音频：
视频：
•13又对他们说：“你们不明白这比喻吗？这样怎能明白一切的比喻呢？14撒种之人所撒的，就是道。15那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒但立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺了去；16那撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受，17但他心里没有根，不过是暂时的，及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了；18还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，19后来有世上的思虑、钱财的迷惑和别样的私欲，进来把道挤住了，就不能结实；20那撒在好地上的，就是人听道，又领受，并且结实，有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。”
耶稣解释了撒种的比喻。在我的事工中，我看到了这个比喻中的每一个例子。有时候人们就是不愿听神的话语。有时他们会听一会儿，然后就走开了。还有些人陷入生活中各种乱七八糟的事情，这挤占了他们的信心，使他们无法继续相信神的话语。还有一些人对神的话语并不愿意深入了解，他们在基督信仰和生活上无法变得成熟。这个比喻一直在勉励和安慰我，当我的讲道和教导似乎没有达到我所希望的效果时，我不需要灰心。
但我也必须从个人的角度来读这段经文。它让我仔细省察我个人的灵修生活。有时候，当我读圣经的时候，神的话语从来没有真正进入我的内心，因为我并没有用心聆听。主啊，求你赦免我吧!有时候，当我专注于神的话语时，它会触动我的良心，促使我改变自己的习惯。但后来我又重回以前的老路。主啊，求你赦免我吧!有时我忙于工作，没有时间查经和祷告。主啊，求你赦免我吧!还有一些时候，神的话语在我的信心和生活中产生了如此大的变化，以至于我被神奇妙的恩典所淹没。主啊，我感谢你!
所以，我应当把我在服事中对别人传讲的，也应用在我个人的灵修生活上。当我没有活出神的话语时，我不会灰心。因为这不是神话语的错，而是我自己的错，我的神是恩典和怜悯的，他赦免了我的罪。但我深信，当我继续紧紧抓住他的话语，那么圣灵就会继续在我心里作工，保守我的信心，使我结出悔改的果子。
祷告:耶和华我的磐石，我的救赎主啊，愿我口中的言语，心里的意念，在你面前蒙悦纳。阿们。(诗篇19:14)
Mark 4:13-20: Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (NIV)
Jesus explains the parable of the sower and the seed. In my ministry, I have seen examples of each one of them. Sometimes people just didn’t listen. Sometimes they listened for a little while, and then they just drifted away. Others got involved in messy things in their lives that crowded out their faith and their continuing in God’s Word. And there were some that couldn’t get enough of God’s Word and matured in their Christian faith and life. This parable has always encouraged me not to become discouraged when my preaching and teaching didn’t seem to have the effect I was hoping for.
But I also have to read this from a personal point of view. It allows me to examine closely my personal devotional life. Sometimes, when I read my bible, the words never really get to my heart because I wasn’t listening. Lord, forgive me! Sometimes, when I devote on God’s Word, it strikes my conscience and moves me to change my habits. But then I slip back to my old ways. Lord, forgive me! Sometimes I get caught up in the busy work of life and I don’t make time for Bible study and prayer. Lord, forgive me! And sometimes, God’s word makes such a difference in my faith and life that I am overwhelmed by God’s amazing grace. Lord, I thank you!
So I must apply to my personal devotional life what I have applied to my ministry. I will not be discouraged when I have failed to live up to God’s Word. It is not the fault of God’s Word but my own alone, and my gracious and merciful God forgives me. But I am confident that if I continue in his Word, then God the Holy Spirit will work in my heart, preserve my faith, and produce fruits of repentance.
Prayer: May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen. (Psalm 19:14)