I’ve been looking at the parable of the sower, and taking a closer look at Jesus’ explanation of this parable. With this, I’ve been able to address the seed on the path and the seed on stony ground. Today, I’ll be looking at the seed that fell among thorns. Just to recap, the places where the seeds fell represents the heart of the individual, in other words they became like that as a result of what they’ve often been feeding their minds with. So when the seed comes, it is their way life that would determine what they would do with the Word or the seed.
Now for the seed among thorns, the Amplified version of Mark’s account would be more elaborate. First of all Mark 4:7 and 4:18 and 19. Verse 7 says, “Other seed [of the same kind] fell among thorn plants, and the thistles grew and pressed together and utterly choked and suffocated it, and it yielded no grain.” Verses 18 and 19 of Mark 4 says, “And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word; then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness and riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.”
Wow, the thorns must be dangerous, but why does the individual in question like thorns. Ecclesiastes 1:2 says, “‘Vanity of vanities’, says the Preacher; vanities of vanities, all is vanity”. The Amplified version puts it this way, “Vapour of vapours and futility of futilities, says the Preacher. Vapour of vapours and futilities of futilities! All is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and vainglory). Verses 3 and 4 says, “What profit does man have left from all his toil at which he toils under the sun? [Is life worth living?] One generation goes and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”
The last question in verse 3 which says, “Is life worth living?” is actually the thorn, but those living this life where their heart is full of thorns do not know that their life is full of thorns because the life according to them is full of pleasures, delight, glamour, riches, passionate desires and so on. But the scriptures call them, “false glamour”, “deceitfulness of riches.” Which would imply that the passion with the heart of thorns is not satisfied, he feels something is missing in his life.
Many of us may think the life of a person with a heart of thorn is the life full of extravagance; partying, living a rough life. This is true, but not completely true. Have you ever taken a good look at your life, if you’re not one of them, why am I saying this? I’m not here to give you a guilty conscience. Verse 19 of Mark 4 says among the things that choke the Word are cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age.
What we fail to understand is that simple things like rushing to work because you woke up late is anxiety and care because your job is on the line. Simple things like being anxious over the lack of food, clothing and shelter; not having children, having financial debt, no job and so on. These things affect almost everybody. But guess what, the man who woke up late most likely forgot to through the scriptures where the Word is present or went through it in a hurry and not properly grabbing anything thus not allowing the Holy Spirit to direct their day. The same thing applies to the person who is scared of not having food, clothing, shelter, job, children, finance, standard health, and so on. My point here is that we gradually begin to forget what the Word says over the challenges we find ourselves because we’ve started losing focus on the truth and have started believing the fake, and as a result of this our cares and anxieties overwhelm us and choke the Word and it becomes unfruitful.
Yes, it clearly states in the parable of the sower that this person heard the Word, therefore having in mind to make use of it; so the person could be one who goes to church. It also states that as the Word is chocked, the seed becomes unfruitful, that means the person most likely sowed the seed, probably spent time with the Word, but when worries came, gradually forgot what the Word says.
Simple things make us lose the mark; we may have been living this life before the Word came in; as I said it is what we do after that matters. In man’s quest in taking care of his anxieties and cares, he is distracted with pleasures, deceitfulness of riches, cravings, passionate desire for things, all because he wants his problems solved.
Jesus said in John 16:33b, “In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] AMP. Jesus was speaking to His disciples about their lives as Apostles, in the world. It is normal for cares and anxieties to come our way, but they are not meant to overtake us because Jesus has conquered them on our behalf and this is what we are to hold on to.
There are things that would have been done to cut down the thorns, or the stony ground and the pathways being transformed into good soil when the Word is received. This would be explained in the next blog where I would write on the good soil and how this heart is the only one of the four that made proper use of the Word and got great benefits.
Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!
Log on next time.
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GOD BLESS YOU.
Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are gotten from New King James Version (NKJV)
