If you would take your Bible and join with me please in the gospel of Mark the gospel of Mark and chapter 4 We are I Think I have mentioned this but just for clarity again, you know as we're working our way to the gospel of Mark We're not necessarily focusing on all the teachings of Jesus etc though that's obviously going to come up but we're looking at where he's journeyed and where he's ministered and what do we learn from that how can we you know what is there that will help us in that application And so when we come to chapter four we come to something that's very familiar and I know I've preached it before you've probably heard it preached before besides me. Sunday school teachers etc. And that is the parable of the sower and the seed. And that's a pretty important parable and we'll talk about that in just a little bit. But we want to learn something for us besides the truth of the parable, which is quite familiar to all of us. So let's look at Mark 4, beginning at verse 1. And he began again to teach by the seaside. And there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine, hearken, behold, there went out a sower to sow. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your truth, for the wonderful Savior that we have, We sang about it collectively as a congregation. We heard it sung about as Don was just singing about our wonderful Savior. And now we come to your word and we see an event in the life of our Savior. I pray you'd help us to see some things that might help us be more effective in your hand to accomplish your desire both in our life and through our life. Help us now, please, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. It says, and he began again. So there's a repetition here. Jesus, we saw that previously he already had been taught, you know, teaching by the seaside. And it seems this is the same day as the close of events of chapter three, where his brethren and his mother come and they're calling him. And perhaps it was later on in the day and the meal was read, whatever it was that drove them to seek him, to kind of pull away. Apparently he did. We kind of read the parallel passages out of Matthew 13 and Luke 8, kind of put all those things together. But now it's later on in the day, it would seem, and he goes back to the seaside. Back there again, and he's going to do some more teaching. I want you to notice first off, because we're trying to glean some things that will help us as we see the journeys of Jesus, what can we glean from that that will help us in our journey for Jesus and with Jesus? So he's teaching again by the seaside, and there was gathered unto him, they come to be with him, It says, a great multitude. A great multitude. I want you to notice the people. And as I was thinking about this, even this afternoon, you know, sometimes some of these passages, some of the verses, we kinda, we sorta skim over them. Which I'm not saying that's okay. I'm just saying I get it. We're reading along and it's like, okay, he's at the seaside. Let me get to the parable. Let me get to the really, you know, the meaty stuff. And yet there's something right there. A great multitude gathers. Not just a multitude, there was a multitude earlier with him, but now it's a great multitude and they're gathered to him. And we've noticed this several times. Wherever Jesus happens to be, there's a gathering of people. So what can I glean out of that for myself? And what can you glean out of that for yourself? Why are the people gathered? They're gathered to be with Jesus, right? So let's think about that. Is there something there that I can apply to my own life? They're gathered to be with Jesus. Isn't Jesus supposed to be dwelling within? Yep. Colossians 1.27, Christ in you, the hope of glory. Are people gathering to me because I'm so like Jesus? Are people gathering to you because you're so like Jesus? that could be a little convicting to think about because we think about them gathering to Jesus well that was back then but Jesus is here now but he's here in us and there ought to be something about us that points to Jesus like we were looking at this morning you know we've got the new suit on okay and so we're looking like Christ we're acting like Christ and that draws people to us there's something about us that's different Is there a draw about me? Is there a draw about you? That's so much like Christ. People are coming to you. That's something to think about. Do you think that ought to happen? Yeah. I won't ask if it is happening. Now we know the world's getting worse and worse, isn't it? I don't think it's getting better and better. I think it's getting worse and worse. All you have to do is turn the news on and quickly turn the news off again or you'll become very depressed and distressed of all that's happening and the wickedness that seems to be promoted. And here's what I think maybe what happens to me, and maybe to you, is we equate the fact that people are not drawing to us because of the wickedness outside. And so we just rationalize it away. The reason folks aren't gathering to hear the Word of God is because, well, because they're so wicked. Have men been... Now I just said the world's getting worse and worse, and that's based on our perception of it. Let me ask it a different way. Have men become more sinners than they were before? No. Sin is sin. I mean, you just go read in the Old Testament, you'll find some pretty wretched stuff going on. Some horrible kind of stuff going on that seems to be like Wow, you know, back there in Judges, it's like, are they writing about San Francisco or Sodom and Gomorrah? What really are