Check Your Heart, Part 1
Mark 4:1-25
Message #11
We left our study of Mark with the "Hard Sayings" of Chapter 3. And the two hard sayings we looked at last message made it clear the divide between those who are receiving Jesus and those who are rejecting him was growing more and more pronounced. And so, Jesus is going to begin sorting out those who desire to receive his truth from those who are bent on rejecting his truth.
And Jesus begins this sorting out process by starting to teach the people in parables. There are over 30 separate parables in the Gospels, and so it’s critically important that we know how to receive what Jesus is teaching in his parables. In our first parable today, the lesson is… Check Your Heart.
We left Jesus in the midst of two difficult situations of unbelief in Chapter 3. And so, on the heels of this “hardening unbelief,” Jesus begins this new way to share deep truths with the people.
Mark 4:1-2 (NLT)
1 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.
2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
This was (most likely) the peak of the popularity of Jesus, and all sorts of people are gathering around him. But Jesus knew the true condition of each person’s heart. He knew some believed. He knew some would believe and he knew some had hardened their hearts toward him and were looking for a way to remove him from their lives.
But please hear me, Jesus wanted them all to hear and receive his message of salvation. Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth to be the Good News of salvation for all people.
1 Timothy 2:4 says (ESV)
4 [God our Savior] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God knows not all people, unfortunately, will desire to receive the truth of God’s Word. And so, at the peak of Jesus’ popularity, he begins teaching in a way that will kind of “sort things out.” Not sort things out for Jesus – he already knows. But, sort things out for us so we can see exactly where we stand to help each of us to check our heart.
This is where the parables come in. The word PARABLE means: To place alongside, for comparison. A Parable is taking a spiritual truth and “placing it alongside” an easily understood truth so that those who desire to hear and receive that spiritual truth from God can receive it.
And so, as this capacity crowd presses in on Jesus that day, he gets into a boat and pushes a little off-shore, and he begins to teach the crowd in parables. And his first parable in Mark has to do with the condition of our heart. Hence the title, Check Your Heart.
In this parable, we’re going to see four heart conditions – one of which represents our own heart. And we’re going to see these four heart conditions illustrated as four different soil conditions. (Making it a parable – to place alongside, for comparison). The parable starts in Mark 4:3-4.
Mark 4:3-4 (NLT)
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.
4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.
This is Heart Condition #1 – a heart that is hard to God’s Word.
Then, Mark 4:5-6 says,
Mark 4:5-6 (NLT)
5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.
This is Heart Condition #2 – a heart with a shallow desire for God.
Then Mark 4:7 says,
Mark 4:7 (NLT)
7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
This is Heart Condition #3 – a heart “choked out” by thorns.
Finally, Mark 4:8,
Mark 4:8 (NLT)
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
This is Heart Condition #4 – a heart that is ready to receive God’s Word.
And then, look very closely at the last statement of the parable.
Mark 4:9 (NLT)
9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
This statement from Jesus closes many of his parables. What does Jesus mean “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand”? Well, it does not mean physical ears or the physical ability to hear. The phrase “ears to hear” is a figure of speech. Meaning “a heart willing to receive.” Jesus is saying, anyone who truly desires to receive the spiritual truth of this parable should listen and understand what is being taught. Then, each of us must choose to have either a heart that receives God’s truth or a heart that rejects God’s truth.
So, either we say, “Okay, right now, I want to hear what this parable is saying. I want to hear what the Lord is saying to me about my own heart, by his Living Word and through his Spirit. I’m ready to receive it.”
Or, “Are you kidding me? Man, I’ve been hearing that parable for so long.”
Listen, can I tell you, please? No matter how long you’ve been around, you can right now reject what God wants to speak to you in his Word. Or you can say, “Okay, Lord, I’m ready. I have a heart to receive what you want to say to me today. Right now.”
That is, “ears to hear.”
Here’s the thing we’ve got to understand. John 16:13 says, “The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.” That does not mean the Holy Spirit will force truth on you. But the minute you set your heart to receive God’s truth, the Holy Spirit will begin revealing God’s truth to you. The Holy Spirit will pour out the power to receive the gift of faith. Your faith was a gift from God, Ephesians 2:8-9 says. But it’s when you believe; you were given this faith.
