Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for September 17, 2023

Kingdom Acoustics

Mark 4:1-20

1. Setting

• preceding: mobbed by crowds, maligned by religious leaders, misunderstood by family
• a floating pulpit and a parable sermon (4:1-2)

2. Jesus Tells a Story 3-9

• opening command
• a parable about a sower, seeds and soils
• seed along the path: eaten by birds
• seed on rocky ground: initial success and subsequent failure
• seed among thorns: choked and fruitless
• seeds into good soil: dynamic growth
• repetition of opening command

3. Jesus Addresses the Purpose of Parables 10-13

• responding to the question of the disciples
• citation of Isa. 6:9-10
• the word: helps or hardens
• a sovereign “filtration system”

4. Jesus Explains the Story 14-20

• seed: word
• path: never started, rocky: started but never finished, thorns: survived but never bore fruit
• good soil: perseverance and productivity

5. So What?

• Knowing that lasting transformation is the product of God’s word taking root in you, prize it and persevere in it.
• Pray for an insatiable appetite for God’s word.
• Ponder and apply the principle of perseverance.
• “Sweetly echo the gospel call, wonderful words of life; Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life; Jesus, only Savior, sanctify forever…” (P. Bliss, “Wonderful Words of Life”)