they writing about? Sin hasn't become more sinful. Sin is sin. And so in the day of Christ, were things good or were they bad? Was sin like a novel new thing? No! The Romans were there and etc. etc. But people still gathered. They still gathered. And there was something about Jesus that drew them. It was like he gave hope. He had authority. He didn't speak like the scribes and the Pharisees. That was their testimonies. You don't speak like the scribes and the Pharisees. That's right, because he's the son of God and he speaks with authority about the things of God. And there's credibility to his message. And people were hungry then to have hope, eternal kind of hope, and I think they're hungry today to have hope. So maybe the problem isn't the sinfulness on the outside, I don't mean this to come across as condemning or rebuking. It's convicting to me. Maybe the problem is the shallowness on the inside. And I hope you understand what I'm trying to say with that. And so I have to think about that. the people see the people speak about my opportunity to serve God and that's based on how much like Christ am I as the people I deal with on the outside if I can say it that way whether it's co-workers or not here that would be pretty bad I'd be talking about Savannah and my wife but Oh, Brother Kirk, but you get what I'm saying. You know, clerks at stores, those of you who work on job sites, there's other co-workers at the job sites, or maybe you're, you know, at the refinery or wherever, Walmart. Okay, we got, there's people all over, aren't there? Okay, and which is the other point about the people is not just that they're gathered, but there's a great multitude. There is still a great multitude that needs to hear about Jesus. that needs to see Jesus in my life. Now, here we are, we live in America, and we got Bibles galore, and we have so much of the trappings of Christianity that it's become so commonplace. It's not noticed anymore. It's just common. But what the great multitude needs is not more trappings, is they need more reality in the life of God's people. They, when you go to work tomorrow, your coworkers need to see Christ in you, in how you deal with the boss, or the pressures of the company, or the crotchetiness of the customers, or whatever. That's what they need to see. They need to see that Christ is real, because there's still a great multitude out there. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to Yeah, every creature, every person, everyone. And so the gospel needs to go everywhere to everyone. And that seems like a big task, except if all the Christians around the globe would shine Christ, the Lord would be shining around the globe. The people, that's my opportunity to serve my Savior. that great God we just sang about, and we heard sung about. That's our opportunity. All right, continuing on, so there's a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea, and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land, and he taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine. Okay, so number two, the placing, the placing. Where is Jesus at? He's not in the synagogue, is he? No, he's on the seaside. And he's in a boat. It doesn't tell us whose boat, I presume it's probably Peter's boat, or maybe John's boat, because John and James were fishermen, Peter and Andrew were fishermen, and some of the other disciples were fishermen. So I presume he's in one of the fishing boats that belongs to his disciples. Well, that doesn't seem like a preaching location, does it? That's more like a fishing location. Here's my point. The place where I get to serve the Lord is wherever I am. Wherever I am. Tomorrow, I'm presuming it'll happen tomorrow, it does most mornings. Some of you, Rick and Don and Renell maybe, will be at Wendy's for coffee at 9.30, correct? 9.30, and a bunch of other guys are there. That's an opportunity, that's a place. to shine for Jesus. Some of you that are not retired will go to your place of employment or place of business and that's your place. That's your place to shine Jesus right there. Some of you are in the trades and you go from place to place and job site to job site. Every job site you go to is a place to share Christ. See, the location, so if the people is about my opportunity, the placing is about my locality. It doesn't matter where I am, everywhere I am is the place to shine for Christ. Every place, every single place. No matter where I am, the people that I interact with there need Jesus. And so I need to be shining Jesus right there. So, I mentioned this morning about Bridget's car and it was the Friday before they went to Michigan. I was at Laurel Ford and that's where we got it. And going through the whole process, you know, of buying a car which is laborious, you know. But I'm sitting there and there's the salesman, so it's like, So I started to witness to him right there. Right there. and had a great time, claims to be saved, had a good conversation with him. He goes to a different church, but that's fine. But we talked about the Lord and how the Lord changed his life. So you say, really, right there in Laurel Ford? Yeah, right there in Laurel Ford as you're sitting and you're in the midst of negotiations and they come back and they say, okay, we can give you so much for yourself. I don't think you, you guys can do a little better on that. Okay, let me take that back to the sales manager. And you know, back and forth, back and forth, all that's going on. It's like, okay, get him out of here. Okay, let's talk about the Lord. Because we gotta wait. Right? You're sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office. And there's somebody sitting one or two chairs down from you. And they look sad. That probably indicates they're facing something maybe quite serious. And you could just say, excuse me, I notice you look pretty down, I'm sorry. Nobody likes coming to the doctor. Can I pray for you? Pastor, are you serious? You want me to do that? Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'm talking to myself as well, okay? But you could bow your head and say, what's your first name? You don't need to know their whole life story or their medical history. Just, can I pray for you today? Yeah, and they may open up. And as you say, well, let's pray and ask God to help you. You know, a five second prayer, and when you say amen, they're like, I really needed that. And you give them a gospel track and you invite them to come to church. See, it doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter where you are. Rennell multiple times has given testimony. He's out walking around the pond and bumps into somebody. Well, not literally bumps into them, but there's somebody else down there and he shares the gospel, gives him a gospel track, invites him to church. Okay. Joe's done the same thing, talking about when he's out fishing, there's another guy fishing. Okay. So it doesn't matter where you are. Everywhere we are, it's not you, it's us, it's all of us. Every place we go, every place we visit, every place we do business is an opportunity. Because that's the locality that the Lord wants me to let Jesus shine. Because that's where I'm at. And Jesus is in me, Christ in you, the hope of glory. As we drive across the country and we're just coming back home, I'm giving out, you say, well, why would I give out church tracts, our church tracts in Iowa? Because it's a great invitation. Because they say, oh, where are you from? Oh, we're going to Montana. I'm going home. And I pull out a tract and I say, hey, if you're ever in Montana, come and visit me. And then I'll say this, and I won't even charge you for it. you know, as you're paying, $12.95 for two bags of chips and a pop, which is crazy, but it's okay. It's an opportunity to give the gospel. I don't know how many times somebody says, oh, wow, I wanted to go to Montana. I mean, the track's not about Montana, but because it's got a train on the front, when we're going to Montana, they start looking at it. Oh, I got an aunt that lives in, you know, Roundup or someplace. I said, oh really? Every place we are, every place, that's the location to give the gospel. We don't have to wait for the Saturday outreach time once a month and say, oh, we give the gospel once a month on Saturdays and we go knock on doors. You know what, if that's the only time we do that, we are in great deficit. We ought to be giving the gospel, shining out Jesus every place we are. Now, it's not gonna be the same every place. Sometimes we don't get to give a gospel track, but we're looking for that opportunity to shine for Christ. It might be just a smile, it might be a track, or maybe you're gonna get to actually share the gospel and your testimony. But if we don't recognize that that ought to happen in every place we are, we're always waiting for the opportune place. Every place is the opportune place. Every place. That's important. Deuteronomy 6 4 through 9 the passage of script that's called the Shema because it starts out here O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord it's called the Shema because that's the Hebrew word for to hear but in that passage it says as you're walking by the way as you're sitting in your seats you know and now I can't quote it because I'm trying to basic it's everywhere you go every waking hour is an opportunity Every location. So, the people, that's my opportunity. The placing, that's my locality. And now, the parable itself. Says, and he taught them many things by parables. And there's this amazing parable, and it's so familiar, we could almost quote portions of it, because it's very familiar. A sower went forth to sow. We know the story. And he goes out to sow seed. Now this is in Israel, this is in the time of Christ, so sowing of seed was something done by hand. And every little farmer had his own little plot, and there was probably a path around his plot. however big that plot was, okay? And that path kind of divided, you know, like say maybe it was the size of our auditorium, okay? That's my field. But over there is somebody else's field, and there's a path in between. But he's sowing it by hand. He's dipping his hand in the sack of seed. He dips it in there and flings it out. Flings it out. Flings it out. We know the story. We get the illustration. And as he's flinging some of those seeds, they just go wherever they're flung, right? So, it's not like he's like, I think I'll plant seeds right here on the path so I can step all over the seeds. That's not what's happening. But as he sticks his hand in the sack and he pulls it out, Some of the seeds fall out. Or they fall out of his hand, because he's got too much in his hand. And as he flings it, it's not like he's, you know, shooting them like arrows. Oh, that's a weed. Nope. I needed two inches the other side of the weed. That's not what he's doing. It's not like planting rice, where they're out there sticking them in, you know, in the mud pile. This is Israel, and they're planting weed. And so it's just flung, flung, flung. So it falls on the wayside, it falls on the rocky ground, falls on the thorny ground. That's the edges. Michigan has lots of... As we're driving around the thumb, and I'm looking at the fields, it's like... as a