Mark 4
Mark 4
Parables are one of the most consistent ways Jesus teaches crowds and his followers. Parables are stories that hold a deeper lesson and meaning. Parables allow you to wrestle with an idea, not because there is no answer to the story but because the point of every parable goes against our very nature. In Mark 4, Jesus shares many parables with similar meanings and are connected, but each is different in reaching its listener. Often in this chapter, you read the words “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” because Jesus knows that some in the crowd understand the message, but there are also some who don’t. Often in reading parables, I have to reread or read them very slowly to understand Jesus’ central message. Sometimes the text and wording are hard to understand but the deeper reason is because sometimes it’s hard to process and apply the parable to my own life. In our sinfulness, we want to reject the things that redeem us.
In this chapter, these parables teach us all about one thing; faith. The faithfulness of God and the faith we carry as well. A vast topic, but smaller for Jesus to teach on. We learn about faith in sowing, how God asks us to do the work, and have faith in what grows and what doesn’t (V1-9). We learn that faith grows as you feed it and dims as you lack it (V21-25). We know about how faithful GOD is providing harvest. He asks us to sow, but he is responsible for the growth - do we have faith that His sovereignty is more significant than what we think should happen? Finally, Jesus confronts how little faith we possess. Jesus tests the faith of those who follow him as they enter into the storm (V35-41). He reminds them that God doesn’t need them to have perfect faith, but they can use even the most minor amounts to bring glory to Himself (V30-34).
Jesus knows that parables stick with some and not others. The phrase “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” is often repeated to remind people to hear and understand and process what Jesus is actually saying. When reading the parables in this chapter today, I encourage you to read and hear. Investigate the text and process what Jesus is trying to communicate and teach you. It’s not necessarily about which “character” you play in the parable (the Bible ain’t about you…) but what the parable reveals about God’s character and how that should affect our daily choice to reject sin and embrace redemption.
Which parable do you feel best fits your view of your faith? How is God asking you to believe more of Him in the midst of having faith?
