraged, distracted, or worn down. Thank you for being honest with us through Jesus. He didn’t promise ease, but he did promise presence. He didn’t guarantee outcomes, but he showed us the way.

Help me to be good soil. Keep me soft to your word, steady in your grace, and faithful in your mission — even when things don’t go the way I hoped.

Grow something lasting in me.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.