The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-02-01

Especially arranged from s. 8 ouarterlyl
LEsso~ Text - Marks :lO3O.
GoLDKS TExr-If any man have cars -
hear let him hear.-Mark 4:23
CENTRAL TRrTm-We should receive the
good seed of Gods word In honest and
good hearts. and bring forth much fruit.
TIME-Aatumn, A. ID. -. Several weeks
after the last lesson.
PLACE On the shore Of the Sea Of Cali
lee. near Capcrnaum.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTS Of the whole parable,
Matt. 1870. 1922; Luke Sab. Jesus,
thirty-two years old near the close OF the
second year OF His ministry.
INTERVENING HIsroHy Many important
evenss in the life OF Christ occur during
the intervening weeks; ~ the call OF
Matthew; the choosing Of the apostles; tho
sermon on the mount; healing the centuri-
on's servant.
INTRoDucrIoS-Jcsus now enters upon .
new method Of teaching. Great numbers
crowd 70 hear Him, but the opposition also
Is increasing. One day in Capcrnaum
Jesus is charged with blasphemy, and His
family came 10 Him, probably to ask Him
10 AIT in different way tscc Matt. ~.
Then He goes out Of the city 10 the lake
Shore and getting into q boat, He teaches
the multitude who are on the shore. and
speaks eight parallels. The parable Of the
sowcr Is told in the previous verses. Prob
ably they could see at that time all the
kinds OF soil and the results, pictured be-
fore their eyes.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-10. Askxd 81
Him ne parable the Interpretation Of the
parable He had just spoken IL. The mys-
try: the things hitherto hidden, but now re-
vcalcd BY Christ. The disciples were obc-
dent and tcachablc. and therefore could
learn more Unto Them that are wifhon::
without the circle OF Christ's followers, out
sidc Of the number who obeycd God. IL.
Seeing may see aud not perssive: the truth
could not be given TO them clearly because
they would have made bad use OF II, to tho
injury Of themselves and othevs. Even in
this case God wanted them to see and be-
licve and be saved Lesf they should be con-
serfed. not that Christ taught in parallels
for this end; but they would not hear
and understand, lest they should be con.
yerted. a. The ssusr: Jesus the apostles
and all who teach and preach Gods Word.
The sesd; Gods Word OF tr..h. The soil was
the hearts Of men. Is. Udysids; the troddcn
paths or roads which ran near or through the
grain fields There were no fences or hedges.
These hearers are those whose hearts are
hardened by neglect and sin, so that truth
makes no impression, and the wicked one,
good seed. Motto that the wicked one can
not take away the good seed unless we let
him. he can not destroy the seed IL the
soil is good. 10 Stony ground; rocky; not
fields full Of stones, but a thin layer Of soil
over fiat rocks. The soil Is warm In the
sun, and the seeds spring up very soon, but
the soil soon becomes dry. Reseirs Il With
pladness: these hearers are those easily
moved by excitement, and the feelings OF
those around them, but they do not become
Christians at heart Their principles and
character are not changed. AZ. P0sseafion
FOR the world's sake; as soon a. any trials
some which test their principles, they fail.
IS. Jhornx; growing by the hedges Of the
fields These grow up fs.tcr than the grain,
and shut on the sun and absorb the richness
OF the ground. 10. Cares Of tbs rorld; anx.
ieties about earthly things, too absorbing in.
tcrest in them. Dtetufnlaess Of riches; riches
deceive in making people expect more from
them than they can give; in GLIDING pur-
suit, disappointing people continually. Choke
me uord: these things take up so much
time and attention that people neglect re-
ligion and goodness and Heaven.
CoMMESTs-By the Sea Of Gallee great
multltudes gathered 70 hear Jesus preach.
AS they pressed close upon Him. lie got into
a boat, amt. pushing little way out, used
the boat as a pulpit From there He taught
them about the word Of God. and the vari-
Gus ways in which men receive the truths
OF God. In the parable Of the sowor the
seed stands for the word OF God; the vari-
Gus kinds OF soil represent human hearts in
various degrees Of reccptivty. and the fruit
represents the results OF that which was
sown. The seed. This is the word OF God.
Every time that we hear a sermon preached
that IS based on the word Of God, seed has
been sown in our hearts. Every reading Of
the Bible and every studying OF the lesson
IN the class is q sowing Of the seed Does
all seed sown bear frujtf Alas no. Why
noti Because OF the soil in which II is
sown. In our parable there are four kinds
OF soil spoken Of Look at them in their or
der. % Hard dorn-trodd>n soil. The hur-
rying feet Of thousand worldly thoughts
and evil practice have trodden the tender
soil into hardness. On this the fall OF the
seed makes no impression. II merely falls
on TO, not into the heart. The truth Is lis
tened 10 in listess way. A sentence here
and there is caught, but swiftly the rush OF
thieving thoughts catches away the truth.
and leaves no trace Of Il behind. Every
nearer has at some time been ''waysidc
hcarern O. Stony soil. Not bare rock,
but earth with much stone intermingled.
This kind Of soil represents persons Of
"good impulses" but whose impulses never
carry them very far They hear, and think
they will obey the truth. They perhaps
give good promise OF amounting to some
thing. They may 20 50 far as TO join the
church, and even for awhile become work
ers in the church. But presently they prove
10 have no deep roots. Trouble may arise
which daunts them, and by and by they g,ve
up their professions aud 10 back 10 where
they were before. Promise there was for .
time IN their lives, but ~ was followed by
no fulnIlmcnt. 90 7horny SOIL In this case
there is plenty Of soil, but the thorns have
got the start OF the good seed. Mammon
has already been busy in these hearts. Now
comes the spirit and sows seed in that heart.
II springs up, and promises well. But all
the time, care, and lust for wealth, and de-
sire for pleasure are thorc and grow apacc.
BY and by they outgrow the good seed, and
occupy more and more Of the ground, until
ct last the seed Is choked and dies away,
leaving the heart with rank growth Of
worldly desires aud deeds. Money making,
thcatcr-going, the dance hal-how many .
heart have these filled, TO the exclusion OF
Gods truth and Of fruitagc unto life ever