teenager. Now that seems like an eternity ago. Farmers would hire teenagers to come and walk behind their tractor pulling a wagon to pick rocks. As they're plowing, rocks come up. Right? And we're driving around the farm and I'm thinking, there's still rocks coming out of that field. What in the world? Somebody's planting rocks. You know? Not really. Some of the ground is rocky ground. The dirt is shallow. And so some of the seeds fall in shallow ground. And a little bit of dirt that's there, they sprout and they spring up. But that's all there is, because there's not enough dirt for them to take root. Some of it falls along the edges of the field where the plow doesn't get to. And so there's thorns and weeds growing there. And the seeds grow in there. And they germinate and they start to grow, except they're choked, right? They're choked. We understand that, but then there's the good ground. The good ground. It says, verse eight, an other fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased. and brought forth some 30, some 60, and some 100. Portions of that field were very fruitful, well watered. The dirt was good, rich soil. And so, man, it really just boom. Boom. 100 fold. Wow. Other parts of that field maybe were, you know, think about like on an incline. It's going to be well watered down below, but not quite so much up here. Right? So this is not irrigated very well. The middles, yeah, so-so. But down below, that's the bottom land. That's a good land. Dark black dirt, well watered. The seeds that end up there, they really grow good. But I want you to notice that the Lord doesn't say, well, this is the good, better, best land. That's not what it says, is it? No, Jesus says they're all good land. Whether they bring forth 30, 60, or 100 fold, they're all good land. Good land is not the amount of fruit, it's the fact of fruit. whether it's little or it's much. As I think about that as a preacher, It seems like, you know, Charles Spurgeon, he's called the Prince of Preachers. So a lot of times people get, preachers can be compared to Spurgeon and we hear about Spurgeon preached so many messages in his life and we give these statistics, you know. Or this pastor, well, he pastors a church of, you know, 4,000 or whatever. He's not pastoring, he's a mayor. But, I can say that because we don't have 4,000 people here. It would be phenomenal if we had 4,000 people. I don't know where they would be, but we'd be in a different building, wouldn't we? If we had 4,000 people, because they wouldn't fit in here. And we can start to compare ourselves among ourselves. And Paul tells us that's not wise. That's not wise. Jesus isn't so much validating your service to him by the amount of your fruit, but the fact of your fruit is what he's concerned about. Is there some fruit? Now, I would hope whatever amount of fruit we may have in our life, we desire for there to be more fruit. And I think the Lord desires there to be more fruit. That's why John 15 talks about the husbandman and he's pruning the branches. The fruitful branches, because he wants them to bring forth more fruit. But my service for Christ is not validated in that I have the most. It's not a competition. It's do I have fruit for Jesus? Some fruit. That's the validity of my service. That there is some fruit. Some fruit. You know, as I read this passage about where does Jesus went on this day, he went back to the seaside and he taught some more. He had opportunity, a great multitude. He had the locality is where he was just where he was and there was validity because everybody was paying attention and that opened the door for him to teach more and more in depth even to his disciples. So I think that there's a lesson for us if we're walking with Jesus wherever we go where there are people that's an opportunity. And wherever we are, that's the location. We don't have to wait for them to come to church to share Jesus. We can do it right there. And that may be just setting the hook, and maybe they'll come to church, or maybe not, but don't wait for a more opportune place. Every locality. And if I would be concerned enough and conscious enough of the opportunities and the locality that the Lord puts me in, I think I'll find the validity in my service because there will be fruit. And that applies to all of us. Because Christ is in everyone who's trusted him as their Savior. I'm going to paraphrase Paul's words just slightly. Christ in us. That's the hope of glory. They ought to see Christ in us. And that gives them hope that Christ could be in them. And so I don't have to wait for a better time, a better place. I can do it right there and then. Maybe the Lord will open that up to give me more time or more opportunity or repetition, you know, whatever. But if I keep my mouth quiet about the chances he does give me, why should he give me more? Why should he give me more? By the seaside. That could be by the, next to the dumpster. Could be at the mechanic shop. Could be at the dealership. be in the doctor's office can be in McDonald's it can be wherever we are wherever we are father would you help us please help us to be cognizant of the opportunities that we have everywhere we go there are people and people everywhere need Christ every location father we can shine for Jesus And if we would be conscious enough and faithful enough to share the Lord, our service would be validated by fruit. We would desire some fruit, Father, and give us a hunger for that, and then work in our lives that that fruit might even increase. Would you help us, please, to be what we ought to be for your glory? We ask this, please, in Jesus' name, amen.