And so, everybody says, which comes first, the gift of faith from God or us choosing to believe? The question is wrong because God lives outside of time. There’s no time continuum where God exists. So, where God exists, one didn’t come before the other. This means you and I have a responsibility to have a heart to receive from God before he gives us the power to understand and to receive the truths of his Word.
Listen, have a heart to receive, and God will reveal to you. Have a hard heart that rejects and you’ll say, “I didn’t get anything out of that.” The minute you set your heart to receive the truths of God, he’ll give them to you. And if you choose to be hardened to them, he’ll let your heart be hardened.
Unfortunately, what I’ve found far, far too often, is that instead of truly seeking God’s truth in his Word, most people bring their own opinions into their search for God’s truth. They approach God’s Word with their own preconceived ideas about what God should be like and what salvation should look like… according to them.
And so, they don’t really come with a heart ready to receive truth from God’s Word. Instead, often and sadly, their own self-developed opinions and ideas, keeping them from being able to receive truth from God’s Word. What we think about God doesn’t matter. Because we come with these opinions. We bring these opinions into our seeking of God, and worse, we bring preconceived ideas of what God is like. “Here’s what I think God is like.”
Listen, God wrote a Book. He wrote a Book that is so miraculous and so supernatural that there is no writing ever in the history of mankind that can even remotely compare to it. It is so supernatural, so proven, so miraculous, that it just vibrates with the presence of God. And you want to say, “Well, here’s what I think about God”?
Here’s what I’m trying to say. If we have a heart to receive from God, we’re not telling him what we think. We’re saying, “God, speak. Word of God, speak. Your Word is living and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. You’re the Creator of all that’s been created. You, Jesus, are the Word in Expression. You’re God in Expression. I want to hear from you. I don’t want to bring to you what I think.”
So, this is what it looks like when we come to say, “I want to know you, God, the way you revealed yourself in your Word.”
Here’s a really great thing about the way I was saved. I was saved the first day I was ever in a Bible-believing church. The first day I was ever in a Christian church. The first hour and a half I was ever exposed to the Bible, I was saved. And so, I had no preconceived notions. I had no weird religious opinions or odd stuff I grew up with that I had to get rid of. I’m just like a blank slate. I’m just like, “Really? God loves me? I’m great with that! How do I find out more?”
And so, I didn’t bring all that junk with me. And so now, when people say, “I was always taught that if you do this, and this, and this, and this, God will accept you.” I didn’t have that baggage.
So, we have to go back to that and say, “Lord, I’m not bringing anything. I’m just saying my heart is open and ready to receive from your Word. I trust your Living Word. I want to know who you are. I want you to reveal the deeper spiritual truths to me.”
So, now Jesus has taught his first parable about four heart conditions that the seed of the Word of God falls on, only one of which leads to true salvation.
And then, in the next section (that we’re going to look into next week in our Part 2 message), the Disciples ask Jesus about this whole parable thing and (again) we’re going to dive into that next week.
But, for today, in response to their question, Jesus tells them exactly what this parable means.
And the deep spiritual truth represented by this parable is this: The condition of your heart toward God’s Word determines your ability to receive God’s Word. So please, have a “heart to receive” what God’s Word is saying to you here.
Skip down to verse 14, where Jesus begins explaining the parable to the Disciples.
Mark 4:14 (NLT)
14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
So, the seed is God’s Word coming to you, especially about your salvation and eternal life.
And then Jesus explains the four heart conditions – one of which we have toward receiving God’s Word.
Heart Condition #1 – Mark 4:15 (NLT)
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
This is a heart that is hard toward God. God’s Word lies on the surface of your heart (for a moment), and then the devil comes and steals it away making sure it has no chance of taking root in your life.
This is the scariest of all heart conditions. If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Heart Condition #2 – Mark 4:16-17 (NLT)
16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
This is the heart that is quick to receive God’s Word, then just as quick to turn away from it. When you find out that God’s Word does not actually promise the prosperity and easy life that the TV preacher sold you or when the hot sun of the real world brings problems or persecution for believing God’s Word, that’s when you quickly pack your bags and go back home to your previous life.
If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Heart Condition #3 Mark 4:18-19 (NLT)
18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,
19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
Ahhh, man, you almost had it!
You received God’s truth – you thought it was starting to grow. But then something else started growing faster and faster and faster! It was the thorns of this world. The WORRIES of this Life . . . The LURE of Wealth . . . The DESIRE for other things . . .
