Sower parable TRGN

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Despite what can often be heard, the parable of the sower does not primarily concern a person who hears the Gospel for the first time.

Many people think that this parable of the sower concerns people who hear the Gospel for the first time, but when you look more closely you realise that Jesus was not necessarily talking about people who had not been born again.

Mark 4: 14-20 The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Today we can observe that many Christians are in the same cases as these different soils where the seeds fall.

In this parable the Christian is represented by the different grounds.

- That we do not understand what we hear,
- That we have no roots in ourselves and that we lack persistence,
- That we are sensitive to the concerns or wealth of this century,
- That we understand what we hear and that we bear fruit.

All these different situations may concern a person who hears the good news of Jesus for the first time; but Christians are much more concerned with these kinds of attitudes by listening to or reading a Bible teaching.

This teaching does not say that we could not associate these different situations with a person who receives the Gospel for the first time, but simply that Jesus was speaking about everyone, whether they were born again or not.

When Jesus explains this parable to His disciples He says "When a man hears the word of the kingdom".

In the original the word translated as "man" means anyone, or whoever.

Then of course some may say that the new birth was not yet fully available at the time Jesus pronounced this parable, which is quite right. But Jesus taught many things in the Gospels about people who were going to go through the new birth.

If you are born again, be aware that the way you listen to a teaching, the way you read the Bible, will have an essential effect on yourself, on your personal life, and on those around you.

Jesus gives us four main situations that can occur in a person's life and prevent them from receiving a truth in their life.
If you do not understand what you are hearing, then you will not be able to produce a result in relation to what you are reading or hearing.

Why?

Because satan will come to sow doubt in you.

It is very important to put into practice every time you listen to Bible teaching.

There are several possible solutions when you do not understand a teaching:

We may sometimes contact the author when possible. In any case, this is possible in our TRGN ministry.
If it is a biblical text, consulting the Holy Spirit to ask for His help by praying is by far the best thing to do.
Trying over and over again by reading and rereading, or by listening.
Meditating on the little that we have understood will often help us to understand things gradually.

It can also happen that a person born again lacks persistence, perseverance, self-discipline.

Our world today is increasingly oriented towards quick and effortless results, without motivation, without determination.

You need to demonstrate these qualities if you want to keep, and especially see in your personal life, the application of the teachings you read or hear.

In the same vein, Christians are not spared from false priorities. For many people, the main influence is still materialistic, but they also live in fear of the future.

The fear of missing, the fear of losing what I have acquired, the fear that a problem will arise, are feelings that prevent my faith from being activated.

In the Christian life everything is based on faith. We can't receive and then let go. The trust that faith gives us requires us to let go first, and then provision and security will appear in my personal life.

It is a fact: we receive much more, we are much more protected from a problem when we place our priority in God rather than on our material world or our society.

Fears and worries stifle faith, because they generate doubt.

It is not all about listening to or reading teachings, in the Bible or other books, but it is all about how you will receive them in your intelligence.

Be confident, God loves you more than anything else, His Word is full of promises, each one more powerful than the other.

Byr for now.