Mark 4:8-22
“AND OTHER fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.”
How happy to be assured that some of the seed must fall on good ground and bring forth fruit, which it will continue to do until the day of grace is ended. Just as we see a wide difference in the response of saved souls, so the Lord pronounces a variety in the amount of fruit that comes out of the good ground. It is a privilege, dear Christian friend, to have a big return for Him, but it can only be through faithful devotedness to God’s Word and earnest prayerfulness that other influences will not choke out that good seed.
May we not forget that there must be a continual plowing in our hearts to give that seed good lodging to His glory, the blessing of others, and joy to ourselves. Perhaps there may be an opportunity right close to you to prepare the ground in the heart of some friend or acquaintance, so that the living Word will find good lodging in their lives, too.
After explaining the parable of the sower, the Lord (v. 21) probes the consciences of His hearers in respect to their testimony. The illustration of a candle speaks, of course, of light shining in darkness (the candle cannot light itself, but is lit by the Holy Spirit); and He comments on the faire of the candle to perform its proper service if it is put under a basket or placed under a bed.
Is there a lesson for us in this? Indeed there is. If we are children of God through faith in Christ, then He says of us: “Ye are the light of the world” and urges us (Matt. 5:16) to “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Now there are two outstanding hindrances to Christian testimony — both brought out in this verse: First, occupation with such things as our livelihood, business, properties, or a desire to prosper in this world illustrated by the light hidden under the basket. These things may be said to be necessary occupations of our lives, but the hazard is that we so readily let them get out of bounds and have too much hold on our time, our interests, and then our affections. What Christian will deny the need of exercise of heart that earthly occupations be kept in their proper place, so that our light will not be obscured?
The other outstanding barrier to Christian testimony is indifference lack of energy — or just plain laziness of heart, mind and body. So our beds, figuratively speaking, can cover up the light of testimony, too. Our enemy, the Devil, loves to see an indifferent believer and if he can have his way, would give us so much satisfaction with this world that we will just go pleasantly along, but without interest in spending our energies for the Lord.
What care is needed that we do not “spend money for that which is not bread,” and our “labor for that which satisfieth not,” as we are warned in Isaiah 55:2, and that we do not let indifference mark the pathway and rob God of what is due Him from our lives. True zeal will look to Him to show in just what way you can best serve Him to His pleasure and your own joy.
“Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” Heb. 12:28.
ML-06/23/1963