They’re all choking the spiritual life OUT of me! The things of this world look so attractive right up until they strangle your heart – dead.
If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Have you seen your own heart so far? Do you have “ears to hear” what God may be saying to you? Is your heart responding to God’s Word? Or is your heart hardened? Or is it shallow? Or is it choked out by the things of this world?
Guys, we’ve got to allow our response to God’s Word to reveal to us the condition of our own heart. We’ve got to check our heart, and we’ve got to know, the condition of our heart toward God’s Word determines if we will hear the truth of God’s Word.
And so, finally. Jesus describes the only heart condition that bears true fruit for the Kingdom of God.
Heart Condition #4 – Mark 4:20 (NLT)
20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
The only good soil represents the heart of those who desire to hear and receive God’s Word, and, in that heart, a spiritual harvest is produced. And that spiritual harvest is eternal life in heaven and a transformed life on earth.
If you truly desire to hear and receive God’s Word, then God will respond by revealing more and more of himself to you, and your life will bear the fruit of eternal life in heaven and supernatural transformation on earth.
Now, we’re going to look at some additional truths in these parables next week (in Part 2). But for today, let’s close with an encouragement and a warning from Jesus. Skip down to Mark 4:23-24.
Mark 4:23-24 (NLT)
23 Anyone with ears to hear (a desire to receive God’s Word) should listen and understand.”
24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear (don’t bring your own ideas or opinions). The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
That is an incredible promise, and on the heels of it comes – the warning.
Mark 4:25 (NLT)
25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
That doesn’t mean GOD will take it away. But it does mean something will take it away.
Please, come to God with a heart that is truly ready to receive the truths of God’s Word. Don’t come to God with your own ideas or your own opinions about how things should be. Come to God with ears truly ready to hear, and a heart truly ready to receive. Because the condition of your heart is what determines if you can receive the life-giving truth of who Jesus Christ IS and what he’s done to give you eternal life.
Don’t let your heart become hard to God’s Word like the first soil. Don’t let your heart be shallow toward God like the second soil. Don’t let the cares of this world choke out your heart for the things of God, like the third soil. Make your heart ready to receive the truth God wants to reveal to you – like the fourth soil. And then, seek God’s truth alone – with ears to hear and a heart to receive – all that he has for you.
Let’s check our hearts.
And Jesus begins this sorting out process by starting to teach the people in parables. There are over 30 separate parables in the Gospels, and so it’s critically important that we know how to receive what Jesus is teaching in his parables. In our first parable today, the lesson is… Check Your Heart.
We left Jesus in the midst of two difficult situations of unbelief in Chapter 3. And so, on the heels of this “hardening unbelief,” Jesus begins this new way to share deep truths with the people.
Mark 4:1-2 (NLT)
1 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.
2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
This was (most likely) the peak of the popularity of Jesus, and all sorts of people are gathering around him. But Jesus knew the true condition of each person’s heart. He knew some believed. He knew some would believe and he knew some had hardened their hearts toward him and were looking for a way to remove him from their lives.
But please hear me, Jesus wanted them all to hear and receive his message of salvation. Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth to be the Good News of salvation for all people.
1 Timothy 2:4 says (ESV)
4 [God our Savior] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God knows not all people, unfortunately, will desire to receive the truth of God’s Word. And so, at the peak of Jesus’ popularity, he begins teaching in a way that will kind of “sort things out.” Not sort things out for Jesus – he already knows. But, sort things out for us so we can see exactly where we stand to help each of us to check our heart.
This is where the parables come in. The word PARABLE means: To place alongside, for comparison. A Parable is taking a spiritual truth and “placing it alongside” an easily understood truth so that those who desire to hear and receive that spiritual truth from God can receive it.
And so, as this capacity crowd presses in on Jesus that day, he gets into a boat and pushes a little off-shore, and he begins to teach the crowd in parables. And his first parable in Mark has to do with the condition of our heart. Hence the title, Check Your Heart.
In this parable, we’re going to see four heart conditions – one of which represents our own heart. And we’re going to see these four heart conditions illustrated as four different soil conditions. (Making it a parable – to place alongside, for comparison). The parable starts in Mark 4:3-4.
Mark 4:3-4 (NLT)
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.
4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.
This is Heart Condition #1 – a heart that is hard to God’s Word.
Then, Mark 4:5-6 says,
Mark 4:5-6 (NLT)
5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.
This is Heart Condition #2 – a heart with a shallow desire for God.
Then Mark 4:7 says,
Mark 4:7 (NLT)
7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
This is Heart Condition #3 – a heart “choked out” by thorns.
Finally, Mark 4:8,
Mark 4:8 (NLT)
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
This is Heart Condition #4 – a heart that is ready to receive God’s Word.
And then, look very closely at the last statement of the parable.
Mark 4:9 (NLT)
9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
This statement from Jesus closes many of his parables. What does Jesus mean “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand”? Well, it does not mean physical ears or the physical ability to hear. The phrase “ears to hear” is a figure of speech. Meaning “a heart willing to receive.” Jesus is saying, anyone who truly desires to receive the spiritual truth of this parable should listen and understand what is being taught. Then, each of us must choose to have either a heart that receives God’s truth or a heart that rejects God’s truth.
So, either we say, “Okay, right now, I want to hear what this parable is saying. I want to hear what the Lord is saying to me about my own heart, by his Living Word and through his Spirit. I’m ready to receive it.”
Or, “Are you kidding me? Man, I’ve been hearing that parable for so long.”
Listen, can I tell you, please? No matter how long you’ve been around, you can right now reject what God wants to speak to you in his Word. Or you can say, “Okay, Lord, I’m ready. I have a heart to receive what you want to say to me today. Right now.”
That is, “ears to hear.”
Here’s the thing we’ve got to understand. John 16:13 says, “The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.” That does not mean the Holy Spirit will force truth on you. But the minute you set your heart to receive God’s truth, the Holy Spirit will begin revealing God’s truth to you. The Holy Spirit will pour out the power to receive the gift of faith. Your faith was a gift from God, Ephesians 2:8-9 says. But it’s when you believe; you were given this faith.
And so, everybody says, which comes first, the gift of faith from God or us choosing to believe? The question is wrong because God lives outside of time. There’s no time continuum where God exists. So, where God exists, one didn’t come before the other. This means you and I have a responsibility to have a heart to receive from God before he gives us the power to understand and to receive the truths of his Word.
Listen, have a heart to receive, and God will reveal to you. Have a hard heart that rejects and you’ll say, “I didn’t get anything out of that.” The minute you set your heart to receive the truths of God, he’ll give them to you. And if you choose to be hardened to them, he’ll let your heart be hardened.
Unfortunately, what I’ve found far, far too often, is that instead of truly seeking God’s truth in his Word, most people bring their own opinions into their search for God’s truth. They approach God’s Word with their own preconceived ideas about what God should be like and what salvation should look like… according to them.
And so, they don’t really come with a heart ready to receive truth from God’s Word. Instead, often and sadly, their own self-developed opinions and ideas, keeping them from being able to receive truth from God’s Word. What we think about God doesn’t matter. Because we come with these opinions. We bring these opinions into our seeking of God, and worse, we bring preconceived ideas of what God is like. “Here’s what I think God is like.”
Listen, God wrote a Book. He wrote a Book that is so miraculous and so supernatural that there is no writing ever in the history of mankind that can even remotely compare to it. It is so supernatural, so proven, so miraculous, that it just vibrates with the presence of God. And you want to say, “Well, here’s what I think about God”?
Here’s what I’m trying to say. If we have a heart to receive from God, we’re not telling him what we think. We’re saying, “God, speak. Word of God, speak. Your Word is living and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. You’re the Creator of all that’s been created. You, Jesus, are the Word in Expression. You’re God in Expression. I want to hear from you. I don’t want to bring to you what I think.”
So, this is what it looks like when we come to say, “I want to know you, God, the way you revealed yourself in your Word.”
Here’s a really great thing about the way I was saved. I was saved the first day I was ever in a Bible-believing church. The first day I was ever in a Christian church. The first hour and a half I was ever exposed to the Bible, I was saved. And so, I had no preconceived notions. I had no weird religious opinions or odd stuff I grew up with that I had to get rid of. I’m just like a blank slate. I’m just like, “Really? God loves me? I’m great with that! How do I find out more?”
And so, I didn’t bring all that junk with me. And so now, when people say, “I was always taught that if you do this, and this, and this, and this, God will accept you.” I didn’t have that baggage.
So, we have to go back to that and say, “Lord, I’m not bringing anything. I’m just saying my heart is open and ready to receive from your Word. I trust your Living Word. I want to know who you are. I want you to reveal the deeper spiritual truths to me.”
So, now Jesus has taught his first parable about four heart conditions that the seed of the Word of God falls on, only one of which leads to true salvation.
And then, in the next section (that we’re going to look into next week in our Part 2 message), the Disciples ask Jesus about this whole parable thing and (again) we’re going to dive into that next week.
But, for today, in response to their question, Jesus tells them exactly what this parable means.
And the deep spiritual truth represented by this parable is this: The condition of your heart toward God’s Word determines your ability to receive God’s Word. So please, have a “heart to receive” what God’s Word is saying to you here.
Skip down to verse 14, where Jesus begins explaining the parable to the Disciples.
Mark 4:14 (NLT)
14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
So, the seed is God’s Word coming to you, especially about your salvation and eternal life.
And then Jesus explains the four heart conditions – one of which we have toward receiving God’s Word.
Heart Condition #1 – Mark 4:15 (NLT)
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
This is a heart that is hard toward God. God’s Word lies on the surface of your heart (for a moment), and then the devil comes and steals it away making sure it has no chance of taking root in your life.
This is the scariest of all heart conditions. If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Heart Condition #2 – Mark 4:16-17 (NLT)
16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
This is the heart that is quick to receive God’s Word, then just as quick to turn away from it. When you find out that God’s Word does not actually promise the prosperity and easy life that the TV preacher sold you or when the hot sun of the real world brings problems or persecution for believing God’s Word, that’s when you quickly pack your bags and go back home to your previous life.
If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Heart Condition #3 Mark 4:18-19 (NLT)
18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,
19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
Ahhh, man, you almost had it!
You received God’s truth – you thought it was starting to grow. But then something else started growing faster and faster and faster! It was the thorns of this world. The WORRIES of this Life . . . The LURE of Wealth . . . The DESIRE for other things . . .
They’re all choking the spiritual life OUT of me! The things of this world look so attractive right up until they strangle your heart – dead.
If you see yourself here, please repent – turn to God and be forgiven.
Have you seen your own heart so far? Do you have “ears to hear” what God may be saying to you? Is your heart responding to God’s Word? Or is your heart hardened? Or is it shallow? Or is it choked out by the things of this world?
Guys, we’ve got to allow our response to God’s Word to reveal to us the condition of our own heart. We’ve got to check our heart, and we’ve got to know, the condition of our heart toward God’s Word determines if we will hear the truth of God’s Word.
And so, finally. Jesus describes the only heart condition that bears true fruit for the Kingdom of God.
Heart Condition #4 – Mark 4:20 (NLT)
20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
The only good soil represents the heart of those who desire to hear and receive God’s Word, and, in that heart, a spiritual harvest is produced. And that spiritual harvest is eternal life in heaven and a transformed life on earth.
If you truly desire to hear and receive God’s Word, then God will respond by revealing more and more of himself to you, and your life will bear the fruit of eternal life in heaven and supernatural transformation on earth.
Now, we’re going to look at some additional truths in these parables next week (in Part 2). But for today, let’s close with an encouragement and a warning from Jesus. Skip down to Mark 4:23-24.
Mark 4:23-24 (NLT)
23 Anyone with ears to hear (a desire to receive God’s Word) should listen and understand.”
24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear (don’t bring your own ideas or opinions). The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
That is an incredible promise, and on the heels of it comes – the warning.
Mark 4:25 (NLT)
25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
That doesn’t mean GOD will take it away. But it does mean something will take it away.
Please, come to God with a heart that is truly ready to receive the truths of God’s Word. Don’t come to God with your own ideas or your own opinions about how things should be. Come to God with ears truly ready to hear, and a heart truly ready to receive. Because the condition of your heart is what determines if you can receive the life-giving truth of who Jesus Christ IS and what he’s done to give you eternal life.
Don’t let your heart become hard to God’s Word like the first soil. Don’t let your heart be shallow toward God like the second soil. Don’t let the cares of this world choke out your heart for the things of God, like the third soil. Make your heart ready to receive the truth God wants to reveal to you – like the fourth soil. And then, seek God’s truth alone – with ears to hear and a heart to receive – all that he has for you.
Let’s check our hearts.